Vehicle fast passing method, ETC background server and computer storage medium

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of vehicle passing, in particular to a vehicle fast passing method, an ETC background server and a computer storage medium. In the case that a vehicle is not installed with a fixed ETC card, after an account owner opens ETC passing permission, vehicle information and account owner information are authorized and bound through a third-party application, the vehicle information and the account owner information are stored in an authorized information library, when it is detected that the vehicle reaches an ETC channel at an entrance of a toll station, the license plate number of the vehicle is acquired, and when it is found that corresponding account owner information exists in the authorized information library according to the license plate number, the ETC channel at the entrance of the toll station is controlled to be opened to allow the vehicle to pass. The application can make the vehicle without the fixed ETC card pass through the ETC channel quickly, solve the problem that the vehicle without the ETC card can only pass through the manual channel, improve the passing efficiency of the vehicle, and relieve the passing pressure of the manual channel, so as to avoid the phenomenon that the vehicle is blocked in the manual channel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle passage technology, and in particular to a method for rapid vehicle passage, an ETC back-end server, and a computer storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) is a service function of intelligent transportation systems. When a vehicle needs to enter a toll station on a highway or bridge, a dedicated short-range communication is established between the on-board electronic tag (ETC card) installed on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station. Computer networking technology is used to conduct back-end settlement with the bank, enabling vehicles to pay tolls without stopping at the highway or bridge toll station.

[0003] When using an ETC card, it needs to be permanently installed inside the vehicle. However, the existing ETC management model results in many vehicles (such as rental cars, taxis driven by drivers on shifts, ride-hailing vehicles, and public vehicles) being unable to install a fixed ETC card. Vehicles without a fixed ETC card cannot pass through ETC lanes, leading to a waste of ETC lane resources. Meanwhile, passing through manual lanes results in congestion and low traffic efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, this application provides a method for fast passage of vehicles, an ETC backend server, and a computer storage medium to solve the technical problem that vehicles without a fixed ETC card cannot pass through ETC lanes.

[0005] A first aspect of this application provides a method for rapid vehicle passage, the method comprising:

[0006] When a vehicle is detected arriving at the ETC lane at the toll station entrance, the vehicle's license plate number is obtained, and the vehicle does not have a fixed ETC card installed.

[0007] The system queries the authorization information database to see if there is account owner information corresponding to the license plate number. The authorization information database stores vehicle information and account owner information corresponding to ETC access permissions authorized and bound through third-party applications.

[0008] When an account owner information corresponding to the license plate number is found in the authorized information database, the ETC lane at the toll station entrance is opened to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC lane at the toll station entrance.

[0009] When no account owner information corresponding to the license plate number is found in the authorized information database, the ETC lane at the toll station entrance is closed to prevent the vehicle from passing through the ETC lane at the toll station entrance.

[0010] In an optional implementation, after the query finds that account owner information corresponding to the license plate number exists, the method further includes:

[0011] Verify whether the ETC access permission is valid;

[0012] When the ETC passage permission is verified to be valid, the control at the entrance of the toll station is executed to open the ETC lane to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station.

[0013] In an optional implementation, before controlling the opening of the ETC lane at the tollbooth entrance to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC lane at the tollbooth entrance, the method further includes:

[0014] Identify whether the vehicle's location information needs to be verified;

[0015] When it is recognized that the location information of the vehicle needs to be verified, the location information of the account owner's device is obtained;

[0016] Verify whether the location information of the device is consistent with the location information of the vehicle;

[0017] When the location information of the device matches the location information of the vehicle, the ETC lane at the toll station entrance is opened to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC lane at the toll station entrance.

[0018] In an optional implementation, the method further includes:

[0019] When the vehicle is detected to have arrived at the ETC lane at the toll station exit, the vehicle's license plate number is obtained;

[0020] The vehicle's ETC access permission is verified based on the license plate number.

[0021] After the ETC access permission verification of the vehicle is passed based on the license plate number, the first information of the vehicle passing through the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station is obtained, and the second information of the vehicle passing through the ETC lane at the exit of the toll station is obtained.

[0022] Calculate the vehicle's operating costs based on the first and second information;

[0023] The driving fee will be deducted based on the account owner information.

[0024] After the toll deduction is successfully processed, the ETC lane at the toll station exit is opened to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC lane at the toll station exit.

[0025] In an optional implementation, the method further includes:

[0026] The deduction information corresponding to the deduction process is sent to the device of the account owner.

[0027] In an optional implementation, the method further includes:

[0028] After the vehicle passes through the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station, and / or after the vehicle passes through the ETC lane at the exit of the toll station, the vehicle information is sent to the device of the vehicle owner.

[0029] In an optional implementation, the method further includes:

[0030] After the vehicle passes through the ETC lane at the toll station exit for a preset period of time, a notification message is sent to the third-party application to unbind the account owner information and the vehicle information, so as to unbind the ETC passage permission;

[0031] Delete the vehicle information and account owner information corresponding to the ETC access permission from the authorized information database.

[0032] In an optional implementation, the method further includes:

[0033] Upon receiving a notification from the third-party application that the account owner information and the vehicle information have been unbound, the vehicle information and the account owner information corresponding to the ETC access permission are deleted from the authorization information database.

[0034] A second aspect of this application provides an ETC backend server, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the above-described vehicle fast passage method.

[0035] A third aspect of this application provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the above-described method for rapid vehicle passage.

[0036] The vehicle fast passage method, ETC backend server, and computer storage medium provided in this application embodiment, when a vehicle does not have a fixed ETC card installed, allow the account owner to authorize and bind vehicle information and account owner information through a third-party application after activating ETC passage permissions. The vehicle information and account owner information are stored in an authorization information database. When a vehicle is detected arriving at the ETC lane at the toll station entrance, the system obtains the vehicle's license plate number and, upon finding a corresponding account owner information in the authorization information database based on the license plate number, controls the opening of the ETC lane at the toll station entrance to allow the vehicle to pass. This application enables vehicles without a fixed ETC card to quickly pass through the ETC lane, solving the problem that vehicles unable to install ETC cards can only pass through manual lanes, improving vehicle passage efficiency, alleviating traffic pressure on manual lanes, and preventing vehicle congestion in manual lanes. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a fast passage method for vehicles arriving at the ETC lane at the toll station entrance, provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 2 This is another flowchart of the fast passage method for vehicles arriving at the ETC lane at the toll station entrance provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a method for fast passage of vehicles to the ETC lane at the toll station exit, provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0040] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the ETC backend server provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The terminology used in the following embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. As used in the specification of this application, the singular expressions “a,” “an,” “the,” “the,” “the,” and “this” are intended to include the plural expressions as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used in this application refers to any or all possible combinations that include one or more of the listed items.

[0042] Hereinafter, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as implying or suggesting relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature, and in the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more.

[0043] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the fast passage method for vehicles arriving at the ETC lane at the toll station entrance, as provided in Embodiment 1 of this application, which can also be found here. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The method for vehicles to pass quickly through the ETC lane at the toll station entrance specifically includes the following steps.

[0044] S11, when a vehicle is detected to have arrived at the ETC lane at the toll station entrance, the vehicle's license plate number is obtained.

[0045] The toll station can be a toll station on a highway or a toll station on a bridge. Both the entrance and exit of the toll station are equipped with an ETC system, which may include an ETC backend server, lane controllers, and an automatic vehicle recognition system.

[0046] When a vehicle is detected arriving at the ETC lane at the tollbooth entrance, the vehicle automatic recognition system in the ETC system can identify the vehicle's license plate number. For example, a camera can be used to capture an image of the vehicle's license plate, and the license plate number can be identified from the image using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology.

[0047] This application addresses the scenario where a vehicle lacks a fixed ETC card, meaning there's no onboard electronic tag on the windshield. Consequently, when the vehicle arrives at the ETC lane at the tollbooth entrance, it cannot establish dedicated short-range communication with the microwave antenna in the ETC lane. To enable vehicles without onboard electronic tags to pass through tollbooths without stopping and pay highway or bridge tolls quickly, this application requires users (drivers, vehicle owners, etc.) to first obtain a personal ETC account from the ETC operating company using their personal ID, bank card, and mobile phone number to activate ETC access. The account owner (i.e., the user with activated ETC access) can authorize and bind their ETC access permissions, account owner information, and vehicle information through a third-party application. This third-party application can be an ETC application software, a WeChat mini-program, a WeChat official account, etc.

[0048] The ETC passage permission refers to the ability to quickly pass through ETC lanes even when no on-board electronic tag (ETC card) is installed on the vehicle's windshield.

[0049] When an account owner authorizes and binds ETC access permissions through a third-party application, they need to fill in information and verify their face based on the application information provided by the third-party application (such as license plate number, vehicle model corresponding to the license plate number, and the account owner's vehicle registration number).

[0050] Facial recognition ensures that only legitimate account owners can authorize and bind ETC access permissions through third-party applications, preventing the illegal use or misuse of personal information such as driver's licenses. Secondly, it can also verify that the account owner's authorization to bind ETC access permissions is a voluntary act.

[0051] In other embodiments, when authorizing and binding ETC access permissions through a third-party application, it is also necessary to upload or capture in real-time images of the four sides of the vehicle, the license plate number, and a photo of the account owner with the vehicle. Uploading or capturing in real-time images of the four sides of the vehicle provides the ETC system with information such as the vehicle's appearance and color, helping to confirm whether the vehicle in the application matching information filled in by the account owner when authorizing and binding ETC access permissions through the third-party application matches the actual vehicle. Uploading or capturing in real-time images of the license plate number verifies whether the license plate number in the application matching information is correct, avoiding the entry of an incorrect license plate number.

[0052] The above optional implementation methods can prevent the unauthorized use of other people's vehicles or the acquisition of third-party application authorization binding through forged information, thereby improving the security of account owner authorization binding and avoiding fraud and impersonation by others.

[0053] The ETC system's ETC backend server can obtain vehicle information and account owner information corresponding to ETC access permissions bound to third-party applications, and store this information in the authorization information database. The vehicle information may include license plate number, vehicle model, account owner's vehicle registration number, and account owner's ID card number. The account owner information may include ID card number, bank card number, WeChat account, mobile phone number, and a photo of the account owner with the vehicle taken during authorization.

[0054] S12, query the authorization information database to see if there is account owner information corresponding to the license plate number.

[0055] When an account owner activates and authorizes ETC access through a third-party application, the account owner information corresponding to the license plate number will be automatically updated and stored in the authorization information database. Therefore, after obtaining the vehicle's license plate number, the ETC system can query the authorization information database to see if there is account owner information corresponding to the license plate number, thereby determining whether the vehicle has ETC access.

[0056] If an account owner information corresponding to the license plate number is found in the authorization information database, execute S13; if no account owner information corresponding to the license plate number is found in the authorization information database, execute S14.

[0057] S13, control the opening of the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station.

[0058] When the account owner information corresponding to the license plate number is found in the authorization information database, it indicates that the account owner corresponding to the account owner information in the authorization information database has enabled ETC access permission and bound the ETC access permission through a third-party application. Then the ETC backend server can control the lane controller at the toll station entrance to open, thereby controlling the opening of the ETC lane and enabling the vehicle to pass.

[0059] S14, control the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station to close so as to prevent the vehicle from passing through the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station.

[0060] If no account owner information corresponding to the license plate number is found in the authorization information database, it indicates that the account owner corresponding to the account owner information in the authorization information database has not activated ETC access permission or has activated ETC access permission but has not authorized and bound ETC access permission through a third-party application. In this case, the ETC backend server controls the lane controller at the toll station entrance to close, and the vehicle cannot pass through the ETC lane at the toll station entrance. Instead, it can pass through the manual lane.

[0061] In an optional implementation, after the query finds that account owner information corresponding to the license plate number exists, the method further includes:

[0062] Verify whether the ETC access permission is valid;

[0063] When the ETC passage permission is verified to be valid, the control at the entrance of the toll station is executed to open the ETC lane to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station.

[0064] When the authorized information database contains account owner information corresponding to the license plate number, it can verify whether the ETC passage permission is valid based on the validity period recorded in the database. If the ETC passage permission is valid, the ETC lane at the toll station entrance is opened, allowing the vehicle to pass through. If the ETC system verifies that the ETC passage permission is not valid, the ETC lane at the toll station entrance is closed or not opened, prohibiting the vehicle from passing through the ETC lane; the vehicle can pass through the manual lane instead.

[0065] Exemplarily, assume that the license plate number of a vehicle is "Yue B12345", and the ETC system searches for the ETC passing permission corresponding to "Yue B12345" in the authorized information database. If the account owner information corresponding to the license plate number "Yue B12345" is found in the authorized information database, it is considered that the vehicle corresponding to the license plate number "Yue B12345" can pass through the ETC lane.

[0066] Exemplarily, assume again that the validity period of the ETC passing permission of the vehicle with the license plate number "Yue B12345" is from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024. If the vehicle arrives at the toll station at 8:06 on August 6, 2023, since the ETC passing permission is within the validity period, the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station is controlled to open to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC lane. If the vehicle arrives at the toll station at 1:00 on January 1, 2025, since the ETC passing permission has exceeded the validity period, the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station is controlled not to open or to be closed to prohibit the vehicle from passing through the ETC lane.

[0067] In an optional implementation manner, before controlling the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station to open to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station, the method further includes:

[0068] Identifying whether it is necessary to verify the position information of the vehicle;

[0069] When it is identified that it is necessary to verify the position information of the vehicle, obtaining the positioning information of the device of the account owner;

[0070] Verifying whether the positioning information of the device is consistent with the position information of the vehicle;

[0071] When it is verified that the positioning information of the device is consistent with the position information of the vehicle, performing the control to open the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station.

[0072] In some embodiments, when the account owner authorizes and binds the ETC passing permission through a third-party application, the account owner can select through the third-party application whether it is necessary to verify the position information of the vehicle when passing through the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station. In other embodiments, whether it is necessary to verify the position information of the vehicle can also be set according to the requirements of the ETC operation and management company when the account owner opens the ETC passing permission through the ETC operation and management company.

[0073] When an account owner authorizes and binds ETC access permissions through a third-party application and selects to verify the vehicle's location information, or when the ETC operation and management company sets this requirement when the account owner activates ETC access permissions, the ETC system obtains the location information of the account owner's device and the vehicle's location information when the vehicle arrives at the ETC lane at the toll station entrance. Conversely, when an account owner authorizes and binds ETC access permissions through a third-party application and selects not to verify the vehicle's location information, or when the ETC operation and management company sets this requirement when the account owner activates ETC access permissions, the system allows the vehicle to pass through the ETC lane at the toll station entrance if the system finds an account owner information corresponding to the vehicle's license plate number in the authorization information database.

[0074] Whether or not the vehicle's location information needs to be verified is a functional setting to ensure the safety of vehicles passing through ETC lanes. This application will not list in detail how to select whether or not the vehicle's location information needs to be verified.

[0075] In some embodiments, the location information of the account owner's device (e.g., a mobile phone) can be obtained through Global Positioning System (GPS), mobile network base station positioning, Wi-Fi positioning, or other positioning technologies. The positioning technology can provide the geographic coordinates of the account owner's device. Alternatively, the vehicle's location information can be obtained by acquiring the vehicle's geographic coordinates through at least one vehicle location sensor (e.g., an in-vehicle device) with GPS positioning capabilities.

[0076] The ETC system inputs the geographic coordinates of the account owner's device and vehicle into a spatial distance calculation algorithm, which then calculates the distance between the geographic coordinates of the device and the vehicle. The spatial distance calculation algorithm may include, but is not limited to, the Euclidean distance formula, spherical distance calculation methods (e.g., Haversine formula), etc.

[0077] The ETC system can preset a spatial distance threshold. When the spatial distance between the geographical coordinates of the device and the geographical coordinates of the vehicle is less than or equal to the preset spatial distance threshold, it is considered that the location information of the device is consistent with the location information of the vehicle, and the ETC lane at the toll station entrance is opened to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC lane. If the spatial distance between the geographical coordinates of the device and the geographical coordinates of the vehicle is greater than the preset spatial distance threshold, it is considered that the location information of the device is inconsistent with the location information of the vehicle, and the ETC lane at the toll station entrance is closed or not opened to prohibit the vehicle from passing through the ETC lane.

[0078] By employing the optional implementation methods described above, and by obtaining the location information of the account owner's device and the vehicle's location information, and verifying whether the device's location information matches the vehicle's location information, vehicle usage safety can be ensured. If the account owner's device's location information does not match the vehicle's location information, it may involve false authorization, illegal use, or other situations, potentially leading to security issues or violations.

[0079] In some embodiments, the ETC system can also verify other constraints on ETC access rights (e.g., specific time periods, areas, etc.) based on the license plate number. When it is determined that the vehicle meets other constraints, the vehicle is allowed to pass through the ETC lane.

[0080] In some implementations, when a vehicle arrives at the ETC lane at the toll station entrance, the system needs to query the authorized information database to find the account owner information corresponding to the license plate number, verify that the ETC access permission is valid, and verify that the location information of the device is consistent with the location information of the vehicle before the ETC access permission verification is passed and the vehicle is allowed to pass through the ETC lane at the toll station entrance.

[0081] See Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a fast passage method for vehicles arriving at the ETC lane at the toll station exit, as provided in Embodiment 1 of this application. The fast passage method for vehicles arriving at the ETC lane at the toll station entrance specifically includes the following steps.

[0082] S31, when the vehicle is detected to have arrived at the ETC lane at the toll station exit, the vehicle's license plate number is obtained.

[0083] When the vehicle is detected to have arrived at the ETC lane at the toll station exit, the vehicle automatic identification system in the ETC system can identify the vehicle's license plate number.

[0084] S32, verify the ETC access permission of the vehicle based on the license plate number.

[0085] When the ETC system obtains the vehicle's license plate number, it performs an ETC access permission verification on the vehicle based on the license plate number to determine whether the vehicle can pass through the ETC lane.

[0086] In some implementations, verifying the ETC access permission of the vehicle based on the license plate number may include: querying the authorization information database to see if there is account owner information corresponding to the license plate number; when the authorization information database contains account owner information corresponding to the license plate number, it indicates that the vehicle information and ETC access permission have not been unbound, and the ETC access permission verification of the vehicle passes; when the authorization information database does not contain account owner information corresponding to the license plate number, the vehicle information and ETC access permission have been unbound, and the ETC access permission verification of the vehicle fails.

[0087] In some implementations, verifying the ETC access permission of the vehicle based on the license plate number may further include: when an account owner information corresponding to the license plate number is found in the authorization information database, verifying whether the ETC access permission is valid; when the ETC access permission is valid, verifying the ETC access permission of the vehicle passes; when the ETC access permission is not valid, verifying the ETC access permission of the vehicle fails.

[0088] In some implementations, verifying the ETC access permission of the vehicle based on the license plate number may further include: when an account owner information corresponding to the license plate number is found in the authorization information database, identifying whether the vehicle's location information needs to be verified; when the location information of the vehicle needs to be verified, obtaining the location information of the account owner's device, and verifying whether the device's location information is consistent with the vehicle's location information; when the device's location information is consistent with the vehicle's location information, the ETC access permission verification of the vehicle passes; when the device's location information is inconsistent with the vehicle's location information, the ETC access permission verification of the vehicle fails.

[0089] In some implementations, verifying the ETC access permission of the vehicle based on the license plate number may further include: when an account owner information corresponding to the license plate number is found, and the ETC access permission is verified to be valid, and the location information of the device is verified to be consistent with the location information of the vehicle, the ETC access permission verification of the vehicle is passed.

[0090] By implementing the above optional methods, when a vehicle is detected to have arrived at the ETC lane at the toll station exit, the vehicle's ETC access permission can be verified. This can prevent situations where the account owner voluntarily or forcibly unbinds the ETC access permission through a third-party application during the vehicle's journey. It can also prevent situations where the ETC access permission is valid when entering the toll station but expires when leaving the toll station.

[0091] S33, after verifying the ETC access permission of the vehicle based on the license plate number, obtain the first information of the vehicle passing through the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station, and obtain the second information of the vehicle passing through the ETC lane at the exit of the toll station.

[0092] The first information may include, but is not limited to: the time of entry into the toll station, the location of entry into the toll station, the vehicle type, and the license plate number; the second information may include, but is not limited to: the time of exit from the toll station, the location of exit from the toll station, the vehicle type, and the license plate number.

[0093] The ETC system can store the first information when a vehicle arrives at the ETC lane at the toll station entrance in the toll database, and the second information when the vehicle arrives at the ETC lane at the toll station exit in the toll database.

[0094] In other embodiments, assuming that during the vehicle's journey, if the account owner unbinds the ETC access permission through a third-party application or the ETC access permission expires, and the vehicle cannot pass through the ETC lane at the toll station exit but leaves the toll station through the manual lane, then the second information of the vehicle when it reaches the manual lane at the toll station exit can be stored in the toll database.

[0095] S34, calculate the vehicle's travel cost based on the first information and the second information.

[0096] In some embodiments, the ETC system can calculate the travel cost based on the vehicle type, the time of entry into the toll station, the location of entry into the toll station, the time of exit from the toll station, and the location of exit from the toll station.

[0097] It should be understood that the actual toll standards, calculation methods, and billing methods may vary depending on the region, the road company's policies, and the setup of the toll system.

[0098] S35, perform the deduction of the driving fee based on the account owner information.

[0099] When the account owner activates ETC access permission, they bind their bank card account. When authorizing the binding of ETC access permission through a third-party application, the account owner can confirm the toll deduction authorization through the third-party application or other means (e.g., entering a payment password, fingerprint recognition, facial recognition, or other identity verification measures). Therefore, the ETC system can perform the toll deduction process based on the bank card account in the account owner information.

[0100] In an optional implementation, the method further includes:

[0101] The first information, the second information, and the deduction information corresponding to the deduction process are sent to the device of the account owner.

[0102] When the ETC system processes the toll based on the travel expenses, it automatically generates corresponding toll information. This toll information may include, but is not limited to, the travel expenses, the toll collection time, and related account information. The ETC system can notify the account owner of the toll information through the third-party application, for example, by sending a payment success notification or displaying a payment success page. The ETC system can also send a text message with the toll information to the account owner's device.

[0103] Sending the first and second information to the account owner's device (e.g., mobile phone) allows the account owner to determine whether their ETC access rights have been used by others and caused losses, further ensuring the security of the account owner's ETC access rights.

[0104] In some embodiments, when the account owner's device receives the first and / or second information, it can unbind the ETC access permission through a third-party application. For example, assuming that when account owner A's device receives the first information, and account owner A is not using the ETC access permission, account owner A can unbind the ETC access permission through a third-party application to prevent others from using it. As another example, assuming that when account owner A's device receives the second information, and account owner A is using the ETC access permission and then stops using it, account owner A can independently unbind the ETC access permission through a third-party application to prevent others from being unable to activate and authorize the binding of ETC access permission when using the vehicle.

[0105] S36, after the toll deduction process is successful, control the opening of the ETC lane at the toll station exit to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC lane at the toll station exit.

[0106] After the toll deduction is successfully processed, the ETC backend server can control the lane controller at the toll station exit to open, thereby controlling the opening of the ETC lane and allowing the vehicle to pass through the ETC lane at the toll station exit.

[0107] In an optional implementation, the method further includes:

[0108] After the vehicle passes through the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station, and / or after the vehicle passes through the ETC lane at the exit of the toll station, the vehicle information is sent to the device of the vehicle owner.

[0109] The owner of a vehicle refers to the vehicle owner (owner of the vehicle). For example, suppose driver A rents vehicle C from vehicle owner B. When driver A drives vehicle C through the ETC lane at the entrance of the toll station and / or after vehicle C passes through the ETC lane at the exit of the toll station, the ETC system can send vehicle C's vehicle information to vehicle owner B's device.

[0110] Through the aforementioned optional implementation methods, the device that sends vehicle information to the vehicle owner can provide real-time vehicle driving information, allowing the vehicle owner to understand the vehicle's current status and location at any time, thus ensuring vehicle safety. Furthermore, the device that sends vehicle information to the vehicle owner can also provide driving statistics, such as driving distance and driving time, which can help the vehicle owner analyze vehicle usage and management, and better understand the vehicle's condition.

[0111] In an optional implementation, the method further includes:

[0112] Upon receiving a notification from the third-party application that the account owner information and the vehicle information have been unbound, the vehicle information and the account owner information corresponding to the ETC access permission are deleted from the authorization information database.

[0113] When a vehicle leaves a toll station on a highway or bridge, or when the account owner determines that they no longer need to use the vehicle, they can choose to unbind the account owner information from the vehicle information via a third-party application to unbind the ETC passage permission. After the third-party application unbinds the account owner information from the vehicle information, it can send a notification message to the ETC system to inform the ETC system that the account owner information and the vehicle information have been unbound.

[0114] In some implementations, when the account owner voluntarily unbinds the ETC access permission, the account owner can do so through password verification or facial recognition. Unbinding via password verification or facial recognition ensures that the account owner's unbinding action is voluntary and prevents unbinding by others.

[0115] In an optional implementation, the method further includes:

[0116] After the vehicle passes through the ETC lane at the toll station exit for a preset period of time, a notification message is sent to the third-party application to unbind the account owner information and the vehicle information, so as to unbind the ETC passage permission;

[0117] Delete the vehicle information and account owner information corresponding to the ETC access permission from the authorized information database.

[0118] When a vehicle leaves a toll station on a highway or bridge, if the account owner does not actively unbind the account owner information from the vehicle information through a third-party application, the ETC system will send a notification to the third-party application to unbind the account owner information from the vehicle information after a preset time period following departure from the toll station. This forces the third-party application to unbind the account owner information from the vehicle information, thereby forcibly debinding the ETC passage permission. After the ETC passage permission is unbound through the third-party application, the ETC system can delete the vehicle information and account owner information corresponding to the unbound ETC passage permission stored in the authorization information database.

[0119] After a vehicle passes through a tollbooth, the account owner needs to actively unbind the ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) access permission, or forcibly unbind it through a third-party application. The next time the vehicle is used, the account owner can re-authorize and bind the ETC access permission through the third-party application. This also allows other users to activate and authorize ETC access through a third-party application when they need to use the vehicle. This enables vehicles without an on-board electronic tag, and where the vehicle and account owner are not permanently linked, to pay highway or bridge tolls without stopping at toll booths, thus achieving the goal of fast passage.

[0120] This application, after the account owner activates ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) access, authorizes and binds vehicle and account owner information through a third-party application. When a vehicle arrives at the ETC lane at the toll station entrance, the application retrieves the vehicle's license plate number and, upon finding a corresponding account owner based on that number, controls the opening of the ETC lane at the toll station entrance to allow the vehicle to pass. This application enables vehicles without a fixed ETC card to quickly pass through the ETC lane, solving the technical problem of vehicles unable to install ETC cards having to use manual lanes, leading to congestion, traffic jams, and low traffic efficiency in manual lanes.

[0121] The following are some application scenarios of this application to facilitate understanding of the inventive concept of this application.

[0122] Application Scenario 1: Assume user A has activated ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) access and, through a third-party application, authorized and bound ETC access permissions, vehicle information (C), and account owner information (i.e., user A's information). When authorizing and binding ETC access permissions, the user selected to verify vehicle location information. When user A drives vehicle C to the ETC lane at the toll station entrance, vehicle C's license plate number is searched in the authorization information database. If the database finds the account owner information corresponding to vehicle C's license plate number, it verifies whether user A's device location information matches vehicle C's location information. If it is determined that user A's device location information matches vehicle C's location information, user A is allowed to drive vehicle C through the ETC lane at the toll station entrance.

[0123] Application Scenario 2: Building upon Application Scenario 1, after User A drives Vehicle C through the ETC lane at the toll station entrance, when Vehicle C reaches the ETC lane at the toll station exit, the system identifies whether Vehicle C has unbound its ETC access permission based on its license plate number. If it's determined that Vehicle C has not unbound its ETC access permission, the system verifies whether the location information of User A's device matches that of Vehicle C. If the location information matches, the system calculates the travel cost for Vehicle C and deducts the fee from the ETC access permission. After successful deduction, User A is allowed to drive Vehicle C through the ETC lane at the toll station exit.

[0124] Application Scenario 3: Suppose user B has activated ETC access permission. When authorizing and binding the vehicle information and account owner information (i.e., user B's information) of vehicle D corresponding to the ETC access permission through a third-party application, and choosing not to verify the vehicle's location information, then when user B drives vehicle D to the ETC lane at the toll station entrance, the corresponding account owner information (user B's information) can be found in the authorization information database based on vehicle D's license plate number, allowing user B to drive vehicle D through the ETC lane at the toll station entrance.

[0125] Application Scenario 4: Assume User B has activated ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) access and, through a third-party application, has bound the vehicle information and account owner information (i.e., User B's information) of vehicle D corresponding to the ETC access permission. When User E (User B's family member) drives vehicle D through the ETC lane at the toll station entrance and reaches the ETC lane at the toll station exit, the ETC system calculates the toll for vehicle D and deducts the toll based on the account owner information (i.e., User B's information). After successful deduction, User E is allowed to drive vehicle D through the ETC lane at the toll station exit.

[0126] Application Scenario 5: Suppose user B has activated ETC access permission and authorized the binding of vehicle information and account owner information (i.e., user B's information) of vehicle D corresponding to the ETC access permission through a third-party application. After user F (user B's friend) drives vehicle D through the ETC lane at the toll station entrance, user B will receive the first information that vehicle D has passed through the ETC lane at the toll station entrance. At this time, user B can unbind the ETC access permission of vehicle D through the third-party application. Then, user F can only drive vehicle D through the manual lane at the toll station exit and pay the driving fee manually.

[0127] Application Scenario 6: Suppose user U1 drives vehicle C1 through the ETC lane at the toll station entrance, and after passing through the ETC at the toll station entrance, user U1 actively unbinds the ETC passage permission of vehicle C1 through a third-party application. Then, when user U1 needs to drive vehicle C1 through the ETC lane again, user U1 will need to authorize the vehicle information and account owner information (user U1's information) of vehicle C1 through the third-party application again to authorize the binding of ETC passage permission.

[0128] The above application scenarios are just examples. This application has other application scenarios, which will not be described in detail here.

[0129] See Figure 4 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the ETC backend server provided in Embodiment 3 of this application. In a preferred embodiment of this application, the ETC backend server 4 includes a memory 41, at least one processor 42, and at least one communication bus 43.

[0130] Those skilled in the art should understand that Figure 4 The structure of the ETC back-end server shown does not constitute a limitation of the embodiments of this application. It can be a bus structure or a star structure. The ETC back-end server 4 may also include more or fewer other hardware or software than shown, or different component arrangements.

[0131] In some embodiments, the ETC backend server 4 is a device capable of automatically performing numerical calculations and / or information processing according to pre-set or stored instructions. Its hardware includes, but is not limited to, microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits, programmable gate arrays, digital processors, and embedded devices. The ETC backend server 4 may also include driver equipment, which includes, but is not limited to, any electronic product capable of human-computer interaction with the driver via a keyboard, mouse, remote control, touchpad, or voice control device, such as a personal computer, tablet computer, smartphone, or digital camera.

[0132] It should be noted that the ETC back-end server 4 is only an example. Other existing or future electronic products that are applicable to this application should also be included within the scope of protection of this application and are incorporated herein by reference.

[0133] In some embodiments, the memory 41 stores a computer program that, when executed by the at least one processor 42, implements all or part of the steps in the vehicle rapid passage process as described. The memory 41 includes a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a one-time programmable read-only memory (OTPROM), an electronically-erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, disk storage, magnetic tape storage, or any other computer-readable medium capable of carrying or storing data. Further, the computer-readable storage medium may primarily include a program storage area and a data storage area, wherein the program storage area may store an operating system, an application program required for at least one function, etc.; and the data storage area may store data created based on the use of blockchain nodes, etc. The blockchain referred to in this application is a novel application model of computer technologies such as distributed data storage, peer-to-peer transmission, consensus mechanisms, and encryption algorithms. Essentially, a blockchain is a decentralized database, a chain of data blocks linked together using cryptographic methods. Each data block contains information about a batch of network transactions, used to verify the validity of the information (anti-counterfeiting) and generate the next block. A blockchain can include an underlying blockchain platform, a platform product service layer, and an application service layer.

[0134] In some embodiments, the at least one processor 42 is the control unit of the ETC backend server 4, connecting various components of the entire ETC backend server 4 via various interfaces and lines. It executes programs or modules stored in the memory 41 and calls data stored in the memory 41 to perform various functions and process data of the ETC backend server 4. For example, when the at least one processor 42 executes the computer program stored in the memory, it implements all or part of the steps of the vehicle fast passage method described in this application embodiment; or it implements all or part of the functions of the vehicle fast passage device. The at least one processor 42 may be composed of integrated circuits, such as a single-packaged integrated circuit or multiple integrated circuits with the same or different functions, including combinations of one or more central processing units (CPUs), microprocessors, digital processing chips, graphics processors, and various control chips.

[0135] In some embodiments, the at least one communication bus 43 is configured to enable communication between the memory 41 and the at least one processor 42, etc. Although not shown, the ETC backend server 4 may also include a power supply (e.g., a battery) to power the various components. Preferably, the power supply can be logically connected to the at least one processor 42 via a power management device, thereby enabling functions such as charging, discharging, and power consumption management. The power supply may also include one or more DC or AC power supplies, a rechargeable power supply fault detection circuit, a power converter or inverter, a power status indicator, and other arbitrary components. The ETC backend server 4 may also include various sensors, Bluetooth modules, Wi-Fi modules, etc., which will not be described in detail here.

[0136] The integrated unit implemented as a software functional module described above can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. This software functional module, stored in a storage medium, includes several instructions to cause an ETC back-end server (which may be a personal computer, an ETC back-end server, or a network device, etc.) or a processor to execute portions of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0137] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules is only a logical functional division, and other division methods may be used in actual implementation.

[0138] The modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as modules may or may not be physical units; they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0139] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A method of expediting the passage of a vehicle, characterized by, The method comprises: When detecting that a vehicle reaches an ETC channel at an entrance of a toll station, obtaining a license plate number of the vehicle, the vehicle not being equipped with a fixed ETC card; Querying whether account owner information corresponding to the license plate number exists in an authorization information library, the authorization information library storing vehicle information and account owner information corresponding to ETC passage right bound by third-party application authorization; When it is queried in the authorization information library that the account owner information corresponding to the license plate number exists, controlling the ETC channel at the entrance of the toll station to be opened to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC channel at the entrance of the toll station; When it is queried in the authorization information library that the account owner information corresponding to the license plate number does not exist, controlling the ETC channel at the entrance of the toll station to be closed to prohibit the vehicle from passing through the ETC channel at the entrance of the toll station; After the account owner information corresponding to the license plate number is queried to exist, the method further comprises: verifying whether the ETC passage right is within a valid period; When it is verified that the ETC passage right is within the valid period, the control of the ETC channel at the entrance of the toll station to be opened to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC channel at the entrance of the toll station is performed; Before the control of the ETC channel at the entrance of the toll station to be opened to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC channel at the entrance of the toll station, the method further comprises: identifying whether the position information of the vehicle needs to be verified; When it is identified that the position information of the vehicle needs to be verified, obtaining positioning information of a device of the account owner; verifying whether the positioning information of the device is consistent with the position information of the vehicle; When it is verified that the positioning information of the device is consistent with the position information of the vehicle, the control of the ETC channel at the entrance of the toll station to be opened to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC channel at the entrance of the toll station is performed.

2. The vehicle fast passage method according to any one of claim 1, characterized by, The method further comprises: When detecting that the vehicle reaches an ETC channel at an exit of a toll station, obtaining a license plate number of the vehicle; Performing ETC passage right verification on the vehicle according to the license plate number; After the ETC passage right verification on the vehicle according to the license plate number is passed, obtaining first information of the vehicle passing through the ETC channel at the entrance of the toll station, and obtaining second information of the vehicle passing through the ETC channel at the exit of the toll station; Calculating a driving fee of the vehicle according to the first information and the second information; Performing a deduction processing of the driving fee according to the account owner information; After the deduction processing is successful, controlling the ETC channel at the exit of the toll station to be opened to allow the vehicle to pass through the ETC channel at the exit of the toll station.

3. The vehicle express passage method according to claim 2, characterized by, The method further comprises: Sending deduction information corresponding to the deduction processing to a device of the account owner.

4. The vehicle express passage method according to claim 3, characterized by, The method further comprises: after the vehicle passes through the ETC channel at the entrance of the toll station, and / or after the vehicle passes through the ETC channel at the exit of the toll station, sending vehicle information of the vehicle to a device of an owner of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle express passage method according to claim 4, characterized by, The method further comprises: after the vehicle passes through the ETC channel at the exit of the toll station for a preset time period, sending, to the third-party application, notification information of unbinding the account owner information and the vehicle information of the vehicle to unbind the ETC pass privilege; and deleting the vehicle information and the account owner information corresponding to the ETC pass privilege in the authorization information library.

6. The vehicle express passage method according to claim 5, characterized by, The method further comprises: upon receiving the notification information of unbinding the account owner information and the vehicle information of the vehicle sent by the third-party application, deleting the vehicle information and the account owner information corresponding to the ETC pass privilege in the authorization information library.

7. An ETC back office server characterized by, The computer program is stored in the memory and executable on the processor, and when the processor executes the computer program, the steps of the vehicle fast pass method in any one of claims 1 to 6 are implemented.

8. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program, characterized in that, The computer program is executable on the processor, and when the processor executes the computer program, the steps of the vehicle fast pass method in any one of claims 1 to 6 are implemented.

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