System and method for charging tolls for a motor vehicle

Abstract

A system and a method for collecting tolls for a motor vehicle are disclosed. The system comprises a portable toll device assigned to the motor vehicle and a central control unit. During a recorded journey, the toll device determines position information at regular intervals and stores it in memory. At the end of the journey, a journey termination signal and the position information stored in the toll device's memory are transmitted to the central control unit. The central control unit uses the position information to determine a toll charge for the distance traveled. The toll device and / or the central control unit are configured to terminate the recording before the end of the journey if a termination condition occurs. A termination condition may be a technical malfunction or have other causes.

Description

[0001] The disclosure relates to a system and a procedure for collecting tolls for a motor vehicle. background

[0002] A well-known method for collecting tolls is based on a satellite-based system. In this system, a toll road network is divided into several sections, each with a tariff that determines the toll amount. The mapping of the toll road network to these sections forms part of the toll system's operational data and is stored in a central control unit. Using a global navigation satellite system, a vehicle-mounted device (an on-board unit, or OBU) determines the vehicle's position at regular intervals while driving. The vehicle's positions are recorded in a lane file, which is transmitted to the central control unit via mobile network at specific intervals. At the central control unit, the lane file is analyzed, specifically by comparing the determined positions with the toll sections and calculating the toll payable.The disadvantage here is that every vehicle subject to tolls must carry special hardware, namely the OBU, to record its positions.

[0003] Typically, devices carried by the driver (e.g., smartphone or tablet) have the necessary functions for automatic toll collection, such as location tracking (e.g., via GPS - global positioning system), mobile communication, and a (graphical) user interface. It is therefore desirable to use such devices for toll collection.

[0004] Document EP 1 655 700 A2 discloses a method for determining a route usage charge, particularly for occasional users of the route. In this method, the route length is determined using two methods, both of which are performed in a central computing unit. The first method processes data relating to the relative position of a mobile device with respect to at least one network-side component of a communication network. The second method processes vehicle-internal status information that was previously transmitted from the device to the central computing unit. The results of the two methods are then compared.

[0005] Document US 2009 / 0024458 A1 describes a method for location-based billing for a trip. Trip details are determined, including a variety of location data, each specifying the location of a tracking device during a trip. The trip costs are calculated based on these details. The tracking device then forwards the costs and its identification to a payment service provider.

[0006] Document EP 3 002 733 A1 discloses a toll collection center for collecting tolls from a toll vehicle when using a toll road. The toll collection center comprises a central computing unit and a central communication unit. The central computing unit is configured to receive an initiation request from a mobile device via the central communication unit to initiate a toll collection procedure for the toll vehicle's use of the toll road. The initiation request includes the starting position data of the toll vehicle. The central computing unit is further configured to initiate a toll collection procedure in response to receiving the initiation request and to terminate the initiated toll collection procedure in response to the occurrence of a termination event.

[0007] Document EP 3 447 695 A1 describes control procedures for automatic toll collection. In one embodiment, a camera image of a vehicle is captured at a checkpoint. The camera image is given a first timestamp. Furthermore, the vehicle sends a toll message to a central unit within a predetermined area of ​​the checkpoint. The toll message includes lane information and a second timestamp indicating the time the message was sent. The lane in which the vehicle is located is determined from the camera image. If the determined lane matches the lane information from the toll message and the two timestamps are sufficiently close together, the check is considered successful.

[0008] In this embodiment, either an analysis of position data is required to determine the predetermined area for sending the toll message, or communication must occur to trigger the transmission of the toll message. In another embodiment, position data is continuously sent to a central unit as toll information. With each toll information message, a toll notification containing the lane information and the corresponding timestamp is also transmitted to the central unit. At a checkpoint, the lane information is then compared with a lane shown in a camera image. This process involves the continuous transmission of large amounts of data (position data and toll notifications) from the vehicle's electronic device to the central unit.

[0009] Document US 2010 / 0287038 A1 discloses a toll system with a toll device installed in a vehicle, wherein the toll device includes a satellite navigation receiver. The satellite navigation receiver determines the vehicle's position. Additionally, a sensor determines a property of the vehicle's surroundings, which is dependent on the vehicle's position. The vehicle positions determined by the satellite navigation receiver are compared and validated against the property determined by the sensor.

[0010] Document WO 99 / 66455 A2 describes a roadside control device for a toll device installed in a vehicle. The control device checks whether the toll device is correctly configured and functioning as a vehicle passes over it.

[0011] Document DE 20 2021 106 013 U1 describes a toll collection system for motor vehicles. The system comprises a portable toll device assigned to the vehicle and a central data processing unit. A communication link exists between the portable toll device and the central data processing unit, at least intermittently. The portable toll device is configured to determine position information at regular intervals during the vehicle's journey. This position information includes the location of the toll device itself. The device stores this position information in memory and transmits it to the central data processing unit when a predetermined condition is met. The central data processing unit is configured to evaluate the position information received from the portable toll device and calculate the toll charge. Summary

[0012] The objective is to provide improved technologies for participating in a toll system. In particular, the requirement for specific hardware should be avoided, and the user-friendliness of participating in the toll system should be improved. The quality of toll collection should remain high, ensuring that toll fees are calculated correctly.

[0013] A system according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 12 are disclosed. Further embodiments are the subject of dependent claims.

[0014] In this disclosure, the central data processing facility is also referred to as the central unit for space-saving purposes.

[0015] When a user drives a toll-liable vehicle, it must be ensured that the toll is paid when driving on a toll road. Ideally, the process works as follows: Before starting the journey, the user initiates a booking with the central office using the toll device. Once the central office confirms the booking, the journey can begin. During the journey, the toll device regularly determines its position, and thus the position of the assigned vehicle. These positions are stored in the toll device's memory and transmitted to the central office during the journey when a specific transmission condition is met, or at the latest at the end of the journey. Once the journey is complete and all positions have been received by the central office, the central office calculates the toll fee based on these positions.

[0016] However, it is possible that a situation may arise during the journey (for example, due to technical problems or other complications) that prevents proper participation in the toll system. According to the invention, the toll device and / or the central unit (i.e., each device individually or both devices together) are therefore configured to cancel the booking before the end of the journey if a cancellation condition occurs. The cancellation condition could be, for example, one of the following events: A payment method associated with the booking is invalid, a user account associated with the booking is blocked, manipulation of the vehicle identification number is detected, the position information transmitted from the portable toll device to the central office is defective, and regular data exchange between the toll device and the central office is interrupted.

[0017] These termination conditions will be explained in more detail later in the disclosure in connection with embodiments of the system and the method.

[0018] Canceling a booking means the toll device will no longer record location information. If a booking is canceled, the user must find another way to participate in the toll system or use toll-free routes. The toll device may be configured to send a signal to the user when a booking is canceled, for example, a visual and / or audible alert. It may also be configured to provide a reason for the cancellation, for example, a visual and / or audible alert. Finally, if a booking is canceled, any remaining location information stored in the portable toll device's memory may be transmitted to the central office.It may also be provided that the central office calculates the toll due up to that point based on the position information available at the central office when the booking is cancelled.

[0019] In all embodiments, communication between the devices, for example between the portable toll device and the central office, can take place wirelessly, e.g. via a mobile network connection or via WLAN (WLAN - wireless local area network).

[0020] The portable toll device is assigned to the motor vehicle for which the toll is to be calculated. The portable toll device can be located inside or attached to the motor vehicle. It can be detachably mounted in the vehicle, for example, in a holder. The portable toll device can be, for example, a smartphone or a tablet. Such devices typically have all the necessary components for toll collection, so a dedicated toll collection device like an OBU (On-Board Unit) is not required.

[0021] The portable toll device determines its position (and thus the position of the assigned vehicle) at regular intervals. A positioning device can be associated with the toll device for this purpose; for example, it can be integrated into the device or coupled to it. The positioning device can be a GNSS receiver (GNSS - Global Navigation Satellite System). Suitable GNSS systems include GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou. Smartphones and tablets typically have a GNSS receiver integrated into the device. The position of the toll device (and the assigned vehicle) includes at least one degree of longitude and one degree of latitude.Additionally, the position can include a direction, a speed, the number of GNSS satellites from which signals are being received, and an HDOP value (HDOP - Horizontal Dilution of Precision, a confidence value for the horizontal accuracy of the GNSS positioning). The position information can also include a timestamp, indicating when the position was determined.

[0022] The initial regular intervals for determining the vehicle's position can be short. For example, the portable toll device's position might be determined every second, every two seconds, or every five seconds. This is intended to ensure that the vehicle's journey can be tracked as accurately as possible (ideally without gaps) so that the toll can be calculated precisely.

[0023] The control unit can include a processor and memory. It can also function as a server. The control unit is configured to evaluate positional information, for example, to compare the toll device's position with a model of toll roads and determine the toll due. The control unit can be configured to transmit the calculated toll to the portable toll device. The toll can be displayed on the device, for example, on its screen. This provides the user with timely information about the toll amount for the route traveled.

[0024] The portable toll device can be configured to capture the vehicle identification number of the vehicle assigned to it. This identification number can be the vehicle's official license plate number. It can also include the vehicle's country of origin, for example, as information on the license plate itself. The vehicle identification number allows for the unique identification of the vehicle. It can be used to monitor the vehicle's participation in the tolling process while driving. Vehicle identification can be captured, for example, via user input or using an optical sensor (such as a camera). User input can be provided via an input device on the toll device, such as a touchscreen.The toll device can be configured to transmit the recorded vehicle identification number to the central office along with the booking request. The central office can then assign the transmitted vehicle identification number to the booking.

[0025] The central system can be configured to generate a unique booking identification number (booking ID) upon successful confirmation of a booking request and transmit it to the toll device. The booking ID is valid only for a specific trip booking (i.e., the authorized trip). The toll device can be configured to transmit the booking ID to the central system along with the location information. This enables the location information to be uniquely assigned to a specific booking.

[0026] The central system can also be set up to assign the vehicle identification number and the booking ID to a booking.

[0027] The portable toll device can be configured to record at least one vehicle characteristic of the vehicle assigned to it, in addition to the vehicle identification number, before the journey begins, for example, via user input, and to transmit the vehicle identification number and the at least one vehicle characteristic to the central office. The central office can be configured to check the transmitted at least one vehicle characteristic for consistency. The central office can further be configured to transmit the result of the consistency check to the toll device. The toll device can be configured to display the result of the consistency check received from the central office, for example, on the display.

[0028] At least one vehicle characteristic can be selected from the elements of the following group: permissible total weight, number of axles, emission class, drive type and a combination of the aforementioned elements.

[0029] In many countries, including Germany, the amount of the toll payable depends on the vehicle's characteristics. These vehicle characteristics must be specified before the journey, for example, by entering information into the toll device. It may be required that any changes to the vehicle characteristics be recorded, along with the time of the change.

[0030] Vehicle characteristics may already be stored in the central system for a given vehicle identification number. The consistency check at the central system can, for example, compare the specified vehicle characteristic (at least one) with a stored vehicle characteristic. Alternatively or additionally, the consistency check can include a comparison of the specified gross vehicle weight with the number of axles. If a heavy vehicle (e.g., 40 t) has only a few axles (e.g., 2) or a light vehicle (e.g., 5 t) has many axles (e.g., 4 or 5), a corresponding message can be displayed on the toll device. If the consistency check fails, the user may be prompted to review and, if necessary, correct their entries.

[0031] It may be stipulated that the predetermined dispatch condition for transmitting the position information stored in the memory of the portable toll device to the central data processing facility is at least one of the following conditions: A predetermined time interval has elapsed and a predetermined storage capacity in the memory of the portable toll device has been reached.

[0032] The predetermined time interval can take any value between 2 minutes and 60 minutes, for example 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes or 30 minutes.

[0033] In one embodiment, the central data processing unit may be configured to transmit a blocking signal to the portable toll device when the termination condition is met, and the portable toll device may be configured to terminate the booking before the end of the journey upon receiving the blocking signal. This allows for a centrally initiated forced termination during the journey, for example, in the event of technical problems or other complications.

[0034] It may be stipulated that a payment method (e.g., a credit card or PayPal account) is stored with the central office for toll payment. The user can block the payment method by sending a message to the central office, for example, in case of loss or theft of a credit card or loss of login information for a payment service provider. It may also be stipulated that the central office can initiate a block on the payment method, for example, if a credit card has insufficient funds or an account is overdrawn.

[0035] A payment method can be associated with a toll device's booking request. For example, the toll device can transmit a payment method to the central office along with the booking request. Alternatively, a payment method can be stored at the central office for a specific vehicle registration number (or multiple vehicle registration numbers), so that the stored payment method is used for every booking for that vehicle registration number (or numbers). The central office can be configured to check the validity of the payment method with each booking request. If the payment method is valid, the booking is confirmed. If the payment method is not valid, the booking is rejected.

[0036] It can also happen that a payment method is blocked during an ongoing trip, for example, because a credit card has been stolen, or if the payment method is blocked centrally due to insufficient funds. The central system may be configured to check whether the blocked payment method is associated with a booking for an ongoing trip. If so, the central system can send a blocking signal to the toll device and cancel the booking during the trip.

[0037] The central data processing unit is configured to determine the quality of the position information transmitted by the portable toll device during travel and to send a blocking signal to the portable toll device if the quality falls below a predetermined threshold. The central unit is configured to check the quality of the position information immediately upon receipt. One or more of the following criteria can be checked in the position information as quality criteria: a consistently or repeatedly insufficient number of satellites, implausible position jumps, implausible time jumps, jamming patterns and spoofing patterns.

[0038] It may further be provided that the portable toll device is configured to generate status information at second regular intervals during the journey and to transmit it to the central data processing unit, and that the central data processing unit is configured to check the status information and transmit an evaluation signal to the portable toll device, wherein the evaluation signal is a release signal if the check is positive, and wherein the evaluation signal is a block signal if the check is negative.

[0039] The status information can include at least one of the following pieces of information: a readiness for data collection of the portable toll device, a timestamp indicating when the status information was generated, the vehicle identification of the motor vehicle assigned to the portable toll device, and a status position information, wherein the status position information indicates the position of the portable toll device at which the status information was generated.

[0040] The status position information can be provided by the positioning device, for example, as GNSS coordinates. The status position information includes at least a longitude and a latitude. Additionally, the status position information can include a direction, a speed, the number of GNSS satellites from which signals are being received, and an HDOP value.

[0041] The toll collection readiness of the device indicates whether the device is configured and capable of participating in a toll system, and thus can fulfill its obligation to cooperate within the toll system. The collection readiness of the portable toll device can include at least one of the following states or any combination (for example, all) of the following states: The portable toll device is capable of determining position, the portable toll device is capable of transmitting data, the portable toll device has a sufficient power supply, and the portable toll device is capable of communicating.

[0042] The conditions for data collection readiness are explained in more detail below.

[0043] To participate in toll-compliant operation, the position of the toll device (and thus the assigned vehicle) must be determined and stored in the device's memory at regular intervals during the journey, for example, every second, every two seconds, or every five seconds. At a later time, such as after a predetermined period (e.g., after 10 or 20 minutes), after the journey has ended, or when a predetermined storage capacity is reached, the stored position information is transmitted to the central office. The central office then uses this position information to analyze whether one or more toll roads have been traveled. Therefore, a crucial aspect of toll-compliant operation is the device's ability to determine its position at the specified regular intervals.

[0044] The toll device must therefore be able to determine its position. For a GNSS receiver to determine its position, it must receive a sufficient number of satellite signals; typically signals from at least four satellites. If a GNSS receiver receives too few satellite signals or none at all, it cannot determine its position. In this case, it is unable to determine its position, and the willingness to collect tolls based on position determination would be negative. Participation in the automatic toll system would therefore not be possible.

[0045] A technical defect in the toll device can also prevent it from determining its position. For example, while a sufficient number of GNSS satellite signals may be received, the processing of these signals within the toll device may fail due to the defect, thus making position determination impossible.

[0046] If the portable toll device is a smartphone or tablet, further reasons for a negative positioning capability may be that a user has restricted the rights to use the location function or has switched off the location function (e.g. the GNSS receiver).

[0047] The toll device is to transmit its position and, if applicable, its status information to the central office. This transmission occurs wirelessly, for example, via a mobile network or Wi-Fi. To verify data collection readiness, the system can check whether a communication link exists between the toll device and the central office and whether data transmission is possible, i.e., whether the toll device is capable of data transmission.

[0048] When a smartphone or tablet is used as a portable toll device, its power supply is crucial. The portable toll device is intended to transmit the location information collected during the journey to the central office, at the latest after the journey has ended. Therefore, it must be ensured that the toll device still has sufficient power at that time. It may be possible to set the data collection readiness to negative if the battery level of the toll device falls below a first predetermined threshold, for example, if less than 10% battery charge remains. It may also be possible to issue a notification to the user if the battery level falls below a second predetermined threshold, where the second threshold is higher than the first.For example, when the battery charge reaches 15%, a message can be issued prompting the user to connect the toll device to a charger to prevent further battery degradation and a resulting decrease in toll collection readiness.

[0049] The portable toll device can be configured to indicate its readiness status, for example, as a visual and / or audible signal. For instance, the readiness status can be displayed on the device's indicator (e.g., "green" when ready for toll collection and "red" when not). Furthermore, the device can be configured to notify the user of any change in readiness status via a signal, such as a visual and / or audible signal. For this to work, the toll device must be capable of transmitting such signals. Therefore, the output of such a signal (or signals) must not be suppressed, as is possible, for example, with the Android and iOS operating systems of smartphones and tablets.

[0050] It can be provided that the generated status information is transmitted directly from the portable toll device to the central data processing unit after generation. This status information enables continuous monitoring of the toll device's readiness for toll collection during the journey. The status information can also include the booking ID, allowing for easy assignment of the status information to the trip booking. The second set of regular time intervals can take any value between 5 seconds and 10 minutes, for example, 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, or 5 minutes. This provides highly current information during vehicle inspections, from which compliance with the obligation to cooperate can be determined. The toll device's readiness for toll collection (positive or negative) can, in the simplest case, be implemented as a single bit, resulting in a very small amount of data transmitted.

[0051] It may be provided that, if it is determined that it is not possible to transmit the generated status information to the central data processing facility, the status information generated in the second regular time intervals is stored in the memory of the portable toll device and the stored status information is transmitted to the central data processing facility as soon as a connection is established from the portable toll device to the central data processing facility at a later time.

[0052] The central data processing unit can be configured to start a central timer with a first predetermined time upon arrival of the status information at the central data processing unit, whereby, a) if further status information arrives at the central data processing unit within the time predetermined by the central timer, the central timer is reset and starts again from the beginning, or b) if the central timer expires before further status information arrives at the central data processing unit, the central data processing unit transmits the blocking signal to the portable toll device.

[0053] The booking will therefore be cancelled if the status information does not arrive at headquarters in time.

[0054] The portable toll device can be configured to start a toll device timer with a second predetermined time upon arrival of the evaluation signal in the toll device, whereby, a) if another evaluation signal arrives at the toll device within the time predetermined by the toll device timer, the toll device timer is reset and starts again from the beginning, or b) if the toll device timer expires before another evaluation signal arrives at the toll device, the toll device cancels the booking.

[0055] If the connection to the control center is lost, the toll device cancels the booking. The toll device may be configured to send a signal to the user to cancel the trip booking, for example, a visual and / or audible signal. The user must then use an alternative method of participating in the toll system.

[0056] The timers allow monitoring of the toll device's connectivity with the central system, i.e., its data transmission capability, during the journey. The central timer and the toll device timer can be set to the same duration, for example, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, or 30 minutes. Synchronized timers on both devices ensure that, in the event of a loss of communication between the toll device and the central system, both devices will register the same (negative) status of toll collection readiness.

[0057] The first predetermined time of the central timer and / or the second predetermined time of the toll device timer can be adjusted to an expected route. The timer values ​​can be modified location-specifically, for example, using the last successfully transmitted status position information. If it is anticipated that there is a tunnel on the route where GNSS reception is disrupted and / or the mobile network connection between the toll device and the central office is interrupted, the two timers can be adjusted to the expected time in the tunnel to prevent an unintentional interruption of the booking. The timer values ​​can be determined based on the known length of the tunnel and the usual speed of the vehicle (e.g., 80 km / h for trucks in Germany). The timer values ​​can also be adjusted to account for the size of potential dead zones.It is possible to estimate the size of the dead zones along the toll roads and how long it would take a motor vehicle traveling at a typical speed to pass through a dead zone.

[0058] The system may also include a control device. The control device may be configured to record the vehicle identification number of a motor vehicle passing the control device, to check the recorded vehicle identification number for manipulation and, if manipulation is detected, to transmit a manipulation signal to the central data processing unit.

[0059] The central data processing unit can be configured to transmit the blocking signal to the portable toll device upon receipt of the tampering signal.

[0060] The control device can be stationary (e.g., as a gantry or control column) or mobile. The control device can include a detection unit configured to capture the vehicle identification number. The detection unit can be an optical detection device, such as a camera. The vehicle identification number can be converted into a machine-readable format using OCR (optical character recognition).

[0061] Communication between the control unit and the central office can be wireless, for example via a mobile network connection or WLAN.

[0062] In all disclosed embodiments, it can be provided that, in the event of a change to one or more of the states of readiness for data collection, the time of the change (e.g. with a timestamp) and / or a trigger for the change in readiness for data collection is documented in the status information.

[0063] It can also be stipulated that in the event of a change in data collection readiness, particularly a loss of data collection readiness, an unscheduled status message is immediately transmitted to headquarters. This unscheduled status message includes the negative data collection readiness. Additionally, the unscheduled status message can include a timestamp indicating when data collection readiness was lost and / or a trigger for the loss of data collection readiness.

[0064] The portable toll device can be set up by installing an app to perform the functions described here. During app installation, a unique app identification number (app ID) can be assigned. This app ID, along with status information, can be transmitted to the central office. This is intended to assist in the investigation of fraud attempts or technical problems. If the app is uninstalled and then reinstalled, a new app ID is assigned. This allows, for example, the detection of an app reinstallation while driving.

[0065] It may be stipulated that a version of the app installed on the toll device be transmitted to the central office along with the booking request. The central office may be configured to check whether the transmitted version corresponds to a current version of the app. If the version of the app on the toll device is outdated, the booking request will be rejected. The user may be advised to install the latest version of the app before starting their journey.

[0066] Features disclosed in connection with the system can be applied analogously to the process and vice versa.

[0067] The terms "vehicle" and "motor vehicle" are used synonymously, unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise. Description of exemplary implementations

[0068] Exemplary embodiments are explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. These show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a toll collection system, Fig. 2 a schematic representation of a second embodiment of a toll collection system, Fig. 3 a flowchart of a toll collection method, Fig. 4 a flowchart of a method for checking vehicle characteristics, Fig. 5 a flowchart of an initial status check before booking a trip, and Fig. 6 a flowchart of a method for canceling a trip booking in case of suspected license plate manipulation.

[0069] The same reference symbols are used for identical components / process steps in the following.

[0070] In Fig. 1 Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a toll collection system. The system comprises a portable toll device 10 and a central data processing unit (central unit) 20.

[0071] The toll device 10 comprises a processor 11, a memory 12, a communication unit 13, a GNSS receiver 14, an energy storage device 15, and a display unit 16. The toll device 10 may also include a loudspeaker (not shown). The display unit 16 may be in the form of a touchscreen. The energy storage device 15 is designed to supply the components of the portable toll device 10 with electrical energy. The energy storage device 15 is designed as a rechargeable secondary battery. The portable toll device 10 may be configured as a smartphone or a tablet. The toll device 10 is assigned to a motor vehicle traveling on roads subject to tolls, at least in part. The toll device 10 may, for example, be detachably mounted in a holder within the motor vehicle.

[0072] The central unit 20 has a processor 21, a memory 22 and a communication unit 23.

[0073] The toll device 10 and the control unit 20 are configured to exchange signals and / or data bidirectionally with each other via their communication units 13 and 23, for example via mobile network and / or WLAN. The communication paths are in Fig. 1 represented by a dashed line.

[0074] Fig. 2 Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a second embodiment of a toll collection system. In addition to the portable toll device 10 and the central unit 20, the system includes a control device 30.

[0075] The control unit 30 comprises a processor 31, a memory 32, a communication unit 33, and a data acquisition unit 34. The communication unit 33 of the control unit 30 is configured to exchange signals and / or data wirelessly with the communication unit 23 of the central unit 20. The communication link between the control unit 30 and the central unit 20 is wireless, for example, via mobile network and / or WLAN. Direct communication between the toll device 10 and the control unit 30 is not provided.

[0076] The capture unit 34 is designed to capture the license plate of a motor vehicle passing the control device 30. The capture unit 34 can be a camera, for example, a digital camera. The capture unit 34 can, for example, take a photograph of the front of the motor vehicle. Using the processor 31, the license plate can be determined from the photograph, and a machine-readable license plate can be generated using OCR. If desired, the photograph of the license plate and / or the determined OCR license plate can be transmitted to the central unit 20 using the communication unit 33.

[0077] The following describes embodiments of toll collection methods and related processes.

[0078] Fig. 3Figure 1 shows a flowchart for a first embodiment of a computer-implemented toll collection method. Before a motor vehicle begins a journey, a booking request is sent to the central office 20 using the portable toll device 10 (step 100). The central office 20 responds to the booking request from the portable toll device 10 by confirming the booking (step 110) or rejecting it (step 105). If the booking is rejected, the process ends, and the driver must find another way to pay the toll for the planned route. After confirmation of the booking by the central office 20, position information for the toll device 10 is determined at regular initial intervals, for example, every second (step 120). The position information includes the location of the portable toll device 10 in the form of at least one degree of longitude and one degree of latitude.The position is determined using the GNSS receiver 14 of the toll device 10. The position information is stored in the memory 12 of the portable toll device 10 (step 130). When a predetermined transmission condition is met, the stored position information is transmitted to the control center 20 via the communication unit 13 of the toll device 10 (step 140). At the control center 20, the position information received from the portable toll device 10 for the transaction is stored in the memory 22 of the control center 20 (step 150). At the end of the journey, a journey termination signal and any position information still present in the memory 12 of the toll device 10 are transmitted to the control center 20 via the portable toll device 10 (step 160). After receiving the journey termination signal, the booking is completed in control center 20, the position information available in memory 22 of control center 20 is evaluated and a toll fee is determined from this (step 170).The procedure can optionally include a further step in which the calculated toll fee is transmitted from the control center 20 to the toll device 10 and displayed by the toll device 10, for example, on the display unit 16. The preceding steps describe a standard toll collection process using the portable toll device. This process represents the usual procedure. If an abort condition occurs during the journey, the recording is aborted before the end of the journey by means of the portable toll device 10 and / or the control center 20 (step 180). The abort condition can be a technical malfunction, such as insufficient reception of the GNSS signals or an interrupted communication link between the toll device 10 and the control center 20.The reason for cancellation may also be of a different nature, such as an invalid payment method associated with the booking or the suspicion of tampering with a vehicle registration number.

[0079] One reason for cancellation is that a payment method linked to the booking is no longer valid. This payment method could be a credit card. The credit card might be lost or stolen. In this case, the credit card is blocked by the user or a person or organization associated with the user. For example, a transport company might use one credit card as a payment method for multiple vehicles. If this credit card is lost, the transport company will block it. The central office checks whether the blocked credit card is assigned to an ongoing booking. If so, the central office cancels the booking. The central office sends a blocking signal to the relevant toll device to terminate the booking prematurely.

[0080] The credit limit on the credit card may also be exhausted, preventing further payments. In this case, the credit card will be blocked by the central office. The central office will then send the blocking signal to the relevant toll device.

[0081] The toll device can be configured to display the reason for the block, for example, on the display. If multiple pending transactions are affected by the blocked credit card, the central office will, of course, send the blocking signal to all affected toll devices. The same applies to other payment methods, such as a PayPal account or a Klarna account.

[0082] Another reason for termination can be the blocking or deletion of a user account. In this case, the central system also checks whether one or more pending bookings are assigned to the blocked user account and sends corresponding blocking signals to the affected toll devices.

[0083] One technical reason for a cancellation condition is if the position information transmitted by the toll device is unusable. The control center may be configured to check the quality of the position information transmitted by the toll device immediately upon its arrival. If insufficient quality is detected, the control center sends a blocking signal to the toll device and cancels the transaction. Insufficient position information quality can be determined, for example, by the quality of the GNSS signals, such as a consistently or repeatedly insufficient number of satellites, implausible position and / or time jumps, jamming, and / or spoofing patterns. Escalation levels can be implemented: Level 1 – only a warning message is displayed on the toll device; Level 2 – notification of trip termination; Level 3 – trip termination by canceling the transaction.

[0084] In a second embodiment, the in Fig. 3 The described procedure is supplemented such that the toll device 10 generates status information at two regular intervals and transmits it to the control center 20. The control center 20 checks the status information and sends an evaluation signal to the toll device 10. If the check is successful, the evaluation signal is a release signal, allowing the journey to continue. If the check is unsuccessful, the evaluation signal is a block signal, in which case the booking is aborted.

[0085] This system ensures that booking approval or rejection is checked centrally at short intervals during the journey and reported to the user, so that the booking can be interrupted promptly in case of errors or blocks. The process of generating and sending the status information begins immediately after the booking starts. The status information is generated at pre-configured regular intervals (e.g., every 30 seconds, every 1 minute, or every 2 minutes) and transmitted to the central office. The sending interval of the status information can be configured centrally.

[0086] The status information contains all information relevant for reviewing and granting a journey clearance during the journey. The status information includes one or more dates (or all dates) selected from the following: Timestamp (generation of status information) Position in toll area (service area, e.g., Germany) (yes / no) Position Determination time (GNSSFixTime) Longitude Latitude Heading Horizontal accuracy (HDOP) Booking ID Data collection readiness is given or not given Status: green, red, yellow (green: data collection readiness given, yellow: data collection readiness given with warning, red: data collection readiness not given) Trigger for status red or yellow GNSS status (e.g., 3Dfix, number of GNSS satellites) Connectivity to the control center unsuccessful Energy saving mode.

[0087] If the system is ready to collect data, this information, along with all relevant attributes, is transmitted to the central office. If the system is not ready to collect data, the trip booking on the toll device is canceled. The user is clearly notified of the cancellation, and all processes within the app are stopped. A message indicating that the system is not ready to collect data is transmitted to the central office, followed by a message confirming the trip's cancellation.

[0088] The control center responds to the status information with either "Approval of the current trip booking" or "Rejection of the current trip booking." Approval of the trip booking allows the user to continue their trip booking. Rejection of the trip booking terminates the active trip booking. Reasons for a rejection by the control center can include system locks or technical problems. After a trip booking is rejected, the processes for recording position information and further generation of data collection readiness are stopped. After each trip booking cancellation, a message regarding the end of the booking, as well as the remaining position information, is transmitted from toll device 10 to the control center 20.

[0089] In a third embodiment, the second embodiment is extended by configuring the central unit to start a central timer with a predetermined initial time upon receipt of status information. If further status information arrives at the central unit within the time predetermined by the central timer, the central timer is reset and starts again from the beginning. If the central timer expires before further status information arrives at the central unit, the central unit transmits a blocking signal to the portable toll device. Thus, the transaction is aborted if the status information does not arrive at the central unit in time.

[0090] In a fourth embodiment, the second embodiment is enhanced by configuring the portable toll device to start a toll device timer with a second predetermined time upon receipt of the evaluation signal. If another evaluation signal arrives at the toll device within the time predetermined by the timer, the timer is reset and starts again. If the toll device timer expires before another evaluation signal arrives at the toll device, the device cancels the transaction. The toll device also cancels the transaction if the communication link to the central system is interrupted. The toll device sends a signal to the user to cancel the trip transaction, for example, a visual and / or audible signal. The user must then use an alternative method of participating in the toll system.

[0091] The third and fourth embodiments can be combined. The timers monitor the connectivity of the toll device with the central system, i.e., the data transmission capability of the toll device, during the journey.

[0092] Fig. 4This section describes a procedure for recording and verifying vehicle characteristics. This process takes place before the journey begins and can lead to the booking being confirmed or rejected centrally. The user first selects a country and enters the license plate number of the vehicle assigned to toll device 10 on the toll device 10 (step 200). The user then enters vehicle characteristics (step 210). These characteristics include the vehicle's weight, the number of axles, the emissions class, and the drive type. The entered information is transmitted to the central control unit 20 in step 220. The central control unit 20 checks the received vehicle information for consistency (step 230). For example, vehicle characteristics such as the vehicle's weight and number of axles may already be stored in the central control unit 20 for the license plate number.In such a case, the weight and axle count values ​​transmitted by the toll device must at least correspond to the stored values. Users can increase these values, for example, if one or more trailers are used. The consistency check can also include verifying the consistency of the transmitted vehicle characteristics. For example, if a heavy vehicle has only a few axles or a light vehicle has many axles, this would be inconsistent. The result of the check is transmitted from the control center 20 to the toll device 10 (step 240). The toll device displays the result of the check (step 250). If the check fails, the user is prompted to review and, if necessary, correct the entries. The data entered in steps 200 and 210 can be saved in the toll device 10.When the same vehicle is used for another trip, the user can select this data, eliminating the need for re-entry. The portable toll device 10 can also store data from multiple vehicles, allowing the user to select as needed.

[0093] In another embodiment, an initial status check is performed before the journey begins, based on which a decision is made whether to confirm or reject the booking. Certain prerequisites must be met in order to initiate a journey booking. These relate, on the one hand, to fulfilling technical requirements and, on the other hand, to meeting the financial conditions necessary for a journey booking.

[0094] In order for a trip booking to be released by the central system, three criteria must be met in this embodiment. First, it is checked whether a block has been placed on the vehicle's license plate and / or toll device at the central system. Second, it is checked whether a payment method stored by the user is authorized. Finally, the transmitted vehicle characteristics (see procedure according to) are checked. Fig. 4 The booking is checked for consistency. Only if all three conditions are met is a booking ID generated at headquarters and transmitted to the toll device along with the booking approval. If the trip booking is not approved, the booking rejection includes a text stating the reason for the rejection.

[0095] Once the booking authorization is available in the toll device, the device then checks its readiness to collect tolls. Readiness to collect tolls is established when... The toll device is capable of determining position, i.e., it receives and processes signals from at least 4 GNSS satellites; the toll device is capable of transmitting data, i.e., it has a communication connection with the central office (mobile network or internet); the toll device has sufficient power, i.e., the battery level is greater than or equal to 15%; the toll device is capable of communicating, i.e., it can output optical and / or acoustic signals, especially regarding readiness for collection; and all data (e.g., position information and / or status information) relating to a previous trip booking have been transmitted to the central office.

[0096] The process of an initial status check is described in Fig. 5The process is described below. First, the three aforementioned criteria (presence of a block, validity of the payment method, and consistency of the vehicle properties) are checked at control center 20 (step 80). If the check fails, a block signal is transmitted to the toll device (step 85), and a notification is issued to the user; a trip booking is not initiated. If the check is successful, an authorization signal along with a booking ID is transmitted to the toll device (step 86). Once authorization has been granted, the toll device's readiness for toll collection is checked (step 90). If the device is not ready for toll collection, a notification is issued, and the process is terminated (step 95). If the device is ready for toll collection, the trip booking is initiated (step 96). The trip can then be carried out, for example, using the steps described in [section / document]. Fig. 3 described procedure.

[0097] The trip booking process begins upon receipt of booking approval. The trip booking is only initiated if approval has been received from the central office and the system is ready for toll collection. After the trip booking has started, a corresponding signal indicating the active booking is displayed on the display unit 16 of the toll device 10 and is visible to the user (e.g., "Trip active"). Furthermore, the user can see whether the system is ready for toll collection. During an active trip booking, all vehicle- and toll-related data can be displayed on the display unit 16 until the end of the booking. The displayed data includes, for example, the booking number, the booking duration, and a map showing the route traveled. The map can be activated and deactivated.

[0098] In Fig. 6This document illustrates an implementation for canceling a booking in case of suspected license plate manipulation. The monitoring device can detect situations where canceling the booking is advisable for a technically sound journey. For example, the following types of license plate manipulation can be detected: a) A first vehicle with a correct license plate and booking passes through the control device. A second vehicle follows with a forged, identical license plate. b) On one vehicle, the license plate is partially altered by applying stickers to prevent prosecution for previous offenses. A trip is booked for the altered license plate.

[0099] The control device 30 uses its detection unit 14 to record the license plate of a motor vehicle passing the control device 30 (step 300). For this purpose, the front of the motor vehicle is optically recorded, for example, by taking a photograph. The license plate number is determined from the image of the front. The control device 30's processor 31 checks the license plate number (step 310). If no manipulation is detected, the process ends (step 315). If manipulation is detected, the control device 30 transmits a corresponding message to the control center 10 (step 320). The control center 20 checks whether there is an active toll transaction for the manipulated license plate number and, if so, cancels it by transmitting the blocking signal to the relevant toll device (step 330).

[0100] The following additions are compatible with and can complement the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0101] In all implementation examples, the position information is recorded by the toll device at a predefined time interval (e.g., every second) and transmitted to the central office at a configurable time. The position information includes the following data: Timestamp, latitude (in milliseconds), longitude (in milliseconds), direction (in tenths of a degree), speed (in centimeters per second), NumSat as the number of GNSS satellites used for location tracking, HDOP as the confidence level, and Cell-ID as the ID of the currently logged-in mobile cell.

[0102] The trip booking is ended by user input. A button for ending the current trip booking is located on the display unit 16 of the toll device 10. Pressing the "End Trip" button terminates all processes and transmits all toll-relevant and recorded data, in particular location information and, if applicable, status information, to the central system. The user is then advised to keep the toll device switched on and / or not to close the app until the data transmission is complete.

[0103] A trip termination message (or trip termination signal) indicates the end of the active trip booking. The trip termination message includes: a timestamp of the booking end, position in a toll area (service area, e.g. Germany) (yes / no) and the booking ID.

[0104] After the booking ends, the recorded location information stored in the app (on the toll device) is immediately transmitted to the central office. If there is no mobile network connection after the booking ends, the location information is sent to the central office immediately upon re-establishment of mobile network coverage or via a Wi-Fi internet connection. No new trip booking will be initiated until the recorded location information (from the previous booking) has been sent to the central office. If the message indicating the end of the booking is not received by the central office (e.g., due to data loss or app uninstallation), the trip booking is automatically terminated centrally. Upon receiving a negative notification from the central office, the active booking is canceled, and the user is notified. The location information is transmitted to the central office immediately after the booking is canceled.The position information is secured, in the sense of signing and encryption, stored in the app (in the memory of the toll device) and transmitted to the central office.

[0105] The location information received at the central system is buffered until it is complete or a partial booking occurs due to a timeout. The central system may only close the trip booking after it has been completed or after a preconfigured timeout has expired. The location information is only considered complete if it is received at the central system along with the "Booking End" message and the remaining location information. An incomplete trip booking is recorded centrally and treated as a partial booking. An incomplete trip booking occurs when, within a preconfigured time period during an active trip booking, neither location information is received from the toll device nor is a booking end message available.

[0106] In the event of a mobile network outage, the recorded positions are buffered in the toll device's memory for a pre-configurable period (e.g., 10 or 20 minutes). After this pre-configurable period has elapsed, if the position information has not been transmitted to the central office, the toll device reports a negative readiness for data collection and cancels the trip recording.

[0107] Once the journey is complete, the toll is calculated at the central station based on the transmitted location information and sent to the toll device. The toll device then displays a summary of the journey. The summary includes the following information: Booking ID, booking start (date, time), booking end (date, time), booking duration, booking amount (toll in EUR), toll distance in kilometers and payment method used.

[0108] Optionally, the route travelled can also be displayed on a map.

[0109] It is noted that "comprehensive" and "comprising" do not exclude any other elements or steps, and that the use of "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. Reference numerals in the claims are not to be considered as limitations.

[0110] The features disclosed in the description, claims and figures may be relevant for the realization of embodiments both individually and in any combination with one another.

Claims

1. System for toll collection for a motor vehicle, wherein the system comprises a portable toll device (10) associated with the motor vehicle and a central data processing device (20), wherein there is at least a temporary communications link between the portable toll device (10) and the central data processing device (20), wherein the portable toll device (10) is configured - to request a booking at the central data processing device (20) before the start of a trip of the motor vehicle, - after confirmation of the booking by the central data processing device (20), to determine position information at first regular intervals during the trip, wherein the position information includes a position of the toll device (10), - to store the determined position information in a memory (12) of the toll device (10), - to transmit the stored position information to the central data processing device (20) when a predetermined transmission condition occurs, and - at the end of the trip, to transmit a trip-end signal and any position information still present in the memory (12) of the toll device (10) to the central data processing device (20), wherein the central data processing device (20) is configured - to respond to the booking request from the portable toll device (10), wherein the response is a confirmation of the booking or a rejection of the booking, - to store the position information received from the portable toll device (10) for the booking in a memory (22) of the central data processing device (20), and - upon receipt of the trip-end signal, to close the booking, evaluate the position information present in the memory (22) of the central data processing device (20), and determine a toll charge therefrom, characterized in that the central data processing device (20) is configured to check a quality of the position information transmitted by the portable toll device (10) during the trip immediately upon arrival at the central data processing device (20) and to transmit a blocking signal to the portable toll device (10) if the quality check determines that the position information transmitted by the toll device (10) is not usable, and in that the portable toll device (10) is configured, upon receipt of the blocking signal, to cancel the booking before the end of the trip.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined transmission condition for transmitting the position information stored in the memory (12) of the portable toll device (10) to the central data processing device (20) is at least one of the following conditions: - a predetermined time interval has elapsed, and - a predetermined storage capacity in the memory of the portable toll device is reached.

3. System according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the following quality criteria, one or more of them, are checked in the position information: - a continuously or repeatedly insufficient number of satellites, - implausible position jumps, - implausible time jumps, - jamming patterns, and - spoofing patterns.

4. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the portable toll device (10) is configured to generate status information at second regular intervals during the trip and transmit it to the central data processing device (20), and wherein the central data processing device is configured to check the status information and transmit an evaluation signal to the portable toll device (10), wherein the evaluation signal is a release signal if the check is positive, and wherein the evaluation signal is the blocking signal if the check is negative.

5. System according to claim 4, wherein the central data processing device (20) is configured, upon arrival of the status information at the central data processing device (20), to start a central timer with a first predetermined time, wherein: a) if a further status information arrives at the central data processing device (20) within the time predetermined by the central timer, the central timer is reset and starts again from the beginning, or b) if the central timer expires before a further status information arrives at the central data processing device (20), the central data processing device (20) transmits the blocking signal to the portable toll device (10).

6. System according to claim 4, wherein the portable toll device (10) is configured, upon arrival of the evaluation signal in the toll device (10), to start a toll device timer with a second predetermined time, wherein: a) if a further evaluation signal arrives in the toll device (10) within the time predetermined by the toll device timer, the toll device timer is reset and starts again from the beginning, or b) if the toll device timer expires before a further evaluation signal arrives in the toll device (10), the toll device (10) cancels the booking.

7. System according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the first predetermined time of the central timer and / or the second predetermined time of the toll device timer are adapted to an expected route profile.

8. System according to any of claims 4 to 7, wherein the status information includes at least one of the following items: - a collection readiness of the portable toll device (10), - a timestamp indicating when the status information was generated, - a vehicle identification of the motor vehicle associated with the portable toll device (10), and - status position information, wherein the status position information indicates the position of the portable toll device (10) at which the status information was generated.

9. System according to claim 8, wherein the collection readiness of the portable toll device (10) includes at least one of the following states: - the portable toll device (10) is capable of position determination, - the portable toll device (10) is capable of data transmission, - the portable toll device (10) has a sufficient power supply, and - the portable toll device (10) is capable of notification.

10. System according to any of claims 4 to 9, wherein the generated status information is transmitted from the portable toll device (10) to the central data processing device (20) immediately after generation.

11. System according to claim 10, wherein, if it is determined that transmission of the generated status information to the central data processing device (20) is not possible, the status information generated at the second regular intervals is stored in the memory (12) of the portable toll device (10) and the stored status information is transmitted to the central data processing device (20) as soon as a connection from the portable toll device (10) to the central data processing device (20) is established at a later point in time.

12. Computer-implemented method for toll collection, comprising the following steps: - before the start of a trip of a motor vehicle, requesting, by means of a portable toll device (10), a booking at a central data processing device (20), wherein the portable toll device (10) is associated with the motor vehicle, - responding to the booking request from the portable toll device (10), by means of the central data processing device (20), wherein the response is a confirmation of the booking or a rejection of the booking, - after confirmation of the booking, determining, by means of the portable toll device (10) at regular first intervals, position information, wherein the position information includes a position of the portable toll device (10), - storing the determined position information in a memory (12) of the portable toll device (10), - when a predetermined transmission condition occurs, transmitting the stored position information from the portable toll device (10) to the central data processing device (20), - checking a quality of the transmitted position information immediately upon arrival at the central data processing device (20), - transmitting a blocking signal from the central data processing device (20) to the portable toll device (10) if the quality check determines that the position information transmitted by the toll device (10) is not usable, wherein the portable toll device (10) is configured to cancel the booking before the end of the trip upon receipt of the blocking signal, - storing the position information received from the portable toll device (10) for the booking in a memory (22) of the central data processing device (20), - at the end of the trip, transmitting, by means of the portable toll device (10), a trip-end signal and any position information still present in the memory (12) of the toll device (10) to the central data processing device (20), - upon receipt of the trip-end signal, by means of the central data processing device (20), closing the booking, evaluating the position information present in the memory (22) of the central data processing device (20), and determining a toll charge.

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