Ride-Sharing Vehicle Identification for Toll Discount Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ride-sharing technologies do not effectively incentivize drivers to participate in ride-sharing by providing preferential treatments when traveling on toll roads.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus and method that identifies vehicles engaged in ride-sharing and instructs toll road management systems to offer preferential treatments, such as toll reductions or exemptions, by using a controller to acquire and process ride-sharing information and communicate with Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ride-sharing is encouraged through incentives, then ride-sharing participation increases, but additional system complexity is required to identify and manage ride-sharing vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an information processing apparatus as an intermediary between toll road management systems and ride-sharing vehicles. This mediator acquires ride-sharing identification information, determines whether vehicles are engaged in ride-sharing, and communicates with toll road management apparatuses to apply preferential treatments. This intermediary layer enables the incentive system without requiring direct integration between toll systems and ride-sharing platforms, thus managing system complexity while promoting ride-sharing participation.
2Ease of operation
If preferential treatment is applied to ride-sharing vehicles on toll roads, then ride-sharing becomes more attractive, but infrastructure complexity increases to identify and differentiate these vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes existing ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) infrastructure and communication protocols to implement the preferential treatment system. Rather than building a completely new identification and communication system, the solution copies and adapts the proven ETC framework for ride-sharing purposes. The information processing apparatus communicates with existing toll road management apparatuses using established protocols, reducing infrastructure complexity while making ride-sharing more attractive through toll discounts.
3Measurement precision
If real-time identification of ride-sharing vehicles is implemented, then accurate preferential treatment can be applied, but information processing requirements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification of ride-sharing vehicles before they reach toll collection points. The information processing apparatus acquires ride-sharing identification information and determines vehicle status in advance, allowing preferential treatment to be pre-configured. This preliminary action ensures accurate identification and application of toll discounts while simplifying real-time processing at toll gates, as the determination logic is executed beforehand rather than in real-time during toll collection.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus comprises a controller configured to acquire information for identifying a vehicle conducting ride-sharing; and instruct a management apparatus of a toll road to apply preferential treatment when the vehicle conducting the ride-sharing travels along the toll road.