Blockchain-based highway toll collection method and device

Abstract

This invention provides a blockchain-based method and apparatus for highway toll collection. The method includes: uploading the identity and passage information of vehicles traveling on the highway to the blockchain using a multi-level consortium blockchain. The multi-level consortium blockchain includes a ministerial-level consortium blockchain and multiple provincial-level consortium blockchains. The ministerial-level consortium blockchain includes blockchain nodes corresponding to the ministerial-level settlement center and blockchain nodes corresponding to the payment platform. Each provincial-level consortium blockchain includes blockchain nodes corresponding to the provincial-level settlement center. Based on the passage information, it is determined whether the vehicle's travel route crosses provinces. If so, the ministerial-level blockchain node collaborates with multiple provincial-level blockchain nodes to generate transaction information to be settled based on the passage information. Otherwise, the provincial-level blockchain nodes generate transaction information to be settled based on the passage information. The smart contract of the multi-level consortium blockchain is invoked to settle the transaction information to be settled through the blockchain nodes corresponding to the payment platform, thereby generating transaction records. The settlement is then carried out based on the transaction records.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of blockchain technology, and in particular to a method and apparatus for toll collection on highways based on blockchain. Background Technology

[0002] In the current highway toll settlement system, the traditional centralized settlement method has significant shortcomings and challenges. This system relies on provincial settlement centers to process all transaction flows. On the one hand, this architecture, with all settlement tasks concentrated in the provincial settlement center, not only increases the center's workload but also makes the entire system highly dependent on the center. If the provincial settlement center experiences technical failures or data processing delays, it will directly affect the normal flow of funds, thereby impacting the efficiency of road operators' fund utilization and the service experience of end users. On the other hand, the current system's batch processing settlement method at the provincial settlement center is inefficient and cannot meet the current demand for high-efficiency operations. Furthermore, centralized data processing methods also have deficiencies in terms of security and transparency. The lack of transparency in all data processing and fund flows increases the difficulty of auditing and the risks of data loss and falsification.

[0003] In theory, blockchain technology provides a decentralized, highly transparent, and tamper-proof data processing solution that can effectively improve the security and transparency of data processing. However, existing blockchain systems cannot be easily applied to highway toll settlement due to their design limitations.

[0004] First, existing typical blockchain structures are relatively simple, employing a single-chain architecture across the entire system. This simplistic architecture makes it difficult to effectively support the processing of large volumes of data transactions, especially during peak periods when the system's processing capacity becomes a bottleneck when transaction volume surges. Second, existing highway toll collection systems primarily focus on processing toll flow data, failing to comprehensively cover other key aspects of highway toll collection operations. This limitation reduces the system's application value and efficiency, fails to fully meet the needs of modern highway toll collection systems, and lacks axiomatic approaches in handling disputes. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, embodiments of the present invention provide a blockchain-based highway toll collection method and apparatus to eliminate or improve one or more defects existing in the prior art.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention provides a blockchain-based highway toll collection method, the method comprising the following steps: A multi-level consortium blockchain is used to upload the identity information and passage information of vehicles traveling on highways to the blockchain. The multi-level consortium blockchain includes a ministerial-level consortium blockchain and multiple provincial-level consortium blockchains. The ministerial-level consortium blockchain includes blockchain nodes corresponding to the ministerial-level settlement center and blockchain nodes corresponding to the payment platform. Each provincial-level consortium blockchain includes blockchain nodes corresponding to the provincial-level settlement center. Based on the travel information, it is determined whether the vehicle's travel route crosses provinces. If so, the blockchain node corresponding to the ministerial-level settlement center coordinates with multiple blockchain nodes corresponding to multiple provincial settlement centers involved in the cross-province transaction to generate transaction information to be settled based on the travel information. If not, the blockchain node corresponding to the provincial settlement center generates transaction information to be settled based on the travel information. The smart contract in the multi-level consortium blockchain is invoked to settle the transaction information to be settled through the blockchain node corresponding to the payment platform, so as to generate a transaction record. The settlement is carried out according to the transaction record. The smart contract is generated based on the rule that the driving mileage of the vehicle reaches a preset threshold.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present invention, the traffic information includes toll station information, lane information and time when the vehicle enters the expressway, toll station information, lane information and time when it exits the expressway, and gantries along the route record the stations, time and mileage, and travel path of the vehicle through radio frequency signals or image capture.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, the blockchain nodes corresponding to the ministerial-level settlement center coordinate with multiple blockchain nodes corresponding to multiple provincial-level settlement centers involved in cross-province transactions to generate transaction information to be settled based on the access information, including: By using the blockchain nodes corresponding to the provincial settlement centers involved in the cross-province process, the road segments in each province are determined based on the travel information, and transaction information to be settled corresponding to each provincial settlement center is generated according to the mileage of each road segment and the corresponding billing method. The blockchain nodes corresponding to the provincial settlement centers use oracle networks to conduct cross-chain communication with the blockchain nodes corresponding to the ministerial settlement centers, and provide the transaction information to be settled to the blockchain nodes corresponding to the ministerial settlement centers. Through the blockchain node corresponding to the ministerial-level settlement center, the road segments of each province are divided based on the travel information using a cross-provincial consensus mechanism. Based on the driving mileage and corresponding billing method of each segment, transaction information to be settled corresponding to each provincial settlement center is generated. The transaction information to be settled is then verified with the received transaction information to be settled, and the verified transaction information to be settled is obtained.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, the smart contract in the multi-level consortium blockchain is invoked to settle the transaction information to be settled through the blockchain node corresponding to the payment platform, thereby generating a transaction record. Clearing and settlement are then performed based on the transaction record, including: The smart contract in the multi-level consortium blockchain is invoked to match the user payment account corresponding to the identity information in the user payment account list pre-stored in the blockchain node corresponding to the payment platform. If the payment balance of the user payment account is greater than the total transaction amount in the transaction information to be settled, the blockchain node corresponding to the payment platform will settle each transaction information to be settled after verification based on the user payment account to generate each transaction record. Based on each transaction record, the settled transaction amounts are distributed to the corresponding provincial settlement centers to achieve clearing and settlement.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the provincial consortium blockchain further includes blockchain agent nodes and blockchain nodes corresponding to lane ETC self-service devices. The blockchain node corresponding to the lane ETC self-service device is used to store uploaded identity information and passage information. The agent node is used to receive transaction dispute verification and processing requests from users carrying user identity information and transaction bills, call the identity information stored by the blockchain node to verify the received user identity information, and after the verification is passed, provide the verification information across the chain to the blockchain node corresponding to the dispute processing platform to notify the blockchain node corresponding to the dispute processing platform that the verification has passed.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the departmental consortium blockchain further includes a blockchain node corresponding to the dispute resolution platform. The blockchain node corresponding to the dispute resolution platform is used to verify and process the disputed transaction bill by calling the transaction information and corresponding transaction records stored by the blockchain node after receiving the verification pass information. The transaction records include the generation record of the transaction information.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the multi-level consortium blockchain adopts a divide-and-conquer consensus architecture, wherein each provincial consortium blockchain independently maintains the ledger of its respective province, and the ministerial consortium blockchain only maintains cross-provincial transaction data involving cross-provincial transactions; the chains interact with each other through a cross-chain consensus protocol, and the ledger data between the provincial consortium blockchains are isolated from each other and not physically synchronized.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the identity information includes the license plate, vehicle model, vehicle owner information, and user payment account information of the vehicle; the transaction information includes a transaction number, a transaction amount, and a transaction identifier, wherein the transaction number is used to quickly query relevant transaction information, the transaction identifier is used to indicate whether the transaction has been successfully completed, and the transaction amount includes the transaction amount of intra-provincial transactions or the sum of the transaction amounts of multiple transactions involving cross-province transactions.

[0014] Another aspect of the present invention provides a blockchain-based highway toll collection device, the device comprising: a computer device including a processor and a memory, the memory storing computer instructions, the processor executing the computer instructions stored in the memory, and the device implementing the steps of the aforementioned method when the computer instructions are executed by the processor.

[0015] Another aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the aforementioned method.

[0016] Another aspect of the present invention provides a computer program product including computer instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the aforementioned method.

[0017] The present invention relates to a blockchain-based highway toll collection method and apparatus. Based on a multi-level consortium blockchain architecture, it realizes clearing and settlement based on smart contracts, optimizes the overall system architecture, improves the throughput of the blockchain system in the form of a consortium blockchain, and enhances the scalability of the architecture. It can solve the problems of single point of failure risk and low processing efficiency caused by the centralized architecture of traditional highway toll settlement systems, as well as the problems of traditional blockchain system solutions being difficult to handle large-scale transaction data and fully cover multiple key links of highway toll collection business due to their single architecture and limited functions.

[0018] Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will also become apparent in part to those skilled in the art upon studying the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention can be realized and obtained by means of the structures specifically pointed out in the description and drawings.

[0019] Those skilled in the art will understand that the objectives and advantages achievable with the present invention are not limited to those specifically described above, and that the above and other objectives achievable with the present invention will become clearer from the following detailed description. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this application, are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The components in the drawings are not drawn to scale but are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. For ease of illustration and description of certain parts of the invention, corresponding portions in the drawings may be enlarged, i.e., may appear larger relative to other components in an exemplary device actually manufactured according to the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of a blockchain-based highway toll collection method according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the composition structure of a multi-level consortium blockchain in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the composition structure of a multi-level consortium blockchain in another embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings. Here, the illustrative embodiments and descriptions of this invention are used to explain the invention, but are not intended to limit the invention.

[0022] It should also be noted that, in order to avoid obscuring the invention with unnecessary details, only the structures and / or processing steps closely related to the solution according to the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, while other details that are not closely related to the invention are omitted.

[0023] It should be emphasized that the term "including / comprises" as used herein refers to the presence of a feature, element, step, or component, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, steps, or components.

[0024] It should also be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the term "connection" in this article can refer not only to a direct connection, but also to an indirect connection involving an intermediary.

[0025] In the following description, embodiments of the invention will be illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals represent the same or similar parts, or the same or similar steps.

[0026] To address the single point of failure risk and low processing efficiency of traditional highway toll settlement systems due to their centralized architecture, and the limitations of traditional blockchain solutions in handling large-scale transaction data and comprehensively covering multiple key aspects of highway toll collection due to their simple architecture and limited functionality, this invention provides a blockchain-based highway toll collection method and apparatus. It offers a solution that provides efficient and stable settlement transactions, supporting large-scale data processing and fully meeting the diverse functional requirements of highway toll collection systems. These functions include not only efficient and rapid settlement of transaction data, but also evidence storage and dispute resolution of toll information data.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of a blockchain-based highway toll collection method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, this method is applied to a highway toll collection system and includes the following steps: Step S110: Using a multi-level consortium blockchain, the identity information and passage information of vehicles traveling on the highway are uploaded to the blockchain. The multi-level consortium blockchain includes a ministerial-level consortium blockchain and multiple provincial-level consortium blockchains. The ministerial-level consortium blockchain includes blockchain nodes corresponding to the ministerial-level settlement center and blockchain nodes corresponding to the payment platform. Each provincial-level consortium blockchain includes blockchain nodes corresponding to the provincial-level settlement center.

[0028] Specifically, this method optimizes the structure of a single blockchain into a structure combining an intra-provincial blockchain with inter-provincial consensus. This effectively isolates data between provinces while enabling rapid data sharing when needed, such as in cases of cross-provincial data or transaction disputes. Based on a multi-level consortium blockchain architecture, this method optimizes the overall system architecture, isolates data from different provinces, and improves the throughput of the blockchain system through a consortium blockchain approach. Figure 2 As shown in the diagram, this is a two-tiered consortium blockchain, comprising a ministerial-level consortium blockchain and provincial-level consortium blockchains. The provincial-level consortium blockchains are built around provincial settlement centers, maintaining data within each province. The ministerial-level settlement center and the various provincial-level consortium blockchains together form the ministerial-level consortium blockchain, jointly maintaining cross-provincial data. Each blockchain node in the two-tiered consortium blockchain can share on-chain data. The provincial-level consortium blockchains communicate and interact with the ministerial-level consortium blockchain via a cross-provincial consensus protocol, achieving data interoperability and data decentralization between provinces. This improves the scalability and operational efficiency of the blockchain system and reduces system load. Payment platforms can include third parties such as clearing banks and ETC payment platforms. Provincial-level consortium blockchains exchange data with the blockchain nodes of the ministerial-level consortium blockchain through cross-chain communication protocols.

[0029] In other embodiments, during the process of implementing high-speed toll collection using the aforementioned two-tier consortium blockchains, the blockchain node of the ministerial-level settlement center can also serve as a consensus node within each provincial-level consortium blockchain, joining the consensus process of each provincial-level consortium blockchain. This improves cross-chain interaction and communication efficiency, thereby enhancing high-speed toll collection efficiency. Through the ministerial-provincial two-tier consortium blockchain architecture, not only is data isolation between provinces achieved, but the flow of data across provinces is also guaranteed. Furthermore, heterogeneous consortium blockchain systems can be used between provinces, requiring only that the communication protocols be interoperable during cross-chain requests.

[0030] In one embodiment, the traffic information includes toll station information, lane information, and time when the vehicle enters the highway, and toll station information, lane information, and time when it exits the highway. Along the route, gantries record the toll stations, times, mileage, and travel path of the vehicle via radio frequency signals or image capture. The identity information includes the vehicle's license plate, vehicle model, owner information, and user payment account information. During the data uploading process, unstructured data such as images and text in the traffic and identity data are converted into structured data and stored on the blockchain in real time.

[0031] Step S120: Based on the travel information, determine whether the vehicle's travel route crosses provinces. If so, coordinate with the blockchain nodes corresponding to the ministerial-level settlement center and multiple blockchain nodes corresponding to the provincial-level settlement centers involved in the cross-province transaction to generate transaction information to be settled based on the travel information. If not, generate transaction information to be settled based on the travel information through the blockchain nodes corresponding to the provincial-level settlement centers.

[0032] Specifically, this step can determine whether a vehicle is traveling across provinces based on information such as toll station information and lane information when the vehicle enters and exits the highway throughout its entire travel route.

[0033] In one embodiment, the blockchain node corresponding to the ministerial-level settlement center coordinates with multiple blockchain nodes corresponding to multiple provincial-level settlement centers involved in cross-province transactions to generate transaction information to be settled based on the access information, including the following steps: By using the blockchain nodes corresponding to the provincial settlement centers involved in the cross-province process, the road segments in each province are determined based on the travel information, and transaction information to be settled corresponding to each provincial settlement center is generated according to the mileage of each road segment and the corresponding billing method. The blockchain nodes corresponding to the provincial settlement centers use oracle networks to conduct cross-chain communication with the blockchain nodes corresponding to the ministerial settlement centers, and provide the transaction information to be settled to the blockchain nodes corresponding to the ministerial settlement centers. Through the blockchain node corresponding to the ministerial-level settlement center, the road segments of each province are divided based on the travel information using a cross-provincial consensus mechanism. Based on the driving mileage and corresponding billing method of each segment, transaction information to be settled corresponding to each provincial settlement center is generated. The transaction information to be settled is then verified with the received transaction information to be settled, and the verified transaction information to be settled is obtained.

[0034] In this step, when a vehicle travels across provinces, the nodes of the provincial settlement centers involved in the cross-province journey, after monitoring and querying the uploaded traffic data, break down the road segments in each province for separate tolling, forming separate transactions. This facilitates the subsequent clearing and settlement of fees to each province, supporting their disbursement. Specifically, the cross-province consensus mechanism can be understood as a consensus reached among the multiple provinces involved in the cross-province journey regarding which specific road segments and their associated transaction fees belong to which province. If the pending transaction information generated by the ministerial-level settlement center's blockchain node is inconsistent with the pending transaction information received from the provincial settlement center's blockchain nodes, the pending transaction information generated by the ministerial-level settlement center's blockchain node becomes the final result, i.e., the verified pending transaction information. Verification generates more reliable pending transaction information, which can reduce transaction disputes to some extent at the source. In addition, when the blockchain node of the Ministry Center acts as a consensus node within each provincial consortium blockchain and joins the consensus process of each provincial consortium blockchain, for cross-provincial data requests from provincial consortium blockchains, the cross-chain request is first initiated on the provincial consortium blockchain where it is located. The blockchain node of the Ministry Center within that provincial consortium blockchain forwards the cross-chain request to the Ministry-level consortium blockchain, and then the target provincial consortium blockchains involved in the cross-province process work together to carry out the collaborative processing of clearing and settlement.

[0035] In one embodiment, the transaction information includes a transaction number, a transaction amount, and a transaction identifier. The transaction number is used for quick retrieval of relevant transaction information, the transaction identifier indicates whether the transaction has been successfully completed, and the transaction amount includes the transaction amount of transactions within the province or the sum of the transaction amounts of multiple transactions involving multiple provinces. Generating a transaction identifier in the blockchain makes it easier and faster to subsequently query whether the transaction has been completed.

[0036] Step S130: Invoke the smart contract in the multi-level consortium chain, and settle the transaction information to be settled through the blockchain node corresponding to the payment platform to generate a transaction record. Then, clear and settle the transaction based on the transaction record. The smart contract is generated based on the rule that the driving mileage of the vehicle reaches a preset threshold.

[0037] Specifically, a smart contract is a contract written in code that can be automatically executed on a blockchain. Compared to traditional contracts, smart contracts offer advantages such as decentralization, transparency, programmability, low cost, and programmability, significantly improving transaction security and reliability. Smart contracts can be used to achieve various functions, such as fund transfers, identity verification, and digital identity creation. Compared to traditional computer protocols, smart contracts can accelerate data processing efficiency and ensure that each step of processing is traceable and verifiable, reducing the probability of data processing anomalies. Current highway toll systems lack an evidence collection process, relying on manual database retrieval, which is inefficient. Furthermore, the clearing and settlement process runs separately off-chain, leading to opaque settlement processes, potential transaction disputes, and difficulty in tracing the source. Additionally, the system uses data packet transmission, which is inefficient, resulting in significant delays between vehicle passage through the toll station and final payment. However, the smart contract mentioned in this step is generated based on a rule that the vehicle's mileage reaches a preset threshold. The smart contract is triggered to perform transaction settlement and clearing settlement when the mileage reaches the preset threshold. The preset threshold can be the driving distance near the toll station at the highway exit, which enables timely and seamless settlement during the journey.

[0038] In one embodiment, the smart contract in the multi-level consortium blockchain is invoked to settle the transaction information to be settled through the blockchain node corresponding to the payment platform, thereby generating a transaction record. Clearing and settlement are then performed based on the transaction record, including the following steps: The smart contract in the multi-level consortium blockchain is invoked to match the user payment account corresponding to the identity information in the user payment account list pre-stored in the blockchain node corresponding to the payment platform. If the payment balance of the user payment account is greater than the total transaction amount in the transaction information to be settled, the blockchain node corresponding to the payment platform will settle each transaction information to be settled after verification based on the user payment account to generate each transaction record. Based on each transaction record, the settled transaction amounts are distributed to the corresponding provincial settlement centers to achieve clearing and settlement.

[0039] Existing highway toll collection systems rely on external business systems for clearing and settlement, which lacks real-time capability. Data is transmitted in packaged form, often taking until the next day, the third day, or even longer to complete. In contrast, the smart contract-based clearing and settlement method proposed in this paper significantly improves real-time performance, enabling both real-time toll collection and real-time clearing and settlement. Furthermore, while external business systems lack transparency, this smart contract-based method completely migrates the highway toll collection business logic to the blockchain system, increasing the certainty, credibility, and automation of business rule processing. It also ensures that all on-chain data is queryable by all participants (nodes), greatly enhancing system credibility. The generated transaction records ensure transparency and traceability of the clearing and settlement process.

[0040] To broaden the application of this method in highway toll collection projects, it is necessary to add services related to evidence preservation and dispute resolution. For example... Figure 3 As shown, in order to support these business functions simultaneously, in such Figure 2 The multi-level consortium blockchain architecture shown is used for node expansion. Specifically, blockchain agent nodes and lane ETC self-service device blockchain nodes are added to the provincial consortium blockchain, and dispute resolution platform blockchain nodes are added to the ministerial consortium blockchain. Figure 3 Only one provincial consortium blockchain is shown, along with the agent node and the ETC self-service device blockchain node. Other provincial consortium blockchains have the same structure as this one, and others have been omitted.

[0041] In one embodiment, the provincial consortium blockchain further includes blockchain agent nodes and blockchain nodes corresponding to lane ETC self-service devices. The blockchain node corresponding to the lane ETC self-service device is used to store uploaded identity information and passage information. The agent node is used to receive transaction dispute verification and processing requests from users carrying user identity information and transaction bills, call the identity information stored by the blockchain node to verify the received user identity information, and after the verification is passed, provide the verification information across the chain to the blockchain node corresponding to the dispute processing platform to notify the blockchain node corresponding to the dispute processing platform that the verification has passed.

[0042] Existing methods require users to directly access the blockchain when interacting with them, posing a threat to the security of on-chain data. In contrast, this embodiment sets up proxy nodes in the blockchain. Users interact with other nodes through these proxy nodes, which encapsulate received user requests as HTTP requests, significantly reducing the difficulty of interaction and improving the user experience. For the blockchain system, the proxy node acts as an application gateway, encapsulating the blockchain system API, reducing the difficulty of external calls, and enabling authentication and data isolation to prevent data leakage.

[0043] For the passage data stored on the blockchain node, the system determines whether the passage data is overdue based on the data expiration judgment rules pre-issued by the blockchain node of the Ministry Center based on the cross-provincial consensus mechanism, and in conjunction with the comparison between the acquisition time of the passage data and the packaging time of the current block header. If it is overdue, the system notifies the blockchain node of the lane ETC self-service device to upload the updated passage data and update the stored data.

[0044] Unlike traditional blockchain-based evidence storage and verification systems, this method uses smart contracts to achieve evidence storage and verification. It can support the use of multiple fields of transaction records as indexes, such as transaction serial number, license plate number, transaction time, and license plate recognition serial number, and supports more diversified query methods. In contrast, traditional blockchain-based evidence storage and verification systems can only find the original record through the record's hash, which is more limited in functionality.

[0045] In one embodiment, the ministerial-level consortium blockchain further includes a blockchain node corresponding to the dispute resolution platform. After receiving the verification pass information, the blockchain node corresponding to the dispute resolution platform is used to call the transaction information and corresponding transaction records stored by the blockchain node to verify and process the disputed transaction bill. The transaction records include the generation record of the transaction information.

[0046] Specifically, the immutability of data recorded in the blockchain ensures the reliability of vehicle identity, access, transaction, and transaction records. This reliability allows the blockchain to be trusted by all blockchain nodes. In subsequent processes, when determining whether a transaction crosses provincial borders based on access information, enabling the blockchain nodes of the ministerial and provincial settlement centers to generate pending transaction information, matching user payment account information based on identity information, and allowing payment platform blockchain nodes to settle transactions, as well as when dispute resolution platform blockchain nodes verify and process disputed bills based on transaction information and records, these blockchain nodes can fully trust the access, identity, transaction, and transaction records information. This reduces the risks of transaction disputes, automatic payment, and malicious deductions. Furthermore, when these blockchain nodes perform their respective operations, the corresponding platforms also perform their own operations simultaneously.

[0047] Once a blockchain node on the dispute resolution platform verifies that no dispute exists through evidence presentation, the node transmits the relevant evidence to the user via a proxy node and informs them of the undisputed outcome. This ensures the user clearly understands the transaction details and eliminates any doubts. The dispute resolution platform includes judicial institutions, among others. For each dispute resolution outcome, the dispute resolution status is marked to identify whether the dispute has been effectively addressed or is pending. If pending, it awaits manual intervention.

[0048] In one embodiment, the multi-level consortium blockchain adopts a divide-and-conquer consensus architecture, wherein each provincial consortium blockchain independently maintains the ledger of its respective province, and the ministerial-level consortium blockchain only maintains cross-provincial transaction data involving cross-provincial transactions; the blockchains interact with each other through a cross-chain consensus protocol, and the ledger data of each provincial consortium blockchain is isolated from each other and not physically synchronized. Multiple blockchain nodes exist on a single blockchain, and these blockchain nodes adopt a distributed ledger approach. Each blockchain node maintains the full ledger information of its respective blockchain. The consensus mechanism in the multi-level consortium blockchain enables nodes on the same provincial blockchain to reach consensus, thereby ensuring that the cross-provincial ledger information maintained by the ministerial-level consortium blockchain is consistent. Furthermore, these blockchain nodes can be configured with read-only functions, etc., according to different access requirements and permissions, and can achieve trusted querying.

[0049] Corresponding to the above method, the present invention also provides a blockchain-based highway toll collection device, which includes a computer device, the computer device including a processor and a memory, the memory storing computer instructions, the processor executing the computer instructions stored in the memory, and when the computer instructions are executed by the processor, the device implements the steps of the aforementioned blockchain-based highway toll collection method.

[0050] This invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the aforementioned blockchain-based highway toll collection method. The computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible storage medium, such as random access memory (RAM), main memory, read-only memory (ROM), electrically programmable ROM, electrically erasable programmable ROM, register, floppy disk, hard disk, removable storage disk, CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art.

[0051] This invention also provides a computer program product, including computer instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the aforementioned blockchain-based highway toll collection method.

[0052] Those skilled in the art will understand that the exemplary components, systems, and methods described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of both. Whether implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this invention. When implemented in hardware, it can be, for example, electronic circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), appropriate firmware, plug-ins, function cards, etc. When implemented in software, the elements of this invention are programs or code segments used to perform the desired tasks. The programs or code segments can be stored in a machine-readable medium or transmitted over a transmission medium or communication link via data signals carried in a carrier wave.

[0053] It should be clarified that the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations and processes described above and shown in the figures. For the sake of brevity, detailed descriptions of known methods are omitted here. In the above embodiments, several specific steps are described and shown as examples. However, the method process of the present invention is not limited to the specific steps described and shown. Those skilled in the art can make various changes, modifications, and additions, or change the order of steps, after understanding the spirit of the present invention.

[0054] In this invention, features described and / or illustrated for one embodiment may be used in the same or similar manner in one or more other embodiments, and / or combined with or in place of features of other embodiments.

[0055] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and variations of the embodiments of the present invention are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A blockchain-based highway toll collection method, characterized in that, The method includes: A multi-level consortium blockchain is used to upload the identity information and passage information of vehicles traveling on highways to the blockchain. The multi-level consortium blockchain includes a ministerial-level consortium blockchain and multiple provincial-level consortium blockchains. The ministerial-level consortium blockchain includes blockchain nodes corresponding to the ministerial-level settlement center and blockchain nodes corresponding to the payment platform. Each provincial-level consortium blockchain includes blockchain nodes corresponding to the provincial-level settlement center. Based on the travel information, it is determined whether the vehicle's travel route crosses provinces. If so, the blockchain node corresponding to the ministerial-level settlement center coordinates with multiple blockchain nodes corresponding to multiple provincial settlement centers involved in the cross-province transaction to generate transaction information to be settled based on the travel information. If not, the blockchain node corresponding to the provincial settlement center generates transaction information to be settled based on the travel information. The smart contract in the multi-level consortium blockchain is invoked to settle the transaction information to be settled through the blockchain node corresponding to the payment platform, so as to generate a transaction record. The settlement is carried out according to the transaction record. The smart contract is generated based on the rule that the driving mileage of the vehicle reaches a preset threshold.

2. The blockchain-based highway toll collection method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The traffic information includes information on toll stations, lanes, and times when vehicles enter the expressway, as well as information on toll stations, lanes, and times when they exit the expressway. Along the route, gantries record the stations, times, mileage, and routes that vehicles pass through via radio frequency signals or image capture.

3. The blockchain-based highway toll collection method according to claim 2, characterized in that, By coordinating the blockchain nodes corresponding to the ministerial-level settlement center with multiple blockchain nodes corresponding to multiple provincial-level settlement centers involved in cross-province transactions, transaction information to be settled is generated based on the access information, including: By using the blockchain nodes corresponding to the provincial settlement centers involved in the cross-province process, the road segments in each province are determined based on the travel information, and transaction information to be settled corresponding to each provincial settlement center is generated according to the mileage of each road segment and the corresponding billing method. The blockchain nodes corresponding to the provincial settlement centers use oracle networks to conduct cross-chain communication with the blockchain nodes corresponding to the ministerial settlement centers, and provide the transaction information to be settled to the blockchain nodes corresponding to the ministerial settlement centers. Through the blockchain node corresponding to the ministerial-level settlement center, the road segments of each province are divided based on the travel information using a cross-provincial consensus mechanism. Based on the driving mileage and corresponding billing method of each segment, transaction information to be settled corresponding to each provincial settlement center is generated. The transaction information to be settled is then verified with the received transaction information to be settled, and the verified transaction information to be settled is obtained.

4. The blockchain-based highway toll collection method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The process involves invoking the smart contract in the multi-level consortium blockchain to settle the pending transaction information through the blockchain node corresponding to the payment platform, generating transaction records, and then clearing and settling the transactions based on these records. The smart contract in the multi-level consortium blockchain is invoked to match the user payment account corresponding to the identity information in the user payment account list pre-stored in the blockchain node corresponding to the payment platform. If the payment balance of the user payment account is greater than the total transaction amount in the transaction information to be settled, the blockchain node corresponding to the payment platform will settle each transaction information to be settled after verification based on the user payment account to generate each transaction record. Based on each transaction record, the settled transaction amounts are distributed to the corresponding provincial settlement centers to achieve clearing and settlement.

5. The blockchain-based highway toll collection method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The provincial consortium blockchain also includes blockchain agent nodes and blockchain nodes corresponding to lane ETC self-service devices. The blockchain node corresponding to the lane ETC self-service device is used to store uploaded identity information and passage information. The agent node is used to receive transaction dispute verification and processing requests from users carrying user identity information and transaction bills, call the identity information stored by the blockchain node to verify the received user identity information, and after the verification is passed, provide the verification information across the chain to the blockchain node corresponding to the dispute processing platform to notify the blockchain node corresponding to the dispute processing platform that the verification has been passed.

6. The blockchain-based highway toll collection method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The ministerial-level consortium blockchain also includes a blockchain node corresponding to the dispute resolution platform. After receiving the verification pass information, the blockchain node corresponding to the dispute resolution platform is used to call the transaction information and corresponding transaction records stored by the blockchain node to verify and process the disputed transaction bill. The transaction records include the generation record of the transaction information.

7. The blockchain-based highway toll collection method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The multi-level consortium blockchain adopts a divide-and-conquer consensus architecture, where each provincial consortium blockchain independently maintains the ledger of its respective province, and the ministerial-level consortium blockchain only maintains cross-provincial transaction data involving cross-provincial transactions; the blockchains interact with each other through a cross-chain consensus protocol, and the ledger data of each provincial consortium blockchain is isolated from each other and not physically synchronized; the identity information includes the license plate, model, owner information, and user payment account information of the vehicle; the transaction information includes a transaction number, transaction amount, and transaction identifier, whereby the transaction number is used to quickly query relevant transaction information, the transaction identifier is used to indicate whether the transaction has been successfully completed, and the transaction amount includes the transaction amount of intra-provincial transactions or the sum of the transaction amounts of multiple cross-provincial transactions.

8. A blockchain-based highway toll collection device, comprising a processor, a memory, and computer instructions stored in the memory, characterized in that, The processor is used to execute the computer instructions, and when the computer instructions are executed, the device implements the steps of the blockchain-based highway toll collection method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When executed by a processor, the computer program implements the steps of the blockchain-based highway toll collection method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer program product comprising computer instructions, characterized in that, When executed by a processor, the computer instructions implement the steps of the blockchain-based highway toll collection method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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