EP3531392B1 - Method for managing the passage of a vehicle through a toll station of a road - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for managing the passage of a vehicle to a toll station of a road.

Generally, the roads are dotted with several toll stations, having barriers able to pass from a blocking configuration to a passage configuration. In the blocking configuration, the barrier extends in a substantially horizontal direction and in the passage configuration the barrier has pivoted upwards, from the blocking configuration, to extend in a substantially vertical direction. More precisely, a road usually comprising two or three lanes on its rolling sections is generally subdivided into a larger number of lanes at each toll station. Each of these lanes thus comprises a barrier, and when a vehicle arrives at the toll station, a display indicates an amount to be paid according to the category of said vehicle arriving at the barrier. This category can for example be a car, a truck or a two-wheeler. An occupant of the vehicle then pays the amount indicated, and the barrier opens automatically to let the vehicle pass.

However, it may happen that the category of vehicle is not correctly identified at the level of the toll station. Indeed, the identification is currently carried out on the basis of the acquisition of an image taken by a camera, said image being focused on the registration plate of the vehicle presenting itself at the level of the barrier. If, for example, a motorcycle is inserted between the barrier and a car placed behind this motorcycle, it is possible that the camera picks up the license plate of the car at the moment when the motorcycle driver is about to pay the amount for to pass. He will then have to pay a biased amount, corresponding to that of a car. He can either contest the amount on the spot and cause a slowdown or even an interruption of traffic while an authorized person notices the error and corrects it, or contest it later by mobilizing at least one person belonging to the company in charge of collect payment. In other words, a wrong identification of the vehicle generates damage, which has a high cost.

The document FR2903519 A1 discloses an automatic vehicle classification device intended to equip a manual toll or electronic toll station for charging and collecting the amount of the toll, said device determining the class of a vehicle from its image and its height.

A management method according to the invention makes it possible to effectively process the passage of a vehicle at a toll station of a road, by systematically and without error identifying the category of the vehicle presenting itself at the toll barrier.

The subject of the invention is a method for managing the passage of a vehicle to a toll station of a road, said station being crossed by at least one lane and each of said lanes having a barrier able to pass from a position of closure preventing a vehicle from passing to an open position allowing said vehicle to pass.

The invention is defined by a management method according to claim 1.

The main originality of such a management method is to host at least one server in the Internet network also called "cloud", said server having software capable of processing the image of the vehicle and the parameter representing the height of said vehicle , in order to restore information on the category of the vehicle arriving at the toll barrier. the server is centralized on the Internet network, and thus promotes general updates of the software, without having to multiply the interventions on local servers. Indeed, it suffices to update the version of the software once on the server hosted in the Internet network, to operate all the payment terminals, and thus avoids having to intervene several times on local servers. The image acquisition system is a digital or analog camera. The parameter representative of the height of the vehicle can for example be represented by the height of the vehicle itself, or by any electrical signal or of another nature, representative of said height. A specific category of vehicle can for example be constituted by motorcycles, or by cars or by heavy goods vehicles. In order not to slow down the flow of vehicles too much at the toll station, it is essential that the return of information relating to the category of the vehicle to the payment terminal takes place over a very short time, typically less one second away. The payment terminal comprises means for displaying the amount to be paid and corresponding to a given category of vehicle and means capable of collecting means of payment, such as for example cash or a credit card. Preferably, the image of the vehicle is discretized (each point of the images corresponds to a pixel), and the software algorithm uses the pixels of said image to process it.

Advantageously, the step of acquiring at least one image of the vehicle is carried out by means of a camera placed close to the barrier and in front of the vehicle arriving at the level of the barrier. This camera is triggered as soon as the presence of a vehicle placed just in front of the barrier is detected, this detection being able for example to be carried out by means of an electromagnetic sensor.

Preferably, the camera is capable of acquiring an image whose resolution is greater than 244×244. The higher the definition of the camera, the better the image processing quality and the more certain the information relating to the category of the vehicle.

Preferably, the step of acquiring the parameter is a step of direct measurement of the height of the vehicle, carried out by means of at least one optical sensor.

Advantageously, the step of measuring the height of the vehicle is carried out by means of two optical sensors, placed on either side of the vehicle upstream of the barrier.

Advantageously, a management method according to the invention comprises a step of developing five different categories of vehicle, a first category corresponding to light vehicles, a second category corresponding to intermediate vehicles, a third category corresponding to heavy and other 2-axle vehicles, a fourth category corresponding to heavy goods vehicles and other three-axle vehicles, a fifth category corresponding to motorcycles, sidecars and trikes, said management method restoring the information making it possible to classify each vehicle in one of these five categories. Indeed, the five previous categories refer to vehicles that are very different from each other, which can justify a difference in payment at a toll station.

Preferably, the step of restoring the information relating to the category of the vehicle occurs less than 100 ms after the step of sending said at least one image and said parameter. This time is extremely short, and reduces the waiting time for each vehicle at the toll station.

Preferably, the step of restoring the information relating to the category of the vehicle occurs 50 ms after the step of sending said at least one image and said parameter.

Another object of the invention is a management device for carrying out a management method according to the invention.

The main technical characteristic of a device according to the invention is that it comprises an image acquisition system intended to acquire at least one image of the vehicle, at least one optical sensor intended to measure the height of the vehicle, a payment terminal and at least one server hosted on the Internet network and comprising software able to process the image of the vehicle and the information relating to the height of the vehicle, then to send to said terminal information relating to the category of the vehicle .

Advantageously, a management device according to the invention comprises transmission means capable of routing the various information between the assembly formed by the image acquisition system and said at least one sensor, and the server, and means of transmission between said server and the payment terminal.

A method for managing the passage of a vehicle to a toll station of a road according to the invention, has the advantage of being managed quickly and easily by centralizing on the Internet network, the server equipped with the identification software of the vehicle category. It is therefore sufficient to intervene only once on said server to update or modify the software. It also has the advantage of reducing the risk of contamination of said software by a virus, by reducing to one, the server controlling the software.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective simplifiée d'une station de péage dans laquelle est apte à être appliqué un procédé de gestion du passage d'un véhicule selon l'invention,

A detailed description of a preferred embodiment of a method for managing the passage of a vehicle to a toll station according to the invention is given below, with reference to the following figures:

• The figure 1 is a simplified perspective view of a toll station in which a method for managing the passage of a vehicle according to the invention can be applied,

By referring to the figure 1 , some roads are equipped with a toll station 1 intended to compel a user to pay a sum of money corresponding to the length of the section of said road taken by this user, said sum also corresponding to the category of vehicle of said user.

• La classe 1 correspondant aux véhicules légers : véhicules d'une hauteur totale inférieure ou égale à 2m et d'un PTAC inférieur ou égal à 3, 5 tonnes,
• La classe 2 correspondant aux véhicules intermédiaires : véhicules d'une hauteur totale supérieure à 2m et inférieure à 3m et d'un PTAC inférieur ou égal à 3, 5 tonnes, ou ensemble roulant d'une hauteur totale supérieure à 2m et inférieure à 3m avec un véhicule tracteur d'un PTAC inférieur ou égal à 3, 5 tonnes,
• La classe 3 correspondant aux véhicules à 2 essieux ayant soit une hauteur totale supérieure ou égale à 3m, soit un PTAC supérieur à 3, 5 tonnes,

• La classe 4 correspondant aux véhicules à 3 essieux et plus, c'est-à-dire véhicules ayant une hauteur supérieure ou égale à 3m ou un PTAC supérieur à 3, 5 tonnes, ou ensembles roulants ayant une hauteur totale supérieure ou égale à 3m, ou ensembles roulants ayant un PTAC supérieur à 3, 5 tonnes,
• La classe 5 correspondant aux motos, side-cars et aux trikes.

In this way, there are five categories of vehicles identified:

• Class 1 corresponding to light vehicles: vehicles with a total height less than or equal to 2m and a GVW less than or equal to 3.5 tonnes,
• Class 2 corresponding to intermediate vehicles: vehicles with a total height greater than 2m and less than 3m and a GVW less than or equal to 3.5 tonnes, or rolling assembly with a total height greater than 2m and less than 3m with a towing vehicle with a GVW less than or equal to 3.5 tonnes,
• Class 3 corresponding to vehicles with 2 axles having either a total height greater than or equal to 3m, i.e. a GVW greater than 3.5 tonnes,

• Class 4 corresponding to vehicles with 3 axles or more, i.e. vehicles with a height greater than or equal to 3m or a GVW greater than 3.5 tonnes, or rolling assemblies with a total height greater than or equal to 3m , or rolling sets with a GVW greater than 3.5 tons,
• Class 5 corresponding to motorcycles, sidecars and trikes.

As a reminder, the PTAC is the total authorized weight in charge. Thus, depending on the mileage traveled on a paid section, and the category of his vehicle, a user will have to pay at the toll station 1, a lump sum of money.

By referring to the figure 1 , a toll station 1 comprises an automatic barrier 2 placed on a road lane 3 and equipment 4, 5, 6 making it possible to identify the category of the vehicle 7 advancing to said automatic barrier 2. The automatic barrier 3 is capable of passing from a closed position for which it extends in a substantially horizontal direction and blocks the passage of the vehicle, to an open position for which it extends in a substantially vertical direction after having performed a rotation of approximately 90° from its closed position. In the open position, the automatic barrier 3 allows the vehicle, which was parked behind it, to pass. The passage from one position to another is reversible, and can be controlled by an electrical signal, which can for example be triggered as soon as the payment has been made.

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  Une étape d'avancée du véhicule 7 jusqu'à la barrière automatique 2 en position fermée.
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  Une étape de détection de la présence d'un véhicule juste derrière la barrière. Cette étape peut être réalisée au moyen d'un capteur.
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  Une étape d'acquisition d'au moins une image du véhicule 7 se présentant au niveau de la barrière automatique 2, au moyen d'un système d'acquisition 4 d'image placé sur le côté de la voie 3 sur laquelle évolue le véhicule 7. Ce système d'acquisition d'images est préférentiellement une caméra apte à réaliser des images ayant une résolution supérieure à 244x244.
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  Une étape de mesure de la hauteur totale du véhicule 7. Cette étape de mesure est réalisée au moyen de deux capteurs optiques 5, 6 placés de part et d'autre du véhicule 7 en amont de la barrière 2. Ces deux capteurs 5, 6 sont alignés suivant un axe transversal de la voie 3, qui est perpendiculaire à un axe longitudinal de celle-ci.
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  Une étape d'envoi de ladite au moins une image et d'une information représentative de la hauteur totale du véhicule 7 mesurée, sur au moins un serveur hébergé sur le réseau internet. Autrement dit, le serveur est hébergé dans le cloud, et une multiplicité de stations de péage 1 sont connectées à ce serveur pour identifier la catégorie de véhicule se présentant à une barrière automatique, de ces stations de péage 1. Ce serveur se retrouve ainsi centralisé pour toutes les stations de péage 1, et il est alors facile d'intervenir sur un seul serveur pour procéder à des corrections de logiciel ou à des mises à jour de celui-ci. L'utilisation d'un seul serveur à la place d'une multiplicité de serveurs locaux évite la propagation de virus dans le système gérant lesdits serveurs locaux et réduit les risques de pannes ou de mauvais fonctionnement. Il suffit juste de se brancher sur une application dédiée sans avoir à toucher aux infrastructures.
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  Une étape d'identification de la catégorie du véhicule 7 au moyen d'un logiciel situé sur ledit au moins un serveur, et apte à traiter ladite au moins une image et ladite information relative à la hauteur totale du véhicule 7 mesurée. Ce logiciel s'appuie sur une méthode consistant à détecter les caractéristiques de chaque image de chaque classe de véhicules d'une base de données d'images traitées a priori par des personnes. Une fois cette étape d'extraction de caractéristiques réalisée de manière précise, la frontière qui sépare les différentes classes est ensuite modélisée. Par conséquent, pour chaque image en entrée, ses caractéristiques sont extraites, puis sur la base de ces dernières, sa classe est renvoyée.
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  Une étape de restitution d'une information relative à la catégorie du véhicule, au niveau d'une borne 8 de paiement situé en amont de la barrière. Cette information va indiquer le montant à payer par l'usager, ainsi qu'éventuellement, la catégorie de son véhicule. Il est bien entendu que chaque borne de paiement est connectée au serveur centralisé, qui est hébergé sur le cloud, et peut donc recevoir l'information concernant la catégorie du véhicule. Cette restitution d'information est rapide et se fait dans un délai inférieur à la seconde, et préférentiellement à un délai de 100ms.
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  Une étape de paiement au niveau de ladite borne au moyen par exemple d'espèces ou d'une carte de crédit.
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  Une étape de basculement de la barrière vers la position d'ouverture depuis sa position de fermeture, lorsque le montant a été acquitté.

A method according to the invention, making it possible to manage the passage of a vehicle 7 to a toll station 1, schematically comprises the following steps:

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  A step forward of the vehicle 7 to the automatic barrier 2 in the closed position.
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  A stage for detecting the presence of a vehicle just behind the barrier. This step can be carried out by means of a sensor.
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  A step of acquiring at least one image of the vehicle 7 presenting itself at the level of the automatic barrier 2, by means of a system image acquisition 4 placed on the side of the track 3 on which the vehicle 7 is moving. This image acquisition system is preferably a camera capable of producing images having a resolution greater than 244×244.
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  A step of measuring the total height of the vehicle 7. This step of measuring is carried out by means of two optical sensors 5, 6 placed on either side of the vehicle 7 upstream of the barrier 2. These two sensors 5, 6 are aligned along a transverse axis of the track 3, which is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis thereof.
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  A step of sending said at least one image and information representing the total height of the vehicle 7 measured, to at least one server hosted on the Internet network. In other words, the server is hosted in the cloud, and a multiplicity of toll stations 1 are connected to this server to identify the category of vehicle presenting itself at an automatic barrier, of these toll stations 1. This server is thus centralized for all toll stations 1, and it is then easy to intervene on a single server to carry out software corrections or updates thereof. The use of a single server instead of a multiplicity of local servers avoids the propagation of viruses in the system managing said local servers and reduces the risks of failures or malfunctions. All you have to do is connect to a dedicated application without having to touch the infrastructure.
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  A step of identifying the category of vehicle 7 by means of software located on said at least one server, and able to process said at least one image and said information relating to the total height of vehicle 7 measured. This software is based on a method consisting in detecting the characteristics of each image of each class of vehicle from a database of images processed a priori by people. Once this feature extraction step has been carried out precisely, the boundary that separates the different classes is then modelled. Therefore, for each input image, its features are extracted and then based on these, its class is returned.
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  A step of restoring information relating to the category of the vehicle, at the level of a payment terminal 8 located upstream of the barrier. This information will indicate the amount to be paid by the user, as well as possibly the category of his vehicle. It is understood that each payment terminal is connected to the centralized server, which is hosted on the cloud, and can therefore receive information concerning the category of the vehicle. This restitution of information is rapid and takes place within a period of less than a second, and preferably within a period of 100 ms.
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  A payment step at said terminal, for example by means of cash or a credit card.
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  A step of tilting the barrier to the open position from its closed position, when the amount has been paid.

The principle of a management method according to the invention is that it is based on an image of the vehicle and on a measurement of its height, and no longer on the acquisition of an image of the license plate of the vehicle, which can be a source of error. Indeed, if a motorcyclist presents himself with his 2-wheeled vehicle at the level of the barrier 2, and if a car is placed just behind him, the methods currently implemented risk taking into account the license plate of this vehicle, and the biker will then have to pay a lump sum corresponding to a motor vehicle.

• Soit il refuse de payer cette somme erronée, et il fait alors appel à une personne habilitée de la station de péage pour régulariser la situation. Il va lors immobiliser le trafic pendant quelques minutes,
• Soit il paie la somme erronée, et régularise la situation ultérieurement avec des personnes de l'entreprise chargée de gérer les paiements à la station de péage, en réclamant un remboursement de la partie de la somme indûment acquittée.

Two possibilities are available to him:

• Either he refuses to pay this erroneous sum, and he then calls on an authorized person at the toll station to regularize the situation. It will then immobilize traffic for a few minutes,
• Either he pays the incorrect amount, and regularizes the situation later with people from the company responsible for managing payments at the toll station, by claiming a refund of the part of the amount unduly paid.

In both cases, the situations are time-consuming, and costly.

By relying on an image of the vehicle and on a measurement of its height, the risks of error in identifying the category of the vehicle are practically nil with a management method according to the invention.

Claims (10)

1. A method for managing the passage of a vehicle (7) through a toll station (1) of a road, said station (1) being passed through by at least one lane (3) and each of said lanes (3) having a barrier (2) able to go from a closed position preventing a vehicle from passing to an open position allowing said vehicle to pass, said method including the following steps:

   - A step for acquiring at least one image of the vehicle arriving in a lane (3) of the toll station (1) at the barrier (2), by means of an image acquisition system (4) placed near said lane (3),

   - A step for determining a parameter representative of the height of the vehicle,

   - A step for sending said at least one image and said parameter to at least one server hosted on the Internet,

   - A step for identifying the category of the vehicle using software located on said at least one server and able to process said at least one image and said parameter in order to retrieve information relative to the category of the vehicle, said software being based on a method consisting of:

   - Extracting the characteristics of each image from each category of vehicles of an image database processed a priori by people in order to model the border separating the different categories of vehicles,

   - For each input image, extracting its characteristics, then comparing them to those of the different categories extracted in the previous step before returning its category,

   - A step for retrieving information relative to the vehicle category, at a payment terminal (8) located upstream of the barrier (2),

   - A step for payment at said terminal (8),

   - A step for switching the barrier (2) to the open position from its closed position once the required amount has been paid.
2. The management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step for acquiring at least one image of the vehicle is carried out using a camera (4) placed near the barrier (2) and in front of the vehicle (7) presenting itself at the barrier (2).
3. The management method according to claim 2, characterized in that the camera (4) is able to acquire an image having a resolution greater than 244x244.
4. The management method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the step for acquiring the parameter is a step for direct measurement of the height of the vehicle (7), carried out using at least one optical sensor (5, 6).
5. The management method according to claim 4, characterized in that the step for measuring the height of the vehicle is carried out using two optical sensors (5, 6) placed on either side of the vehicle (7) upstream of the barrier (2).
6. The management method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a step for developing five different categories of vehicle, a first category corresponding to light vehicles, a second category corresponding to intermediate vehicles, a third category corresponding to heavy vehicles and other vehicles with two axles, a fourth category corresponding to heavy vehicles and other vehicles with three axles, a fifth category corresponding to motorcycles, side cars and trikes, and in that said management method retrieves information making it possible to classify each vehicle (7) in one of these five categories.
7. The management method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the step for retrieving information relative to the category of the vehicle (7) takes place less than 100 ms after the step for sending said at least one image and said parameter.
8. The management method according to claim 7, characterized in that the step for retrieving the information relative to the category of the vehicle (7) takes place 50 ms after the step for sending said at least one image and said parameter.
9. A management device for carrying out a management method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, said device comprising an image acquisition system (4) intended to acquire at least one image of the vehicle (7), at least one optical sensor (5, 6) intended to measure the height of the vehicle, a payment terminal (8) and at least one server hosted on the Internet and comprising software able to process the image of the vehicle and the information relative to the height of the vehicle (7), then to send said terminal (8) information relative to the category of the vehicle (7), said software basing itself on a method consisting in:

   - Extracting the characteristics of each image from each category of vehicles of an image database processed a priori by people in order to model the border separating the different categories of vehicles,

   - For each input image, extracting its characteristics, then comparing them to those of the different categories extracted in the previous step before returning its category.
10. The management device according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises transmission means able to convey the various information between the assembly constituted by the image acquisition system (4) and said at least one sensor (5, 6), and the server, and transmission means between said server and the payment terminal (8).

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