The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 21, 2004
Filed:
Oct. 07, 1999
Seiji Fuyama, Yokohama, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A toll-paying device for use in a vehicle passing through a lane having a tollhouse in a toll collection system. In response to a driver inserting an IC card which at least stores a card ID in the card slot of the device, a traveling status of the vehicle is detected to indicate an immobile or running state. In case of a running state of the vehicle, the driver is prohibited from entering a code such as a card ID or password. If the vehicle is stopped, the code entry is permitted. In an embodiment, the codes of IC cards that have been validated are registered in the toll-paying device so that if the driver uses one of the registered IC card, he or she is permitted to omit the code entry for the IC card. Techniques for preventing the driver from leaving his or her IC card in the keyhole of the vehicle is also disclosed.