Maintenance device, maintenance system, maintenance method, and program

Abstract

To provide a maintenance device capable of easily conforming the presence or absence of an abnormality in a plurality of devices for a toll collection facility.SOLUTION: A maintenance device for a toll collection facility includes: a plurality of communication lines including an output side contact, an input side contact, and a signal line connecting the output side contact and the input side contact; an output device that outputs a plurality of contact signals through the plurality of communication lines, respectively; and an input device that receives input of the plurality of contact signals. The maintenance device also includes a detection unit that, when receiving a command requesting a check for the communication lines, detects the presence or absence of an abnormality for each of the plurality of communication lines while switching an on-state and an off-state of the output side contact of the output device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a maintenance device, a maintenance system, a maintenance method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] The signal output device and input device are connected by a communication line including an output contact of the output device, an input contact of the input device, and a signal line connecting the output contact and the input contact. For example, by switching the output contact from off to on, the signal from the output device is input to the input device. The input device executes a predetermined process based on the input signal (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4507627 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Expressway toll booths are equipped with various devices used to collect tolls, such as sensors, antennas, and gates, and maintenance personnel regularly visit the toll booths to perform maintenance. During this maintenance, maintenance personnel must check each of the devices individually to determine whether there are any abnormalities in the communication lines, a time-consuming and labor-intensive task. Therefore, a method that allows maintenance personnel to more easily detect whether there are any abnormalities in the communication lines is desired.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a maintenance device, a maintenance system, a maintenance method, and a program that can easily check whether or not there is an abnormality in the communication lines of multiple devices in a toll collection facility. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the maintenance device is a maintenance device for toll collection equipment having a plurality of communication lines including an output contact, an input contact, and a signal line connecting the output contact and the input contact, an output device that outputs a plurality of contact signals through each of the plurality of communication lines, and an input device to which the plurality of contact signals are input, and is equipped with a detection unit that, when receiving a command requesting a check of the communication lines, switches the on / off state of the output contact of the output device to detect whether or not there is an abnormality in each of the plurality of communication lines.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a maintenance system includes the above-mentioned maintenance device and a remote monitoring panel located at a remote location away from the maintenance device, which sends a command to the maintenance device requesting that the communication line be checked.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a maintenance method is a maintenance method for toll collection equipment having a plurality of communication lines including an output side contact, an input side contact, and a signal line connecting the output side contact and the input side contact, an output device that outputs a plurality of contact signals through each of the plurality of communication lines, and an input device to which the plurality of contact signals are input, and includes a step of switching the on / off state of the output side contact of the output device when a command requesting a check of the communication lines is received, to detect whether or not there is an abnormality in each of the plurality of communication lines.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the program causes a maintenance device for toll collection equipment, which has a plurality of communication lines including an output contact, an input contact, and a signal line connecting the output contact and the input contact, an output device that outputs a plurality of contact signals through each of the plurality of communication lines, and an input device to which the plurality of contact signals are input, to execute a step of switching the on and off state of the output contact of the output device and detecting whether or not there is an abnormality in each of the plurality of communication lines when it receives a command requesting a check of the communication lines. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the above aspect, it is possible to easily check whether or not there is an abnormality in the communication lines of the multiple devices of the toll collection facility. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a toll collection system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a toll collection system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 6 is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the maintenance device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an abnormality detection process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a third communication line according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a check result according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an abnormal part identifying process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a degenerate operation process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a first diagram showing an example of replacement with a spare communication circuit. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a second diagram showing an example of replacement with a spare communication circuit. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a third diagram showing an example of replacement with a spare communication circuit. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a fourth diagram showing an example of replacement with a spare communication circuit. [Figure 13] FIG. 5 is a fifth diagram showing an example of replacement with a spare communication circuit. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a first diagram showing an example of replacement with a normal communication circuit having a lower priority. [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a computer according to a first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] First Embodiment Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0013] (Overall configuration of the toll collection system) Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a toll collection system according to the first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a toll collection system according to the first embodiment. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a toll collection system 100 includes toll collection equipment 1, a maintenance device 2, and a monitoring device 3.

[0014] Toll collection equipment 1 is installed at each toll gate on an expressway. The toll collection equipment 1 is a group of devices for collecting tolls from vehicles using the expressway. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the toll collection equipment 1 includes a plurality of roadside devices 11-16, an IF aggregation device 17, a lane control device 18, and a toll gate server 19.

[0015] The roadside devices 11 to 16 are installed near the lane L, such as on islands I installed on both sides of the lane L at the toll gate or above the lane L. The roadside devices include, for example, an approaching vehicle detector 11, a communication antenna 12, a communicating vehicle detector 13, a roadside sign board 14, a start controller 15, and an exiting vehicle detector 16.

[0016] The approaching vehicle detector 11 is a sensor that detects when a vehicle enters lane L of the toll gate. The communication antenna 12 communicates wirelessly with an on-board device installed in the vehicle to send and receive various data required for toll collection. The communicating vehicle detector 13 is a sensor that detects when a vehicle passes through the communication range of the communication antenna 12. For example, the communication antenna 12 emits radio waves when the approaching vehicle detector 11 detects the entry of a vehicle, and stops emitting radio waves when the communicating vehicle detector 13 detects the passage of a vehicle. The roadside display board 14 is an electronic bulletin board that displays toll fees and other information to vehicle occupants. The start control device 15 permits or restricts the vehicle from exiting lane L. The exiting vehicle detector 16 is a sensor that detects when a vehicle has exited lane L. For example, when the toll collection process is completed, the start control device 15 opens the bar to allow the vehicle to exit lane L, and when the exiting vehicle detector 16 detects the exit of the vehicle, it closes the bar to restrict the exit of the following vehicle. Note that the roadside device shown in FIG. 1 is one example. In other embodiments, the roadside device may further include a sensor that detects the license plate information of the vehicle or the external characteristics of the vehicle (number of axles, vehicle height, vehicle length, vehicle width, weight, etc.), or some of the roadside devices shown in FIG. 1 may be omitted.

[0017] The IF concentrator 17 relays transmission and reception of signals between the roadside devices 11 to 16 of the toll collection facility 1 and the lane control device 18.

[0018] One lane control device 18 is installed on an island I of each lane L. Alternatively, the lane control device 18 may be installed in a server room of the toll gate office together with the toll gate server 19. The lane control device 18 executes toll collection processing to collect tolls from vehicles based on signals, data, etc. acquired from the roadside devices 11 to 16 via the IF aggregation device 17.

[0019] The tollgate server 19 is installed in the server room of the tollgate office. The tollgate server 19 acquires the result of the toll collection process from the lane control device 18 and performs post-processing such as credit card settlement.

[0020] The maintenance device 2 is connected to the monitoring device 3 via a first communication line N1. The first communication line N1 is a communication cable for serial communication or Ethernet (registered trademark) communication. The maintenance device 2 transmits and receives control commands (e.g., communication line check commands) and responses to the control commands (e.g., communication line check results) to the monitoring device 3 via the first communication line N1.

[0021] Furthermore, the maintenance device 2 is provided integrally with a higher-level device of the toll collection equipment 1, and detects abnormalities in the communication lines between the higher-level device and its lower-level device. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the toll collection equipment 1 is provided in a lane control device 18, and detects the presence or absence of abnormalities in the communication lines between the lane control device 18, which is the higher-level device, and the IF consolidation device 17, which is the lower-level device. In this embodiment, the IF consolidation device 17 also functions as a higher-level device for the roadside devices 11 to 16. Therefore, the maintenance device 2 is also provided in the IF consolidation device 17, and detects the presence or absence of abnormalities in the communication lines between the IF consolidation device 17, which is the higher-level device, and each of the roadside devices 11 to 16, which are the lower-level devices.

[0022] The upper device is connected to the lower device via a second communication line N2. The second communication line N2 is a communication cable for serial communication. The upper device and the lower device transmit and receive control commands (e.g., communication line check commands) and responses to the control commands (e.g., communication line check results) via the second communication line N2.

[0023] The upper device is further connected to the lower device via a third communication line N3. The third communication line N3 is a communication line including an output contact OUT, an input contact IN, and a signal line SL connecting the output contact OUT and the input contact IN. The input contact IN and the output contact OUT constitute the input / output unit IO of each device. The third communication line N3 turns on or off the contact signal input to the input contact IN depending on whether the output contact OUT is on or off. The third communication line N3 is a communication line that transmits a binary (on or off) contact signal in one direction.

[0024] The third communication circuit N3 is provided in the same number as the number of contact signals input and output between the input device and the output device. For example, at least two third communication circuits N3 are provided between the launch controller 15 and the IF consolidation device 17: a third communication circuit N3 through which the IF consolidation device 17 outputs a contact signal that controls the opening and closing of the bar, and a third communication circuit N3 through which the launch controller 15 outputs a contact signal that notifies the occurrence of a bar release (abnormal opening of the bar due to contact with a vehicle, etc.). In the third communication circuit N3 for controlling the opening and closing of the bar, the IF consolidation device 17 serves as the output device, and the launch controller 15 serves as the input device. The IF consolidation device 17, which is the output device, receives a bar opening / closing command from the lane control device 18 and turns the output contact OUT on or off. This changes whether or not a contact signal is input to the input contact IN of the launch controller 15, which is the input device. The launch controller 15 opens or closes the bar depending on whether or not the contact signal is input. In addition, in the third communication line N3 for notifying the bar release, the launch controller 15 serves as an output device, and the IF consolidation device 17 serves as an input device. When the launch controller 15, which is an output device, detects a bar release, it turns on or off an output contact OUT. This changes whether or not a contact signal is input to an input contact IN of the IF consolidation device 17, which is an input device. The IF consolidation device 17 notifies the lane control device 18 of the presence or absence of a bar release according to the presence or absence of the contact signal input. Note that, similarly, a third communication line N3 through which a contact signal for controlling the opening and closing of the bar is output from the lane control device 18, and a third communication line N3 through which the IF consolidation device 17 outputs a contact signal notifying the occurrence of a bar release may be provided between the IF consolidation device 17 and the lane control device 18.

[0025] In this embodiment, the input / output unit IO that inputs and outputs contact signals from each device is configured by an integrated circuit such as a PLC or FPGA that can dynamically change the internal logic and wiring.

[0026] 2 shows an example in which a communication line check command is sent to a lower-level device via serial communication (second communication line N2), but this is not limiting. In other embodiments, for roadside devices that do not have a line for serial communication (second communication line N2), the communication lines may be checked when contact signals are input simultaneously or in a predetermined order on a plurality of predetermined third communication lines N3. Also, a third communication line N3 dedicated to checking communication lines may be added.

[0027] The maintenance device 2 according to this embodiment detects whether or not there is an abnormality in the third communication line N3 between the lower device and the maintenance device 2. The functional configuration of the maintenance device 2 will be described in detail later.

[0028] The monitoring device 3 accepts operations from a maintenance worker who performs maintenance on the toll collection equipment 1. The monitoring device 3 is, for example, a remote monitoring panel 3A installed in a remote location such as a monitoring center that monitors multiple toll booths. The remote monitoring panel 3A accepts operations from the maintenance worker and remotely instructs the maintenance device 2 to check the communication lines of each device in the toll collection equipment 1. The monitoring device 3 may also be a terminal device 3B carried by the maintenance worker. The maintenance worker connects the higher-level device (lane control device 18 in the example of FIG. 1) on which the maintenance device 2 is installed to the terminal device 3B via a communication cable or the like. The terminal device 3B accepts operations from the maintenance worker and instructs the maintenance device 2 to check the communication line N3.

[0029] The toll collection system 100 according to this embodiment also functions as a maintenance system that monitors and maintains the communication lines of the toll collection equipment 1.

[0030] (Functional configuration of maintenance device) The maintenance device 2 according to this embodiment detects whether or not there is an abnormality in the third communication line N3 of the toll collection facility 1. In the following description, the third communication line N3 may also be simply referred to as the communication line N3.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 2, the maintenance device 2 includes a detection unit 21, an identification unit 22, and a degenerate operation unit 23.

[0032] When the detection unit 21 receives a check command requesting a check of the communication line N3, it switches the on / off state of the input contact IN of the input device or the output contact OUT of the output device to detect whether or not there is an abnormality in the communication line N3. The input device is the device to which a contact signal is input (the device having the input contact IN) among the higher-level device and the lower-level device. The output device is the device to which a contact signal is output (the device having the output contact OUT) among the higher-level device and the lower-level device. In the above example, the IF aggregation device 17, which is the higher-level device, functions as an output device when it outputs a contact signal to the launch control device 15, which is the lower-level device, to instruct the opening and closing of the bar. The IF aggregation device 17 also functions as an input device when it receives a contact signal from the launch control device 15 notifying the release of the bar.

[0033] When an abnormality is detected in any of the communication lines N3, the identification unit 22 temporarily swaps at least one of the input side contact IN, the output side contact OUT, and the signal line SL between a normal communication line in which no abnormality is detected and an abnormal communication line in which an abnormality is detected, thereby identifying the abnormal part of the abnormal communication line.

[0034] The degenerate operation unit 23 selects an alternative communication line from among the normal communication lines to substitute for the abnormal communication line, and switches the configuration of at least the communication line identified as the abnormal part between the abnormal communication line and the alternative communication line, thereby continuing the operation of the toll collection equipment 1.

[0035] (Maintenance device process 1: Overall process flow) 3 is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the maintenance device according to the first embodiment. First, the overall flow of processing by the maintenance device 2 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0036] When the detection unit 21 of the maintenance device 2 receives a check command for the communication line N3 (step S1), it executes an abnormality detection process for each communication line N3 (step S2). Details of the abnormality detection process S2 will be described later.

[0037] For example, a maintenance worker confirms that there are no vehicles at the toll booth and presses the check start button on the communication line N3 on the monitoring device 3 (remote monitoring panel 3A or terminal device 3B). Then, the operation unit transmits a check command to the maintenance device 2 of the lane control device 18 in accordance with the operation of the maintenance worker. The maintenance device 2 of the lane control device 18 also transmits the received check command to the IF aggregation device 17, which is a lower-level device. In this way, the maintenance device 2 provided in the higher-level device at each level can receive the check command.

[0038] Alternatively, the remote monitoring panel 3A may automatically send a check command at a predetermined timing. In this case, for example, a maintenance worker manually sets an arbitrary check timing for each toll gate so that the check is performed at a time when the operation of the toll collection equipment 1 is not affected (when relatively few vehicles are approaching the toll gate). Alternatively, the remote monitoring panel 3A may automatically set the check timing for each toll gate by selecting a time with the least traffic volume based on past statistical data, etc.

[0039] When each device of the toll collection equipment 1 receives a check command, it switches from normal operation mode to check mode. Each device of the toll collection equipment 1 is maintained in the normal operation mode state by a holding circuit or the like, and unnecessary operations (for example, opening and closing the bar of the starting control device 15, emitting radio waves from the communication antenna, etc.) are prevented from being performed by inputting and outputting contact signals for checks in the abnormality detection process S2 and the abnormal part identification process S5, which will be described later.

[0040] If no abnormality is detected in the communication line N3 in the abnormality detection process S2 (step S3; NO), the detection unit 21 of the maintenance device 2 notifies the monitoring device 3 of the abnormality detection result indicating that there is no abnormality (step S8), and ends the process. When the maintenance device 2 ends the process, each device of the toll collection equipment 1 switches from the check mode to the normal operation mode.

[0041] On the other hand, if an abnormality is detected in at least one communication line N3 in the abnormality detection process S2 (step S3; YES), the identifying unit 22 of the maintenance device 2 executes an abnormal part identifying process for identifying the location of the abnormality in the communication line N3 in which the abnormality was detected (the abnormal communication line) (step S5). The details of the abnormal part identifying process S5 will be described later.

[0042] Furthermore, even if the detection unit 21 of the maintenance device 2 has not received a check command, it may detect an abnormality in each device of the toll collection equipment 1 during normal operation (step S4). In this way, even if the detection unit 21 detects an abnormality during normal operation, the identification unit 22 of the maintenance device 2 executes the abnormal part identification process S5.

[0043] Next, the identification unit 22 of the maintenance device 2 notifies the monitoring device 3 of an abnormality detection result indicating that an abnormality has occurred (step S6). This abnormality detection result includes information that can identify the communication line N3 having the abnormality detected in the abnormality detection process S2, information that indicates the location of the abnormality identified in the abnormal part identification process S5, and the like.

[0044] Furthermore, the degenerate operation unit 23 of the maintenance device 2 executes a degenerate operation process S7 (step S7) to replace the communication line N3 in which an abnormality has been detected (the abnormal communication line) with one of the communication lines N3 in which no abnormality has been detected (the normal communication line) and continue the operation of the toll collection equipment 1. The details of the degenerate operation process S7 will be described later.

[0045] (Maintenance device process 2: Abnormality detection process) Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of an abnormality detection process according to the first embodiment. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a third communication line according to the first embodiment. Here, details of the abnormality detection process S2 by the detection unit 21 of the maintenance device 2 will be described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5.

[0046] In the abnormality detection process S2, the detection unit 21 of the maintenance device 2 checks the communication line N3 between paired devices (between a higher-level device and a lower-level device) (step S21). The detection unit 21 of the maintenance device 2 provided in the lane control device 18 checks the communication line N3 with the IF aggregation device 17, which is a lower-level device. The detection unit 21 of the maintenance device 2 provided in the IF aggregation device 17 checks the communication line N3 with the roadside devices 11 to 16, which are lower-level devices.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 5, three communication lines N3a to N3c are provided between the input / output device and the output device. The input device shown in Fig. 5 is, for example, one of the IF consolidation device 17 and the lane control device 18, and the output device is the other of the IF consolidation device 17 and the lane control device 18. When the lane control device 18 controls the opening and closing of the bar of the launch controller 15 via the IF consolidation device 17, the lane control device 18 functions as an output device, and the IF consolidation device 17 functions as an input device. On the other hand, when the launch controller 15 notifies the lane control device 18 of bar release via the IF consolidation device 17, the IF consolidation device 17 functions as an output device, and the lane control device 18 functions as an input device.

[0048] Upon receiving the check command, the detection unit 21 switches on the output contacts OUT1 to OUT3 sequentially or all at once. Furthermore, the detection unit 21 checks whether a contact signal has been input to each of the input contacts IN1 to IN3 in response to the switching of the output contacts OUT1 to OUT3. The detection unit 21 may switch off the output contacts OUT1 to OUT3 sequentially or all at once, and may also check whether a contact signal has been stopped from being input to the input contact IN. Furthermore, the detection unit 21 may switch the output contacts OUT1 to OUT3 on and off at regular intervals, and check whether the contact signal has been switched on and off at regular intervals.

[0049] An example will be described in which the pair is a lane control device 18, which is a higher-level device, and an IF aggregation device 17, which is a lower-level device. When the lane control device 18 is an input device, the detection unit 21 instructs the IF aggregation device 17 to switch the output contacts OUT1 to OUT3, and checks whether the input of contact signals to the corresponding input contacts IN1 to IN3 of the lane control device 18 has been correctly turned on or off. When the IF aggregation device 17 is an input device, the detection unit 21 instructs the lane control device 18 to switch the output contacts OUT1 to OUT3, and obtains the presence or absence of contact signals to the corresponding input contacts IN1 to IN3 of the IF aggregation device 17, and checks whether the input of contact signals has been correctly turned on or off.

[0050] The communication line N3 between the IF aggregation device 17, which is a higher-level device, and the roadside devices 11 to 16, which are lower-level devices, is also checked in the same way.

[0051] If the contact signal at the input contact IN correctly turns on or off in response to the on or off of the output contact OUT (step S22; YES), the detection unit 21 determines that the communication line N3 is normal (step S23). On the other hand, if the contact signal at the input contact IN does not correctly turn on or off in response to the on or off of the output contact OUT (step S22; NO), the detection unit 21 determines that the communication line N3 is abnormal (step S24). When the detection unit 21 completes checking all communication lines N3, it ends the abnormality detection process S2 and returns to the flowchart of FIG. 3. If no abnormality is detected in any communication line N3 (step S3; NO), the detection unit 21 notifies the maintenance device 2 or monitoring device 3 provided in a higher-level device of the abnormality detection result indicating no abnormality and ends the process (step S8). On the other hand, if an abnormality is detected in at least one communication line N3 (step S3; YES), the detection unit 21 proceeds to the abnormal part identification process (step S5) by the identification unit 22 of the maintenance device 2.

[0052] (Maintenance device process 3: Abnormal part identification process) FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of an abnormal part identification process according to the first embodiment. Here, details of the abnormal part identification process S5 performed by the identification unit 22 of the maintenance device 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 6. For example, assume that an abnormality is detected in the communication line N3a and no abnormality is detected in the communication lines N3b to N3c in the abnormality detection process S2. The communication line N3a in which an abnormality is detected will also be referred to as the abnormal communication line, and the communication lines N3b to N3c in which no abnormality is detected will also be referred to as normal communication lines. The identification unit 22 identifies where the abnormality has occurred among the input side contact IN1, the output side contact OUT1, and the signal line SL1 of the abnormal communication line N3a.

[0053] First, the identifying unit 22 uses the FPGA function to temporarily swap the input contact IN1 of the abnormal communication line N3a with the input contact IN of any normal communication line, and checks whether the abnormal communication line N3a becomes capable of communication (step S51). Any normal communication line may be used for the check. For example, the identifying unit 22 swaps the input contact IN1 of the abnormal communication line N3a with the input contact IN2 of the normal communication line N3b and checks.

[0054] Next, the identifying unit 22 switches the output contact OUT1 of the abnormal communication line N3a on or off, and checks whether the input of the contact signal to the input contact IN2 has been correctly turned on or off (step S52). If the input of the contact signal has been correctly turned on or off (step S52; YES), it identifies that the input contact IN1 is abnormal (step S53). In this case, the identifying unit 22 returns the input contact of the abnormal communication line N3a to the original input contact IN1, and proceeds to step S6 of the flowchart in FIG. 3.

[0055] If the input of the contact signal does not turn on or off correctly even after swapping the input contacts (step S52; NO), the identifying unit 22 returns the input contact of the abnormal communication line N3a to the original input contact IN1. In addition, the identifying unit 22 temporarily swaps the output contact OUT1 of the abnormal communication line N3a with the output contact OUT of one of the normal communication lines, and checks whether communication is possible through the abnormal communication line N3a (step S54). Any normal communication line may be used for the check. For example, the identifying unit 22 swaps the output contact OUT1 of the abnormal communication line N3a with the output contact OUT2 of the normal communication line N3b and checks.

[0056] Next, the identifying unit 22 switches the output contact OUT2 of the abnormal communication line N3a on or off, and checks whether the input of the contact signal to the input contact IN1 has been correctly turned on or off (step S55). If the input of the contact signal has been correctly turned on or off (step S55; YES), it identifies that the output contact OUT1 is abnormal (step S56). In this case, the identifying unit 22 returns the output contact of the abnormal communication line N3a to the original output contact OUT1, and proceeds to step S6 of the flowchart in FIG. 3.

[0057] If the input of the contact signal does not turn on or off correctly even after switching the output contacts (step S55; NO), the identifying unit 22 identifies that the abnormality is in the signal line SL1 (step S57). In this case, the identifying unit 22 returns the output contact of the abnormal communication line N3a to the original output contact OUT1, and proceeds to step S6 of the flowchart in FIG. 3.

[0058] 6 shows an example in which the identifying unit 22 replaces the input contact IN and the output contact OUT one by one, and if the abnormal communication line N3a does not become capable of communication even after either replacement (step S55; NO), identifies the abnormality as occurring in the signal line SL, but this is not limiting. In another embodiment, if step S55 is "NO," the identifying unit 22 may replace two of the input contact IN, the output contact, and the signal line SL with those of a normal communication line and check them. If the abnormal communication line N3a becomes capable of communication after the replacement, the identifying unit 22 may identify both of the replaced contacts as abnormal, and if the abnormal communication line N3a does not become capable of communication, the identifying unit 22 may identify all of the replaced contacts as abnormal.

[0059] Also, in step S6 of Figure 3, the identification unit 22 transmits a check result (Figure 7) to a maintenance device 2 or a monitoring device 3 installed in a device higher than itself, which includes information that can identify the abnormal communication line N3 and information indicating the location of the abnormality.

[0060] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a check result according to the first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the check result includes information (such as IDs and names) that can identify the communication line, contact signal, input device, input contact, signal line, output device, and output contact, as well as information that can identify the check result of each communication line and the abnormal part (location where the abnormality occurs). For example, in the example of FIG. 7, a contact signal A is input and output over the communication line N3a between the input contact IN1 of the lane control device 18 and the output contact OUT1 of the IF aggregation device 17. Furthermore, an abnormality has been identified in the input contact IN1 of this communication line N3a. The monitoring device 3 aggregates the check results between each device via the lane control device 18. These check results are recorded in the monitoring device 3 and can be confirmed by a maintenance technician via the monitor of the monitoring device 3. The maintenance technician confirms the check results and arranges for maintenance, such as repair or replacement, of the part where the abnormality was detected.

[0061] (Maintenance device process 4: Degraded operation process) 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the degenerate operation process according to the first embodiment. Here, the degenerate operation process S7 performed by the degenerate operation unit 23 of the maintenance device 2 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[0062] The degenerate operation unit 23 determines whether there is an alternative communication line among the normal communication lines that can be used in place of the abnormal communication line. Specifically, the degenerate operation unit 23 first determines whether there is an auxiliary communication line to which no contact signal is assigned (step S71). For example, as shown in FIG. 7, assume that an abnormality is detected in the communication line N3a that inputs and outputs the contact signal A between the lane control device 18 and the IF aggregation device 17. In the example of FIG. 7, the communication line N3c is a normal communication line and is also an auxiliary communication line to which no contact signal is assigned. Therefore, the degenerate operation unit 23 determines that there is an auxiliary communication line (step S71; YES). In this case, the degenerate operation unit 23 selects this auxiliary communication line N3c as an alternative communication line and replaces the abnormal communication line N3a (step S72).

[0063] 9 is a first diagram showing an example of switching with a backup communication circuit. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the degenerate operation unit 23 switches the abnormal communication circuit N3a and the backup communication circuit N3c by changing the internal logic of the input device (lane control device 18) and the output device (IF aggregation device 17) and changing the assignment of the input / output ports of the contact signal A to the input side contact IN3 and the output side contact OUT3 of the backup communication circuit N3c.

[0064] 10 is a second diagram showing an example of replacement with a backup communication circuit. Alternatively, the degenerate operation unit 23 may replace the entire abnormal communication line N3a with a backup communication line N3c, as shown in FIG.

[0065] 11 is a third diagram showing an example of replacement with a backup communication circuit. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 11, the degenerate operation unit 23 may replace only the signal line SL1 having an abnormality with respect to the contact signal A with the signal line SL3 of the backup communication circuit N3c.

[0066] 9 to 11 show an example in which an abnormality occurs in the signal line SL1, but the communication lines may be switched in the same way when an abnormality occurs in the input contact IN1 or the output contact OUT1.

[0067] Fig. 12 is a fourth diagram showing an example of replacement with a backup communication circuit. For example, when an abnormality occurs in input side contact IN1 as in the example of Fig. 12, the degenerate operation unit 23 may replace only this input side contact IN1 with input side contact IN3 of the backup communication circuit N3c. Furthermore, as in the examples of Figs. 9 to 10, the degenerate operation unit 23 may change the allocation of contact signals, or may replace the entire communication circuit N3a with the backup communication circuit N3c.

[0068] Fig. 13 is a fifth diagram showing an example of replacement with a backup communication circuit. For example, when there is an abnormality in output contact OUT1 as in the example of Fig. 13, the degenerate operation unit 23 may replace only this output contact OUT1 with output contact OUT3 of the backup communication circuit N3c. Furthermore, as in the examples of Figs. 9 to 10, the degenerate operation unit 23 may change the allocation of contact signals, or may replace the entire communication circuit N3a with the backup communication circuit N3c.

[0069] Once the replacement of the abnormal communication line N3a with the backup communication line N3c is complete, the maintenance device 2 ends the processing. When the maintenance device 2 finishes the processing, each device of the toll collection equipment 1 switches from check mode to normal operation mode. In this way, by replacing the abnormal communication line N3a with the backup communication line N3c, the contact signal A can continue to be used. This allows the operation of the toll collection equipment 1 to continue without affecting the toll collection process.

[0070] Furthermore, if there is no spare communication line that can be replaced (step S71; NO), such as when no spare communication line is originally provided or when an abnormality occurs in the spare communication line, the degenerate operation unit 23 determines whether there is a normal communication line to which a contact signal with a lower priority than the contact signal of the abnormal communication line N3 is assigned (step S73). The priority is set by, for example, a maintenance worker after comprehensively judging the importance of the contact signal (whether it is essential for toll collection processing, etc.).

[0071] FIG. 14 is a first diagram illustrating an example of replacement with a normal communication circuit having a lower priority. For example, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 14, assume that an abnormality is detected in the communication line N3d that inputs and outputs the contact signal D between the lane control device 18 and the IF concentrator 17. The communication lines that use the lane control device 18 as an output device and the IF concentrator 17 as an input device do not include a backup communication line, but the other communication lines N3e and N3f are normal communication lines. The priorities of the contact signals assigned to these communication lines N3d to N3f are D>F>E. In this case, the degeneration operation unit 23 determines that there are normal communication lines N3e and N3f to which a contact signal with a lower priority than the contact signal D of the abnormal communication line N3d is assigned (step S73; YES). The degeneration operation unit 23 selects the normal communication line N3e, which has the lowest priority, as an alternative communication line and replaces the abnormal communication line N3d (step S74).

[0072] For example, the degenerate driving unit 23 changes the internal logic of the input device (IF aggregation device 17) and the output device (lane control device 18) as shown in FIG. 14, and swaps the communication lines by exchanging the assignment of input / output ports for contact signals D and E.

[0073] The degenerate operation unit 23 may replace the entire abnormal communication line N3d with a normal communication line N3e as in the examples of Figures 10 and 11, or may replace only the abnormal signal line SL4 with the normal communication line N3e. If an abnormality exists in the input contact IN4 or the output contact OUT4 of the abnormal communication line N3d, only the input contact IN4 or only the output contact OUT4 may be replaced with that of the normal communication line N3e as in the examples of Figures 12 and 13.

[0074] Once the switching of the abnormal communication line N3d with the normal communication line N3e is complete, the maintenance device 2 ends the processing. When the maintenance device 2 ends the processing, each device of the toll collection equipment 1 switches from check mode to degenerate operation mode. In this way, by switching the abnormal communication line N3d with the normal communication line N3e, contact signal E becomes unavailable, but contact signal D, which has a higher priority than contact signal E, can continue to be available. This minimizes the impact on toll collection processing due to the abnormality of the communication line N3, and allows the operation of the toll collection equipment 1 to continue in degenerate operation mode.

[0075] Furthermore, if any of the contact signals E to F has a higher priority than the contact signal D, the degenerate operation unit 23 determines that there is no normal communication line to which a contact signal with a lower priority than the contact signal D of the abnormal communication line N3d is assigned (step S73; NO). In this case, the degenerate operation unit 23 does not replace the abnormal communication line N3d (step S75) and ends the processing. When the maintenance device 2 ends the processing, each device of the toll collection equipment 1 switches from the check mode to the degenerate operation mode. In this way, if the priority of the contact signal D assigned to the abnormal communication line N3d is relatively low, by not replacing the communication line, it is possible to prevent a contact signal with a higher priority than the contact signal D from becoming unavailable.

[0076] The degenerate operation unit 23 may notify the higher-level device or the monitoring device 3 of information such as whether the communication line N3 has been replaced, the replaced location, and unavailable contact signals. This information is recorded in the monitoring device 3 and can be checked by a maintenance person through the monitor of the monitoring device 3. Furthermore, when the maintenance person has resolved the abnormality in the communication line N3 through maintenance, he or she will restore the replaced communication line N3 and switch the toll collection equipment 1 from the degenerate operation mode to the normal operation mode.

[0077] (Action and effect) As described above, the maintenance device 2 according to this embodiment includes a detection unit 21 that, when receiving a check command requesting a check of the communication line N3, switches the on / off state of the output side contact OUT of the output device to detect whether or not there is an abnormality in the communication line N3.

[0078] In this way, the maintenance device 2 can collectively check the multiple communication lines N3 between the output devices and input devices of the toll collection equipment 1 and detect whether or not there is an abnormality in each communication line N3. This allows the maintenance staff to easily check whether or not there is an abnormality in the multiple communication lines N3 by simply performing a simple operation such as sending a check command.

[0079] In addition, the maintenance device 2 further includes an identification unit 22 that, when an abnormality is detected by the detection unit 21, temporarily swaps the input side contact IN, output side contact OUT, or signal line SL between a normal communication line in which no abnormality has been detected and an abnormal communication line in which an abnormality has been detected, to identify the abnormal part of the abnormal communication line.

[0080] In conventional technology, maintenance personnel manually swap the signal line connections between the abnormal communication line and other communication lines to manually check which part of the abnormal communication line is faulty. Therefore, with conventional technology, isolating the abnormal part requires a lot of time and effort. In contrast, the maintenance device 2 according to this embodiment can automatically identify which part is faulty by swapping contacts and signal lines in the identification unit 22. This significantly reduces the workload of maintenance personnel and shortens the time required to identify the abnormal part.

[0081] The maintenance device 2 further includes a degenerate operation unit 23 that selects an alternative communication line from among the normal communication lines to substitute for the abnormal communication line, and switches at least the abnormal part between the abnormal communication line and the alternative communication line to continue operation of the toll collection equipment 1.

[0082] For example, in conventional technology, if an abnormality occurs in the communication line that inputs and outputs contact signals essential for toll collection processing, it may become difficult to continue operating the toll collection equipment. In this case, lanes must be closed for an extended period of time until maintenance such as repairs or replacement of the communication line is completed. In contrast, the maintenance device 2 of this embodiment can continue to input and output contact signals by replacing the abnormal communication line N3 with another normal communication line. This allows the toll collection equipment 1 to continue operating without closing lanes, even during the period until maintenance on the abnormal communication line N3 is completed.

[0083] In addition, if the normal communication line includes a spare communication line to which no contact signal is assigned for input / output between the input device and the output device, the degenerate operation unit 23 selects the spare communication line as the substitute communication line.

[0084] In this way, the maintenance device 2 can continue to use the contact signal via the backup communication line, which allows the operation of the toll collection facility 1 to continue without affecting the toll collection process.

[0085] In addition, when the normal communication lines do not include a spare communication line, the degenerate operation unit 23 selects, as an alternative communication line, a normal communication line to which a contact signal with a lower priority than the contact signal assigned to the abnormal communication line is assigned.

[0086] In this way, the maintenance device 2 can continue to use the contact signal with the higher priority, which minimizes the impact on the toll collection process due to an abnormality in the communication line N3, and allows the operation of the toll collection equipment 1 to continue in the degenerate operation mode.

[0087] The maintenance system 100 also includes the above-mentioned maintenance device 2, and a remote monitoring panel 3A that is installed in a remote location away from the maintenance device 2 and transmits a command to the maintenance device 2 requesting that the communication line N3 be checked.

[0088] In this way, the maintenance system 100 can easily detect whether or not there is an abnormality in the communication line N3 of each device of the toll collection facility 1 from a remote location such as a monitoring center, without the need for a maintenance person to visit the toll booth.

[0089] <Other embodiments> Although one embodiment has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the above, and various design modifications are possible. That is, in other embodiments, the order of the above-described processes may be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, some processes may be executed in parallel.

[0090] <Computer configuration> 15 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a computer according to the first embodiment. The computer 900 includes a processor 901, a main storage device 902, an auxiliary storage device 903, and an interface 904. The maintenance device 2 described above is implemented in the computer 900. The operations of the above-described processing units are stored in the auxiliary storage device 903 in the form of a program. The processor 901 reads the program from the auxiliary storage device 903, loads it into the main storage device 902, and executes the above-described processing in accordance with the program. The processor 901 also allocates a storage area in the main storage device 902 to be used in the above-described processing in accordance with the program.

[0091] The program may be for realizing some of the functions to be performed by the computer 900. For example, the program may be combined with other programs already stored in the auxiliary storage device 903 or other programs implemented in other devices to perform the functions. In other embodiments, the computer may include a custom LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit) such as a PLD (Programmable Logic Device) in addition to or instead of the above configuration. Examples of PLDs include PAL (Programmable Array Logic), GAL (Generic Array Logic), CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device), and FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). In this case, some or all of the functions realized by the processor may be realized by the integrated circuit.

[0092] Examples of the auxiliary storage device 903 include a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disc read-only memory (DVD-ROM), and a semiconductor memory. The auxiliary storage device 903 may be an internal medium directly connected to the bus of the computer 900, or an external medium (external storage device 910) connected to the computer 900 via the interface 904 or a communication line. Furthermore, when this program is distributed to the computer 900 via a communication line, the computer 900 that receives the program may load the program into the main storage device 902 and execute the above-described processing. In at least one embodiment, the auxiliary storage device 903 is a non-transitory tangible storage medium.

[0093] <Additional Notes> The above-described embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0094] (1) According to the first aspect, the maintenance device 2 is a maintenance device 2 for a toll collection facility 1 having a plurality of communication lines N3 including an output contact OUT, an input contact IN, and a signal line SL connecting the output contact OUT and the input contact IN, an output device that outputs a plurality of contact signals through each of the plurality of communication lines N3, and an input device to which the plurality of contact signals are input, and is provided with a detection unit 21 that, when receiving a command requesting a check of the communication line N3, switches the on / off state of the output contact OUT to detect whether or not there is an abnormality in each of the plurality of communication lines N3.

[0095] In this way, the maintenance device 2 can collectively check the multiple communication lines N3 between the output devices and input devices of the toll collection equipment 1 and detect whether or not there is an abnormality in each communication line N3. This allows the maintenance staff to easily check whether or not there is an abnormality in the multiple communication lines N3 by simply performing a simple operation such as sending a check command.

[0096] (2) According to the second aspect, the maintenance device 2 according to the first aspect further includes an identification unit 22 that, when an abnormality is detected, temporarily swaps the input contact IN, the output contact OUT, or the signal line SL between a normal communication line in which no abnormality is detected and an abnormal communication line in which an abnormality is detected, thereby identifying the abnormal part of the abnormal communication line.

[0097] In this way, the maintenance device 2 can automatically identify which part has an abnormality by switching the contacts and signal lines in the identification unit 22. This significantly reduces the workload of the maintenance personnel and shortens the time required to identify the abnormal part.

[0098] (3) According to the third aspect, the maintenance device 2 according to the second aspect further includes a degenerate operation unit 23 that selects a substitute communication line to substitute for an abnormal communication line in which an abnormality has been detected from among normal communication lines in which no abnormality has been detected, and swaps at least the abnormal part between the abnormal communication line and the substitute communication line to continue operation of the toll collection equipment 1.

[0099] In this way, the maintenance device 2 can replace the abnormal communication line N3 with another normal communication line, allowing the input and output of contact signals to continue. This allows the toll collection equipment 1 to continue operating without closing lanes even during the period until maintenance on the abnormal communication line N3 is completed.

[0100] (4) According to the fourth aspect, in the maintenance device 2 relating to the third aspect, when the normal communication line includes a spare communication line to which no contact signal is assigned for input / output between the input device and the output device, the degenerate operation unit 23 selects the spare communication line as an alternative communication line.

[0101] In this way, the maintenance device 2 can continue to use the contact signal via the backup communication line, which allows the operation of the toll collection facility 1 to continue without affecting the toll collection process.

[0102] (5) According to the fifth aspect, in the maintenance device 2 relating to the fourth aspect, when the normal communication lines do not include a backup communication line, the degenerate operation unit 23 selects, as an alternative communication line, a normal communication line to which a contact signal having a lower priority than the contact signal assigned to the abnormal communication line is assigned.

[0103] In this way, the maintenance device 2 can continue to use the contact signal with the higher priority, which minimizes the impact on the toll collection process due to an abnormality in the communication line N3, and allows the operation of the toll collection equipment 1 to continue in the degenerate operation mode.

[0104] (6) According to a sixth aspect, the maintenance system includes a maintenance device 2 according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, and a remote monitoring panel 3A installed in a remote location away from the maintenance device 2, which transmits a command to the maintenance device 2 requesting that the communication line N3 be checked.

[0105] In this way, the maintenance system 100 can easily detect whether or not there is an abnormality in the communication line N3 of each device of the toll collection facility 1 from a remote location such as a monitoring center, without the need for a maintenance person to visit the toll booth.

[0106] (7) According to the seventh aspect, the maintenance method is a maintenance method for a toll collection equipment 1 having a plurality of communication lines N3 including an output contact OUT, an input contact IN, and a signal line SL connecting the output contact OUT and the input contact IN, an output device that outputs a plurality of contact signals through each of the plurality of communication lines N3, and an input device to which the plurality of contact signals are input, and includes a step of switching the on and off state of the output contact OUT of the output device when a command requesting a check of the communication line N3 is received, to detect whether or not there is an abnormality in each of the plurality of communication lines N3.

[0107] (8) According to the eighth aspect, the program causes a maintenance device 2 of a toll collection equipment 1 having a plurality of communication lines N3 including an output contact OUT, an input contact IN, and a signal line SL connecting the output contact OUT and the input contact IN, an output device that outputs a plurality of contact signals through each of the plurality of communication lines N3, and an input device to which the plurality of contact signals are input, to execute a step of switching the on and off state of the output contact OUT of the output device and detecting whether or not there is an abnormality in each of the plurality of communication lines N3 when a command requesting a check of the communication line N3 is received. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 2 Maintenance equipment 21 Detection unit 22 Specific section 23 Degenerate operation unit 3 Monitoring device 3A Remote monitoring panel 3B Terminal device 11. Oncoming vehicle detector (roadside device) 12 Communication antenna (roadside device) 13. Communication vehicle detector (roadside device) 14 Roadside display board (roadside device) 15 Start control device (roadside device) 16 Exiting vehicle detector (roadside device) 17 IF Aggregator 18 Lane control device 19 Tollbooth Server IO input / output section IN Input side contact OUT Output contact SL signal line N1 First communication line N2 Second communication line N3 Third communication line (communication line)

Claims

1. A maintenance device for toll collection equipment, comprising: a plurality of communication lines including an output contact, an input contact, and a signal line connecting the output contact and the input contact; an output device that outputs a plurality of contact signals through each of the plurality of communication lines; and an input device to which the plurality of contact signals are input, a detection unit that, when receiving a command requesting a check of the communication lines, switches the on / off state of the output contact of the output device to detect whether or not there is an abnormality in each of the plurality of communication lines; A maintenance device comprising:

2. When an abnormality is detected, the input contact, the output contact, or the signal line is temporarily swapped between a normal communication line in which no abnormality is detected and an abnormal communication line in which an abnormality is detected, thereby identifying the abnormal part of the abnormal communication line. The maintenance device of claim 1 further comprising:

3. a degenerate operation unit that selects a substitute communication line to substitute for the abnormal communication line in which an abnormality has been detected from among normal communication lines in which no abnormality has been detected, and switches at least the abnormal part between the abnormal communication line and the substitute communication line, thereby continuing operation of the toll collection equipment; The maintenance device of claim 2 further comprising:

4. the degenerate operation unit, when the normal communication lines include a spare communication line to which a contact signal input / output between the input device and the output device is not assigned, selects the spare communication line as the substitute communication line; The maintenance device according to claim 3 .

5. When the normal communication lines do not include the spare communication line, the degenerate operation unit selects, as the substitute communication line, the normal communication line to which a contact signal having a lower priority than a contact signal assigned to the abnormal communication line is assigned. The maintenance device according to claim 4.

6. A maintenance device according to any one of claims 1 to 5; a remote monitoring panel that is provided at a remote location away from the maintenance device and that transmits a command to the maintenance device requesting a check of the communication line; A maintenance system comprising:

7. A maintenance method for toll collection equipment having a plurality of communication lines including an output contact, an input contact, and a signal line connecting the output contact and the input contact, an output device that outputs a plurality of contact signals through each of the plurality of communication lines, and an input device to which the plurality of contact signals are input, comprising: a step of detecting whether or not there is an abnormality in each of the plurality of communication lines by switching the on / off state of the output side contact of the output device when a command requesting a check of the communication lines is received; A maintenance method having the following.

8. A maintenance device for toll collection equipment has a plurality of communication lines including an output contact, an input contact, and a signal line connecting the output contact and the input contact, an output device that outputs a plurality of contact signals through each of the plurality of communication lines, and an input device to which the plurality of contact signals are input, a step of detecting whether or not there is an abnormality in each of the plurality of communication lines by switching the on / off state of the output side contact of the output device when a command requesting a check of the communication lines is received; A program that executes the following.

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