Satellite-Based Road Tolling System for Accurate Usage Assessment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current Road User Charging (RUC) schemes face challenges in achieving 100% compliance due to the wide coverage of Time-Distance-Place schemes, complexity in compliance checks, privacy concerns, and reliance on user-provided security, which can lead to evasion and fraud, making it difficult to accurately assess and enforce road usage fees.
Innovation Solution
A Precision Usage-Based Transportation Infrastructure Charging service that uses a dynamic road and infrastructure usage engine to assess road usage based on mileage, time, vehicle mass, location, and other parameters, leveraging telematics for accurate invoicing and compliance, and incorporating satellite and terrestrial data, as well as internal vehicle sensors, to enable flexible and efficient road tolling and parking fee structures without traditional infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional gantry-based road tolling infrastructure is deployed, then road usage can be charged, but capital and ongoing operational costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical gantry infrastructure with a satellite-based GNSS telematics system. Instead of using mechanical/electrical toll collection equipment mounted on gantries, the system uses satellite positioning signals received by onboard units in vehicles to determine location and calculate tolls, eliminating the need for expensive physical infrastructure while maintaining reliable toll collection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses virtual copies of geographic information and road network data stored in databases, rather than physical representations. Satellite positions are matched against digital maps and road geometry data to determine which roads a vehicle has traversed, replacing the need for physical detection equipment with information-based verification
2Area of stationary object
If Time-Distance-Place road user charging schemes cover wide areas including major roads, then comprehensive road usage can be monitored, but compliance checking becomes difficult without on-street equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes the compliance checking process self-service by having the onboard unit automatically perform all monitoring and reporting functions. The vehicle's own telematics system continuously tracks its position via satellite, automatically determines road usage against the charging scheme, and generates compliance reports without requiring external on-street checking equipment or manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where satellite position data is constantly fed into the road usage assessment engine, which compares actual positions against the defined charging zones and roads. This automated feedback mechanism provides real-time verification of compliance without requiring external observation, making wide-area monitoring as easy as it is for small areas
3Reliability
If compliance cross-checks are performed in TDP schemes, then fraud detection may improve, but system complexity increases compared to DSRC-based systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces satellite-based GNSS positioning as an independent intermediary verification mechanism. Instead of relying solely on vehicle-reported data or complex DSRC communication protocols, the system uses satellite positions as an external, trusted reference that mediates between the vehicle and the tolling authority, simplifying the verification process while improving fraud detection through independent position verification
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the fundamental parameter used for verification from communication protocol data (DSRC) to satellite position coordinates (GNSS). This parameter change simplifies the system architecture by using universally available satellite signals that are difficult to spoof or manipulate, reducing complexity while enhancing reliability through the use of a different, more trustworthy verification parameter
4Measurement precision
If detailed tracking data is gathered for road usage assessment, then accurate charging can be achieved, but privacy concerns limit the amount of data that can be collected
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential information needed for toll assessment from the available tracking data. Instead of collecting and storing detailed information about every location visited, time spent, and routes taken, the system extracts only the specific road segments and charging zones that the vehicle has traversed, sufficient for accurate toll calculation while minimizing privacy intrusion by discarding extraneous personal information
Data Source
AI summary
A precision usage-based transportation infrastructure charging service includes a dynamic road and infrastructure usage engine that can fairly assess road usage based on any combination of mileage, time of day, vehicle mass, location, road class, defined zones and other relevant parameters. This flexible service leverages detailed vehicle driving information to generate road usage summaries, detailed validation data, and invoices or bills where appropriate. This service applies not only to movement along road networks, but also includes time-based and complex rules that support usage-based charging within parking lots, and usage-based charging based on per-person transportation efficiency and environmental impact.