Charging device

12 A charging device, comprising:

• host moving body position detecting means for detecting a position of a host moving body;
• storage means for storing data for charging relating to predetermined map information, charge applicable areas set in the map information, buffer areas set at boundaries between the charge applicable areas and areas other than the charge applicable areas, and the charge applicable areas;
• determining means for matching the map information with the position, and for determining whether or not the moving body has at least entered one of the charge applicable area and the buffer area;
• and
• charge processing means for performing charge processing for a host moving body relating to the charge applicable area based on a result of a determination by the determining means.

14 A charging device, comprising:

• detecting means for detecting position information concerning the moving body;
• adding means for determining a buffer area in which a moving body may be expected to move to from a detected position based on position information concerning the detected moving body, and adding the buffer area to the position information;
• deciding means for deciding charge applicable areas in predetermined map information, for matching the position information to the map information, and for deciding an entry state indicating whether or not the moving body has at least entered the charge applicable area based on the charge applicable areas and the buffer areas;
• and
• generating means for generating charge information for the moving body based on a result of a decision by the deciding means.

21 A charging device, comprising:

• detecting means for detecting position information concerning the moving body;
• deciding means for determining a charge applicable area in predetermined map information and for setting a buffer area at a boundary between the charge applicable area and an area other than the charge applicable area or at a position of a moving body detected by the detecting means, and matching the map information with the position information, and deciding an entry state indicating whether or not the moving body has at least entered into one of the charge applicable area or the buffer area;
• and
• generating means for generating charging information for the e moving body based on a result of a decision by the deciding means.

23 (Amended) A charging device mounted in a moving body comprising:

• storage means for storing credit information;
• reading and writing means for reading credit information from the storage means and for writing credit information in the storage means;
• area inside or outside detecting means for detecting whether the moving body is inside or outside a charge area;
• information handling means for generating the state information when the area inside or outside detecting means detects that its own position is inside the charge area when there is no state information indicating that its own position is inside the charge area, and thereafter if the detection of whether the position is inside or outside the charge area changes from inside the charge area to outside the charge area, then the information handling means begins to measure how much time has passed, and if the detection of whether the position is inside or outside the charge area changes from outside the charge area to inside the charge area, then the information handling means makes the measurement of how much time has passed invalid and holds the state information continuously, and if a value for the measurement of how much time has passed exceeds a set value, then the information handling means deletes the state information;
• and
• charge processing means for updating credit information in the storage means via the reading and writing means in accordance with a toll charged for the charge area while the state information was being held.

24 (Amended) A charging device mounted in a moving body comprising:

• storage means for storing credit information;
• reading and writing means for reading credit information from the storage means and for writing credit information in the storage means;
• area inside or outside detecting means for detecting whether the moving body is inside or outside a charge area;
• information handling means for generating the state information when the area inside or outside detecting means detects that its own position is inside the charge area when there is no state information indicating that its own position is inside the charge area, and for beginning to measure how much time has passed and holding the state information continuously, and thereafter, if a value for the measurement of how much time has passed exceeds a set value, then the information handling means deletes the state information when the area inside or outside detecting means detects that the position is outside the charge area;
• and
• charge processing means for updating credit information in the storage means via the reading and writing means in accordance with a toll charged for the charge area while the state information was being held.

25 (Amended) A charging device mounted in a moving body comprising:

• storage means for storing credit information;
• reading and writing means for reading credit information from the storage means and for writing credit information in the storage means;
• area inside or outside detecting means for detecting whether the moving body is inside or outside a charge area;
• information handling means for generating and holding the state information when the area inside or outside detecting means detects that its own position is inside the charge area when there is no state information indicating that its own position is inside the charge area, and thereafter, if a period formed by a calendar unit greater than a day unit has passed, then the information handling means deletes the state information when the area inside or outside detecting means detects that the position is outside the charge area;
• and
• charge processing means for updating credit information in the storage means via the reading and writing means in accordance with a toll charged for the charge area while the state information was being held.

28 (Amended) A charging device mounted in a moving body comprising:

• storage means for storing credit information;
• reading and writing means for reading credit information from the storage means and for writing credit information in the storage means;
• area inside or outside detecting means for detecting whether the moving body is inside or outside a charge area;
• information handling means for generating j state information when the area inside or outside detecting means detects that a position is inside the charge area j when there is no j state information indicating that the position is inside the charge area j, and deleting state information showing the position is inside other charge areas, and when the area inside or outside detecting means detects that a position is inside another charge area when there is no state information indicating that the position is inside another charge area, the information handling means generates charge information for other charge area addresses and deletes the j state information;
• and
• charge processing means for updating credit information in the storage means via the reading and writing means in accordance with a toll charged for each charge area while the respective state information was being held.

31 (Amended) A charging device mounted in a moving body comprising:

• storage means for storing credit information;
• reading and writing means for reading credit information from the storage means and for writing credit information in the storage means;
• area inside or outside detecting means for detecting whether the moving body is inside or outside a charge area;
• information handling means for generating state information prescribing a charging frequency for a passage in the vicinity of an outer boundary of the charge area based on a result of a detection by the area inside or outside detecting means;
• and
• charge processing means for updating credit information in the storage means via the reading and writing means in accordance with a toll charged for the charge area from the state information.