[DESCRIPTION]
[TITLE OF INVENTION]
ROAD PRICING SYSTEM, BILLING REQUEST DEVICE, CONTROL METHOD,
AND PROGRAM
5 [Technical Field]
[0001]
The present invention relates to a road pricing system, a billing request device, a
control method, and a program. Particularly, the present invention relates to a road
pricing system which performs billing for use of a specific zone by a vehicle, a billing
10 request device which requires a billing-processing device which performs billing for use
of the specific zone by the vehicle to perform billing for use of the specific zone when
the vehicle enters the specific zone, a control method for controlling the billing request
device, and a program for the billing request device.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-288687, filed
15 December 28, 2011, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[Background Art]
[0002]
Road pricing is one TDM (Transportation Demand Management) policy, which
is a policy which promotes rationalization of vehicle use or a change of traffic behavior
20 and achieves suppression of a vehicle traffic volume by billing vehicle users in a specific
road, area, or time zone.
[0003]
Systems for performing road pricing have been introduced mainly in large cities.
A representative road pricing system performs wireless communication between a DSRC
25 (Dedicated Short Range Communication) roadside wireless device provided in an
3
approach path leading to a road or an area serving as a billing target and a
vehicle-mounted device provided in a vehicle to perform a billing process. However, in
such a road pricing system, the DSRC roadside wireless device must be provided in all
approach paths leading to the road or the area serving as a billing target, which is
problematic 5 in terms of a cost.
[0004]
For example, in a technology described in Patent Literature 1, the problem
described above can be solved by detecting an approach to a road or an area serving as a
billing target using the GPS (Global Positioning System) and performing a billing
10 process. Further, in the technology described in Patent Literature 1, a current position
can be recognized by providing the DSRC roadside wireless device in a place in which it
is difficult to receive radio waves from a GPS satellite and by a vehicle-mounted device
wirelessly communicating with the DSRC roadside wireless device.
[Citation List]
15 [Patent Literature]
[0005]
[Patent Literature 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No.
2007-183752
[Summary of Invention]
20 [Technical Problem]
[0006]
In the technology described in Patent Literature 1, when an approach path
leading to a road or an area serving as a billing target is in a place in which it is difficult
to receive radio waves from a GPS satellite, a DSRC roadside wireless device is provided
25 in the approach path. Also, the vehicle-mounted device performs a billing process by
4
receiving data transmitted from the DSRC roadside wireless device.
[0007]
However, the vehicle-mounted device may receive radio waves from GPS
satellites whose number allows a current position to be measured accurately to some
extent depending on positions of the GPS satellites even in a place in 5 which it is difficult
to receive the radio waves from the GPS satellites in an approach path in which the
DSRC roadside wireless device has been provided. In this case, not only does the
vehicle-mounted device perform the billing process by receiving data transmitted from
the DSRC roadside wireless device, also it performs the billing process when detecting
10 an approach to the road or the area serving as a billing target using the GPS. Thus,
duplicate billing is performed.
[Solution to Problem]
[0008]
In order to solve the above problems, according to a first aspect of the present
15 invention, a road pricing system is provided which performs billing for use of a specific
zone by a vehicle, the road pricing system including: a GPS reception device which is
provided in the vehicle and receives radio waves from a GPS satellite to measure a
current position; a roadside wireless device which is provided in an approach path in
which it is difficult to receive the radio waves from the GPS satellite among approach
20 paths leading to the specific zone, and wirelessly transmits zone data indicating the
specific zone corresponding to the approach path; a billing-processing device which
performs a billing process for use of the specific zone by the vehicle; and a billing
request device which requests the billing-processing device to perform the billing process
for use of the specific zone when the vehicle enters the specific zone, wherein the billing
25 request device includes a billing request unit which requests the billing-processing device
5
to perform the billing process for use of the specific zone when the current position
measured by the GPS reception device corresponds to the specific zone and the billing
process has not been performed for use of the specific zone, and requests the
billing-processing device to perform the billing process for use of the specific zone when
the billing request unit has received the zone data from the roadside wireless 5 device and
the billing process has not been performed for use of the specific zone indicated by the
zone data.
[0009]
The billing request device may further include a fee calculation unit which
10 calculates a usage fee of the specific zone, and the billing request unit may request the
billing-processing device to perform a billing process of the usage fee calculated by the
fee calculation unit.
[0010]
The billing request device may further include a billing determination unit
15 which determines whether the billing process has been performed for use of the specific
zone, and the billing request unit may request the billing-processing device to perform
the billing process for use of the specific zone when the billing determination unit
determines that the billing process has not been performed for use of the specific zone.
[0011]
20 The billing request device may further include a position determination unit
which determines whether the current position measured by the GPS reception device
corresponds to the specific zone, and when the position determination unit has
determined that the current position measured by the GPS reception device corresponds
to the specific zone and the billing process has not been performed for use of the specific
25 zone, the billing request unit may request the billing-processing device to perform the
6
billing process for use of the specific zone.
[0012]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a billing request device is
provided which requests a billing-processing device which performs a billing process for
use of a specific zone by a vehicle to perform the billing process for 5 use of the specific
zone when the vehicle enters the specific zone, the billing request device including a
billing request unit which requests the billing-processing device to perform the billing
process for use of the specific zone when a current position measured by a GPS reception
device, which is provided in the vehicle and receives radio waves from a GPS satellite to
10 measure the current position, corresponds to the specific zone and the billing process has
not been performed for use of the specific zone, and requests the billing-processing
device to perform the billing process for use of the specific zone when the billing request
unit has received zone data from a roadside wireless device, which is provided in an
approach path in which it is difficult to receive the radio waves from the GPS satellite
15 among approach paths leading to the specific zone and wirelessly transmits the zone data
indicating the specific zone corresponding to the approach path, and the billing process
has not been performed for use of the specific zone indicated by the zone data.
[0013]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a control method for
20 controlling a billing request device is provided which requests a billing-processing
device which performs a billing process for use of a specific zone by a vehicle to perform
the billing process for use of the specific zone when the vehicle enters the specific zone,
the control method including a billing request step for requesting the billing-processing
device to perform the billing process for use of the specific zone when a current position
25 measured by a GPS reception device, which is provided in the vehicle and receives radio
7
waves from a GPS satellite to measure the current position, corresponds to the specific
zone and the billing process has not been performed for use of the specific zone, and
requesting the billing-processing device to perform the billing process for use of the
specific zone when zone data has been received from a roadside wireless device, which is
provided in an approach path in which it is difficult to receive the radio 5 waves from the
GPS satellite among approach paths leading to the specific zone and wirelessly transmits
the zone data indicating the specific zone corresponding to the approach path, and the
billing process has not been performed for use of the specific zone indicated by the zone
data.
10 [0014]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a program for a billing
request device is provided which requests a billing-processing device which performs a
billing process for use of a specific zone by a vehicle to perform the billing process for
use of the specific zone when the vehicle enters the specific zone, the program causing
15 the billing request device to function as: a billing request unit which requests the
billing-processing device to perform the billing process for use of the specific zone when
a current position measured by a GPS reception device, which is provided in the vehicle
and receives radio waves from a GPS satellite to measure the current position,
corresponds to the specific zone and the billing process has not been performed for use of
20 the specific zone, and requests the billing-processing device to perform the billing
process for use of the specific zone when the billing request unit has received zone data
from a roadside wireless device, which is provided in an approach path in which it is
difficult to receive the radio waves from the GPS satellite among approach paths leading
to the specific zone and wirelessly transmits the zone data indicating the specific zone
25 corresponding to the approach path, and the billing process has not been performed for
8
use of the specific zone indicated by the zone data.
[0015]
Further, the summary of the invention above does not describe all the necessary
characteristics of the present invention, and a sub-combination of a group of
characteristics can 5 also be the invention.
[Advantageous Effects of Invention]
[0016]
As seen from the description above, the present invention can prevent duplicate
billing when billing for use of the specific zone is performed using the current position
10 measured by the GPS reception device and the data received from the roadside wireless
device in the road pricing system.
[Brief Description of Drawings]
[0017]
Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a use environment of a road
15 pricing system 100 according to one embodiment.
Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a block configuration of a
vehicle-mounted device 110.
Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of information stored in a zone
information storage unit 117 in a table format.
20 Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of information stored in a billing
history information storage unit 118 in a table format.
Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of information stored in a fee
information storage unit 119 in a table format.
Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation flow of the
25 vehicle-mounted device 110.
9
Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration when the
vehicle-mounted device 110 includes an electronic information processing device such as
a computer.
[Description of Embodiments]
5 [0018]
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the
invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to claims,
and all combinations of characteristics described in the embodiments are not essential to
a solution of the invention.
10 [0019]
Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a use environment of a road pricing system 100
according to one embodiment. The road pricing system 100 is a system which performs
billing for use of a road or an area serving as a billing target by a vehicle V. Further, the
road or the area serving as a billing target may be an example of a “specific zone” in the
15 present invention.
[0020]
The road pricing system 100 includes a vehicle-mounted device 110, a GPS
receiver 130, a DSRC roadside wireless device 150, and a billing server 170. Further,
the vehicle-mounted device 110 may be one example of a “billing request device” in the
20 present invention. Further, the GPS receiver 130 may be one example of a “GPS
reception device” in the present invention. Further, the DSRC roadside wireless device
150 may be one example of a “roadside wireless device” in the present invention.
Further, the billing server 170 may be one example of a “billing-processing device” in
the present invention.
25 [0021]
10
The vehicle-mounted device 110 is provided in the vehicle V. Also, when the
vehicle V enters the road or the area serving as a billing target, the vehicle-mounted
device 110 requests the billing server 170 to perform a billing process for use of the road
or the area serving as a billing target via a communication line N. Here, the
communication line N includes a computer network such as the Internet, 5 a core network
of a communication service provider, or any local network.
[0022]
The GPS receiver 130 is provided in the vehicle V. Also, the GPS receiver 130
receives radio waves from a GPS satellite and measures a current position.
10 [0023]
The DSRC roadside wireless device 150 is provided in an approach path in
which it is difficult to receive the radio waves from the GPS satellite among approach
paths leading to the road or the area serving as a billing target. Here, the approach path
in which it is difficult to receive the radio waves from the GPS satellite is, for example,
15 an approach path in which it is easy for GPS radio waves to be multiply reflected due to
peripheral buildings. Also, the DSRC roadside wireless device 150 wirelessly transmits
zone data indicating the road or the area serving as a billing target corresponding to the
approach path.
[0024]
20 The billing server 170 performs a billing process for use of the road or the area
serving as a billing target by the vehicle V.
[0025]
Fig. 2 illustrates an example of a block configuration of the vehicle-mounted
device 110. The vehicle-mounted device 110 includes a measurement data input
25 reception unit 111, a zone data reception unit 112, a position determination unit 113, a
11
billing determination unit 114, a fee calculation unit 115, a billing request unit 116, a
zone information storage unit 117, a billing history information storage unit 118, and a
fee information storage unit 119. Hereinafter, a function and an operation of each
component will be described.
5 [0026]
The measurement data input reception unit 111 receives an input of
measurement data indicating the current position measured by the GPS receiver 130 from
the GPS receiver 130.
[0027]
10 The zone data reception unit 112 receives the zone data wirelessly transmitted
from the DSRC roadside wireless device 150.
[0028]
The position determination unit 113 determines whether the current position
measured by the GPS receiver 130 corresponds to the road or the area serving as a billing
15 target.
[0029]
The billing determination unit 114 determines whether the billing process has
been performed for use of the road or the area serving as a billing target.
[0030]
20 The fee calculation unit 115 calculates a usage fee for the road or the area
serving as a billing target.
[0031]
When the current position measured by the GPS receiver 130 corresponds to the
road or the area serving as a billing target and the billing process has not been performed
25 for use of the road or the area serving as a billing target, the billing request unit 116
12
requests the billing server 170 to perform the billing process for use of the road or the
area serving as a billing target. Further, when the billing request unit 116 has received
the zone data from the DSRC roadside wireless device 150 and the billing process has
not been performed for use of the road or the area serving as a billing target indicated by
the zone data, the billing request unit 116 requests the billing server 5 170 to perform the
billing process for use of the road or the area serving as a billing target. More
specifically, the billing request unit 116 requests the billing server 170 to perform the
billing process of the usage fee calculated by the fee calculation unit 115. Further, when
the billing determination unit 114 has determined that the billing process has not been
10 performed for use of the road or the area serving as a billing target, the billing request
unit 116 requests the billing server 170 to perform the billing process for the road or the
area serving as a billing target. Further, when the position determination unit 113 has
determined that the current position measured by the GPS receiver 130 corresponds to
the road or the area serving as a billing target and the billing process has not been
15 performed for use of the road or the area serving as a billing target, the billing request
unit 116 requests the billing server 170 to perform the billing process for the road or the
area serving as a billing target.
[0032]
Fig. 3 illustrates an example of information stored in the zone information
20 storage unit 117 in a table format. Respective information of a zone and a boundary
position is stored in association in the zone information storage unit 117.
[0033]
The information of the zone is information indicating the road or the area
serving as a billing target. The information of the boundary position is information for
25 identifying a position of a boundary of the road or the area serving as a billing target
13
indicated by the information of the zone.
[0034]
Fig. 4 illustrates an example of information stored in the billing history
information storage unit 118 in a table format. The respective information of the zone
and billing date and time (year/month/day/hour:minute:second) is stored 5 in association in
the billing history information storage unit 118.
[0035]
The information of the zone is information indicating the road or the area
serving as a billing target that the vehicle V has entered. The information of the billing
10 date and time (year/month/day/hour:minute:second) is information indicating a date and
time at which billing has been performed for use of the road or the area serving as a
billing target indicated by the information of the zone.
[0036]
Fig. 5 illustrates an example of information stored in the fee information storage
15 unit 119 in a table format. Respective information of a zone, a time zone (hour:minute
to hour:minute), and a fee (Japanese yen) is stored in association in the fee information
storage unit 119.
[0037]
The information of the zone is information indicating the road or the area
20 serving as a billing target. The information of the time zone (hour:minute to
hour:minute) is information indicating a period of time between a certain time and
another certain time in one day. The information of the fee (Japanese yen) is
information indicating a usage fee when the road or the area serving as a billing target
indicated by the information of the zone has been used at a time indicated by the
25 information of the time zone.
14
[0038]
Fig. 6 illustrates an example of an operation flow of the vehicle-mounted device
110. This operation flow illustrates an operation of the vehicle-mounted device 110
when the vehicle V enters the road or the area serving as a billing target. Figs. 1 to 5
will be referred to together in a description of 5 this operation flow.
[0039]
The GPS receiver 130 receives the radio waves from the GPS satellite, measures
the current position, and outputs measurement data indicating the current position that is
a result of the measurement at predetermined time intervals.
10 [0040]
When the measurement data input reception unit 111 of the vehicle-mounted
device 110 receives an input of the measurement data output from the GPS receiver 130
(S101), the measurement data input reception unit 111 sends the measurement data to the
position determination unit 113.
15 [0041]
When the position determination unit 113 of the vehicle-mounted device 110
receives the data sent from the measurement data input reception unit 111, the position
determination unit 113 determines whether the current position indicated by the
measurement data corresponds to the road or the area serving as a billing target by
20 referring to the information stored in the zone information storage unit 117 (S102).
More specifically, the boundary position information for identifying the position of the
boundary of the road or the area serving as a billing target is stored in the zone
information storage unit 117, as illustrated in Fig. 3. For example, the boundary of the
road serving as a billing target is assumed to be a line connecting two coordinates stored
25 as the information of the boundary position. Similarly, the boundary of the area serving
15
as a billing target is assumed to be a line connecting a plurality of coordinates stored as
the information of the boundary position. In other words, when the current position
indicated by the measurement data exceeds the boundary line of the area serving as a
billing target, the position determination unit 113 determines that the current position of
the vehicle V corresponds to the road or the area serving as a billing 5 target (S102: Yes).
Also, when the position determination unit 113 has determined that the current position
of the vehicle V corresponds to the road or the area serving as a billing target, the
position determination unit 113 sends data indicating the road or the area serving as a
billing target to the billing determination unit 114.
10 [0042]
Incidentally, the DSRC roadside wireless device 150 is provided in the approach
path in which it is difficult to receive the radio waves from the GPS satellite among the
approach paths leading to the road or a passage serving as a billing target, as described
above. Also, the DSRC roadside wireless device 150 transmits the zone data indicating
15 the road or the area serving as a billing target corresponding to the approach path.
[0043]
When the zone data reception unit 112 of the vehicle-mounted device 110
receives the zone data which is transmitted from the DSRC roadside wireless device 150
as the vehicle V enters a communication range of the DSRC roadside wireless device 150
20 (S103: Yes), the zone data reception unit 112 sends the zone data to the billing
determination unit 114.
[0044]
When the billing determination unit 114 of the vehicle-mounted device 110
receives the data sent from the position determination unit 113, the billing determination
25 unit 114 determines whether a billing process has been performed for use of the road or
16
the area serving as a billing target indicated by the data by referring to the information
stored in the billing history information storage unit 118 (S104). More specifically,
when the information of the billing date and time at which billing has been performed for
use of the road or the area serving as a billing target indicated by the data received from
the position determination unit 113 has been stored in the billing 5 history information
storage unit 118, the billing determination unit 114 determines that the billing process has
been performed (S104: Yes). Similarly, even when the billing determination unit 114
receives the data sent from the zone data reception unit 112, the billing determination
unit 114 determines whether the billing process has been performed for use of the road or
10 the area serving as a billing target indicated by the zone data by referring to the
information stored in the billing history information storage unit 118. Also, when the
billing determination unit 114 has determined that the billing process has been performed
for use of the road or the area serving as a billing target, the billing determination unit
114 sends data indicating the road or the area serving as a billing target to the fee
15 calculation unit 115.
[0045]
When the fee calculation unit 115 of the vehicle-mounted device 110 receives
the data sent from the billing determination unit 114, the fee calculation unit 115
calculates a usage fee of the road or the area serving as a billing target indicated by the
20 data by referring to the information stored in the fee information storage unit 119 (S105).
Also, the fee calculation unit 115 sends data indicating the calculated usage fee to the
billing request unit 116.
[0046]
When the billing request unit 116 of the vehicle-mounted device 110 receives
25 the data sent from the fee calculation unit 115, the billing request unit 116 transmits data
17
requesting a billing process of the usage fee indicated by the data to the billing server 170
(S106). Also, the billing request unit 116 stores information of billing date and time at
which the billing request unit 116 has requested the billing process in the billing history
information storage unit 118.
5 [0047]
When the billing server 170 receives the data transmitted from the
vehicle-mounted device 110, the billing server 170 performs the billing process of the
usage fee according to the request indicated by the data.
[0048]
10 As described above, the road pricing system 100 can prevent duplicate billing
when billing for use of the road or the area serving as a billing target is performed using
the current position measured by the GPS receiver 130 and the zone data received from
the DSRC roadside wireless device 150.
[0049]
15 Further, in the embodiment described above, the example in which the
vehicle-mounted device 110 performs the billing request with respect to the billing server
170 has been described. However, for example, a billing request server which is
communicatively connected to the vehicle-mounted device 110 and the billing server 170
via the communication line N may perform the billing request process with respect to the
20 billing server 170. In this case, other configuration requirements, at least including the
billing request unit 116, other than the measurement data input reception unit 111 and the
zone data reception unit 112 of the vehicle-mounted device 110 may be configuration
requirements of the billing request server. However, when the vehicle-mounted device
110 has all configuration requirements as a system including no billing request server as
25 in the embodiment described above, there is no time lag due to communication between
18
the vehicle-mounted device 110 and the billing request server and thus a time until billing
is requested is shortened.
[0050]
Fig. 7 illustrates an example of a hardware configuration when the
vehicle-mounted device 110 includes an electronic information processing 5 device such as
a computer. The vehicle-mounted device 110 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit)
peripheral unit, an input/output unit, and a legacy input/output unit. The CPU
peripheral unit includes a CPU 802, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 803, a graphic
controller 804, and a display device 805 which are connected to each other by a host
10 controller 801. The input/output unit includes a communication interface 807, a hard
disk drive 808 and a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory) drive 809 which are
connected to the host controller 801 by an I/O controller 806. The legacy input/output
unit includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) 810, a flexible disk drive 811, and an
input/output chip 812 which are connected to the I/O controller 806.
15 [0051]
The host controller 801 connects the RAM 803, the CPU 802 which accesses the
RAM 803 at a high transfer rate, and the graphic controller 804. The CPU 802 operates
based on programs stored in the ROM 810 and the RAM 803 and controls each unit.
The graphic controller 804 acquires image data generated on a frame buffer provided
20 within the RAM 803 by the CPU 802 or the like, and displays an image on the display
device 805. Alternatively, the graphic controller 804 may include a frame buffer which
stores the image data generated by the CPU 802 or the like.
[0052]
The I/O controller 806 connects the host controller 801 with the hard disk drive
25 808 which is a relatively high speed input/output device, the communication interface
19
807, and the CD-ROM drive 809. The hard disk drive 808 stores programs and data
used by the CPU 802. The communication interface 807 connects to the network
communication device 891 and transmits or receives a program or data. The CD-ROM
drive 809 reads a program or data from the CD-ROM 892 and provides the program or
the data to the hard disk drive 808 and the communication interface 5 807 via the RAM
803.
[0053]
The ROM 810, the flexible disk drive 811 and a relatively low speed
input/output device of the input/output chip 812 are connected to the I/O controller 806.
10 The ROM 810 stores a booting program executed by the vehicle-mounted device 110 at
the time of start-up, a program dependent on the hardware of the vehicle-mounted device
110, or the like. The flexible disk drive 811 reads a program or data from the flexible
disk 893 and provides the program or the data to the hard disk drive 808 and the
communication interface 807 via the RAM 803. The input/output chip 812 connects
15 various input/output devices via the flexible disk drive 811 or a parallel port, a serial port,
a keyboard port, a mouse port or the like.
[0054]
The program executed by the CPU 802 is stored in a recording medium such as
the flexible disk 893, the CD-ROM 892 or an IC (Integrated Circuit) card and provided
20 by a user. The program stored in the recording medium may be compressed or may not
be compressed. The program is installed in the hard disk drive 808 from the recording
medium, read into the RAM 803, and executed by the CPU 802. The program executed
by the CPU 802 causes the vehicle-mounted device 110 to function as the measurement
data input reception unit 111, the zone data reception unit 112, the position determination
25 unit 113, the billing determination unit 114, the fee calculation unit 115, the billing
20
request unit 116, the zone information storage unit 117, the billing history information
storage unit 118, and the fee information storage unit 119 described with reference to
Figs. 1 to 6.
[0055]
The program shown above may be stored in an external storage 5 medium. For
the storage medium, an optical recording medium such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk)
or a PD (Phase Disk), a magneto-optical recording medium such as an MD (MiniDisk), a
tape medium, a semiconductor memory such as an IC card, or the like, as well as the
flexible disk 893 and the CD-ROM 892, may be used. Further, a storage medium such
10 as a hard disk or a RAM provided in a server system connected to a dedicated
communication network or the Internet may be used as the recording medium and may
be provided as a program over a network.
[0056]
While the present invention has been described above using the embodiments,
15 the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the
embodiments described above. It is apparent to those skilled in the art that various
changes or improvements can be made to the embodiments. It is apparent from the
description of claims that embodiments to which the various changes or improvements
have been made can also be included within the technical scope of the present invention.
20 [Industrial Applicability]
[0057]
According to some aspects of the present invention, it is possible to perform
billing for use of a specific zone by a vehicle.
[Reference Signs List]
25 [0058]
21
100 electric hot water supply system
110 heat pump unit control device
111 set data input reception unit
112 threshold data input reception unit
113 total power demand 5 prediction unit
114 weather forecast data input reception unit
115 supply power prediction unit
116 power supply and demand predicted value calculation unit
117 excess power time calculation unit
10 118 accumulated heat amount data input reception unit
119 demand amount prediction unit
120: accumulated heat amount predicted value calculation unit
121 accumulated heat amount set value data input reception unit
122 requested heat amount calculation unit
15 123 required operation time calculation unit
124 time determination unit
125 schedule generation unit
126 control data output unit
127 set data storage unit
20 128 threshold data storage unit
129 total power demand data storage unit
130 demand amount data storage unit
131 accumulated heat amount set value data storage unit
140 solar power generation device
25 150 commercial power supply
22
160 rechargeable battery
170 distribution board
180 nature refrigerant heat pump water heater
181 heat pump unit
182 5 hot water storage tank
190 home appliance
190a microwave oven
190b toaster
190c mixer
10 200 web server
210 communication line
801 host controller
802 CPU
803 RAM
15 804 graphic controller
805 display device
806 input/output controller
807 communication interface
808 hard disk drive
20 809 CD-ROM drive
810 ROM
811 flexible disk drive
812 input/output chip
891 network communication device
25 892 CD-ROM
23
893 flexible disk
24
[CLAIMS]
[Claim 1]
A road pricing system which performs billing for use of a specific zone by a
vehicle, the road pricing system comprising:
a GPS reception device which is provided in the vehicle 5 and receives radio
waves from a GPS satellite to measure a current position;
a roadside wireless device which is provided in an approach path in which it is
difficult to receive the radio waves from the GPS satellite among approach paths leading
to the specific zone, and wirelessly transmits zone data indicating the specific zone
10 corresponding to the approach path;
a billing-processing device which performs a billing process for use of the
specific zone by the vehicle; and
a billing request device which requests the billing-processing device to perform
the billing process for use of the specific zone when the vehicle enters the specific zone,
15 wherein the billing request device includes
a billing request unit which requests the billing-processing device to perform the
billing process for use of the specific zone when the current position measured by the
GPS reception device corresponds to the specific zone and the billing process has not
been performed for use of the specific zone, and requests the billing-processing device to
20 perform the billing process for use of the specific zone when the billing request unit has
received the zone data from the roadside wireless device and the billing process has not
been performed for use of the specific zone indicated by the zone data.
[Claim 2]
The road pricing system according to claim 1, wherein:
25 the billing request device further comprises a fee calculation unit which
25
calculates a usage fee of the specific zone, and
the billing request unit requests the billing-processing device to perform a
billing process of the usage fee calculated by the fee calculation unit.
[Claim 3]
The road pricing system according to claim 5 1 or 2, wherein:
the billing request device further comprises a billing determination unit which
determines whether the billing process has been performed for use of the specific zone,
and
the billing request unit requests the billing-processing device to perform the
10 billing process for use of the specific zone when the billing determination unit
determines that the billing process has not been performed for use of the specific zone.
[Claim 4]
The road pricing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein:
the billing request device further comprises a position determination unit which
15 determines whether the current position measured by the GPS reception device
corresponds to the specific zone, and
when the position determination unit has determined that the current position
measured by the GPS reception device corresponds to the specific zone and the billing
process has not been performed for use of the specific zone, the billing request unit
20 requests the billing-processing device to perform the billing process for use of the
specific zone.
[Claim 5]
A billing request device which requests a billing-processing device which
performs a billing process for use of a specific zone by a vehicle to perform the billing
25 process for use of the specific zone when the vehicle enters the specific zone, the billing
26
request device comprising:
a billing request unit which requests the billing-processing device to perform the
billing process for use of the specific zone when a current position measured by a GPS
reception device, which is provided in the vehicle and receives radio waves from a GPS
satellite to measure the current position, corresponds to the specific 5 zone and the billing
process has not been performed for use of the specific zone, and requests the
billing-processing device to perform the billing process for use of the specific zone when
the billing request unit has received zone data from a roadside wireless device, which is
provided in an approach path in which it is difficult to receive the radio waves from the
10 GPS satellite among approach paths leading to the specific zone and wirelessly transmits
the zone data indicating the specific zone corresponding to the approach path, and the
billing process has not been performed for use of the specific zone indicated by the zone
data.
[Claim 6]
15 A control method for controlling a billing request device which requests a
billing-processing device which performs a billing process for use of a specific zone by a
vehicle to perform the billing process for use of the specific zone when the vehicle enters
the specific zone, the control method comprising:
a billing request step for requesting the billing-processing device to perform the
20 billing process for use of the specific zone when a current position measured by a GPS
reception device, which is provided in the vehicle and receives radio waves from a GPS
satellite to measure the current position, corresponds to the specific zone and the billing
process has not been performed for use of the specific zone, and requesting the
billing-processing device to perform the billing process for use of the specific zone when
25 zone data has been received from a roadside wireless device, which is provided in an
27
approach path in which it is difficult to receive the radio waves from the GPS satellite
among approach paths leading to the specific zone and wirelessly transmits the zone data
indicating the specific zone corresponding to the approach path, and the billing process
has not been performed for use of the specific zone indicated by the zone data.
5 [Claim 7]
A program for a billing request device which requests a billing-processing
device which performs a billing process for use of a specific zone by a vehicle to perform
the billing process for use of the specific zone when the vehicle enters the specific zone,
the program causing the billing request device to function as:
10 a billing request unit which requests the billing-processing device to perform the
billing process for use of the specific zone when a current position measured by a GPS
reception device, which is provided in the vehicle and receives radio waves from a GPS
satellite to measure the current position, corresponds to the specific zone and the billing
process has not been performed for use of the specific zone, and requests the
15 billing-processing device to perform the billing process for use of the specific zone when
the billing request unit has received zone data from a roadside wireless device, which is
provided in an approach path in which it is difficult to receive the radio waves from the
GPS satellite among approach paths leading to the specific zone and wirelessly transmits
the zone data indicating the specific zone corresponding to the approach path, and the
20 billing process has not been performed for use of the specific zone indicated by the zone
data.