Universally applicable, in-motion and automatic toll paying system using microwaves

A universally applicable, automatic toll paying method is comprised of the steps of,

• electronically inserting the amount of cash pre-paid to a collection agent, into the memory of a vehicle borne microwave transponder-data processor by means of an individual entry code, said code being derived from said vehicle transponder's permanently stored identification codes,
• receiving and temporarily storing appropriately coded vehicle entry location data that is transmitted from a roadside data entry transmitter to a passing vehicle's transponder upon its entry to a toll facility, said data being later used for a toll computation, and
• transmitting permanently stored vehicle-owner and vehicle class identification codes, a collection agent code and temporarily stored entry location data, if applicable, from said vehicle transponder, after interrogation from a microwave transponder-computer located at an automatic toll collection booth, said transponder-computer upon receipt of said data calculates a toll and transmits said toll amount to said vehicle transponder where the toll is fed into a subtraction register, subtracted from the stored pre-paid cash balance, said balance being displayed to vehicle occupants, and if new balance is not negative, sends a transaction acceptance or rejection code to said toll booth transponder to actuate appropriate vehicle pass or obstruct apparatus, and finally enters said toll charge and vehicle identification codes into an independent bookkeeping system for purpose of billing the collection agent and serving other record keeping functions.

A universally applicable, automatic toll paying system that is comprised of,

• a cash balance increase registration means that connects with a vehicle borne microwave transponder-data processor to extract an owner-vehicle identification code, a payment agency identification code and the current stored balance;
• adds the cash payment to the current stored balance gaining entry to said transponder for said procedure using a code determined from said identification codes by cryptographic procedures programmed into said register's computer;
• and reads out said vehicle-owner identification codes, the cash paid and the new balance into an independent bookkeeping system,
• a vehicle borne, microwave transponder-data processor which stores vehicle entry location codes received from roadside data entry transmitters and upon interrogation from a toll collecting transponder, reads out and erases said entry location codes and reads out the permanently stored owner-vehicle identification codes and payment agent code, and then receives, by return microwave transmission, a computed toll amount which is read into a subtraction register, subtracts toll from said stored current pre-paid balance, the old balance being erased and said new balance is read into the memory and visually displayed, and transaction acceptance or rejection code is transmitted, telling whether subtraction results is a negative balance or not, and
• a toll booth microwave transponder-computer that interrogates passing vehicles by coded, narrow beamed microwave transmissions requesting stored data from passing vehicle transponders, and upon receipt of said stored data, calculates the toll, transmits toll amount by coded microwave transmission, and subsequently receives a transaction approval or rejection code which activates appropriate vehicle pass or reject mechanism and also transfers said toll, vehicle owner identification code and payment agent code into an independent bookkeeping system.

A universally applicable, automatic toll paying apparatus comprised of,

• a vehicle mounted microwave transponder-data processor, which includes a wide beam microwave antenna;
• a microwave detector and very low power transmitter;
• a permanent read only memory;
• a temporary read-write memory;
• a shift register for performing subtraction;
• a read-write memory and associated electronic display for retaining current cash balance;
• transaction sequence control circuitry;
• and a decoder that responds to an individually derived crypto code, which controls balance increasing transactions,
• a toll booth microwave transponder-computer which includes a relatively narrow beam microwave antenna;
• a moderate power microwave transmitter and super heterodyne receiver;
• a computer, for computing a toll from received information;
• a vehicle pass means for responding to a received transaction approval code;
• a means for transferring toll and vehicle and collection agent codes from computer into an independent bookkeeping system, and
• a microwave transmitter, located at entry locations to a toll facility where tolls are computed based on where vehicle entered and exited the facility, periodically transmits a vehicle transponder entry code followed by a code that identifies the entry location,
• a cash balance increase registration means that includes a means for electrically and electromagnetically connecting said registration means to said vehicle borne transponder;
• a microwave receiver-transmitter;
• a computer for determining the correct individual entry code from the vehicle mounted transponder's permanently stored identification codes;
• a summing register, which receives the current stored balance from said vehicle transponder's memory adds the cash payment and inserts new balance with said entry code;
• and a means for transferring paid cash amount, current cash balance and vehicle identification codes into an independent bookkeeping system for cash and credit transfers.