EP0575389B1 - Arrangement for locating objects and for exchanging data with these objects - Google Patents

Arrangement for locating objects and for exchanging data with these objects Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0575389B1
EP0575389B1 EP92905945A EP92905945A EP0575389B1 EP 0575389 B1 EP0575389 B1 EP 0575389B1 EP 92905945 A EP92905945 A EP 92905945A EP 92905945 A EP92905945 A EP 92905945A EP 0575389 B1 EP0575389 B1 EP 0575389B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
zone
objects
fixed station
arrangement
antenna
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Expired - Lifetime
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EP92905945A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0575389A1 (en
Inventor
Hans Peter Petry
Jörg SCHNEEMANN
Harald Ansorge
Uwe Oehler
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Kapsch TrafficCom AG
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Robert Bosch GmbH
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Publication of EP0575389A1 publication Critical patent/EP0575389A1/en
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B15/00—Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points
    • G07B15/06—Arrangements for road pricing or congestion charging of vehicles or vehicle users, e.g. automatic toll systems
    • G07B15/063—Arrangements for road pricing or congestion charging of vehicles or vehicle users, e.g. automatic toll systems using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
    • G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
    • G08G1/01—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled
    • G08G1/017—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled identifying vehicles

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an arrangement for locating objects within a defined zone and for exchanging data between the objects and a base station, the base station having means for receiving the data transmitted by the objects via microwaves.
  • Such an arrangement is e.g. B. from FR - A - 2 624 677 known.
  • the automatic payment of toll fees is listed as one possible application of the query arrangement described therein. Every vehicle that has to pay a toll fee is equipped with an automatic debiting device which has a transmitting / receiving device. This transmission / reception device is activated by a transmission / reception device that is permanently installed at the toll station, and a dialogue is started between the two. The debiting device first books the toll fee and then sends a receipt for it to the transmitting / receiving device of the toll station. During this process, the vehicles are individually guided past the transceiver.
  • the invention is based on the object of specifying an arrangement of the type mentioned at the outset with which each of a large number of objects moving freely in a predetermined zone can be localized and with which a data exchange can be carried out.
  • An arrangement realized according to the invention for toll collection of vehicles has proven to be particularly advantageous. This is because the arrangement is able to locate each one of several vehicles driving on a multi-lane road and to record receipt messages via the toll debit. The vehicles can even change lanes. Under these circumstances, the flow of traffic is hardly impeded during toll collection.
  • Vehicles 1 and the predetermined zone 2 can be a section of a road. Within this zone 2, it should be possible to locate each individual vehicle 1 located therein and to record data transmitted by it, even if the vehicles travel along several lanes and possibly also make lane changes in the process.
  • Each vehicle 1 is equipped with a device which is visible from the outside and is preferably arranged on the windshield and has a receiver, a transmitter and a processor which, for example, debits a required toll fee from a check card which can be used to store an amount of money.
  • a device which is visible from the outside and is preferably arranged on the windshield and has a receiver, a transmitter and a processor which, for example, debits a required toll fee from a check card which can be used to store an amount of money.
  • their toll collection devices are activated by a microwave signal, which a beacon 3 installed in front of zone 2 sends out to all vehicles 1.
  • each vehicle 1 is checked to see whether it has debited the prescribed toll.
  • a base station 4 set up at the exit of zone 2 sends out a microwave signal which activates the transmitters of the toll fee debiting devices on the vehicles, so that they send an acknowledgment signal.
  • the base station 4 locates each individual vehicle in zone 2 and checks whether it sends out an acknowledgment signal. If this is not the case, z. B. by photographing the vehicle's license plate and thus the vehicle owner can be determined so that the toll can be collected later by this.
  • FIGS. 2 and 3 show two exemplary embodiments of an arrangement for locating the individual vehicles 1 and for receiving the acknowledgment signals.
  • FIG. 2 The simplest embodiment is shown in FIG. 2.
  • a receiver E1 ... E7 assigned to each antenna A1 ... A7 receives the information received by the antenna of the vehicle detected by its radiation lobe. All signals demodulated by the receivers E1 ...
  • E7 are evaluated in a processor 5 and it is determined whether each vehicle passing through zone 2 has sent a correct acknowledgment signal. If, as already mentioned above, a vehicle is ascertained that has not sent a receipt for a proper toll payment, a camera is pointed at the vehicle and it is photographed so that its number plate is recorded. The position control of the camera depends on the antenna A1 ... A7 that the vehicle has located with the incorrect receipt.
  • the embodiment shown in Figure 3 in turn has several antennas A8 ... A14, which are controlled in a time-variant manner in contrast to the arrangement described above.
  • zone 2 is designed with induction loops b (indicated by a dashed grid in FIGS. 1, 3) so that each vehicle can be registered at any location within zone 2.
  • the induction loops 6 emit their signals to a control device 7, which generates a control signal for a branching circuit 8 which switches the antennas A8 ... A14 to receivers E8 and E9.
  • the control signal has the effect that that antenna A8 ... A14 is switched to reception whose radiation lobe detects the area of zone 2 in which an induction loop has registered a vehicle.
  • the antennas A9, A11 and A14 are currently switched to reception because there is a vehicle in each of the sub-areas of zone 2 that they cover.
  • the other dotted antennas A8, A10, A12 and A13 are not activated. Since not all antennas are usually switched to reception at the same time, fewer receivers E8, E9 than antennas A8 ... A14 are available. It would also be possible to switch the antennas controlled by induction loops to only one receiver in time-division multiplexing.
  • the processor 5 has the function already described above.
  • the control device 7 could take over the already mentioned position control of the camera, wherein it derives a position control signal both from the induction loop signals and from the antenna reception signals recorded in the processor 5.
  • phased aray the individual antenna elements of which generate a swiveling radiation lobe which can be aligned with each sub-area of zone 2 occupied by an induction loop.
  • the control device 7 would control phase shifters of the antenna as a function of the induction loop signals. Not only the direction, but also the shape of the radiation lobe could be adapted to the position and contour of the respective vehicle with a phase-controlled antenna.
  • each of the antennas mentioned above dimension them so that their radiation lobe has a flat top beam within the communication zone, a constant flux density in the direction of the road and the highest possible decoupling from the neighboring lane.
  • the toll charge debiting devices on the vehicles send out their acknowledgment signals, they are - as already mentioned above - activated by a microwave signal sent out by the base station 4.
  • the devices could obtain the energy required for transmitting the acknowledgment signals from this microwave signal.
  • Said microwave signal can either be emitted by the existing antennas A1 ... A14, or there is a separate antenna which transmits the microwave signal to the entire zone 2.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Finance (AREA)
  • Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
  • Accommodation For Nursing Or Treatment Tables (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Velocity Or Position Using Acoustic Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)

Abstract

The invention concerns an arrangement for locating objects and for exchanging data with these objects. The aim is to locate and exchange data with every single object in a plurality of objects moving in any way in a predetermined zone. To this end, the zone (2) is illuminated from a fixed station (4) by a microwave antenna arrangement with a plurality of stationary radiation beams covering the entire zone or with a swivelling radiation beam. The arrangement of the invention can be used to collect tollgate fees of vehicles.

Description

Die vorliegende Erfindung betrifft eine Anordnung zum Lokalisieren von Objekten innerhalb einer definierten Zone und zum Austauschen von Daten zwischen den Objekten und einer Feststation, wobei die Feststation Mittel zum Empfangen der von den Objekten über Mikrowellen ausgesendeten Daten aufweist.The present invention relates to an arrangement for locating objects within a defined zone and for exchanging data between the objects and a base station, the base station having means for receiving the data transmitted by the objects via microwaves.

Eine derartige Anordnung ist z. B. aus der FR - A - 2 624 677 bekannt. Als eine Anwendungsmöglichkeit der darin beschriebenen Abfrageanordnung ist die automatische Zahlung von Mautgebühren aufgeführt. Jedes Fahrzeug, das eine Mautgebühr zu zahlen hat, ist mit einer automatischen Abbuchungseinrichtung ausgestattet, welche eine Sende-/Empfangsvorrichtung besitzt. Diese Sende-/Empfangsvorrichtung wird von einer an der Mautstelle fest installierten Sende-/Empfangseinrichtung aktiviert und ein Dialog zwischen beiden aufgenommen. Dabei verbucht zunächst die Abbuchungseinrichtung die Mautgebühr und sendet anschließend eine Quittung darüber an die Sende-/Empfangseinrichtung der Mautstelle. Während dieses Vorgangs werden die Fahrzeuge einzeln an der Sende-/Empfangseinrichtung vorbeigeführt. Sie brauchen dabei ihre Fahrt nicht zu unterbrechen, wodurch die Bildung von Verkehrsstaus gegenüber herkömmlichen Mautstellen mit manueller Zahlungsprozedur verringert wird. Allerdings wird bei der aus der FR - A - 2 624 677 hervorgehenden Methode der Mauterfassung verlangt, daß sich die Fahrzeuge auf ganz bestimmten Fahrzeugspuren bewegen. Das macht ein Einordnen der Fahrzeuge vor der Mautstelle in eine vorgegebene Spur erforderlich, was erfahrungsgemäß zu Staubildungen führt.Such an arrangement is e.g. B. from FR - A - 2 624 677 known. The automatic payment of toll fees is listed as one possible application of the query arrangement described therein. Every vehicle that has to pay a toll fee is equipped with an automatic debiting device which has a transmitting / receiving device. This transmission / reception device is activated by a transmission / reception device that is permanently installed at the toll station, and a dialogue is started between the two. The debiting device first books the toll fee and then sends a receipt for it to the transmitting / receiving device of the toll station. During this process, the vehicles are individually guided past the transceiver. You do not have to interrupt your journey, which reduces the formation of traffic jams compared to conventional toll booths with a manual payment procedure. However, in the method of toll collection resulting from FR - A - 2 624 677 it is required that the vehicles move in very specific vehicle lanes. This makes it necessary to place the vehicles in front of the toll station in a given lane, which experience has shown to lead to congestion.

Der Erfindung liegt nun die Aufgabe zugrunde, eine Anordnung der eingangs genannten Art anzugeben, mit der aus einer Vielzahl von sich in einer vorgegebenen Zone beliebig bewegenden Objekten jedes einzelne lokalisiert und mit diesen ein Datenaustausch durchgeführt werden kann.The invention is based on the object of specifying an arrangement of the type mentioned at the outset with which each of a large number of objects moving freely in a predetermined zone can be localized and with which a data exchange can be carried out.

Erfindungsgemäß wird diese Aufgabe durch die Merkmale der Ansprüche 1 oder 2 gelöst. Vorteilhafte Weiterbildungen und Anwendungen der Erfindung gehen aus den Unteransprüchen hervor.According to the invention, this object is achieved by the features of claims 1 or 2. Advantageous further developments and applications of the invention emerge from the subclaims.

Besonders vorteilhaft erweist sich eine nach der Erfindung realisierte Anordnung zur Mauterfassung von Fahrzeugen. Denn die Anordnung ist in der Lage, jedes einzelne von mehreren Fahrzeugen, die auf einer mehrspurigen Straße fahren, zu lokalisieren und Quittungsmeldungen über die Mautabbuchung zu erfassen. Die Fahrzeuge können dabei sogar Spurwechsel vornehmen. Unter diesen Umständen wird der Verkehrsfluß während der Mauterfassung kaum behindert.An arrangement realized according to the invention for toll collection of vehicles has proven to be particularly advantageous. This is because the arrangement is able to locate each one of several vehicles driving on a multi-lane road and to record receipt messages via the toll debit. The vehicles can even change lanes. Under these circumstances, the flow of traffic is hardly impeded during toll collection.

Anhand mehrerer in der Zeichnung dargestellter Ausführungsbeispiele wird nachfolgend die Erfindung näher erläutert. Es zeigen

  • Figur 1 eine Zone, innerhalb derer eine Mauterfassung von Fahrzeugen stattfindet,
  • Figur 2 eine Feststation mit mehreren die Zone ausleuchtenden Antennen und
  • Figur 3 eine Feststation mit mehreren Antennen, die einzeln zur Ausleuchtung bestimmter Segmente der Zone geschaltet werden können.
The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of several exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing. Show it
  • FIG. 1 shows a zone within which toll collection of vehicles takes place,
  • Figure 2 shows a base station with several antennas illuminating the zone and
  • Figure 3 shows a base station with several antennas that can be switched individually to illuminate certain segments of the zone.

Die im folgenden beschriebenen Anordnungen dienen dazu, sich bewegende Objekte innerhalb einer vorgegebenen Zone zu lokalisieren und anschließend von ihnen Daten aufzunehmen. Diese sich bewegenden Objekte können, wie der Figur 1 zu entnehmen ist, z.B. Fahrzeuge 1 und die vorgegebene Zone 2 ein Abschnitt einer Straße sein. Innerhalb dieser Zone 2 soll es möglich sein, jedes einzelne sich darin befindliche Fahrzeug 1 zu lokalisieren und von ihm ausgesendete Daten aufzunehmen, auch wenn sich die Fahrzeuge auf mehreren Spuren nebeneinander fortbewegen und dabei eventuell noch Spurwechsel vornehmen.The arrangements described below serve to locate moving objects within a predetermined zone and then to record data from them. These moving objects can, as can be seen in FIG. 1, e.g. Vehicles 1 and the predetermined zone 2 can be a section of a road. Within this zone 2, it should be possible to locate each individual vehicle 1 located therein and to record data transmitted by it, even if the vehicles travel along several lanes and possibly also make lane changes in the process.

Jedes Fahrzeug 1 ist mit einer von außen sichtbaren, vorzugsweise an der Windschutzscheibe angeordneten Einrichtung ausgestattet, die einen Empfänger, einen Sender und einen Prozessor besitzt, der beispielsweise von einer einen Geldbetrag speicherbaren Scheckkarte eine geforderte Mautgebühr abbucht. Bevor die Fahrzeuge in die Zone 2 eintreten, werden ihre Mautgebührabbuchungseinrichtungen von einem Mikrowellensignal aktiviert, das eine vor der Zone 2 installierte Bake 3 an alle Fahrzeuge 1 aussendet.Each vehicle 1 is equipped with a device which is visible from the outside and is preferably arranged on the windshield and has a receiver, a transmitter and a processor which, for example, debits a required toll fee from a check card which can be used to store an amount of money. Before the vehicles enter zone 2, their toll collection devices are activated by a microwave signal, which a beacon 3 installed in front of zone 2 sends out to all vehicles 1.

Nun wird in der Zone 2 jedes Fahrzeug 1 einer Kontrolle darüber unterzogen, ob es die vorgeschriebene Mautgebühr abgebucht hat. Dazu sendet eine am Ausgang der Zone 2 eingerichtete Feststation 4 ein Mikrowellensignal aus, das die Sender der Mautgebührabbuchungseinrichtungen an den Fahrzeugen aktiviert, so daß diese ein Quittungssignal absenden. Die Feststation 4 lokalisiert jedes einzelne Fahrzeug in der Zone 2 und überprüft, ob es ein Quittungssignal aussendet. Ist das nicht der Fall, so kann z. B. durch Fotographieren des Fahrzeugs dessen Kennzeichen festgehalten und damit der Fahrzeughalter ermittelt werden, so daß von diesem später die Mautgebühr eingezogen werden kann.Now, in zone 2, each vehicle 1 is checked to see whether it has debited the prescribed toll. For this purpose, a base station 4 set up at the exit of zone 2 sends out a microwave signal which activates the transmitters of the toll fee debiting devices on the vehicles, so that they send an acknowledgment signal. The base station 4 locates each individual vehicle in zone 2 and checks whether it sends out an acknowledgment signal. If this is not the case, z. B. by photographing the vehicle's license plate and thus the vehicle owner can be determined so that the toll can be collected later by this.

Den Figuren 2 und 3 sind zwei Ausführungsbeispiele für eine Anordnung zum Lokalisieren der einzelnen Fahrzeuge 1 und zum Empfang der Quittungssignale zu entnehmen.FIGS. 2 and 3 show two exemplary embodiments of an arrangement for locating the individual vehicles 1 and for receiving the acknowledgment signals.

Die einfachste Ausführungsform zeigt die Fig. 2. Hier befinden sich an der Feststation mehrere Antennen. A1...A7, von denen jede mit ihrer Strahlungskeule ein Segment der Zone 2 ausleuchtet. Und zwar sind soviele Antennen in einem solchen gegenseitigen Abstand angeordnet, daß alle Segmente der Zone 2, in denen sich Fahrzeuge aufhalten können, von Strahlungskeulen abgedeckt sind. Jedes von einer Strahlungskeule ausgeleuchtete Segment sollte nur so groß sein, daß sich in ihm nicht mehr als ein Fahrzeug aufhalten kann, da sonst nicht jedes einzelne Fahrzeug lokalisiert werden kann. Alle Antennen A1...A7 sind gleichzeitig auf Empfang geschaltet. Ein jeder Antenne A1...A7 zugeordneter Empfänger E1...E7 nimmt die von der Antenne empfangene Information des von ihrer Strahlungskeule erfaßten Fahrzeugs auf. In einem Prozessor 5 werden alle von den Empfängern E1...E7 demodulierten Signale ausgewertet und ermittelt, ob jedes die Zone 2 passierende Fahrzeug ein korrektes Quittungssignal ausgesendet hat. Wird, wie bereits oben erwähnt, ein Fahrzeug ermittelt, das keine Quittung über eine ordnungsgemäße Mautgebührenzahlung ausgesendet hat, so wird eine Kamera auf das Fahrzeug gerichtet und es fotographiert, so daß dessen Kennzeichen erfaßt ist. Die Lagesteuerung der Kamera erfolgt in Abhängigkeit von derjenigen Antenne A1...A7, die das Fahrzeug mit der nicht korrekten Quittung geortet hat.The simplest embodiment is shown in FIG. 2. There are several antennas at the base station. A1 ... A7, each of which illuminates a zone 2 segment with its radiation lobe. Namely, so many antennas are arranged at such a mutual distance that all segments of zone 2 in which vehicles can be located are covered by radiation lobes. Each segment that is illuminated by a radiation lobe should only be large enough that there cannot be more than one vehicle in it, otherwise not every single vehicle can be located. All antennas A1 ... A7 are switched to reception at the same time. A receiver E1 ... E7 assigned to each antenna A1 ... A7 receives the information received by the antenna of the vehicle detected by its radiation lobe. All signals demodulated by the receivers E1 ... E7 are evaluated in a processor 5 and it is determined whether each vehicle passing through zone 2 has sent a correct acknowledgment signal. If, as already mentioned above, a vehicle is ascertained that has not sent a receipt for a proper toll payment, a camera is pointed at the vehicle and it is photographed so that its number plate is recorded. The position control of the camera depends on the antenna A1 ... A7 that the vehicle has located with the incorrect receipt.

Das in Figur 3 dargestellte Ausführungsbeispiel besitzt wiederum mehrere Antennen A8...A14, die aber im Gegensatz zur vorhergehend beschriebenen Anordnung zeitvariant gesteuert werden. Hierbei ist die Zone 2 mit Induktionsschleifen b (in den Fig. 1, 3 durch ein strichliertes Raster angedeutet) so ausgelegt, daß jedes Fahrzeug an jedem Ort innerhalb der Zone 2 registriert werden kann. Die Induktionsschleifen 6 geben ihre Signale an eine Steuereinrichtung 7 ab, die ein Steuersignal für eine die Antennen A8...A14 an Empfänger E8 und E9 schaltende Verzweigungsschaltung 8 erzeugt. Das Steuersignal bewirkt, daß jeweils diejenige Antenne A8...A14 auf Empfang geschaltet wird, deren Strahlungskeule das Teilgebiet der Zone 2 erfaßt, in dem eine Induktionsschleife ein Fahrzeug registriert hat. Beim in Fig. 3 gezeigten Beispiel sind gerade die Antennen A9, A11 und A14 auf Empfang geschaltet, weil sich in den von ihnen erfaßten Teilgebieten der Zone 2 jeweils ein Fahrzeug befindet. Die anderen punktiert gezeichneten Antennen A8, A10, A12 und A13 sind nicht aktiviert. Da in der Regel nicht alle Antennen gleichzeitig auf Empfang geschaltet sind, kommt man mit weniger Empfängern E8, E9 als Antennen A8...A14 vorhanden sind aus. Es wäre auch möglich, die jeweils durch Induktionsschleifen angesteuerten Antennen im Zeitmultiplexbetrieb auf nur einen Empfänger zu schalten. Der Prozessor 5 hat die bereits oben beschriebene Funktion. Die schon angesprochene Lageregelung der Kamera könnte die Steuereinrichtung 7 übernehmen, wobei sie ein Lageregelsignal sowohl aus den Induktionsschleifensignalen als auch aus den im Prozessor 5 erfaßten Antennen-Empfangssignalen ableitet.The embodiment shown in Figure 3 in turn has several antennas A8 ... A14, which are controlled in a time-variant manner in contrast to the arrangement described above. Here, zone 2 is designed with induction loops b (indicated by a dashed grid in FIGS. 1, 3) so that each vehicle can be registered at any location within zone 2. The induction loops 6 emit their signals to a control device 7, which generates a control signal for a branching circuit 8 which switches the antennas A8 ... A14 to receivers E8 and E9. The control signal has the effect that that antenna A8 ... A14 is switched to reception whose radiation lobe detects the area of zone 2 in which an induction loop has registered a vehicle. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the antennas A9, A11 and A14 are currently switched to reception because there is a vehicle in each of the sub-areas of zone 2 that they cover. The other dotted antennas A8, A10, A12 and A13 are not activated. Since not all antennas are usually switched to reception at the same time, fewer receivers E8, E9 than antennas A8 ... A14 are available. It would also be possible to switch the antennas controlled by induction loops to only one receiver in time-division multiplexing. The processor 5 has the function already described above. The control device 7 could take over the already mentioned position control of the camera, wherein it derives a position control signal both from the induction loop signals and from the antenna reception signals recorded in the processor 5.

Anstelle von mehreren einzelnen schaltbaren Antennen gemäß dem soeben beschriebenen Ausführungsbeispiel wäre es vorteilhaft, eine phasengesteuerte Antenne (phased aray) einzusetzen, deren einzelne Antennenelemente eine schwenkbare Strahlungskeule erzeugen, die auf jedes mit einer Induktionsschleife belegte Teilgebiet der Zone 2 ausgerichtet werden kann. Die Steuereinrichtung 7 würde bei einer solchen Antenne in Abhängigkeit der Induktionsschleifensignale Phasenschieber der Antenne steuern. Nicht nur die Richtung, sondern auch die Form der Strahlungskeule ließe sich bei einer phasengesteuerten Antenne an die Lage und die Kontur des jeweiligen Fahrzeugs adaptieren.Instead of several individual switchable antennas according to the exemplary embodiment just described, it would be advantageous to use a phased aray, the individual antenna elements of which generate a swiveling radiation lobe which can be aligned with each sub-area of zone 2 occupied by an induction loop. With such an antenna, the control device 7 would control phase shifters of the antenna as a function of the induction loop signals. Not only the direction, but also the shape of the radiation lobe could be adapted to the position and contour of the respective vehicle with a phase-controlled antenna.

Es wäre für jede der vorausgehend erwähnten Antennen zweckmäßig, sie so zu dimensionieren, daß ihre Strahlungskeule einen möglichst flachen Verlauf (flat top beam) innerhalb der Kommunikationszone, eine konstante Flußdichte in Fahrbahnrichtung und eine möglichst hohe Entkopplung zur Nachbarspur aufweist.It would be expedient for each of the antennas mentioned above to dimension them so that their radiation lobe has a flat top beam within the communication zone, a constant flux density in the direction of the road and the highest possible decoupling from the neighboring lane.

Bevor die an den Fahrzeugen befindlichen Mautgebührabbuchungseinrichtungen ihre Quittungssignale aussenden, werden sie - wie bereits oben gesagt - durch ein von der Feststation 4 ausgesendetes Mikrowellensignal aktiviert. Aus diesem Mikrowellensignal könnte die Einrichtungen die für das Aussenden der Quittungssignale erforderliche Energie gewinnen. Das besagte Mikrowellensignal kann entweder von den vorhandenen Antennen A1...A14 abgestrahlt werden, oder es ist eine eigene Antenne vorhanden, welche auf die gesamte Zone 2 das Mikrowellensignal aussendet.Before the toll charge debiting devices on the vehicles send out their acknowledgment signals, they are - as already mentioned above - activated by a microwave signal sent out by the base station 4. The devices could obtain the energy required for transmitting the acknowledgment signals from this microwave signal. Said microwave signal can either be emitted by the existing antennas A1 ... A14, or there is a separate antenna which transmits the microwave signal to the entire zone 2.

Claims (8)

  1. Arrangement for locating objects (1) within a defined zone (2) and for exchanging data between the objects (1) and a fixed station (4), the fixed station (4) having means for receiving the data transmitted from the objects (1) over microwaves, characterized in that these means comprise a plurality of antennas (A1 ... A7), each of which covers a segment within the zone by its radiation beam, and in that there are enough of such directed antennas (A1 ... A7) that all the segments of the zone (2) in which objects may be present can be covered simultaneously by radiation beams.
  2. Arrangement for locating objects (1) within a defined zone (2) and for exchanging data between the objects (1) and a fixed station (4), the fixed station having means for receiving the data transmitted from the objects (1) over microwaves, characterized in that the zone (2) is laid out with induction loops (6) such that each object (1) can be registered at each location within the zone (2), and in that the fixed station is equipped with such an antenna arrangement (A8...A14) which is capable of sensing with its radiation beam(s) each individual object (1) at each location within the zone (2), the induction loops (6) locating the individual objects (1) emitting to the antenna arrangement (A8...A14) control signals on the basis of which the antenna arrangement (A8...A14) directs a radiation beam in each case to the region of the zone (2) in which an object (1) is located at that time.
  3. Arrangement according to Claim 2, characterized in that the fixed station (4) has a plurality of antennas (A8...A14), each of which is capable of covering a segment within the zone (2) by its radiation beam, in that there are enough such directed antennas (A8...A14) that each segment of the zone (2) in which an object (1) may be present can be covered by a radiation beam, and in that it depends on the control signals of the induction loops (6) which of the antennas (A8...A14) is switched for reception.
  4. Arrangement according to Claim 2, characterized in that the fixed station (4) has at least one antenna with a swivelling radiation beam, which can be directed in dependence on the control signals of the induction loops (6) to each object located in the zone (2).
  5. Arrangement according to Claim 4, characterized in that the antenna is phase-controlled.
  6. Arrangement according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fixed station has a transmitting antenna which activates transmitting devices located on the objects to broadcast their information.
  7. Arrangement according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized by use thereof for registering toll charges of vehicles (1) which are proceeding on a multi-lane road, the vehicles being provided with a device which, after an activation from outside, causes debiting of the required toll charge from a cheque card and then emits an acknowledgement signal, which is received by the fixed station (4).
  8. Arrangement according to Claim 7, characterized in that, for activating the toll-charge debiting in the devices arranged on the vehicles (1), a beacon which emits a microwave signal to all the vehicles passing it, is provided, set up in front of the zone covered by the antenna(s) of the fixed station.
EP92905945A 1991-03-11 1992-03-02 Arrangement for locating objects and for exchanging data with these objects Expired - Lifetime EP0575389B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE4107803 1991-03-11
DE4107803A DE4107803A1 (en) 1991-03-11 1991-03-11 ARRANGEMENT FOR LOCALIZING OBJECTS AND EXCHANGING DATA WITH THESE OBJECTS
PCT/DE1992/000171 WO1992015978A1 (en) 1991-03-11 1992-03-02 Arrangement for locating objects and for exchanging data with these objects

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0575389A1 EP0575389A1 (en) 1993-12-29
EP0575389B1 true EP0575389B1 (en) 1996-07-03

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EP92905945A Expired - Lifetime EP0575389B1 (en) 1991-03-11 1992-03-02 Arrangement for locating objects and for exchanging data with these objects

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EP (1) EP0575389B1 (en)
JP (1) JPH06508452A (en)
AT (1) ATE140093T1 (en)
DE (2) DE4107803A1 (en)
HU (1) HU212140B (en)
WO (1) WO1992015978A1 (en)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
HUT65283A (en) 1994-05-02
WO1992015978A1 (en) 1992-09-17
EP0575389A1 (en) 1993-12-29
HU212140B (en) 1996-03-28
DE59206709D1 (en) 1996-08-08
DE4107803A1 (en) 1992-09-17
ATE140093T1 (en) 1996-07-15
HU9302572D0 (en) 1994-01-28
JPH06508452A (en) 1994-09-22

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