Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha

Masaki Kakihara

Yasuyuki Aoki

Haruhiko Terada

Yasuyuki Furuta

Kenichi Murata

Goro Asai

Takashi Yanagisawa

Fusaki Igarashi

Takahiro Hashimoto

A position recognition device for deciding a zone where a moving object takes a position. The device comprises: a travel distance decider for deciding whether or not the moving object has traveled a predetermined distance corresponding to the detection error of the position of the moving object; and a zone decider for deciding the zone where the moving object takes a position, if the travel distance decider decides that the moving object has traveled the predetermined distance. According to the invention, therefore, 'the decision of the zone where the moving object exists' is not made, in case the position of the moving object cannot be precisely detected. Therefore, the precision in the decision of the zone where the moving object exists is improved, and it is unnecessary to set a buffer zone that 'the decision of the zone where the moving object exists is not made if the moving object takes a position in the neighborhood' as the reference for deciding the existing zone of the moving object. Without the necessity for setting the buffer zone, therefore, it is possible to reduce the quantities of data and operations and to suppress the rise in the cost for manufacturing the position recognition device. Within the travel distance for a possible error in the detection of the position of the moving object, moreover, it is unnecessary to detect the position of the moving object. Therefore, it is sufficient to acquire discrete pieces of positional information so as to be the position recognition device. It is, therefore, possible to promote the reduction in the size of the position recognition device and to suppress the rise in the cost for manufacturing the position recognition device.

Position recognition device and position recognition method, and accounting processor and accounting processing method

An on-vehicle automatic charging apparatusobtains its own position information from GPS signals from GPS satellitesto, determines on the basis of the position information whether conditions for charging are satisfied, and subtracts a calculated charge amount from an inserted prepaid car, when the conditions for charging are satisfied. At this time, information used for calculation of the charge amount is written into the prepaid card as a charge record. When the prepaid card is inserted into a card issuing machinein order to increase the balance, the card issuing machinereads the written charge record and transmits it to a center computer. The center computerdistributes the charge amount to management companies on the basis of the charge record.

Vehicle collected fee distributing system

A system for charge processing tolls and the like. A vehicle mounted device detects the position of a vehicleusing GPS, and transmits position information via a wireless channel to a central station. The central station performs charge processing (calculation) for an area in which a charge is applied based on the position of the vehicle, and transmits the charge to the vehicle mounted device. The vehicle mounted device collects a toll from a prepaid card or IC card or the like on the basis of the received charge processing result.

Charge processing device charge processing system and charge processing card

When a monitor apparatus judges that a vehicle has stopped at a predetermined position (step), the monitor apparatus transmits pseudo position information of the vehicle (dummy data) to an automatic charging apparatus (step). The automatic charging apparatus calculates a charge amount on the basis of the dummy data, and transmits the result of the calculation to the monitor apparatus. The monitor apparatus receives the result (step) and judges on the basis of the result whether the automatic charging apparatus is in an anomalous state (step). Since the above-described successive operations are performed only when the vehicle stays, the status of another automatic charging apparatus not monitored is not misidentified as the status of an automatic charging apparatus to be monitored.

Monitoring system for automatic charging apparatus for vehicle

A toll collection arrangement based on the position and travel of a vehicle. A charging area is defined with a buffer area surrounding it. Charges are made when a vehicle enters the charging area for the first time from the buffer area. Later excursions from the charging area into the buffer area and returns from the buffer area to the charging area are not double charged. Vehicle position information can be GPS based.

Charging device for transferring information relating to the collection of a toll on a moving body

A charging system which carries out position confirmation of a moving body at a place where there is a radio wave blocked facility, and which carries out automatic detection of GPS antenna blockage for avoiding charging. The charging system includes a GPS positioning device for recognizing a vehicle position, a vehicle speed pulse measuring device for dead reckoning navigating, a monitor device which generates information expressing a current position by using these, and a charging processing which judges whether or not a recognized current position is within a charge area and which carries out data processing for charging. The monitor includes a simple map database which includes positions of facilities or geographical features at which GPS positioning is impossible, and when GPS positioning is impossible, the facility or geographical feature corresponding to the current position is detected, and that position is made to be a current position.

Charging system which carries out data processing for fee payment

A route guiding apparatus provides information for a route using public transportation as an alternative to a vehicular route. In addition to searching for a vehicular route from a current location to a destination, it is determined whether the current location and the destination are within a zone in which public transportation can be used. When the current location and the destination are determined to be within a public transportation zone, a route using public transportation is searched for. Subsequently, the cost of the route using public transportation and the cost of the vehicular route are compared. When the cost of the public transportation route falls within a predetermined limit, the apparatus indicates the public transportation route. The route costs are calculated considering factors such as required travel time and ticket fees. The apparatus may also recommend public transportation when no parking is available near the destination, or based on traffic information concerning the vehicular route.

Growing community of inventors

Yokohama, Japan

Masaki Kakihara