Multilane vehicle information capture system

US8543285B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• United Toll Systems, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Jim Allen · Millbrook, US
• Sheng Zhong · San Jose, US
• Raghavan V. Venugopal · Spring, US
• Tiegang Xie · Montgomery, US
• Fajie Sun · Montgomery, US
• Sangmesh Reddy · Montgomery, US
• Brijesh Rai Chawla · Montgomery, US
• Balaraju Banna · Montgomery, US
• Shyamnath Harinath · Montgomery, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 11, 2008
• Grant date: Sep 24, 2013
• Expiry date: Sep 9, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S707/92
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system and method for accurate express tolling of highway vehicles. A multilane tolling system comprises a tolling (MVIC) unit that collects information from tolling subsystems arranged to take various vehicle measurements. Preferably, an intelligent vehicle identification subsystem sends vehicle information to the MVIC unit many times per second. Preferably, a vision tracking system (VTS) communicates with the MVIC unit and sends the latter information about the vehicle position using vision tracking sensors. Preferably, an RF subsystem conducts multiple reads of a transponder on a passing vehicle and forwards the read information to the MVIC unit. Preferably, a vehicle image capture unit (VICU) captures images of the passing vehicle when a camera in the VICU receives a trigger from the MVIC unit. Preferably, a driver alert module is used alert a driver passing through a tolling point as to account balance associated with a silent toll tag or pay by plate system.