A toll station intelligent expansion method and system based on a movable toll island

Abstract

The present application relates to a toll station intelligent expansion method and system based on a movable toll island, belonging to the field of intelligent transportation. The system comprises a toll station setting data acquisition device, a toll island and a toll lane automatic adjustment device, a canopy lane level dynamic information publishing device and a system decision module; the decision module derives a toll lane control strategy according to the traffic flow data and large equipment special transportation events collected by the data acquisition device in real time; the toll island and the toll lane automatic adjustment device adjust the number, position and order of the toll island, the number, position, order, width and charging function of the toll lane according to the toll lane control strategy given by the decision module; the canopy lane level dynamic information publishing device adjusts the number, position and information publishing content of the variable information sign according to the toll lane control strategy. The present application overcomes the problem of mismatch between the exit and entrance traffic capacity of the toll station and the traffic demand, and improves the traffic capacity of the toll station through intelligent expansion means.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of intelligent transportation and relates to a method and system for intelligent expansion of toll stations based on movable toll islands. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, with the acceleration of urbanization and the surge in motor vehicle ownership, highway toll stations near urban areas have become bottlenecks in regional transportation networks. Statistical data shows that the average congestion duration at toll stations around urban clusters increases significantly during peak hours on weekends and holidays, with traffic efficiency falling far short of design capacity and exhibiting a clear tidal traffic pattern. Taking a key toll station in the Yangtze River Delta as an example, the inbound traffic flow during the morning peak is 3.2 times that of the outbound flow, while the evening peak shows the opposite flow pattern. Although some areas have piloted measures such as "tidal toll lanes," the rigid layout of existing toll facilities limits lane switching efficiency in actual operation, with peak-hour lane utilization increasing by only about 15%-20%, failing to fundamentally solve the congestion problem.

[0003] The current transportation industry standard (JTG B01-2014) for toll facility dimensions has shown significant technical limitations. Specifically: 1) The standard lane width is too conservative. While 3.2m regular lanes and 4.5m extra-wide lanes can meet the needs of large vehicles, they waste lateral space for small passenger vehicles; 2) The traditional 2.2m toll island width design is based on the need to accommodate manual toll booths. However, with the rapid popularization of ETC, it is no longer meaningful to set up manual toll booths in ETC-dedicated toll lanes, resulting in structural space redundancy; 3) The rigid facilities lead to operational inflexibility. The existing toll islands use reinforced concrete cast-in-place structures, and lane divisions are fixed by ground markings. This means that lane function adjustments require physical modifications, which are time-consuming and completely unable to adapt to the dynamic adjustment needs of peak traffic.

[0004] Moreover, incidents involving the special transport of large equipment are becoming increasingly common in China, with special transport vehicles generally exceeding 6 meters in width. The existing toll collection infrastructure layout severely restricts the efficiency of such transport: while the main line can form combined lanes through temporary traffic control, the toll plaza is limited by fixed isolation facilities, requiring temporary measures such as removing guardrails and detouring around toll islands, which takes an average of 45 minutes per trip, affecting both normal toll collection order and exacerbating congestion.

[0005] Current advancements in intelligent transportation technologies offer new opportunities to overcome these bottlenecks: First, automatic moving guardrail systems have achieved centimeter-level precision in dynamic lane division on highways, and their modular design supports rapid reconfiguration; second, ETC / MTC hybrid toll collection systems integrate license plate recognition with mobile payment technology, enabling dynamic configuration of lane functions; and third, IoT sensing technology can acquire accurate traffic data on vehicle types in real time. However, existing technological solutions primarily focus on localized improvements and have not yet formed a systematic solution integrating dynamic reconfiguration of toll collection facilities, intelligent adjustment of lane parameters, and flexible configuration of toll collection functions.

[0006] The aforementioned technological limitations have led to three prominent contradictions in the operation of highway toll stations: the contradiction between rigid infrastructure and flexible traffic demand, the contradiction between static resource allocation and dynamic traffic fluctuations, and the contradiction between special transportation needs and routine traffic flow assurance. These problems severely restrict the traffic efficiency and emergency response capabilities of toll stations, especially in special scenarios such as major holidays, severe weather, or emergencies, where the adjustment capacity of existing toll facilities is nearing its limit. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a new method to achieve intelligent expansion of toll stations. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of this, the purpose of this invention is to provide a smart expansion system for toll stations based on a movable toll island, which overcomes the problem of mismatch between the capacity of toll station entrances and exits and traffic demand. By dynamically adjusting the number of toll lanes, lane width, toll collection method, toll collection direction, and permitted vehicle types, the system can achieve a precise match between the capacity of toll station entrances and exits and traffic demand, and maximize the utilization of toll station traffic resources.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0009] A smart expansion system for toll stations based on movable toll islands includes a data acquisition device for toll stations, an automatic adjustment device for toll islands and toll lanes, a lane-level dynamic information release device for canopies, and a system decision module.

[0010] The data acquisition device is used to collect traffic flow data of various vehicle types at the toll station entrances and exits;

[0011] The decision-making module derives toll lane control strategies based on real-time traffic flow data collected by the data acquisition device and special transportation events involving large equipment.

[0012] The automatic adjustment device for toll islands and toll lanes adjusts the number, position and order of toll islands, the number, position, order, width and toll collection functions of toll lanes according to the toll lane control strategy given by the decision module.

[0013] The canopy lane-level dynamic information publishing device adjusts the number, location, and information content of variable message signs based on the toll lane control strategy given by the decision module.

[0014] Preferably, the automatic adjustment device for the toll island and toll lane includes a toll island, a horizontal guide rail module for position adjustment, a longitudinal guide rail module for sequence adjustment, and an automatic moving guardrail for the central divider.

[0015] The toll island is used to install a toll lane system; toll islands include two types: wide toll islands and narrow toll islands, with wide toll islands equipped with manual toll booths.

[0016] The position adjustment transverse guide rail module is arranged transversely perpendicular to the driving direction to adjust the position of each toll island, thereby adjusting the width of the toll lane between two toll islands.

[0017] The longitudinal guide rail module for sequence adjustment is arranged longitudinally parallel to the direction of travel. When used in combination with the transverse guide rail module for position adjustment, it can be used to adjust the transverse sequence of each toll island; for example, to change the order of wide toll islands and narrow toll islands.

[0018] The automatic moving guardrail of the central median is used to automatically separate the exit direction and the entrance direction of the toll station. The position and alignment of the central median can be adjusted in real time according to the allocation of toll lanes at the entrance and exit.

[0019] Preferably, the position adjustment transverse guide rail module includes a transverse motion axis, a transverse axis sliding block, a transverse axis power conversion device, a transverse axis transmission device, and a drive device.

[0020] Preferably, the sequential adjustment longitudinal guide rail module includes a longitudinal motion shaft, a longitudinal shaft sliding block, a longitudinal shaft power conversion device, a longitudinal shaft transmission device, and a drive device.

[0021] Preferably, the lane-level dynamic information display device is installed on the canopy above the toll station, specifically including multiple sets of variable information signs and position adjustment devices;

[0022] The variable information sign is used to display text information such as ETC-only, MTC-only, ETC / MTC, etc., text information on permitted vehicle types such as passenger cars, buses, passenger and freight vehicles, green channel / weighing, etc., and text information on lane closures and other lane prohibitions.

[0023] The position adjustment device is used to adjust the lateral position of each set of variable information signs on the canopy to ensure that there is a set of variable information signs directly above each toll lane, which is used to publish information such as the toll method and permitted vehicle types for that lane.

[0024] Preferably, a set of lane-level dynamic information display devices is installed in both the inner and outer plazas of the toll station. The lane-level dynamic information display device in the inner plaza is used to display the toll lane control strategy at the toll station exit, and the lane-level dynamic information display device in the outer plaza is used to display the toll lane control strategy at the toll station entrance.

[0025] Preferably, the execution steps of the toll lane control strategy are as follows:

[0026] 1) The automatic adjustment devices for toll islands and toll lanes, as well as the lane-level dynamic information dissemination devices for canopies, receive toll lane control strategies issued by the system decision module;

[0027] 2) Based on the received control strategies regarding the number, order, and type of toll islands, the automatic adjustment devices for toll islands and toll lanes move wide and narrow toll islands to the toll plaza in the order given by the toll lane control strategy, and move the remaining toll islands to the outside of the toll plaza on both sides or to the central median strip within the toll plaza.

[0028] 3) Based on the received control strategies such as the location of toll islands, the location and width of toll lanes, the automatic adjustment device for toll islands and toll lanes moves each toll island to a designated position to ensure that the width of the toll lane between two toll islands meets the requirements of the control strategy; at the same time, the canopy lane-level dynamic information publishing device moves multiple sets of variable information signs to the toll plaza to ensure that there is a set of variable information signs directly above each toll lane.

[0029] 4) Based on the received toll lane tolling methods and tolling directions, the toll lane system of each toll island adjusts the tolling method (ETC, MTC) and tolling direction (entrance, exit) of its corresponding lanes; at the same time, the central median automatic moving guardrail of the toll island and toll lane automatic adjustment device automatically matches and adjusts the position and alignment of the central median according to the boundary line between the exit direction and the entrance direction of the toll station to achieve traffic flow isolation between the exit direction and the entrance direction.

[0030] 5) Based on the received toll collection methods and permitted vehicle types, the variable message signs above each toll lane display text information such as toll collection methods, permitted vehicle types, and prohibited vehicle lanes, guiding different types of vehicles to the designated toll lanes.

[0031] 6) Complete the received control policy adjustment and execute the corresponding control policy.

[0032] Preferably, the toll lane control strategy is determined by a smart toll station expansion decision algorithm. The optimization objective of the smart toll station expansion decision algorithm is to minimize the sum of toll station operating costs and user delay costs, and the objective function is:

[0033]

[0034] In the formula, θ represents the time loss cost caused by vehicles queuing; ω1 and ω2 are the operating costs of the toll station; ω1 and ω2 are the weight coefficients of the objective function.

[0035] The constraints are:

[0036] θ=∑ k∈K x k θ k (2)

[0037]

[0038] ∑ k∈K y k,m z k,i (w k,1 +w k,2 )≤W (16)

[0039]

[0040] In the formula, k is the toll lane number, k∈K, K={1,2,…,n} is the set of all toll lane numbers from the entrance to the exit; n is the maximum number of toll lanes allowed at the toll station; x k To determine whether to install a toll lane k, x k ∈{0,1} represent no and yes respectively; θ k The delay cost for user k in toll lane; m is the toll direction, m∈M, M={1,2} are the exit and entrance respectively; i is the toll method, i∈I, I={1,2} are ETC and MTC respectively; j is the vehicle type, j∈J; y k,m Whether toll lane k is open depends on the toll direction m and y. k,m ∈{0,1} represent no and yes respectively; z k,i Whether toll lane k is open depends on toll method i, z k,i ∈{0,1} represent no and yes respectively; q k,j For vehicle type j in toll lane k; h k,j To determine whether toll lane k allows vehicle type j to use it, h k,j ∈{0,1} represent no and yes respectively; c j Let f1 be the unit delay cost for vehicle model j; f1(·) is the user delay cost calculation function; u k,m,i To determine whether toll lane k is equipped with toll collection equipment that supports toll direction m and toll collection method i, u k,m,i ∈{0,1} represent no and yes respectively; y′ k,mFor whether the management personnel agree to open toll lane k in the toll direction m, y′ k,m ∈{0,1} represent yes and no respectively; f2(·) is the function for determining the charging direction; z′ k,i For whether the management personnel agree to open toll lane k for toll collection method i, z′ k,i ∈{0,1} represent yes and no respectively; f3(·) is the function for determining the charging method; w k,1 h′ is the lane width of toll lane k; k,j To determine whether the administrator approves the use of toll lane k by vehicle type j, h′ k,j ∈{0,1} represent no and yes respectively; w j f4(·) is the width of vehicle type j; f4(·) is the function for determining the permitted vehicle types for the toll lane; q m,i,j For the toll direction m, the vehicle type j using toll method i has a flow rate; q m,j For the toll direction, vehicle type m, and traffic flow j; q m,i For the direction of charging, m represents the traffic using charging method i; q m For traffic in the charging direction m; w k,2 W represents the width of the safety island for toll lane k; W represents the total width of the toll plaza. Equation (2) states that the unit operating cost of a toll lane k open for tolling direction m and tolling method i is equal to the sum of the delay costs of all lanes. Equation (3) states that the delay cost of each toll lane is determined by factors such as tolling direction, tolling method, traffic flow, permitted vehicle types, and vehicle delay cost. Equation (4) states that the open direction of each toll lane is determined by factors such as tolling equipment and management personnel control requirements. Equation (5) states that the open tolling method of each toll lane is determined by factors such as tolling equipment and management personnel control requirements. Equation (6) states that the permitted vehicle types for each toll lane are determined by factors such as tolling direction, tolling method, toll lane width, management personnel control requirements, and vehicle size. Factors are determined; Equations (7) to (10) indicate that there is a mutual constraint relationship between the traffic flow of each lane; Equation (11) indicates that each lane can be opened for a maximum of 1 toll direction; Equation (12) indicates that all entrance toll lanes are located to the left of all exit toll lanes; Equation (13) indicates that the toll direction allowed to be opened by each lane requires the support of corresponding toll collection equipment; Equation (14) indicates that each lane can be opened for a maximum of 2 toll collection methods; Equation (15) indicates that the toll collection method allowed to be opened by each lane requires the support of corresponding toll collection equipment; Equation (16) indicates that the sum of the widths of all allowed toll lanes and safety islands does not exceed the total width of the toll plaza; Equation (17) indicates that the operating cost of the toll station is equal to the sum of the operating costs of all lanes.

[0041] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention can be applied to highway toll stations. Based on a method for automatically moving toll islands, it dynamically adjusts the number of toll lanes, lane width, toll collection method, toll collection direction, and permitted vehicle types to achieve precise matching between the toll station's entrance / exit capacity and traffic demand. This intelligent expansion of the toll station maximizes the utilization of its traffic resources. Specifically, this is reflected in the following aspects:

[0042] (1) Dynamic Infrastructure Reconfiguration Capability: A pioneering combined design of a movable toll island and guide rail system enables lateral displacement adjustment and longitudinal reconfiguration of the toll island. Through modular configuration of wide / narrow toll islands, the ratio of dedicated ETC lanes to mixed lanes can be dynamically adjusted based on real-time traffic characteristics, and lane widths can be flexibly extended or retracted within the range of 2.6-4.5m. This design breaks free from the physical constraints of traditional fixed toll islands, enabling a dynamic mapping between lane resource allocation and traffic demand.

[0043] (2) Multi-dimensional optimization of traffic efficiency: Integrated lane function dynamic switching technology allows a single lane to switch entrance / exit directions, ETC / MTC toll modes, and vehicle type restrictions in real time. Combined with a canopy-level variable information guidance system, it achieves minute-level response for lane-level traffic strategies. The automatic moving guardrail technology of the central median breaks through the limitation of traditional tidal lane one-way adjustment and supports two-way dynamic balance of entrance and exit lane ratios.

[0044] (3) Special Transport Passage Guarantee: A rapid generation mechanism for ultra-wide composite lanes is established, forming ultra-wide passage space through the coordinated displacement of equipment in adjacent lanes. Compared with the traditional temporary measure of removing guardrails, this solution avoids interruption of toll collection operations, and the reconfiguration process is fully automated. Special vehicle priority passage guidance modules are set up at the edge of the toll island to shorten the passage time of oversized vehicles.

[0045] (4) Intensive control of operating costs: Adopting a narrow toll island deployment strategy significantly reduces the land area occupied by infrastructure in the context of increased ETC penetration. The dynamic on / off mechanism can intelligently adjust the operating status of toll equipment according to traffic fluctuations, maximizing equipment utilization. The modular design of the toll island reduces the difficulty of later modifications and extends the facility's life cycle.

[0046] (5) Intelligent Decision-Making System Construction: A closed-loop control system of "perception-analysis-decision-execution" is formed. Multi-source data acquisition devices acquire vehicle type recognition and traffic flow data in real time. The intelligent expansion decision algorithm of toll stations generates dynamic strategies with 7 control dimensions. The guide rail system and information release terminal achieve centimeter-level execution accuracy. The system supports intelligent handling of special events such as sudden large traffic volumes and equipment failures.

[0047] Other advantages, objectives, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following examination, or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention can be realized and obtained through the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0048] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0049] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the intelligent expansion method for toll stations based on movable toll islands according to the present invention.

[0050] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a toll island and an automatic adjustment device for toll lanes, as well as a schematic diagram of a toll lane control strategy;

[0051] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a lane-level dynamic information display device for canopies, and a schematic diagram of a toll lane control strategy;

[0052] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the automatic adjustment device for toll islands and toll lanes, and a schematic diagram of the toll lane control strategy for special transportation events involving large equipment;

[0053] Figure 5 The diagram shows a canopy lane-level dynamic information release device and a diagram showing the toll lane control strategy for special transportation events involving large equipment. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0055] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are schematic diagrams, not actual pictures. They should not be construed as limiting the invention. To better illustrate the embodiments of the invention, some parts in the drawings may be omitted, enlarged, or reduced, and do not represent the actual product dimensions. It is understandable to those skilled in the art that some well-known structures and their descriptions may be omitted in the drawings.

[0056] In the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," and "rear" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0057] Please see Figures 1-5 This invention provides a method for intelligent expansion of toll stations based on movable toll islands, specifically including the following steps:

[0058] S1: Data acquisition devices, automatic adjustment devices for toll islands and toll lanes, and lane-level dynamic information display devices under canopies are installed at the toll station. The data acquisition devices collect traffic flow data for various vehicle types at the toll station entrance and exit. The automatic adjustment devices for toll islands and toll lanes adjust the number, location, and order of toll islands, as well as the number, location, order, width, and toll collection functions of toll lanes. The lane-level dynamic information display devices under canopies adjust the number, location, and information content of variable message signs.

[0059] (1) The automatic adjustment device for toll islands and toll lanes specifically includes toll islands, a horizontal guide rail module for position adjustment, a longitudinal guide rail module for sequence adjustment, and an automatic moving guardrail for the central divider.

[0060] Toll islands are used to install toll lane systems and are equipped with lane control areas, RSUs (Roadside Units), and other facilities to complete vehicle toll collection. Toll islands are divided into two types: wide toll islands and narrow toll islands. Wide toll islands have manual toll booths for manual payment and are generally 2.2 meters wide. Narrow toll islands do not have manual toll booths and only allow ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) payments; their width can be reduced to 0.5 meters.

[0061] The toll lane system is used to complete the vehicle toll collection process. It can be deployed with one or more toll collection functions as needed, such as ETC entrance (for ETC vehicles to enter and exit), MTC entrance (for MTC vehicles to enter and exit), ETC exit (for ETC vehicles to exit and exit), and MTC exit (for MTC vehicles to exit and exit).

[0062] The position adjustment lateral guide rail module is arranged laterally perpendicular to the direction of traffic. It consists of a lateral motion axis, a lateral axis sliding block, a lateral axis power conversion device, a lateral axis transmission device, and a drive device. It is used to adjust the position of each toll island, thereby adjusting the width of the toll lane between two toll islands. The toll lane width can be set to various values ​​such as 4.5m, 3.5m, 3.2m, 3.0m, 2.8m, and 2.6m, depending on the type of vehicle allowed to pass.

[0063] The longitudinal guide rail module for sequence adjustment is arranged longitudinally parallel to the driving direction and consists of a longitudinal motion shaft, a longitudinal shaft sliding block, a longitudinal shaft power conversion device, a longitudinal shaft transmission device, and a drive device. When used in combination with the transverse guide rail module for position adjustment, it can be used to adjust the lateral sequence of toll islands. For example, it can change the order of wide and narrow toll islands.

[0064] The automatic moving median barrier is used to automatically separate the exit and entrance directions of toll stations. The position and alignment of the median can be adjusted in real time according to the allocation of toll lanes at the entrance and exit.

[0065] (2) The lane-level dynamic information release device is set up on the canopy above the toll station, specifically including multiple sets of variable information signs and position adjustment devices.

[0066] Variable message signs are used to display text information such as ETC-only, MTC-only, ETC / MTC, etc., text information on permitted vehicle types such as passenger cars, buses, passenger and freight vehicles, green channel / weighing, etc., and text information on lane closures and other prohibited lane information.

[0067] The position adjustment device is used to adjust the lateral position of each set of variable information signs on the canopy to ensure that there is a set of variable information signs directly above each toll lane, which is used to display information such as the toll method and permitted vehicle types for that lane.

[0068] Each of the inner and outer plazas of the toll station is equipped with a set of lane-level dynamic information display devices under the canopy. The lane-level dynamic information display device under the canopy in the inner plaza is used to display the toll lane control strategy at the toll station exit, while the lane-level dynamic information display device under the canopy in the outer plaza is used to display the toll lane control strategy at the toll station entrance.

[0069] (3) The toll lane control strategy specifically includes the number, location, type (wide toll island, narrow toll island) and sequence of toll islands, the number, location, sequence and width (4.5m, 3.5m, 3.2m, 3.0m, 2.8m, 2.6m and other width values) of toll lanes, toll collection methods (ETC, MTC), toll collection direction (entrance, exit), vehicle types allowed to pass through the lanes (passenger cars, buses, freight cars, green channel / weighing, etc.), and whether the toll lanes are open and closed. All of these can be adjusted dynamically and flexibly in real time according to the real-time traffic flow and special transportation events of large equipment.

[0070] For example, the toll plaza has 8 toll lanes, from the entrance to the exit: Entrance lane, 4.5m wide, ETC / MTC, Green Channel / Weighing, Wide toll island; Entrance lane, 3.2m wide, ETC / MTC, Passenger and freight vehicles, Wide toll island; Entrance lane, 2.6m wide, ETC dedicated, Passenger cars, Narrow toll island; Exit lane, 2.6m wide, ETC dedicated, Passenger cars, Narrow toll island; Exit lane, 3.0m wide, ETC dedicated, Small cars, Narrow toll island; Exit lane, 3.5m wide, ETC dedicated, Passenger and freight vehicles, Narrow toll island; Exit lane, 3.2m wide, MTC dedicated, Passenger and freight vehicles, Wide toll island; Exit lane, 4.5m wide, ETC / MTC, Green Channel / Weighing, Wide toll island.

[0071] S2: Based on the collected real-time traffic flow data, the system analyzes future traffic conditions. The toll lane control strategy is determined in the system decision-making module using a smart toll station expansion decision algorithm.

[0072] The intelligent capacity expansion decision algorithm for toll stations is as follows:

[0073] Objective function: Minimize the sum of tollbooth operating costs and user delay costs. (See below)

[0074]

[0075] Constraints: User delay cost equals the sum of delay costs for all lanes, see Equation (2); Delay cost for each toll lane is determined by factors such as toll direction, toll method, traffic flow, permitted vehicle types, and vehicle-to-vehicle delay cost, see Equation (3); Open direction for each toll lane is determined by factors such as toll equipment and management personnel control requirements, see Equation (4); Open toll method for each toll lane is determined by factors such as toll equipment and management personnel control requirements, see Equation (5); Permissible vehicle types for each toll lane are determined by factors such as toll direction, toll method, toll lane width, management personnel control requirements, and vehicle size, see Equation (6); Traffic flow for each lane is... The mutual constraints are shown in equations (7) to (10); each lane can only open one toll direction at most, as shown in equation (11); all entrance toll lanes are located to the left of all exit toll lanes, as shown in equation (12); the toll directions allowed to be opened by each lane require the support of corresponding toll collection equipment, as shown in equation (13); each lane can open a maximum of two toll collection methods, as shown in equation (14); the toll collection methods allowed to be opened by each lane require the support of corresponding toll collection equipment, as shown in equation (15); the sum of the widths of all allowed toll lanes and safety islands does not exceed the total width of the toll plaza, as shown in equation (16); the operating cost of the toll station is equal to the sum of the operating costs of all lanes, as shown in equation (17).

[0076] θ=∑ k∈K xk θ k (2)

[0077]

[0078] ∑ k∈K y k,m z k,i (w k,1 +w k,2 )≤W (16)

[0079]

[0080] In the formula: θ represents the time loss cost caused by vehicles queuing; The toll station's operating cost is represented by ω1 and ω2, which are the weight coefficients of the objective function. k is the toll lane number, k∈K, where K={1,2,…,n} is the set of all toll lane numbers from the entrance to the exit. n is the maximum number of toll lanes allowed at the toll station. k To determine whether to install a toll lane k, x k ∈{0,1} represent no and yes respectively; θ k The delay cost for user k in toll lane; m is the toll direction, m∈M, M={1,2} are the exit and entrance respectively; i is the toll method, i∈I, I={1,2} are ETC and MTC respectively; j is the vehicle type, j∈J; y k,m Whether toll lane k is open depends on the toll direction m and y. k,m ∈{0,1} represent no and yes respectively; z k,i Whether toll lane k is open depends on toll method i, z k,i ∈{0,1} represent no and yes respectively; q k,j For vehicle type j in toll lane k; h k,j To determine whether toll lane k allows vehicle type j to use it, h k,j ∈{0,1} represent no and yes respectively; c j Let f1 be the unit delay cost for vehicle model j; f1(·) is the user delay cost calculation function; u k,m,i To determine whether toll lane k is equipped with toll collection equipment that supports toll direction m and toll collection method i, u k,m,i ∈{0,1} represent no and yes respectively; y′ k,m For whether the management personnel agree to open toll lane k in the toll direction m, y′ k,m ∈{0,1} represent yes and no respectively; f2(·) is the function for determining the charging direction; z′ k,i For whether the management personnel agree to open toll lane k for toll collection method i, z′ k,i ∈{0,1} represent yes and no respectively; f3(·) is the function for determining the charging method; w k,1h′ is the lane width of toll lane k; k,j To determine whether the administrator approves the use of toll lane k by vehicle type j, h′ k,j ∈{0,1} represent no and yes respectively; w j f4(·) is the width of vehicle type j; f4(·) is the function for determining the permitted vehicle types for the toll lane; q m,i,j For the toll direction m, the vehicle type j using toll method i has a flow rate; q m,j For the toll direction, vehicle type m, and traffic flow j; q m,i For the direction of charging, m represents the traffic using charging method i; q m For traffic in the charging direction m; w k,2 W represents the width of the safety island for toll lane k; W represents the total width of the toll plaza. The unit operating cost for toll lane k open for tolling direction m and tolling method i.

[0081] S3: Distribute the toll lane control strategy to the toll island and toll lane automatic adjustment device, and the canopy lane-level dynamic information release device to execute the toll lane control strategy.

[0082] The specific steps for implementing the toll lane control strategy are as follows:

[0083] S31: The automatic adjustment device for toll islands and toll lanes, and the lane-level dynamic information release device for canopies receive the toll lane control strategy issued by the system decision module.

[0084] S32: Based on the received control strategy regarding the number, order, and type of toll islands, the automatic adjustment device for toll islands and toll lanes moves wide and narrow toll islands to the toll plaza in the order given by the control strategy, meeting the toll function requirements and quantity. The remaining toll islands are moved to the outside of the toll plaza on both sides or to the central median strip within the toll plaza.

[0085] S33: Based on the received control strategies regarding toll island location, toll lane location, and width, the automatic toll island and toll lane adjustment device moves each toll island to a designated position, ensuring that the width of the toll lane between two toll islands meets the requirements of the control strategy. Simultaneously, the canopy-mounted lane-level dynamic information display device moves multiple sets of variable information signs into the toll plaza, ensuring that each toll lane has a corresponding set of variable information signs directly above it.

[0086] S34: Based on the received toll collection methods and directions, the toll collection lane system of each toll island adjusts the toll collection method (ETC, MTC) and direction (entrance, exit) for its corresponding lanes. Simultaneously, the central median barrier of the toll island and toll lane automatic adjustment devices automatically adjusts its position and alignment according to the boundary line between the exit and entrance directions of the toll station, achieving traffic flow isolation between the exit and entrance directions.

[0087] S35: Based on the received toll lane tolling methods, permitted vehicle types, and other control strategies, the variable message signs above each toll lane display text information such as tolling methods, permitted vehicle types, and prohibited vehicle lanes, guiding different types of vehicles to the designated toll lanes.

[0088] S36: Complete the received control policy adjustment and execute the corresponding control policy.

[0089] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A smart expansion system for toll stations based on movable toll islands, characterized in that, The system includes a data acquisition device for toll stations, an automatic adjustment device for toll islands and toll lanes, a lane-level dynamic information dissemination device for canopies, and a system decision module; The data acquisition device is used to collect traffic flow data of various vehicle types at the toll station entrances and exits; The decision-making module derives toll lane control strategies based on real-time traffic flow data collected by the data acquisition device and special transportation events involving large equipment. The automatic adjustment device for toll islands and toll lanes adjusts the number, position, and order of toll islands, as well as the number, position, order, width, and toll collection functions of toll lanes, based on the toll lane control strategy provided by the decision module. The device includes a horizontal position adjustment guide module and a vertical sequence adjustment guide module. The horizontal position adjustment guide module is arranged laterally perpendicular to the direction of travel and is used to adjust the position of each toll island, thereby adjusting the width of the toll lane between two toll islands. The vertical sequence adjustment guide module is arranged longitudinally parallel to the direction of travel and is used in combination with the horizontal position adjustment guide module to adjust the lateral order of the toll islands. The canopy lane-level dynamic information publishing device adjusts the number, location, and information content of variable message signs based on the toll lane control strategy given by the decision module.

2. The intelligent expansion system for toll stations according to claim 1, characterized in that, The automatic adjustment device for toll islands and toll lanes also includes automatic moving guardrails for toll islands and central dividers; The toll island is used to install a toll lane system; toll islands include two types: wide toll islands and narrow toll islands, with wide toll islands equipped with manual toll booths. The automatic moving guardrail of the central median is used to automatically separate the exit direction and the entrance direction of the toll station, and adjusts the position and alignment of the central median in real time according to the allocation of toll lanes at the entrance and exit.

3. The intelligent expansion system for toll stations according to claim 2, characterized in that, The position adjustment transverse guide rail module includes a transverse motion axis, a transverse axis sliding block, a transverse axis power conversion device, a transverse axis transmission device, and a drive device.

4. The intelligent expansion system for toll stations according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sequential adjustment longitudinal guide rail module includes a longitudinal motion shaft, a longitudinal shaft sliding block, a longitudinal shaft power conversion device, a longitudinal shaft transmission device, and a drive device.

5. The intelligent expansion system for toll stations according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lane-level dynamic information display device is installed on the canopy above the toll station and specifically includes multiple sets of variable information signs and position adjustment devices. The variable information sign is used to display text information on toll collection methods, permitted vehicle types, and prohibited lanes. The position adjustment device is used to adjust the lateral position of each set of variable information signs on the canopy to ensure that there is a set of variable information signs directly above each toll lane.

6. The intelligent expansion system for toll stations according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that, Each of the inner and outer plazas of the toll station is equipped with a set of lane-level dynamic information display devices under the canopy. The lane-level dynamic information display device under the canopy in the inner plaza is used to display the toll lane control strategy at the toll station exit, while the lane-level dynamic information display device under the canopy in the outer plaza is used to display the toll lane control strategy at the toll station entrance.

7. The intelligent expansion system for toll stations according to claim 1, characterized in that, The execution steps of the toll lane control strategy are as follows: 1) The automatic adjustment devices for toll islands and toll lanes, as well as the lane-level dynamic information dissemination devices for canopies, receive toll lane control strategies issued by the system decision module; 2) Based on the control strategy of the number, order and type of toll islands received, the automatic adjustment device of toll islands and toll lanes moves the wide and narrow toll islands that meet the toll function requirements and the number of toll islands to the toll plaza in the order given by the toll lane control strategy, and moves the remaining toll islands to the outside of the toll plaza on both sides or to the central median strip in the toll plaza. 3) Based on the received control strategy regarding the location of toll islands, the location of toll lanes, and their width, the automatic adjustment device for toll islands and toll lanes moves each toll island to a designated position to ensure that the width of the toll lane between two toll islands meets the requirements of the control strategy. At the same time, the canopy lane-level dynamic information display device moves multiple sets of variable information signs to the toll plaza to ensure that there is a set of variable information signs directly above each toll lane. 4) Based on the received control strategy for toll collection methods and directions of toll lanes, the toll lane system of each toll island adjusts the toll collection method and direction of its corresponding lanes; at the same time, the central median automatic moving guardrail of the toll island and toll lane automatic adjustment device automatically matches and adjusts the position and alignment of the central median according to the boundary line between the exit direction and the entrance direction of the toll station, so as to achieve traffic flow isolation between the exit direction and the entrance direction. 5) Based on the received toll lane tolling method and permitted vehicle type control strategy, the variable message sign above each toll lane displays text information on the tolling method, permitted vehicle types, and prohibited vehicle lanes, guiding different types of vehicles to the designated toll lane. 6) Complete the received control policy adjustment and execute the corresponding control policy.

8. The intelligent expansion system for toll stations according to claim 1 or 7, characterized in that, The toll lane control strategy is determined by a smart toll station expansion decision algorithm. The optimization objective of this algorithm is to minimize the sum of toll station operating costs and user delay costs. The objective function is: （1） In the formula, Costs for time lost due to vehicles queuing; For the operating costs of the toll station; , These are the weight coefficients of the objective function; The constraints are: （2） （3） （4） （5） （6） （7） （8） （9） （10） （11） （12） （13） （14） （15） （16） （17） In the formula, For toll lane numbers, , These are the sets of toll lane numbers from the entrance to the exit. The maximum number of toll lanes allowed at a toll station; To determine whether to set up toll lanes , They are respectively "no" and "yes"; For toll lanes User delay costs; For the direction of charging, , They are respectively the exit and the entrance; This is the payment method. , They are ETC and MTC, respectively. Vehicle type ; For toll lanes Whether it is open or not is a matter of charging. , They are respectively "no" and "yes"; For toll lanes Whether it is open or not is subject to a fee. , They are respectively "no" and "yes"; For toll lanes medium-sized models flow; For toll lanes Vehicle type allowed? use, They are respectively "no" and "yes"; For model Unit delay cost; A function for calculating user delay costs; For toll lanes Does it have deployment support for charging direction? Payment method The charging equipment, They are respectively "no" and "yes"; For whether the management personnel agree to the toll lane Open to charging , They are respectively "no" and "yes"; Determine the function for the charging direction; For whether the management personnel agree to the toll lane Open to all but charging fees , They are respectively "no" and "yes"; Determine the function for the charging method; For toll lanes Lane width; For whether the management personnel agree to the toll lane Permitted vehicle types use, They are respectively "no" and "yes"; Vehicle type width; A function to determine the vehicle types permitted to travel in toll lanes; For charging direction Adopting a fee-based method Vehicle type flow; For charging direction Vehicle type flow; For charging direction Adopting a fee-based method Traffic; For charging direction Traffic; For toll lanes The width of the safety island; This refers to the total width of the toll plaza; For toll lanes Open to charging Payment method The unit operating cost; Equation (2) indicates that the user delay cost is equal to the sum of the delay costs of all lanes; Equation (3) indicates that the delay cost of each toll lane is determined by the toll direction, toll method, traffic flow, permitted vehicle type, and vehicle delay cost; Equation (4) indicates that the opening direction of each toll lane is determined by the control requirements of the toll equipment and management personnel; Equation (5) indicates that the opening toll method of each toll lane is determined by the control requirements of the toll equipment and management personnel; Equation (6) indicates that the permitted vehicle type of each toll lane is determined by the toll direction, toll method, toll lane width, management personnel control requirements, and vehicle size; Equations (7) to (10) indicate that there are mutual constraints on the traffic flow of each lane; Equation ( 11) indicates that each lane can only open for a maximum of one toll direction; Equation (12) indicates that all entrance toll lanes are located to the left of all exit toll lanes; Equation (13) indicates that each lane is allowed to open for toll directions and requires corresponding toll collection equipment support; Equation (14) indicates that each lane can open for a maximum of two toll collection methods; Equation (15) indicates that each lane is allowed to open for toll collection methods and requires corresponding toll collection equipment support; Equation (16) indicates that the sum of the widths of all allowed toll lanes and safety islands does not exceed the total width of the toll plaza; Equation (17) indicates that the operating cost of the toll station is equal to the sum of the operating costs of all lanes.

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