Management server, method of refunding usage fees, and program

Abstract

We provide a management server that can identify vehicles affected by a specific event and refund usage fees to those vehicles. [Solution] The management server includes: a vehicle information collection unit that collects vehicle information including the entry and exit times of vehicles for each area of ​​the toll road and vehicle identification information that can identify the vehicles; a specific event recording unit that records specific event information including the area and period in which specific events affecting the use of the toll road occurred; a target vehicle extraction unit that extracts target vehicles that were present in the area and period in which the specific events occurred based on the vehicle information and the specific event information; and a refund processing unit that refunds the usage fees for the specific events to the extracted target vehicles.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a management server, a method for reducing usage fees, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] As a technology for collecting tolls on toll roads, an automatic toll collection system (also referred to as an electronic toll collection system (ETC system in Japan)).) is used. The automatic toll collection system performs wireless communication with an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle at a toll gate of a toll road, and automatically collects a toll corresponding to the travel distance (travel section) from the entrance toll gate to the exit toll gate where the vehicle has traveled.

[0003] The toll corresponding to the travel distance from the entrance toll gate to the exit toll gate is defined in, for example, a toll table and distributed from a center server to a toll gate (for example, an exit toll gate) that collects tolls. In addition, discounts may be applied to the tolls. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a technique for applying a time zone discount to a vehicle that passes through an entrance toll gate during a specific time zone. A toll table to which a time zone discount is applied, a (normal) toll table to which a time zone discount is not applied, etc. are distributed from the center server to each toll gate at necessary timings such as the start and end timings of the discount time zone. Each toll gate calculates the toll for each vehicle using the distributed toll table.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] On toll roads, certain events can occur that reduce the quality of service provided to vehicles, such as traffic congestion or road closures due to construction or weather. However, with conventional technology, it is difficult to identify which sections each vehicle traveled, when, and what the conditions were like on those sections at the time (e.g., whether or not there was congestion). Therefore, it is not possible to flexibly adjust (discount) the toll fees for vehicles affected by specific events.

[0006] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a management server, a method for refunding usage fees, and a program that can identify vehicles affected by a specific event and refund usage fees to those vehicles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the management server includes: a vehicle information collection unit that collects vehicle information including the entry and exit times of vehicles for each area of ​​the toll road and vehicle identification information that can identify the vehicles; a specific event recording unit that records specific event information including the area and period in which specific events affecting the use of the toll road occurred; a target vehicle extraction unit that extracts target vehicles that were present in the area and period in which the specific events occurred based on the vehicle information and the specific event information; and a refund processing unit that refunds the usage fees for the specific events to the extracted target vehicles.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the method for refunding usage fees includes the steps of: collecting vehicle information including the entry and exit times of vehicles for each area of ​​the toll road and vehicle identification information that can identify the vehicles; recording specific event information including the area and period in which specific events affecting the use of the toll road occurred; extracting target vehicles that were present in the area and period in which the specific events occurred based on the vehicle information and the specific event information; and refunding usage fees for the specific events to the extracted target vehicles.

[0009] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the program causes a management server to execute the following steps: collecting vehicle information including the entry and exit times of vehicles for each area of ​​a toll road and vehicle identification information that can identify the vehicles; recording specific event information including the area and period in which specific events affecting the use of the toll road occurred; extracting target vehicles that were present in the area and period in which the specific events occurred based on the vehicle information and the specific event information; and refunding the usage fees for the specific events to the extracted target vehicles. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the above configuration, it is possible to identify vehicles affected by a specific event and to refund the usage fees to those vehicles. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the management system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the management server according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a sequence diagram showing an example of processing in the management system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the management system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the management server according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a sequence diagram showing an example of processing in the application system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a computer according to one of the embodiments. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] <First Embodiment> The first embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 3.

[0013] (Overall structure) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the management system according to the first embodiment. The management system 100 is a system for refunding at least a portion of the usage fee to vehicles affected by a specific event when that specific event is detected on a toll road. The specific event is, for example, an event that reduces the quality of driving services on a toll road, such as traffic congestion, accidents, construction, weather, breakdowns, lane closures or road closures due to fallen objects, or closure of toll booths. The specific event may also include cases where facilities such as service areas or parking areas are unavailable (e.g., parking lots are full, equipment is broken and unusable). The usage fee is the toll for the toll road or the usage fee for the facilities. The management system 100 may also be configured as a function of an automated toll collection system that collects tolls from vehicles. As shown in Figure 1, the management system 100 comprises a management server 10, an on-board unit 20 mounted on a vehicle V, a monitoring device 40, and a payment server 50.

[0014] When a specific event is detected on a toll road, the management server 10 identifies the vehicles affected by this event and requests the payment server 50 to refund the usage fee. The management server 10 identifies the vehicles that used each area and the time of use from roadside devices installed at the entrances and exits of each area of ​​the toll road. In this embodiment, the area of ​​the toll road includes road sections between junctions such as branches and merges, and facilities such as service areas and parking areas.

[0015] In this embodiment, the management system 100 includes ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras 31 and 32 as roadside devices. The ANPR cameras 31 and 32 are number plate reading devices that read the number plate information of vehicles from images of passing vehicles. The ANPR camera 31 is installed at the entrance of each area (section, facility) and transmits the running vehicle information, which records the number plate information of the vehicle entering each area and the entry time (reading time), to the management server 10. The ANPR camera 32 is installed at the exit of each area and transmits the running vehicle information, which records the number plate information (hereinafter also referred to as NP information) of the vehicle exiting each section and the exit time (reading time), to the management server 10. Note that the ANPR cameras 31 and 32 may be installed only in some sections, such as the branches of toll roads (section B and section C in FIG. 1). For continuous areas (sections), since the ANPR camera 31 installed at the entrance of the next section can also serve as the camera for detecting the exit (exit detection) of the previous section, the ANPR camera 32 at the exit of the previous section may be omitted. In this case, the reading time of the NP information by the ANPR camera 31 at the entrance of the next section serves as both the exit time from the previous section and the entry time into the next section.

[0016] The in-vehicle unit 20 is an in-vehicle unit used in a conventional automatic toll collection system. It performs wireless communication (e.g., DSRC communication) with a roadside antenna installed at a toll booth and automatically charges the toll for using the toll road.

[0017] The monitoring device 40 is a device used for monitoring the toll road, for example, in a monitoring center, etc. In this embodiment, it detects the occurrence and elimination of specific events and notifies the management server 10.

[0018] The settlement server 50 performs a refund process for the toll of vehicles affected by specific events according to the request of the management server 10.

[0019] (Functional Configuration of Management Server) FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the management server according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the management server 10 includes a traveling vehicle information collection unit 101, a specific event recording unit 102, a target vehicle extraction unit 103, an impact degree calculation unit 104, and a reduction processing unit 105.

[0020] The traveling vehicle information collection unit 101 collects traveling vehicle information including the entry time and exit time of vehicles for each area of the toll road and vehicle identification information capable of identifying the vehicle from the roadside device. In the present embodiment, the roadside device is the ANPR cameras 31 and 32, and the traveling vehicle information includes the NP information (vehicle identification information) of the vehicle and the entry time or exit time.

[0021] The specific event recording unit 102 records the occurrence area and occurrence period of specific events that affect the use of the toll road. In the present embodiment, the specific event recording unit 102 receives and records specific event information indicating the occurrence and disappearance of specific events from the monitoring device 40. For example, a toll road monitor detects the occurrence and disappearance of a specific event based on the video and reports obtained from the monitoring means 41 (traffic counter, surveillance camera, patrol vehicle, etc.) and inputs it to the monitoring device 40. The monitoring device 40 generates specific event information (information including the type of specific event, occurrence area, and occurrence period) according to the input of the monitor and notifies the management server 10. Further, the monitoring device 40 may automatically generate specific event information based on the information provided from an external system (such as a traffic jam information providing system) and notify the management server 10. Note that the monitoring means 41 in FIG. 2 is an example, and information regarding a specific event may be obtained from other monitoring means (for example, reports from users, weather information, etc.).

[0022] The target vehicle extraction unit 103 extracts target vehicles that existed in the occurrence area and occurrence period of a specific event based on the traveling vehicle information and the specific event information.

[0023] The impact degree calculation unit 104 calculates the impact degree of a specific event for each target vehicle based on the entry time and exit time of the target vehicle in the occurrence area of the specific event.

[0024] The refund processing unit 105 refunds usage fees to the extracted target vehicles according to specific events. In this embodiment, an example is described in which the refund processing unit 105 provides points equivalent to at least a portion of the usage fee to the IC card 21 used in the on-board unit 20 (for example, an ETC card used in Japan's ETC system). In other embodiments, the refund may be provided as a partial refund or discount of the usage fee. Furthermore, the refund processing unit 105 may set different refund amounts (values ​​of points to be refunded) for each target vehicle based on the impact level for each target vehicle calculated by the impact level calculation unit 104.

[0025] (Example of processing in a management system) Figure 3 is a sequence diagram showing an example of processing by the management system according to the first embodiment. The processing flow of the management system 100 of this embodiment will be explained below with reference to Figure 3. Here, we will explain using the case in which a traffic jam, a specific event, occurs in section C of Figure 1 as an example. In addition, although the management system 100 processes one vehicle V in the example of Figures 1 and 3, in reality, it performs the same processing in parallel for multiple vehicles.

[0026] First, let's assume that vehicle V enters section A. Then, the ANPR camera 31A installed at the entrance to section A acquires the NP information of vehicle V (step S101). The ANPR camera 31A also generates vehicle information including the acquired NP information of vehicle V and the time vehicle V entered section A, and transmits it to the management server 10 (step S102). The time vehicle V entered section A is the time when the ANPR camera 31A read the NP information of vehicle V.

[0027] Furthermore, the vehicle information collection unit 101 of the management server 10 records the vehicle information of vehicle V received from the ANPR camera 31A (step S103).

[0028] Furthermore, when vehicle V exits section A, the ANPR camera 32A installed at the exit of section A acquires the NP information of vehicle V (step S104), generates vehicle information including the acquired NP information of vehicle V and the time vehicle V exited section A, and transmits it to the management server 10 (step S105). The time vehicle V exits section A is the time when the ANPR camera 32A reads the NP information of vehicle V. The vehicle information collection unit 101 of the management server 10 records the vehicle information of vehicle V received from the ANPR camera 32A (step S106).

[0029] From this point forward, each time vehicle V enters or exits a section, the series of processes in steps S101 to S106 are executed. For example, as shown in Figure 3, when vehicle V enters section C after section A, the ANPR camera 31C at the entrance of section C acquires the NP information of vehicle V and transmits the vehicle information to the management server 10, and the management server 10 records vehicle V's entry into section C (steps S101 to S103). Also, when vehicle V exits section C, the ANPR camera 32C at the exit of section C acquires the NP information of vehicle V and transmits the vehicle information to the management server 10, and the management server 10 records vehicle V's exit from section C (steps S104 to S106).

[0030] Furthermore, suppose that while vehicle V is traveling through section C, a specific event occurs in section C, for example, a traffic jam. Also, suppose that this traffic jam in section C is detected by the monitoring device 40 after vehicle V has left section C. When the monitoring device 40 detects the traffic jam in section C, it sends specific event information to the management server 10 for notification (step S107). The specific event information includes the type of specific event (traffic jam), the area where it occurred (section C), and the duration of the occurrence (time of occurrence to time of resolution). If the traffic jam in section C has not been resolved (it is still congested), the duration of the occurrence does not need to include the time of resolution.

[0031] The specific event recording unit 102 of the management server 10 records the specific event information received from the monitoring device 40 (step S108). If the specific event recording unit 102 receives new specific event information from the monitoring device 40 indicating that congestion in section C has been resolved, in step S108, it adds the time the congestion was resolved to the specific event information related to congestion in section C and records (overwrites) it. This makes it possible to identify the period during which the specific event occurred from the specific event information.

[0032] Next, the target vehicle extraction unit 103 of the management server 10 extracts target vehicles affected by the specific event based on the specific event information and the vehicle information (step S109). For example, the target vehicle extraction unit 103 identifies the area (section C) and period of occurrence of the specific event from the specific event information. The target vehicle extraction unit 103 also extracts vehicles that were in the occurrence area (section C) during the period of occurrence of this specific event from the vehicle information as target vehicles. In the example in Figure 3, the target vehicle extraction unit 103 extracts vehicle V as the target vehicle.

[0033] Furthermore, the impact calculation unit 104 of the management server 10 calculates the impact of a specific event on the target vehicle (vehicle V) based on the vehicle information of the extracted target vehicle (vehicle V) (step S110). Specifically, the impact calculation unit 104 reads the entry time of the target vehicle (vehicle V) into section C and the exit time from section C from the vehicle information and calculates the time required for the target vehicle to travel through section C. In addition, a standard time required to travel through each section when no specific event is present is set in advance, and the impact calculation unit 104 calculates the impact so that the longer the time the target vehicle actually travels through section C compared to the standard time, the greater the impact value. The impact value corresponding to the difference from the standard time may be calculated using a predefined function or table. For example, a vehicle that enters section C after congestion has occurred will take longer to pass through section C than a vehicle that enters section C before congestion occurs and is affected by congestion partway through, so it will be judged to have been more greatly affected by congestion. In other words, it is possible to quantify and evaluate the actual impact that each target vehicle experienced from a specific event.

[0034] The rebate processing unit 105 of the management server 10 calculates the rebate amount to the target vehicle based on the degree of impact (step S111). The rebate processing unit 105 calculates the rebate amount to the target vehicle based on a table in which the rebate amount is predetermined according to a specific event and its degree of impact. Alternatively, the rebate processing unit 105 may calculate the rebate amount to the target vehicle by multiplying the rebate amount predetermined according to a specific event by a coefficient corresponding to the degree of impact. The coefficient is set using a function or table, for example, so that the rebate amount increases as the degree of impact increases.

[0035] Next, the refund processing unit 105 of the management server 10 sends the calculated refund amount and the vehicle identification information (NP information) of the target vehicle to the payment server 50, requesting a refund of the usage fee to the target vehicle (vehicle V) (step S112). The payment server 50 processes the refund of the usage fee to the target vehicle in accordance with the request from the management server 10 (step S113). In this embodiment, the payment server 50 refunds the usage fee by assigning points equivalent to the refund amount according to the type and impact of the specific event to the IC card 21 used in the on-board unit 20 of the target vehicle.

[0036] The onboard unit 20 of the target vehicle (vehicle V) records the points awarded to the IC card 21 (step S114). As a result, the target vehicle can receive point compensation for the delays (reduced service) caused by traffic congestion.

[0037] Although the vehicle information includes NP information for the target vehicle, it does not include IC card information that can identify IC card 21. Therefore, in step S112, the refund processing unit 105 refunds the usage fee by, for example, the following method.

[0038] [Method 1] If the vehicle in question has already exited the toll road, the process of collecting the toll is carried out at the exit toll gate. At this time, the toll gate server (not shown) at the exit toll gate transmits detailed information including the vehicle's NP information, onboard unit information (identification information of the onboard unit 20), IC card information of the IC card 21 used by the onboard unit 20, and the vehicle's toll to the higher-level settlement server 50, where the final settlement processing is carried out. The refund processing unit 105 of the management server 10 transmits the refund amount calculated in step S111 and the vehicle's NP information to the settlement server 50 to request refund processing (step S112). The settlement server 50 extracts the vehicle's detailed information based on the NP information and performs refund processing (point allocation) on the vehicle based on the IC card information included in the detailed information (step S113).

[0039] [Method 2] If the vehicle in question has not exited the toll road, the refund processing unit 105 of the management server 10 sends the vehicle's NP information and the refund amount calculated in step S111 to the payment server 50 to request refund processing, similar to method 1 (step S112). At this point, the payment server 50 does not have the detailed information of the vehicle in question that was created by the toll gate server at the exit toll gate. When the payment server 50 receives the detailed information from the exit toll gate, it compares it with the vehicle's NP information, and if a matching detailed information exists, it performs refund processing (point granting) to the vehicle in question based on the IC card information contained in this detailed information (step S113).

[0040] In the example described above, the management server 10 calculated the degree of impact in step S110 based on the time it took the target vehicle to travel through section C, but it is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the same points may be awarded uniformly to all target vehicles that traveled through the congested section. In this case, step S110 is omitted, and steps S111 to S113 perform a redemption process to award a fixed redemption amount (points) according to the type of specific event.

[0041] Furthermore, in cases where a specific event renders a facility unusable (e.g., equipment failure in a service area), the time spent by the affected vehicle may not be proportional to the degree of impact. In this case, the impact may be omitted (step S110 may be skipped), and steps S111 to S113 may be used to return a rebate amount (points) to the user according to the type of specific event.

[0042] In another embodiment, a table may be prepared in advance with predetermined impact levels for each type of specific event, and in step S110, the impact level may be calculated based on this table. For example, different impact levels may be calculated for the case where a parking area is full and unusable (parking is not possible) and the case where the facilities at a service area are broken and unusable (parking is possible).

[0043] (Effects and Benefits) As described above, the management server 10 according to this embodiment includes: a vehicle information collection unit 101 that collects vehicle information including the entry and exit times of vehicles for each area of ​​the toll road and vehicle identification information that can identify the vehicles; a specific event recording unit 102 that records specific event information including the area and period in which specific events affecting the use of the toll road occurred; a target vehicle extraction unit 103 that extracts target vehicles that were present in the area and period in which specific events occurred based on the vehicle information and specific event information; and a refund processing unit 105 that refunds the usage fees for the specific events to the extracted target vehicles.

[0044] In this way, when the management server 10 detects a specific event on a toll road, it can identify the vehicles affected by that event and refund the usage fees. Therefore, it is possible to compensate users who did not receive adequate service (suffered disadvantages) due to the specific event by refunding the usage fees.

[0045] Furthermore, the management server 10 is equipped with an impact calculation unit 104 that calculates the degree of impact of a specific event on the target vehicle based on specific event information, and the reduction processing unit 105 performs a reduction to the target vehicle according to the degree of impact of the specific event.

[0046] For example, the degree of impact on the target vehicle (the disadvantage suffered by the user) may differ depending on the type of specific event. Therefore, the management server 10 can provide appropriate compensation according to the degree of impact of a specific event by changing the compensation amount (the value of points to be awarded) according to each specific event based on the information contained in the specific event information.

[0047] The impact calculation unit 104 calculates the time the target vehicle spent using the area where the specific event occurred, based on the vehicle's entry and exit times in that area. The impact is calculated such that the longer the time spent using the area is compared to a preset standard time, the greater the impact value.

[0048] For example, the degree to which a vehicle is affected by congestion (delay time) varies depending on when it enters the section where congestion occurs. Therefore, the management server 10 can calculate the magnitude of the impact of a specific event on each target vehicle as described above, and appropriately refund usage fees according to the disadvantage suffered by each target vehicle.

[0049] The vehicle information collection unit 101 acquires vehicle information, including the NP reading time, which is the time a vehicle enters and exits an area, and the NP information, which is vehicle identification information of a vehicle, from ANPR cameras 31 and 32 (license plate readers) installed at the entrances and exits of each of the multiple areas of the toll road, which read NP information of vehicles entering and exiting the area.

[0050] In this way, the management system 100 can easily identify the time a specific event occurred and the target vehicles that were present in the area, by having the ANPR cameras 31 and 32 detect the entry and exit of vehicles at the entrances and exits of each area. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately refund usage fees only to the identified target vehicles.

[0051] <Second Embodiment> The second embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 4 to 6. Components common to the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0052] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the management system according to the second embodiment. Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the management server according to the second embodiment. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the management system 100 of this embodiment includes roadside antennas 33 and 34 as roadside devices installed at the entrances and exits of each area.

[0053] The roadside antennas 33 and 34 communicate wirelessly (e.g., via DSRC communication) with the on-board units 20 of passing vehicles and receive on-board unit information from the on-board units 20. The on-board unit information includes the on-board unit ID, which is used as vehicle identification information. The roadside antenna 33 is installed at the entrance of each area (section, facility) and transmits vehicle information recorded by the on-board unit information (vehicle identification information) and entry time (communication time with the on-board unit 20) of vehicles entering each area to the management server 10. The roadside antenna 34 is installed at the exit of each area and transmits vehicle information recorded by the vehicle identification information (on-board unit information) and exit time (communication time with the on-board unit 20) of vehicles exiting each area to the management server 10. Note that the roadside antennas 33 and 34 may be installed only in some sections, such as the junctions of toll roads (sections B and C in Figure 1). Furthermore, for consecutive areas (sections), the roadside antenna 33 installed at the entrance of the next section can also serve as the roadside antenna for the exit (exit detection) of the previous section, so the roadside antenna 34 at the exit of the previous section may be omitted. In this case, the communication time of the roadside antenna 33 at the entrance of the next section serves as both the exit time from the previous section and the entry time into the next section.

[0054] Figure 6 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the processing of the application system according to the second embodiment. The processing flow of the management system 100 of this embodiment will be explained below with reference to Figure 6. Here, we will explain using the case in which a traffic jam, a specific event, occurs in section C of Figure 4 as an example. In addition, although the management system 100 processes one vehicle V in the examples of Figures 4 and 6, in reality, it performs the same processing in parallel for multiple vehicles.

[0055] First, let's assume that vehicle V enters section A. Then, a roadside antenna 33A installed at the entrance to section A receives onboard unit information from the onboard unit 20 of vehicle V (step S201). The roadside antenna 33A also generates vehicle information including the received onboard unit information and the time vehicle V entered section A, and transmits it to the management server 10 (step S202). The time vehicle V entered section A is the time when the roadside antenna 33A communicated with the onboard unit 20 of vehicle V.

[0056] Furthermore, the vehicle information collection unit 101 of the management server 10 records the vehicle information of vehicle V received from the roadside antenna 33A (step S203).

[0057] Furthermore, when vehicle V exits section A, a roadside antenna 34A located at the exit of section A receives onboard unit information from the vehicle V's onboard unit 20 (step S204). The roadside antenna 34A also generates vehicle information including the received onboard unit information and the time vehicle V exits section A, and transmits it to the management server 10 (step S205). The time vehicle V exits section A is the time when the roadside antenna 34A communicates with the vehicle V's onboard unit 20. The vehicle information collection unit 101 of the management server 10 records the vehicle information of vehicle V received from the roadside antenna 34A (step S206).

[0058] From this point forward, each time vehicle V enters or exits a section, the series of processes in steps S201 to S206 are executed. For example, as shown in Figure 6, when vehicle V enters section C after section A, the roadside antenna 33C at the entrance of section C receives onboard device information from vehicle V's onboard device 20 and transmits the vehicle information to the management server 10, and the management server 10 records vehicle V's entry into section C (steps S201 to S203). Also, when vehicle V exits section C, the roadside antenna 34C at the exit of section C receives onboard device information from vehicle V's onboard device 20 and transmits the vehicle information to the management server 10, and the management server 10 records vehicle V's exit from section C (steps S204 to S206).

[0059] The subsequent processes (steps S207 to S214) are the same as those in the first embodiment (steps S107 to S114 in Figure 3).

[0060] If the in-vehicle device information received in steps S201 and S204 includes IC card information, the redemption processing unit 105 of the management server 10 may, in step S212, send the calculated redemption amount, the vehicle identification information (in-vehicle device ID) of the target vehicle, and the IC card information included in the in-vehicle device information to the payment server 50 to request redemption processing. In step S213, the payment server 50 performs redemption processing based on the IC card information received from the management server 10. Also, for security reasons, if the in-vehicle device information received by the roadside antenna 34C from the in-vehicle device 20 does not include IC card information, the payment server 50 performs redemption processing according to [Method 1] or [Method 2] of the first embodiment. In other words, in step S213, the payment server 50 extracts the detailed information of the target vehicle based on the in-vehicle device ID received from the management server 10, and performs redemption processing for the target vehicle based on the IC card information included in the detailed information.

[0061] As described above, in the management server 10 according to this embodiment, the vehicle information collection unit 101 acquires vehicle information, including vehicle identification information, and vehicle information, including the entry and exit times for each area (section, facility) of the vehicle, from the roadside antennas 33 and 34.

[0062] In this way, the management system 100 can easily identify the time when a specific event occurred and the target vehicles that were present in the area, by having the roadside antennas 33 and 34 detect the entry and exit of vehicles at the entrances and exits of each area. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately refund usage fees only to the identified target vehicles.

[0063] <Computer Configuration> Figure 7 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a computer according to one embodiment. The computer 900 comprises a processor 901, main memory 902, auxiliary storage 903, and interface 904. The management server 10 described above is implemented in the computer 900. The operation of each processing unit described above is stored in the auxiliary storage 903 in the form of a program. The processor 901 reads the program from the auxiliary storage 903, expands it into the main memory 902, and executes the above processing according to the program. The processor 901 also allocates memory area in the main memory 902 to be used for the above processing according to the program.

[0064] The program may be for implementing a part of the functions to be performed by the computer 900. For example, the program may perform functions in combination with other programs already stored in the auxiliary storage device 903, or in combination with other programs implemented in other devices. In other embodiments, the computer may be equipped with a custom LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit) such as a PLD (Programmable Logic Device) in addition to, or in place of, the above configuration. Examples of PLDs include PAL (Programmable Array Logic), GAL (Generic Array Logic), CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), etc. In this case, some or all of the functions implemented by the processor may be implemented by the integrated circuit.

[0065] Examples of auxiliary storage devices 903 include HDDs (Hard Disk Drives), SSDs (Solid State Drives), magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROMs (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), DVD-ROMs (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory), and semiconductor memory. The auxiliary storage device 903 may be an internal medium directly connected to the bus of the computer 900, or it may be an external medium (external storage device 910) connected to the computer 900 via an interface 904 or a communication line. Furthermore, if this program is distributed to the computer 900 via a communication line, the computer 900 that receives the distribution may expand the program into the main memory 902 and execute the above processing. In at least one embodiment, the auxiliary storage device 903 is a tangible storage medium that is not temporary.

[0066] <Other Embodiments> Although one embodiment has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to that described above, and various design changes are possible. In other embodiments, the order of the above-described processes may be changed as appropriate. Also, some processes may be executed in parallel.

[0067] <Note> The above-described embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows:

[0068] (1) According to the first embodiment, the management server 10 includes a vehicle information collection unit 101 that collects vehicle information including the entry and exit times of vehicles for each area of ​​the toll road and vehicle identification information that can identify the vehicles; a specific event recording unit 102 that records specific event information including the area and period in which specific events affecting the use of the toll road occurred; a target vehicle extraction unit 103 that extracts target vehicles that were present in the area and period in which specific events occurred based on the vehicle information and the specific event information; and a refund processing unit 105 that refunds the usage fee for the specific event to the extracted target vehicles.

[0069] In this way, when the management server 10 detects a specific event on a toll road, it can identify the vehicles affected by that event and refund the usage fees. Therefore, it is possible to compensate users who did not receive adequate service (suffered disadvantages) due to the specific event by refunding the usage fees.

[0070] (2) According to the second embodiment, the management server 10 according to the first embodiment further comprises an impact calculation unit 104 that calculates the degree of impact of a specific event on the target vehicle based on specific event information, and the reduction processing unit 105 performs a reduction to the target vehicle according to the degree of impact of the specific event.

[0071] For example, the degree of impact on the target vehicle (the disadvantage suffered by the user) may differ depending on the type of specific event. Therefore, the management server 10 can provide appropriate compensation according to the degree of impact of a specific event by changing the compensation amount according to each specific event based on the information contained in the specific event information.

[0072] (3) According to the third aspect, in the management server 10 according to the second aspect, the impact calculation unit 104 calculates the time the target vehicle spent using the area where the specific event occurred from the time the target vehicle entered and exited the area where the specific event occurred, and calculates the impact value such that the longer the time spent using the area where the event occurred is than a preset standard time, the greater the impact value.

[0073] For example, the degree to which a vehicle is affected by a traffic jam (delay time) varies depending on when it enters the section where the specific event (traffic jam) occurs. Therefore, the management server 10 can calculate the magnitude of the impact of the specific event on each target vehicle as described above, and appropriately refund the usage fee according to the disadvantage suffered by each target vehicle.

[0074] (4) According to the fourth aspect, in the management server 10 according to the second aspect, the impact calculation unit 104 calculates the impact of a specific event based on a table in which the impact level is set for each type of specific event.

[0075] In this way, there is no common evaluation standard, such as delay time due to traffic congestion, but for events that have different impacts on users (for example, a parking area being full, or a service area equipment malfunction), it is possible to set an appropriate level of impact according to the content of the specific event.

[0076] (5) According to the fifth embodiment, in the management server 10 according to any one of the first to fourth embodiments, the vehicle information collection unit 101 acquires vehicle information including the license plate reading time, which is the time the vehicle enters and exits the area, and the license plate information, which is the vehicle identification information of the vehicle, from license plate readers 31, 32 which are installed at the entrance and exit of each of the multiple areas of the toll road and read the license plate information of vehicles entering and exiting the area.

[0077] In this way, the management system 100 can easily identify the time a specific event occurred and the target vehicle that was present in the area by having the license plate readers 31 and 32 detect the entry and exit of vehicles at the entrances and exits of each area. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately refund the usage fee only to the identified target vehicle.

[0078] (6) According to the sixth embodiment, in the management server 10 according to any one of the first to fourth embodiments, the vehicle information collection unit 101 is installed at the entrance and exit of each of the multiple areas of the toll road, and wirelessly communicates with the on-board units 20 of vehicles entering and exiting the area, and obtains vehicle information including the communication time, which is the time the vehicle enters and exits the area, and the vehicle information including the vehicle identification information, from roadside antennas 33, 34 that receive on-board unit information recorded in the on-board units 20.

[0079] In this way, the management system 100 can easily identify the time when a specific event occurred and the target vehicles that were present in the area, by having the roadside antennas 33 and 34 detect the entry and exit of vehicles at the entrances and exits of each area. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately refund usage fees only to the identified target vehicles.

[0080] (7) According to the seventh aspect, the method for refunding usage fees includes the steps of: collecting vehicle information including the entry and exit times of vehicles for each area of ​​the toll road and vehicle identification information that can identify the vehicles; recording specific event information including the area and period in which specific events affecting the use of the toll road occurred; extracting target vehicles that were present in the area and period in which the specific events occurred based on the vehicle information and the specific event information; and refunding usage fees for the specific events to the extracted target vehicles.

[0081] (8) According to the eighth aspect, the program causes the management server 10 to execute the following steps: collecting vehicle information including the entry and exit times of vehicles for each area of ​​the toll road and vehicle identification information that can identify the vehicles; recording specific event information including the area and period in which specific events affecting the use of the toll road occurred; extracting target vehicles that were present in the area and period in which the specific events occurred based on the vehicle information and the specific event information; and refunding the usage fees for the specific events to the extracted target vehicles. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0082] 100 Management Systems 10 Management Server 101 Vehicle Information Collection Department 102 Specific Event Recording Section 103 Target Vehicle Extraction Unit 104 Impact calculation part 105 Reduction Processing Unit 20 Onboard equipment 21 IC cards 31,32 ANPR camera (license plate reader) 33,34 Roadside antennas 40 Monitoring equipment 41 Monitoring means

Claims

1. A vehicle information collection unit collects vehicle information including the entry and exit times of vehicles for each area of ​​a toll road, and vehicle identification information that can identify the said vehicles. A specific event recording unit records specific event information, including the area and period of occurrence of specific events that affect the use of the aforementioned toll road. A target vehicle extraction unit extracts target vehicles that were present in the area and period where the specific event occurred, based on the aforementioned vehicle information and the aforementioned specific event information. A refund processing unit that refunds the usage fee for the specified event to the extracted target vehicles, A management server equipped with the following features.

2. The system further includes an impact calculation unit that calculates the degree of impact of the specific event on the target vehicle based on the specific event information. The reduction processing unit performs a reduction to the target vehicle according to the degree of impact of the specific event. The management server according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned impact calculation unit, From the entry and exit times of the vehicle in the area where the specific event occurred, the time the vehicle spent using the area is calculated. The impact level is calculated such that the longer the time spent using the affected area is compared to a predetermined reference time, the greater the impact level becomes. The management server according to claim 2.

4. The impact calculation unit calculates the impact of the specific event based on a table in which the impact level is set for each type of specific event. The management server according to claim 2.

5. The aforementioned vehicle information collection unit is provided at the entrance and exit of each of the multiple areas of the toll road and acquires vehicle information, including the license plate reading time which is the time the vehicle enters and exits the area, and the license plate information which is the vehicle identification information, from a license plate reading device that reads the license plate information of vehicles entering and exiting the area. The management server according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The aforementioned vehicle information collection unit is installed at the entrance and exit of each of the multiple areas of the toll road, and communicates wirelessly with the onboard units of vehicles entering and exiting the area, and acquires vehicle information, including the communication time which is the time the vehicle entered and exited the area, and the onboard unit information which includes vehicle identification information, from a roadside antenna that receives onboard unit information recorded in the onboard unit. The management server according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. A step of collecting vehicle information including the entry and exit times of vehicles for each area of ​​a toll road, and vehicle identification information that can identify the said vehicles, A step of recording specific event information, including the area and period of occurrence of a specific event that affects the use of the aforementioned toll road, A step of extracting target vehicles that were present in the area and period where the specific event occurred, based on the aforementioned vehicle information and the aforementioned specific event information. The steps include: providing a refund of the usage fee for the specific event to the extracted target vehicles; A method of refunding usage fees that include [a certain feature / fee].

8. A step of collecting vehicle information including the entry and exit times of vehicles for each area of ​​a toll road, and vehicle identification information that can identify the said vehicles, A step of recording specific event information, including the area and period of occurrence of a specific event that affects the use of the aforementioned toll road, A step of extracting target vehicles that were present in the area and period where the specific event occurred, based on the aforementioned vehicle information and the aforementioned specific event information. The steps include: providing a refund of the usage fee for the specified event to the extracted target vehicles; A program that instructs the management server to execute a command.

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