Toll determination device, toll determination system, toll determination method, and toll determination program

Abstract

To fix a correct toll segment per vehicle type.SOLUTION: A registered vehicle type acquisition unit 110 acquires a registered vehicle type of a vehicle from registered information stored in an on-vehicle instrument. An axle vehicle type acquisition unit 120 acquires an axle vehicle type obtained from the number of axles of the vehicle. A recognized vehicle type acquisition unit 130 acquires an image of the vehicle from a camera and acquires a vehicle width of the vehicle from a vehicle width meter, and carries out vehicle recognition using the image and the vehicle width to acquire a recognized vehicle type. A vehicle type fixing unit 140 fixes, as a vehicle type for toll determination, a vehicle type for determining a toll per vehicle type of the vehicle based on the registered vehicle type, the axle vehicle type, and the recognized vehicle type.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a toll discrimination device, a toll discrimination system, a toll discrimination method, and a toll discrimination program, and more particularly to a toll discrimination device, a toll discrimination system, a toll discrimination method, and a toll discrimination program that discriminate toll categories by vehicle type for vehicles passing through a toll gate. [Background technology]

[0002] ETC (registered trademark) tolls are generally divided into five vehicle type fee categories: light / two-wheeled vehicles, standard vehicles, medium-sized vehicles, large vehicles, and extra-large vehicles. ETC (registered trademark) is an abbreviation for Electronic Toll Collection System. These fee categories are registered information stored in the onboard unit installed in the vehicle. A change in the fee category from the registered information in the onboard unit occurs, for example, when there is a change between the vehicle type of the fee category obtained from the registration information and the vehicle type obtained from the axle number detection results using a pedal-type sensor. A change from the vehicle type of the fee category obtained from the registered information in the onboard unit can be an upgrade or a downgrade. In ETC (registered trademark) charging, the charge amount is determined by a higher-level device using the result of the toll classification for each vehicle type and information such as the passing time and passing point written in the in-vehicle device.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for measuring the axle weight of each axle of a vehicle with multiple axles, obtaining the measurement values ​​of each axle from an axle weight scale, calculating a representative value between the measurement values, and determining the vehicle fee based on the representative value. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2018 / 109860 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] With ETC (registered trademark) tolling, the addition or modification of discounts based on travel section or travel time can be handled by each road operator's system. However, the addition of a new toll category for each vehicle type requires an addition or modification to the registered information on the on-board unit. This requires the manufacturer to develop the on-board unit and the user to update the on-board unit with new registered information. This poses the challenge of adding or modifying new toll categories for each vehicle type, i.e., vehicle classification, on a large scale. Another issue is that it is not possible to provide discounts or free rides only to vehicles that can be identified by license plate information, such as rental cars or emergency vehicles. Vehicles such as rental cars and emergency vehicles do not differ among the five vehicle type classifications in the registration information of the on-board device. Furthermore, there is no difference even if the vehicle type classification obtained from the axle measurement values ​​described in Patent Document 1 is used, and they can be identified by license plate information. Therefore, even if each road operator decides to offer discounts or free tolls, there is a problem that this cannot be realized using the current method of distinguishing vehicle types.

[0006] The present disclosure aims to more accurately determine the vehicle type for determining the fee by using the recognized vehicle type recognized by the camera and vehicle width gauge in addition to the registered vehicle type obtained from the registration information of the vehicle-mounted device and the axle vehicle type obtained from the number of axles of the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The fee discrimination device according to the present disclosure includes: a registered vehicle type acquisition unit that acquires the vehicle type of a vehicle passing through a toll gate as a registered vehicle type from registration information stored in an on-board device of the vehicle; an axle vehicle type acquisition unit that acquires the number of axles of the vehicle and acquires the vehicle type as an axle vehicle type from the number of axles of the vehicle; a recognized vehicle model acquisition unit that acquires an image of the vehicle from a camera that photographs the vehicle, acquires the vehicle width of the vehicle from a vehicle width meter that detects the vehicle width, performs vehicle recognition using the image and the vehicle width, and acquires the vehicle model of the vehicle as a recognized vehicle model; a vehicle type determination unit that determines a vehicle type for determining a vehicle type fee for the vehicle as a vehicle type for fee determination based on the registered vehicle type, the axle vehicle type, and the recognized vehicle type; Equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The fare discrimination device according to the present disclosure obtains the recognized vehicle model recognized by the camera and the vehicle width gauge in addition to the registered vehicle model obtained from the vehicle registration information and the axle model obtained from the number of axles of the vehicle. Therefore, the fare discrimination device according to the present disclosure has the effect of being able to more accurately determine the vehicle model for fare discrimination, which is the vehicle model for discriminating the vehicle's fare, based on the registered vehicle model, axle model, and recognized vehicle model. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a fee determination system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a roadside device in a fare discrimination system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the fee determination system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a fee determination system according to a first modification of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a fee determination system according to a second modification of the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, identical or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals. In the description of the embodiment, the description of identical or corresponding parts will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. Arrows in the drawings mainly indicate the flow of data or the flow of processing. Furthermore, the sized relationships between components in the following drawings may differ from the actual relationships. Furthermore, in the description of the embodiment, directions or positions such as up, down, left, right, front, rear, front and back may be indicated. These notations are used for convenience of explanation and do not limit the placement, direction or orientation of devices, instruments, parts, etc.

[0011] Embodiment 1 ***Configuration Description*** FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a fee determination system 500 according to this embodiment. The toll discrimination system 500 includes the toll discrimination device 100 and roadside equipment 960, and determines the toll category for each vehicle type of the vehicle 300 passing through the toll gate. The toll discrimination system 500 then determines the toll for the vehicle 300 in ETC (registered trademark) charging, and notifies the vehicle 300 of the toll.

[0012] The toll discriminating device 100 is a device that determines the toll category for each type of vehicle 300 that passes through a toll gate and discriminates the toll.

[0013] The fee discrimination device 100 is a computer. The fee discrimination device 100 includes a processor 910, as well as other hardware such as a memory 921, an auxiliary storage device 922, an input interface 930, an output interface 940, and a communication device 950. The processor 910 is connected to the other hardware via signal lines and controls the other hardware.

[0014] The fare discrimination device 100 includes, as functional elements, a registered vehicle type acquisition unit 110, an axle vehicle type acquisition unit 120, a recognized vehicle type acquisition unit 130, a vehicle type determination unit 140, a discrimination unit 150, and a memory unit 170. The memory unit 170 stores fare classification information 71.

[0015] The functions of the registered vehicle model acquisition unit 110, the axle vehicle model acquisition unit 120, the recognized vehicle model acquisition unit 130, the vehicle model determination unit 140, and the discrimination unit 150 are realized by software. The storage unit 170 is provided in the memory 921. The storage unit 170 may be provided in the auxiliary storage device 922, or may be provided separately in the memory 921 and the auxiliary storage device 922.

[0016] The processor 910 is a device that executes a fare discrimination program. The fare discrimination program is a program that realizes the functions of the registered vehicle type acquisition unit 110, the axle vehicle type acquisition unit 120, the recognized vehicle type acquisition unit 130, the vehicle type determination unit 140, and the discrimination unit 150. The processor 910 is an IC that performs arithmetic processing. Specific examples of the processor 910 are a CPU, a DSP, and a GPU. IC is an abbreviation for Integrated Circuit. CPU is an abbreviation for Central Processing Unit. DSP is an abbreviation for Digital Signal Processor. GPU is an abbreviation for Graphics Processing Unit.

[0017] The memory 921 is a storage device that temporarily stores data. Specific examples of the memory 921 are SRAM and DRAM. SRAM is an abbreviation for Static Random Access Memory. DRAM is an abbreviation for Dynamic Random Access Memory. The auxiliary storage device 922 is a storage device that stores data. A specific example of the auxiliary storage device 922 is a HDD. The auxiliary storage device 922 may also be a portable storage medium such as an SD (registered trademark) memory card, CF, NAND flash, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a Blu-ray (registered trademark) disk, or a DVD. Note that HDD is an abbreviation for Hard Disk Drive. SD (registered trademark) is an abbreviation for Secure Digital. CF is an abbreviation for CompactFlash (registered trademark). DVD is an abbreviation for Digital Versatile Disk.

[0018] The input interface 930 is a port connected to an input device such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel. Specifically, the input interface 930 is a USB terminal. The input interface 930 may also be a port connected to a LAN. USB is an abbreviation for Universal Serial Bus. LAN is an abbreviation for Local Area Network.

[0019] The output interface 940 is a port to which a cable of an output device such as a display is connected. Specifically, the output interface 940 is a USB terminal or an HDMI (registered trademark) terminal. Specifically, the display is an LCD. The output interface 940 is also called a display interface. HDMI (registered trademark) is an abbreviation for High Definition Multimedia Interface. LCD is an abbreviation for Liquid Crystal Display.

[0020] The communication device 950 has a receiver and a transmitter. The communication device 950 is connected to a communication network such as a LAN, the Internet, a telephone line, or Wi-Fi (registered trademark). Specifically, the communication device 950 is a communication chip or NIC. NIC is an abbreviation for Network Interface Card.

[0021] The fee determination program is executed in the fee determination device 100. The fee determination program is read into the processor 910 and executed by the processor 910. The memory 921 stores not only the fee determination program but also the OS. OS is an abbreviation for Operating System. The processor 910 executes the fee determination program while running the OS. The fee determination program and the OS may be stored in the auxiliary storage device 922. The fee determination program and the OS stored in the auxiliary storage device 922 are loaded into the memory 921 and executed by the processor 910. Note that part or all of the fee determination program may be incorporated into the OS.

[0022] The fee determination device 100 may include multiple processors that replace the processor 910. These multiple processors share the task of executing the fee determination program. Each processor is a device that executes the fee determination program in the same way as the processor 910.

[0023] Data, information, signal values ​​and variable values ​​used, processed or output by the fee determination program are stored in memory 921, secondary storage device 922, or registers or cache memory within processor 910.

[0024] The "part" of each of the registered vehicle type acquisition unit 110, axle vehicle type acquisition unit 120, recognized vehicle type acquisition unit 130, vehicle type determination unit 140, and discrimination unit 150 may be read as "circuit," "process," "procedure," "process," or "circuitry." The fare discrimination program causes a computer to execute the registered vehicle type acquisition process, axle vehicle type acquisition process, recognized vehicle type acquisition process, vehicle type determination process, and discrimination process. The "processing" of the registered vehicle type acquisition process, axle vehicle type acquisition process, recognized vehicle type acquisition process, vehicle type determination process, and discrimination process may be read as "program," "program product," "computer-readable storage medium storing a program," or "computer-readable recording medium recording a program." Furthermore, the fare discrimination method is a method performed by the fare discrimination device 100 executing the fare discrimination program. The fee determination program may be provided by being stored in a computer-readable recording medium, or may be provided as a program product.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of roadside device 960 in fare determination system 500 according to this embodiment. The fare discrimination device 100 is a computer that determines the fare classification for each vehicle type of vehicle 300 passing through a toll gate and discriminates the fare. The fare discrimination device 100 may be installed anywhere as long as it can communicate with roadside equipment 960 such as the axle number counter 41, camera 42, and vehicle width meter 43 in the fare discrimination system 500. The vehicle 300 is equipped with an on-board unit 310 for ETC (registered trademark) charging. The on-board unit 310 stores registration information 311. The registration information 311 stores a vehicle-specific fee category 31, which is a fee category for each vehicle type of the vehicle 300. For example, one of five vehicle-specific fee categories, light / two-wheeled vehicles, standard vehicles, medium-sized vehicles, large vehicles, and extra-large vehicles, is registered in the vehicle-specific fee category 31. The roadside device 960 in the fare determination system 500 will be described below.

[0026] The vehicle detector detects a vehicle 300 entering the toll gate. The axle number counter 41 is installed at the toll booth and detects the number of axles of the vehicle 300. Camera 42 is installed at the toll booth and photographs vehicle 300. As shown in Fig. 2, examples of camera 42 include a license plate reading camera that reads the license plate on the rear of the vehicle and a license plate reading camera that reads the license plate on the front of the vehicle. The vehicle width meter 43 is installed at the toll booth and detects the width of the vehicle 300. Other equipment installed at toll booths includes lane monitoring cameras (rear monitoring), lane monitoring cameras (forward monitoring), lane signage boards, lane control devices, roadside indicators, intercoms, lane controls, and departure controllers. Furthermore, the toll booth is equipped with an ETC (registered trademark) radio device (first antenna) and an ETC (registered trademark) radio device (second antenna) that communicate wirelessly with the on-board device 310 of the vehicle 300. The ETC (registered trademark) radio device (first antenna) and the ETC (registered trademark) radio device (second antenna) are examples of communication devices 950.

[0027] The following explains the general functions of the toll booth. The fare discrimination device 100 reads the registration information 311 of the on-board device 310 of the vehicle 300, which is a traveling vehicle, using an ETC (registered trademark) radio. The fare discrimination device 100 also acquires the number of axles measured by the vehicle 300 passing over an axle count meter 41. The fare discrimination device 100 also performs vehicle recognition using information from a camera 42 and a vehicle width meter 43, and acquires the vehicle recognition results. The fare discrimination device 100 determines the fare category for each vehicle type based on the vehicle type obtained from the registration information 311, the vehicle type obtained from the number of axles of the vehicle, and the vehicle type obtained from the vehicle recognition results. The fare discrimination device 100 then determines the fare for the vehicle 300 using the fare category for each vehicle type, and transmits the fare to the on-board device 310 of the vehicle 300 via the ETC (registered trademark) radio. The fee classification by vehicle type is also called vehicle type classification.

[0028] ***Explanation of Operation*** FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing an example of the operation of fee determination system 500 according to this embodiment. The operation of fee determination system 500 according to this embodiment will be described. The operating procedure of fee determination system 500 corresponds to a fee determination method. Also, a program that realizes the operation of fee determination system 500 corresponds to a fee determination program.

[0029] In step S101, the vehicle detector detects the entry of the vehicle 300 into the toll gate. When the vehicle detector detects the entry of the vehicle 300 into the toll gate, a toll determination process is executed.

[0030] <Acquisition of registered vehicle model> The registered vehicle type acquisition unit 110 acquires the vehicle type of the vehicle 300 as the registered vehicle type 51 from the registration information 311 stored in the vehicle-mounted device 310 of the vehicle 300 . Specifically, it is as follows:

[0031] In step S110, the registered vehicle type obtaining unit 110 communicates with the vehicle-mounted device 310 via the communication device 950 and the ETC (registered trademark) radio device. In step S111, the registered vehicle type acquisition unit 110 acquires the vehicle type of the vehicle 300 as the registered vehicle type 51 from the information on the vehicle type fee category 31 stored in the registration information 311 stored in the in-vehicle device 310. The vehicle type fee category 31 stored in the registration information 311 is set to one of five vehicle types that the vehicle 300 corresponds to, for example, light / two-wheel, standard vehicle, medium-sized vehicle, large vehicle, and extra-large vehicle.

[0032] <Acquisition of axle vehicle type> The axle vehicle type acquisition unit 120 acquires the number of axles of the vehicle 300 and acquires the vehicle type from the number of axles of the vehicle 300 as the axle vehicle type 52 . Specifically, it is as follows:

[0033] In step S120, the axle counter 41 calculates the number of axles of the vehicle 300 when it passes over the axle counter 41. The axle type acquisition unit 120 acquires the number of axles of the vehicle 300 from the axle counter 41. In step S121, the axle vehicle type acquisition unit 120 determines the vehicle type of the vehicle 300 based on the number of axles of the vehicle 300, and sets the axle vehicle type 52. The axle vehicle types 52 are also basically five vehicle types: light / two-wheel, standard vehicle, medium-sized vehicle, large vehicle, and extra-large vehicle. Registered vehicle types are categorized by law, and license plates or ETC registration information is determined accordingly. On the other hand, toll categories based on registered vehicle types and axles are determined arbitrarily by each road company. Toll categories based on registered vehicle types and axles may differ depending on the road company or region.

[0034] <Getting recognized vehicle models> The recognized vehicle type acquisition unit 130 acquires an image 421 of the vehicle 300 from a camera 42 that captures an image of the vehicle 300. The recognized vehicle type acquisition unit 130 also acquires a vehicle width 431 of the vehicle 300 from a vehicle width meter 43 that detects the vehicle width of the vehicle 300. The recognized vehicle type acquisition unit 130 performs vehicle recognition using the image 421 and the vehicle width 431, and acquires the vehicle type of the vehicle 300 as a recognized vehicle type 53. Specifically, it is as follows:

[0035] In step S130, camera 42 captures an image of vehicle 300. Here, camera 42 is an NP camera used to recognize license plates. NP is an abbreviation for Number Plate. Recognized vehicle model acquisition unit 130 acquires image 421 of the license plate of vehicle 300. In step S131, the vehicle width meter 43 measures the vehicle width 431 of the vehicle 300. The recognized vehicle type acquisition unit 130 acquires the vehicle width 431 of the vehicle 300 from the vehicle width meter 43. In step S132, the recognized vehicle model acquisition unit 130 performs vehicle recognition. The recognized vehicle model acquisition unit 130 acquires information such as the license plate, vehicle model, and vehicle name using the image 421 and the vehicle width 431. For example, the recognized vehicle model acquisition unit 130 acquires the license plate by performing image analysis on the image 421. The recognized vehicle model acquisition unit 130 may also acquire the vehicle model and name using information from the license plate. Alternatively, the recognized vehicle model acquisition unit 130 may acquire the vehicle model and name from an image analysis of the entire vehicle excluding the license plate. More specifically, the recognized vehicle model acquisition unit 130 may acquire the vehicle model and name from a distinctive visual shape or logo. Furthermore, in the case of an electric vehicle, the vehicle model and name may be acquired from a distinctive appearance, such as the absence of a muffler. In this way, the recognized vehicle model acquisition unit 130 may use AI technology to acquire the vehicle model and name from distinctive visual appearance, just like the human eye.

[0036] In step S133, the recognized vehicle model acquisition unit 130 determines the vehicle model as the recognized vehicle model 53 based on information such as the license plate, the vehicle model, and the vehicle name. In the case of license plates, vehicle type classification can be determined to some extent by analyzing the classification number, color, and size at the top of the license plate. However, there are some vehicle type classifications that cannot be determined from the license plate alone. For example, even if the first digit of the classification number is 1 and the size and color are the same, there is a possibility that the vehicle may be medium, large, or extra-large. Therefore, the recognized vehicle type 53 may be obtained by referencing a database using the vehicle model and name. Basically, if the vehicle is sold by an automobile manufacturer, the official vehicle type classification of the automobile manufacturer can be determined by knowing the vehicle model and name.

[0037] In addition, examples of "attributes" such as electric vehicles, hybrid cars, emergency vehicles, and rental cars are as follows: First, in the case of emergency vehicles, if the first digit of the license plate classification number is 8, it can be uniquely identified. Emergency vehicles such as police cars and ambulances can also be identified from the characteristic shape or pattern found in an image analysis of the entire vehicle. Next, in the case of rental cars, if the first character (in hiragana) on the left side of the license plate is "wa" or "re," it can be uniquely identified. However, electric cars and hybrid cars must be identified by determining the model or name of the car.

[0038] The recognized vehicle type 53 is a "vehicle type with attributes" such as an electric vehicle, hybrid car, emergency vehicle, or rental car. As mentioned above, if there is information such as the license plate, model, and name, more detailed classification is possible. This "vehicle type with attributes" is determined to be one of the five categories of registered vehicle types.

[0039] <Vehicle type determination process> The vehicle type determination unit 140 determines the vehicle type for determining the toll of the vehicle as a toll determination vehicle type 54 based on the registered vehicle type 51, the axle vehicle type 52, and the recognized vehicle type 53. The toll discrimination vehicle type 54 is a toll category for each vehicle type. Alternatively, the toll discrimination vehicle type 54 may also be referred to as a vehicle type category. For example, the vehicle type determination unit 140 compares the registered vehicle type 51, the axle vehicle type 52, and the recognized vehicle type 53, and if there is a difference between the registered vehicle type 51, the axle vehicle type 52, and the recognized vehicle type 53, it determines the recognized vehicle type 53 as the vehicle type 54 for fee discrimination. Specifically, it is as follows:

[0040] In step S140, the vehicle type determination unit 140 compares the registered vehicle type 51, the axle vehicle type 52, and the recognized vehicle type 53. If there is a difference between the registered vehicle type 51, the axle vehicle type 52, and the recognized vehicle type 53, the process proceeds to step S150. If there is no difference between the registered vehicle type 51, the axle vehicle type 52, and the recognized vehicle type 53, the process proceeds to step S160.

[0041] In step S150, the vehicle type determination unit 140 determines the recognized vehicle type 53 as the vehicle type for toll discrimination 54. The difference between the registered vehicle model 51, the axle vehicle model 52, and the recognized vehicle model 53 means that the vehicle 300 has attributes such as an electric vehicle, a hybrid car, an emergency vehicle, or a rental car, that is, a vehicle model that cannot be identified from the vehicle registration or the axles. Therefore, the vehicle model determination unit 140 uses the image 421 and the vehicle width 431 to determine the recognized vehicle model 53, which can identify a vehicle model with the above attributes, as the vehicle model for fare determination 54.

[0042] The vehicle type determination unit 140 also communicates with the vehicle-mounted device 310 of the vehicle 300 and updates the vehicle type stored in the registration information 311 to the vehicle type for fee discrimination 54 .

[0043] In step S160, the vehicle type determination unit 140 determines the registered vehicle type 51 as the vehicle type for toll discrimination 54. Here, since there is no difference between the registered vehicle type 51, the axle vehicle type 52, and the recognized vehicle type 53, the registered vehicle type 51 stored in the registration information 311 of the vehicle-mounted device 310 is determined as the vehicle type for toll discrimination 54 as is.

[0044] In step S170, the determination unit 150 determines the toll for the vehicle 300 based on the toll determination vehicle type 54. The storage unit 170 stores fee category information 71 that indicates fee categories for each vehicle type for determining fees. The fee category information 71 includes fee categories based on vehicle type that cannot be distinguished by registered vehicle type 51 or axle vehicle type 52. Specifically, it also includes fee categories based on vehicle types with attributes such as electric vehicles, hybrid cars, emergency vehicles, or rental cars. It also includes fee categories based on vehicle types that are a combination of five vehicle types and the above attributes: light / two-wheeled vehicles, standard vehicles, medium-sized vehicles, large vehicles, and extra-large vehicles. The determination unit 150 determines the toll for the vehicle 300 by referring to the toll classification information 71 using the toll determination vehicle type 54.

[0045] Tolls are determined independently by road operators, who set a base fee based on the registered vehicle type, and then add or discount fees based on other conditions such as the axle, time of day, and route. Currently, all road operators apply the same fee classification as other vehicles when a vehicle passes through an ETC lane, even if it is a "vehicle type with attributes." If the recognized vehicle type 53 is a "vehicle type having attributes," when updating the fee category (vehicle type category) of the registration information 311, the fee category (vehicle type category) is updated to "vehicle type having attributes." For example, if the toll determination vehicle type 54 is a "vehicle type with attributes," the toll determination device 100 can adopt a method of updating the vehicle type classification by raising or lowering the rank. Also, if the toll determination vehicle type 54 is a "vehicle type with attributes," the toll determination device 100 can adopt a method of further discounting the toll classification determined by the vehicle type and number of axles set in the ETC onboard device, such as a time-of-day discount.

[0046] ***Other Configurations*** <Variation 1> FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a fee discrimination device 100 according to the first modification of this embodiment. The fee discrimination device 100 according to the first modification includes a classification update unit 160 in addition to the components described in the first embodiment. The division update unit 160 updates the fee division information 71. The division update unit 160 receives update information for the fee division information 71 from a user such as an administrator, and updates the fee division information 71.

[0047] According to the first modification, it is possible to add or change toll categories, such as changing toll categories for new vehicle types or setting new tolls for each road operator, without changing the registration information 311 set in the in-vehicle device 310. For example, due to changes in laws or systems, it may be desirable to assign a new vehicle type category or discount to vehicles such as electric vehicles, hybrid cars, emergency vehicles, or rental cars. In such cases, the user adds or changes the toll category information 71 using the category update unit 160. The determination unit 150 uses the toll determination vehicle type 54 to refer to the toll category information 71 and determine the toll for the vehicle 300. As a result, the toll category added or changed in the new toll category information 71 is reflected in the determination of the vehicle's toll. In this way, it is possible to determine the vehicle type of the target vehicle, and it is possible to apply a new vehicle type category or a new toll category for each road operator without changing the registration information set in the in-vehicle device.

[0048] <Variation 2> In this embodiment, the functions of the registered vehicle model acquisition unit 110, axle vehicle model acquisition unit 120, recognized vehicle model acquisition unit 130, vehicle model determination unit 140, and discrimination unit 150 are realized by software. As a variation, the functions of the registered vehicle model acquisition unit 110, axle vehicle model acquisition unit 120, recognized vehicle model acquisition unit 130, vehicle model determination unit 140, and discrimination unit 150 may be realized by hardware. Specifically, the fee discrimination device 100 includes an electronic circuit 909 instead of the processor 910 .

[0049] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a fee discrimination device 100 according to the second modification of this embodiment. The electronic circuit 909 is a dedicated electronic circuit that realizes the functions of the registered vehicle type acquisition unit 110, the axle vehicle type acquisition unit 120, the recognized vehicle type acquisition unit 130, the vehicle type determination unit 140, and the discrimination unit 150. Specifically, the electronic circuit 909 is a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, a logic IC, a GA, an ASIC, or an FPGA. GA is an abbreviation for Gate Array. ASIC is an abbreviation for Application Specific Integrated Circuit. FPGA is an abbreviation for Field-Programmable Gate Array.

[0050] The functions of the registered vehicle model acquisition unit 110, the axle vehicle model acquisition unit 120, the recognized vehicle model acquisition unit 130, the vehicle model determination unit 140, and the discrimination unit 150 may be realized by a single electronic circuit, or may be distributed across multiple electronic circuits.

[0051] As another modification, some of the functions of the registered vehicle type acquisition unit 110, axle vehicle type acquisition unit 120, recognized vehicle type acquisition unit 130, vehicle type determination unit 140, and discrimination unit 150 may be realized by electronic circuits, and the remaining functions may be realized by software. Also, some or all of the functions of the registered vehicle type acquisition unit 110, axle vehicle type acquisition unit 120, recognized vehicle type acquisition unit 130, vehicle type determination unit 140, and discrimination unit 150 may be realized by firmware.

[0052] Each of the processor and electronic circuits is also called a processing circuitry. That is, the functions of the registered vehicle type acquisition unit 110, the axle vehicle type acquisition unit 120, the recognized vehicle type acquisition unit 130, the vehicle type determination unit 140, and the discrimination unit 150 are realized by the processing circuitry.

[0053] <Variation 3> In this embodiment, in addition to the on-board device registration information and the axle number determination result, the vehicle recognition result from a vehicle recognition sensor such as a camera or vehicle width sensor is added to the determination of the toll category by vehicle type. Note that a sensor other than a camera or vehicle width sensor, such as a weight scale, may also be used as the vehicle recognition sensor.

[0054] ***Explanation of the effect of this embodiment*** As described above, the toll discrimination system according to this embodiment uses the results of vehicle recognition, such as reading license plates with a camera and using a vehicle width sensor, to discriminate toll categories for ETC (registered trademark) charges by vehicle type. The vehicle-specific toll classification for ETC (registered trademark) charging is determined based on the registration information of one of five vehicle types of the onboard unit and the detection result of the number of axles by a pedal-type sensor when the antenna and onboard unit communicate at the toll booth. The vehicle recognition results from cameras and vehicle width sensors at the toll booth are used to prevent fraud. In this embodiment, the vehicle recognition results from these cameras and vehicle width sensors are added to the determination of the vehicle type toll classification. This makes it possible to determine the vehicle type toll classification more accurately than just the onboard unit registration information and the number of axles.

[0055] Furthermore, the toll discrimination system according to this embodiment makes it possible to change toll classifications for new vehicle types or set new tolls for each road operator without changing the registration information set in the on-board device. By distinguishing between rental cars, emergency vehicles, electric vehicles, hybrid cars, etc., new, more detailed toll classifications become possible.

[0056] In the above-mentioned first embodiment, each part of the fee discrimination device has been described as an independent functional block. However, the configuration of the fee discrimination device does not have to be the same as that of the above-mentioned embodiment. The functional blocks of the fee discrimination device may have any configuration as long as they can realize the functions described in the above-mentioned embodiment. Furthermore, the fee discrimination device may not be a single device, but may be a system made up of multiple devices. Furthermore, it is possible to combine multiple parts of the first embodiment. Alternatively, it is possible to implement only one part of this embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to combine these embodiments in any way, either as a whole or in part. That is, in the first embodiment, the embodiments can be freely combined, or any of the components in each embodiment can be modified, or any of the components in each embodiment can be omitted.

[0057] The above-described embodiments are essentially preferred examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, the scope of application of the present disclosure, or the scope of use of the present disclosure. The above-described embodiments can be modified in various ways as needed. For example, the procedures described using flow charts or sequence diagrams may be modified as appropriate.

[0058] Various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices.

[0059] (Appendix 1) a registered vehicle type acquisition unit that acquires the vehicle type of a vehicle passing through a toll gate as a registered vehicle type from registration information stored in an on-board device of the vehicle; an axle vehicle type acquisition unit that acquires the number of axles of the vehicle and acquires the vehicle type as an axle vehicle type from the number of axles of the vehicle; a recognized vehicle model acquisition unit that acquires an image of the vehicle from a camera that photographs the vehicle, acquires the vehicle width of the vehicle from a vehicle width meter that detects the vehicle width, performs vehicle recognition using the image and the vehicle width, and acquires the vehicle model of the vehicle as a recognized vehicle model; a vehicle type determination unit that determines a vehicle type for determining a vehicle type fee for the vehicle as a vehicle type for fee determination based on the registered vehicle type, the axle vehicle type, and the recognized vehicle type; A fee determination device comprising: (Appendix 2) The vehicle type determination unit A fare determination device as described in Appendix 1, which compares the registered vehicle model, the axle vehicle model, and the recognized vehicle model, and if there is a difference between the registered vehicle model, the axle vehicle model, and the recognized vehicle model, determines the recognized vehicle model as the vehicle model for fare determination. (Appendix 3) The fee determination device 3. A fare discrimination device according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a discrimination unit that discriminates the fare category of the vehicle based on the fare discrimination vehicle type. (Appendix 4) The vehicle type determination unit The fare discrimination device according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 3, which updates the vehicle type stored in the registration information to the vehicle type for fare discrimination. (Appendix 5) The fee determination device A fare discrimination device as described in any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 4, which is provided with a memory unit that stores fare classification information including fare classifications based on the vehicle type for fare discrimination, which are fare classifications based on vehicle types that cannot be distinguished between the registered vehicle type and the axle vehicle type. (Appendix 6) The fee determination device 6. A fee discrimination device according to claim 5, comprising a category update unit that updates the fee category information. (Appendix 7) In a toll classification system that determines the toll classification for each vehicle type of vehicle passing through a toll gate, an axle number counter installed at the toll booth for detecting the number of axles of the vehicle; a camera installed at the toll booth for photographing the vehicle; a width meter installed at the toll booth for detecting the width of the vehicle; a registered vehicle model acquisition unit that acquires the vehicle model as a registered vehicle model from registration information stored in an on-board device of the vehicle; an axle vehicle type acquisition unit that acquires the number of axles of the vehicle from the axle number counter and acquires the vehicle type as an axle vehicle type from the number of axles of the vehicle; a recognized vehicle model acquisition unit that acquires an image of the vehicle from the camera, acquires the vehicle width of the vehicle from the vehicle width meter, performs vehicle recognition using the image and the vehicle width, and acquires the vehicle model of the vehicle as a recognized vehicle model; a vehicle type determination unit that determines a vehicle type for determining a vehicle type fee for the vehicle as a vehicle type for fee determination based on the registered vehicle type, the axle vehicle type, and the recognized vehicle type; A fee determination system comprising: (Appendix 8) The computer acquires the vehicle type of the vehicle passing through the toll gate as a registered vehicle type from the registration information stored in the on-board device of the vehicle, A computer acquires the number of axles of the vehicle, and acquires the vehicle type as an axle type from the number of axles of the vehicle; a computer acquires an image of the vehicle from a camera that photographs the vehicle, acquires the vehicle width of the vehicle from a vehicle width meter that detects the vehicle width, performs vehicle recognition using the image and the vehicle width, and acquires the vehicle model as a recognized vehicle model; A fee determination method in which a computer determines a vehicle type for determining a fee for each vehicle type of the vehicle based on the registered vehicle type, the axle vehicle type, and the recognized vehicle type. (Appendix 9) a registered vehicle type acquisition process for acquiring the vehicle type as a registered vehicle type from registration information stored in an on-board device of a vehicle passing through a toll gate; an axle vehicle type acquisition process for acquiring the number of axles of the vehicle and acquiring the vehicle type as an axle vehicle type from the number of axles of the vehicle; a recognized vehicle model acquisition process for acquiring an image of the vehicle from a camera that photographs the vehicle, acquiring the vehicle width of the vehicle from a vehicle width meter that detects the vehicle width, performing vehicle recognition using the image and the vehicle width, and acquiring the vehicle model of the vehicle as a recognized vehicle model; a vehicle type determination process for determining a vehicle type for determining a vehicle type fee for the vehicle based on the registered vehicle type, the axle vehicle type, and the recognized vehicle type; A fee determination program that causes a computer to execute the above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 41 axle number counter, 42 camera, 421 image, 43 vehicle width meter, 431 vehicle width, 51 registered vehicle type, 52 axle vehicle type, 53 recognized vehicle type, 54 vehicle type for toll determination, 71 toll classification information, 100 toll determination device, 110 registered vehicle type acquisition unit, 120 axle vehicle type acquisition unit, 130 recognized vehicle type acquisition unit, 140 vehicle type determination unit, 150 determination unit, 160 classification update unit, 170 memory unit, 300 vehicle, 310 onboard device, 311 registration information, 500 toll determination system, 909 electronic circuit, 910 processor, 921 memory, 922 auxiliary storage device, 930 input interface, 940 output interface, 950 communication device, 960 roadside equipment.

Claims

1. a registered vehicle type acquisition unit that acquires the vehicle type of a vehicle passing through a toll gate as a registered vehicle type from registration information stored in an on-board device of the vehicle; an axle vehicle type acquisition unit that acquires the number of axles of the vehicle and acquires the vehicle type as an axle vehicle type from the number of axles of the vehicle; a recognized vehicle model acquisition unit that acquires an image of the vehicle from a camera that photographs the vehicle, acquires the vehicle width of the vehicle from a vehicle width meter that detects the vehicle width, performs vehicle recognition using the image and the vehicle width, and acquires the vehicle model of the vehicle as a recognized vehicle model; a vehicle type determination unit that determines a vehicle type for determining a vehicle type fee for the vehicle as a vehicle type for fee determination based on the registered vehicle type, the axle vehicle type, and the recognized vehicle type; A fee determination device comprising:

2. The vehicle type determination unit A fare determination device as described in claim 1, which compares the registered vehicle model, the axle vehicle model, and the recognized vehicle model, and if there is a difference between the registered vehicle model, the axle vehicle model, and the recognized vehicle model, determines the recognized vehicle model as the vehicle model for fare determination.

3. The fee determination device 3. The fare discrimination device according to claim 1, further comprising a discrimination unit that discriminates a fare category of the vehicle based on the fare discrimination vehicle type.

4. The vehicle type determination unit 3. The toll discrimination device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle type stored in the registration information is updated to the toll discrimination vehicle type.

5. The fee determination device A fee discrimination device as described in claim 1 or claim 2, which is provided with a memory unit that stores fee classification information based on the vehicle type for fee discrimination, including fee classifications based on vehicle types that cannot be distinguished between the registered vehicle type and the axle vehicle type.

6. The fee determination device The fee discrimination device according to claim 5, further comprising a category updating unit that updates the fee category information.

7. In a toll classification system that determines the toll classification for each vehicle type of vehicle passing through a toll gate, an axle number counter installed at the toll booth for detecting the number of axles of the vehicle; a camera installed at the toll booth for photographing the vehicle; a width meter installed at the toll booth for detecting the width of the vehicle; a registered vehicle model acquisition unit that acquires the vehicle model as a registered vehicle model from registration information stored in an on-board device of the vehicle; an axle vehicle type acquisition unit that acquires the number of axles of the vehicle from the axle number counter and acquires the vehicle type as an axle vehicle type from the number of axles of the vehicle; a recognized vehicle model acquisition unit that acquires an image of the vehicle from the camera, acquires the vehicle width of the vehicle from the vehicle width meter, performs vehicle recognition using the image and the vehicle width, and acquires the vehicle model of the vehicle as a recognized vehicle model; a vehicle type determination unit that determines a vehicle type for determining a vehicle type fee for the vehicle as a vehicle type for fee determination based on the registered vehicle type, the axle vehicle type, and the recognized vehicle type; A fee determination system comprising:

8. The computer acquires the vehicle type of the vehicle passing through the toll gate as a registered vehicle type from the registration information stored in the on-board device of the vehicle, A computer acquires the number of axles of the vehicle, and acquires the vehicle type as an axle type from the number of axles of the vehicle; a computer acquires an image of the vehicle from a camera that photographs the vehicle, acquires the vehicle width of the vehicle from a vehicle width meter that detects the vehicle width, performs vehicle recognition using the image and the vehicle width, and acquires the vehicle model as a recognized vehicle model; A fee determination method in which a computer determines a vehicle type for determining a fee for each vehicle type of the vehicle based on the registered vehicle type, the axle vehicle type, and the recognized vehicle type.

9. a registered vehicle type acquisition process for acquiring the vehicle type as a registered vehicle type from registration information stored in an on-board device of a vehicle passing through a toll gate; an axle vehicle type acquisition process for acquiring the number of axles of the vehicle and acquiring the vehicle type as an axle vehicle type from the number of axles of the vehicle; a recognized vehicle model acquisition process for acquiring an image of the vehicle from a camera that photographs the vehicle, acquiring the vehicle width of the vehicle from a vehicle width meter that detects the vehicle width, performing vehicle recognition using the image and the vehicle width, and acquiring the vehicle model of the vehicle as a recognized vehicle model; a vehicle type determination process for determining a vehicle type for determining a vehicle type fee for the vehicle based on the registered vehicle type, the axle vehicle type, and the recognized vehicle type; A fee determination program that causes a computer to execute the above.

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