Patent Application
20070008184
The present invention relates to an electronic toll collection (ETC) system for conducting transactions with a moving vehicle equipped with a transponder and, in particular, to dynamic adjustment of timing within the ETC system.
A vehicle position determination system and method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,613, which is owned in common with the present application. The vehicle position determination system described therein determines the position of a vehicle in an open-road ETC system by counting the number of interrogation-response communications per antenna. Subject to some weighting, the antenna with the highest count is associated with the position of the transponder-equipped vehicle.
The described system makes its determination following expiry of a sampling time period, which is preset based upon the interrogation cycle time, the roadway speed limit, and various other factors. The sampling time period is set so as to allow the vehicle, under normal conditions, to traverse a significant portion of the coverage zone before the determination is made. If the vehicle is travelling at a slower-than-expected speed and only traverses a small distance into the zone, then the lane assignment may be incorrect and consequent problems with electronic toll transactions or enforcement may result.
In another embodiment, the sampling time period expires when the transponder-equipped vehicle no longer responds to any interrogations—i.e. when it leaves the coverage zone. In many circumstances it is advantageous to make a determination as to lane position for a vehicle before it leaves the coverage zone.
In addition to vehicle position determination, other sub-systems of the ETC system may operate on the basis of a preset time period, which is established based upon assumptions regarding vehicle travel time. For example, an in-ground loop detector system for determining the number of axles on a passing vehicle bases its decision on the number of axles detected within a certain time period. The time period takes into account the expected speed of the vehicles. If the vehicles are travelling much slower than expected, then the loop detector system may make an incorrect determination. Similarly, enforcement systems within the ETC system, like overhead cameras, may by triggered to operate when a vehicle passing through the communication zone may be expected to pass through the camera viewing field. The timing for operation of the camera may be partly based upon expected vehicle travel time from a detection point. Vehicles travelling at a slower than expected speed may not come within the field of view when expected.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide for an ETC system that addresses, at least in part, some of these issues.
The present invention provides for an ETC system that uses a dynamically adjusted time period in the operation of one or more of its subsystems. The time period is adjusted based upon the prevailing traffic speed for the roadway. In this manner, the time period is adjusted to account for slower-than-expected traffic that may arise as a result of congestion in the roadway or other factors. The subsystems may, in some embodiments, include vehicle position determination systems, enforcement systems, and loop detector systems.
The system may determine the roadway traffic speed based upon direct measurements of traffic speed by external equipment or based upon a variable correlated with traffic speed. For example, the system may determine the average number of handshakes—i.e. interrogation-response communications—that occur between antennas and a transponder while the transponder is in a coverage zone. The average number of handshakes correlates to the speed of the transponder in traversing the zone. A greater average number of handshakes is indicative of slower traffic. A lower average number of handshakes is indicative of faster traffic. The sampling time period may be set based upon the average number of handshakes per transponder over an estimation period.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle position determination system for determining a position of a moving vehicle having a transponder in a multi-lane roadway. The system includes two or more antennas having partially overlapped coverage areas, each for transmitting an interrogation signal and receiving a response signal from the transponder. It further includes a reader for receiving the response signals from the antennas. The reader includes a position determination module for determining the position of the moving vehicle based upon the response signals received by the two or more antennas, wherein the determination is made on expiry of a time period. The reader also includes a dynamic timing module for determining a current traffic speed associated with the multi-lane roadway and for setting the time period based upon the current traffic speed.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of determining a position of a moving vehicle having a transponder in a multi-lane roadway. The method includes the steps of measuring a current traffic speed associated with the multi-lane roadway and setting a time period based upon the current traffic speed. It also includes steps of exchanging communications with the transponder through two or more antennas having partially overlapped coverage areas, wherein exchanging communications includes transmitting an interrogation signal and receiving a response signal from the transponder, and determining the position of the moving vehicle based upon the response signals received by the two or more antennas, wherein the determination is made on expiry of the time period.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides an electronic toll collection system for conducting transactions with a moving vehicle having a transponder travelling on a roadway. The electronic toll collection system includes at least one subsystem having a trigger component for triggering operation of the subsystem based upon a time period, and a dynamic timing module for determining a current traffic speed associated with the roadway and for setting the time period based upon the current traffic speed.
In yet a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of dynamically adjusting timing within an electronic toll collection system for conducting transactions with a moving vehicle having a transponder travelling in a roadway. The method includes steps of measuring a current traffic speed associated with the roadway, setting a time period based upon the current traffic speed, and triggering operation of a subsystem of the electronic toll collection system upon expiry of the time period.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from a review of the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
Reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings which show an embodiment of the present invention, and in which:
Similar reference numerals are used in different figures to denote similar components.
Various embodiments of an electronic toll collection (ETC) system and method of operating the same are described below. In the described embodiments, the ETC system includes various subsystems, like vehicle position detection systems, enforcement systems, and/or loop detector systems, that operate on the basis of timing. In one aspect, the timing within the ETC is dynamically adjusted to reflect the prevailing traffic conditions. For example, the timing of operation of one or more of the subsystems may be adjusted to account for the current average roadway speed, as will be described in greater detail below. Prior to such a description, embodiments of a vehicle position determination system are described in which the timing for operation of the system is preset based upon assumptions regarding the vehicle speed in the roadway.
With reference to
The RF module 24 is configured to modulate signals from the processor 35 for transmission as RF signals over the antennas 18A, 18B and 18C, and to de-modulate RF signals received by the antennas 18A, 18B and 18C into a form suitable for use by the processor 35. In this regard, the AVI reader 17 employs hardware and signal processing techniques that are well known in the art. The processor 35 includes a programmable processing unit, volatile and non-volatile memory storing instructions and data necessary for the operation of the processor 35, and communications interfaces to permit the processor 35 to communicate with RF module 24 and a roadside controller 30.
The antennas 18A, 18B and 18C, and AVI reader 17 function to trigger or activate a transponder 20 (shown in the windshield of car 22), to record transponder specific information, and to acknowledge to the transponder 20 that a validated exchange has taken place. The antennas 18A, 18B and 18C are directional transmit and receive antennas which, in the illustrated preferred embodiment, have an orientation such that each antenna 18A, 18B and 18C can only receive signals transmitted from a transponder when the transponder is located within a roughly elliptical coverage zone associated with the antenna. The antennas 18A, 18B and 18C are located above the roadway 12 and arranged such that the antenna 18A has a coverage zone 26A that extends across the first lane 14, antenna 18B has a coverage zone which extends from approximately the center of lane 14 to the center of lane 16, and the antenna 18C has a coverage zone 26C which extends across the entire width of the second lane 16. Each of the coverage zones 26A, 26B and 26C are of an approximately elliptical shape and cover an approximately similar sized area. Furthermore, the coverage zones 26A, 26B and 26C are aligned side-by-side along an axis 28 that is orthogonal to the travel path along roadway 12. As is apparent from
It will be understood that although the coverage zones 26A, 26B and 26C are illustrated as having elliptical shapes, in reality the actual shapes of the coverage zones 26A, 26B and 26C will typically not be perfectly elliptical, but will have a shape that is dependent upon a number of factors, including RF reflections or interference caused by nearby structures, the antenna pattern and mounting orientation. Prior to operation of the vehicle position determination system 10, the actual approximate coverage shape and size of each of the coverage zones are determined through well known mapping or approximation techniques, and stored by the processor 35 of the vehicle position determination system 10 such that the size, shape and location of each of the coverage areas 26A, 26B and 26C are generally known and predetermined by the system.
The AVI reader 17 is connected to a roadside controller 30. In open road toll systems, the vehicle position determination system 10 may be used in conjunction with a vehicle imaging system, which is indicated generally by reference numeral 34. The imaging system 34 includes an image processor 42 to which is connected a number of cameras 36 arranged to cover the width of the roadway for capturing images of vehicles as they cross a camera line 38 that extends orthogonally across the roadway 12. The image processor 42 is connected to roadside controller 30, and operation of the cameras 36 may be synchronized by the roadside controller 30 in conjunction with a vehicle detector 40. The vehicle detector 40, which is connected to the roadside controller 30, detects when a vehicle has crossed a vehicle detection line 44 that extends orthogonally across the roadway 12, which is located before the camera line 38 (relative to the direction of travel). The output of the vehicle detector 40 is used by the roadside controller 30 to control the operation of the cameras 36. The vehicle detector 40 can take a number of different configurations that are well known in the art, for example it can be a device which detects the obstruction of light by an object.
With reference to
If no transponder is located within the interrogated coverage zone then no transponder response will be received by the antenna associated with that coverage zone and the interrogation routine 59 will end in respect of that coverage zone and commence in respect of the next coverage zone. If, however, any transponders are located in the interrogated coverage zone, they will each respond to the interrogation signal with a response data signal, which includes a unique transponder ID code for each transponder. The AVI processor 35 then determines, for each transponder that responded, if the transponder ID code is known (step 62).
An unknown transponder ID code signifies that a previously untracked transponder has entered the coverage zones. For each previously unknown transponder, a tracking initialization step 64 is performed in which the transponder ID code is stored by AVI reader 17 (thereby making the transponder ID a known ID during subsequent interrogations). For each transponder it tracks, the AVI reader 17 maintains a zone counter for each of the coverage zones to count the number of responses received from the transponder in each of the separate coverage zones during a sampling time period. Accordingly, as part of the tracking initialization step 64, the AVI reader sets all the zone counters for the transponder to zero, and starts a transponder specific timer to count down a sampling time period for the transponder.
A known transponder ID signifies that the transponder is already being tracked by the AVI reader 17 (ie. that transponder has already sent a data response signal to at least one of the system antennas 18A, 18B or 18C). For each transponder which responds with a known ID, the zone counter associated with the transponder for the coverage zone is incremented (step 66).
As noted above, the interrogation routine 59 is performed for each of the first to nth coverage zones during each interrogation cycle. At the end of each interrogation cycle, the AVI processor 35 checks to see if the timers for any of the transponders that are currently being tracked have expired (step 68). For any transponders for which the corresponding timers have expired (i.e. the sampling time period has run out), the AVI processor determines, based on the coverage zone counts for each transponder, a probable lateral position on the roadway of the vehicle carrying the transponder (step 70), and communicates a report to the roadside controller 30 (step 77).
Thus, each time a transponder enters one of the three coverage zones 26A, 26B or 26C, the AVI reader 17 establishes communication with the transponder 20 and counts the number of transponder response data signals received by each of the antennas 18A, 18B and 18C from the coverage zones 26A, 26B and 26C, respectively, during the sampling time period. By comparing the total counts for each coverage zone, a probable vehicle position can be determined. The system 10 is able to track multiple transponders simultaneously through the coverage zones as it counts down a sampling time period and tracks zone counts for each unique transponder ID.
In one embodiment, the sampling time period is of a predetermined duration that is generally sufficient to allow an adequate number of interrogation cycles to occur for the AVI reader 17 to determine, with acceptable accuracy, the location of transponder and vehicle 22. The predetermined time period is application specific (depending on many factors, for example how quick the positional data is needed by down road equipment such as imaging system 34, and the maximum speed of vehicles on the roadway). Preferably, the sampling time period should be set such that in the majority of cases, the vehicle will have at least passed axis 28 when the time period expires.
In another possible embodiment, the sampling time period can be set to vary according to the speed of the particular vehicle being tracked. For example, the AVI reader 17 could be configured to end the sampling time in the event that none of the antennas 18A, 18B or 18C receives a data response signal from a transponder during one (or more) interrogation cycles (the absence of a response indicating the vehicle has already passed through the coverage zone).
In yet another embodiment, the sampling time period is determined based upon the speed of traffic in the roadway 12. The speed of traffic in the roadway 12 may vary from the speed of a particular vehicle and it may serve as a general proxy for how quickly the average vehicle will traverse the coverage zones 26A, 26B, and 26C. This embodiment, and various methods of dynamically determining the speed of traffic and setting the sampling time period, are outlined in greater detail below in connection with FIGS. 6 to 8.
As noted above, the AVI reader 17 determines probable vehicle location by comparing the number of periodic response signals received from a specific transponder for each antenna 18A, 18B and 18C during the sampling time period. The total count information can be processed to provide different levels of locational resolution. For example, in the case of similar elliptical coverage zones 26A, 26B and 26C, the AVI reader can be configured to classify the transponder as being: (1) in lane 14 if the total count is highest for antenna 18A; (2) in lane 16 if the total count is highest for antenna 18C; or (3) in the center of roadway 12, if the count from the antenna 18B is the highest. In the event of a tie, the AVI reader can be configured to arbitrarily choose one of the two possible positions.
Interpolation analysis, involving comparing the ratios of total counts from the different coverage areas to predetermined thresholds, could be used to provide a higher level of resolution. For example, as shown in
As will be noted from the above algorithm, the AVI reader 17 is configured to arbitrarily select a suitable position when the transponder path follows directly along a line where two ranges meet (for example, following the juncture line between range R2 and R3 will result in a location determination of R3 in accordance with the above algorithm).
During the sampling time period, information will preferably be exchanged between the transponder 20 and the determination 10 system. As noted above, the data signal sent out by transponder 20 will include a unique transponder identification code so that the AVI reader 17 can associate the positional data that it generates with a specific transponder identity. Furthermore, at some time during the sampling time, the AVI reader 17 will preferably cause one of the antennas to send a “write” signal to the transponder to provide the transponder with whatever data is required by the toll system. Thus, it will be appreciated that the informational content of the interrogation signals and data signals can vary during the sample time period, however the actual content of such signals does not affect the response data signal count logs kept by the determination system 10.
Once the AVI reader 17 has made a determination of the probable vehicle position, it creates an electronic report that includes the probable position, transponder identification data, and any other information specific to the AVI system, and provides the electronic report to the roadside controller 30. It also erases the transponder ID from its list of “known” transponder IDs as it is no longer tracking the transponder.
The electronic reports that are generated by the vehicle position determination system 10 can be used by the vehicle imaging system 34 to provide improved accuracy in determining between transponder equipped and unequipped vehicles. The presence or absence of an electronic report, together with reliable location information, can be used to qualify the operation of the imaging system 34 so that unnecessary images can be eliminated altogether, or to improve the accuracy of processing images that are taken.
It will be appreciated that in order to provide optimum accuracy for a toll collection system such as that shown in
An exemplary implementation of the vehicle detection system 10 and sample position determinations will now be described. In the exemplary implementation of vehicle detection system 10 in an open road system, each interrogation cycle has a duration of 10 mSec., and the sample time period can be set to 100 mSec, during which time a vehicle will typically traverse about 9 feet at 60 mph. Such a configuration allows the AVI reader 17 to count the number of successful responses for 15 interrogation signals sent out by each of the antennas 18A, 18B and 18C, and determine a probable vehicle location based on such counts. In an exemplary implementation, the vehicle detection line 44 is located further down road than the maximum vehicle travel during the 100 mSecs. For a roadway 12 having typical 12 foot lanes, the coverage zones 26A, 26B and 26C can each have an approximate width across their major axis of 14 feet, and an approximate length across their minor axis (i.e. in the direction of travel) of about ten feet.
It will be appreciated that the vehicle position detection system may take many different configurations depending upon its particular application. For example, more than three overlapping coverage zones could be used, particularly where it was desirable to cover more than two lanes of a roadway. Furthermore, in situations where lane changes are not permitted due to barriers between traffic lanes, two overlapping coverage zones would be sufficient for two travel lanes.
In this regard,
The “averaged majority” and “averaged interpolation” algorithms suggested above are suitable for determining position when the coverage zones each have a generally uniform size and shape. The actual algorithm or method used to determine a position will depend upon a number of factors including the specific application of the vehicle position detection system, the shape and relative sizes of the coverage zones, and the degree of resolution needed for such application. For irregularly shaped coverage zones, the various different permutations and combinations of possible coverage zone counts, or ratios of coverage zone counts, for different possible vehicle paths through the coverage zones can be predetermined and provided to the processor 35 as a locally stored look-up table. As part of the position determination step 70, the processor 35 can compare the coverage zone counts, or ratios of coverage zone counts, as the case may be, to the look-up table to determine a vehicle position.
Although each of the antennas discussed above have been described as both transmitting and receiving, it is also possible that a single transmitting antenna could be used to transmit signals to all coverage zones, with each coverage zone being covered by a separate receive antenna.
As suggested above, although elliptical coverage areas are disclosed as a preferred embodiment, other shapes could also be used for the coverage areas, so long as each coverage area had an known size and shape and the length of each coverage area varied in a known manner along the width of the coverage area, at least at the places where the coverage zones overlapped.
Referring again to
In many embodiments, the ETC transaction occurs after the lane position is determined. The position of the vehicle is identified because that may then determines the appropriate antenna 18A, 18B, and 18C for reporting a transaction. The position of the vehicle may also be used for enforcement in distinguishing vehicles with transponders from vehicles without transponders.
In some cases, the ETC transaction occurs by having the reader 17 forward transponder information to an external system, like the roadside controller 30, wherein the transaction is processed. In other cases, such as where the transponder 20 stores a cash value within its memory, the reader 17 sends a programming signal to the transponder 20 instructing it to debit its stored value by the transaction charges. In such embodiments, it may be necessary for the lane position be determined prior to the vehicle exiting the coverage zones 26A, 26B, or 26C so that the appropriate antenna may send a programming signal to the transponder. A sampling time that is too long may result in lane assignments being made after a vehicle has left the coverage zones. A sampling time that is too short may result in, lane assignment being made before a slow moving vehicle has progressed a significant distance into the coverage zones. This is especially damaging in a system wherein the lane assignment is based upon received response signal strength comparisons between antennas instead of response signal counts.
Accordingly, in some embodiments the sampling time period may be established dynamically based upon the prevailing traffic speed of the roadway. If the roadway is congested, such that the speed of traffic has slowed to 5 or 10 mph, then the sampling time period may be automatically adjusted to allow for more time to elapse before a lane assignment is made. If the traffic speed then increases, the sampling time period may be re-adjusted to reflect the faster traffic.
The speed of traffic on the roadway is not vehicle-specific. It may be an average speed of vehicles in one or more laneways or across all of the laneways. It may alternatively be a mean speed or a weighted average speed.
Information regarding the speed of traffic in the roadway may be input to the vehicle position determination system 10 from external sources. For example, the vehicle position determination system 10 may receive roadway traffic speed data from an external system that measures the traffic speed. Such an external system may rely upon roadway sensors, radar guns, laser guns, or other mechanisms for determining the speed of vehicles and calculating an overall traffic speed for the roadway. In another embodiment, the vehicle traffic speed may be provided by a third-party entity, such as a municipal or regional traffic authority.
In yet another embodiment, the roadway traffic speed may be determined by the vehicle position determination system 10. The system 10 may analyze the interrogation cycles and handshakes (i.e. interrogation and response communications) to determine the roadway speed. Based upon the average number of handshakes per transponder, the system 10 may determine the average time spent in the coverage zones 26A, 26B, and 26C, and/or the average traffic speed. In other words, the sampling time period may be dynamically adjusted based upon an assessment of the average number of handshakes per transponder, or the average number of handshakes in a test period per antenna.
Reference is made to
Over the course of the test period, handshakes are counted for each antenna or channel. In one embodiment, the reader maintains a cumulative counter associated with each antenna and increments the counter for each handshake conducted through the antenna. This embodiment is illustrated in
Steps 256 to 266 are repeated for each antenna from the first to the last antenna. Then, once the last antenna is reached in step 266, the method 250 cycles back to step 254 to start again with the first antenna. The method 250 continues for the duration of the test period.
In step 256, an interrogation signal is broadcast by antenna A1 into its coverage zone. If responses are noted in step 258 then in step 260 the handshake count (HScounti) for the antenna is incremented for each response signal from a transponder in the coverage zone. If no further response signals are received, then in step 262 the reader considers whether the test period has expired. If so, then the method 250 returns to the method 200 shown in
Referring again to
In step 208, the average handshake count per transponder is calculated. In the present embodiment, the average handshake count is determined using only the antenna having the highest number of transactions. This is done so as to ensure the sampling time is set to reflect the vehicle speeds in the fastest lane of traffic. In some embodiments, the handshake count average may be calculated across all the antennas, such than an average handshake count per transponder on the roadway is obtained. In some embodiments, the counting of handshakes and/or the calculation of average handshake count is performed using only the antennas centered in the laneways, and not the antennas positioned between laneways, as these positional differences may impact how an average handshake count correlates to traffic speed.
Once an average handshake count per transponder is determined in step 208, then in step 210 a new sampling time period is calculated. The calculation of a new sampling time period may be based upon a predetermined formula. In another embodiment, the reader consults a lookup table of stored sampling time periods indexed by average handshake count. In one embodiment, for example, the new sampling time period may be given by the formula:
TPnew=HSavg×k
wherein TPnew is the new sampling time period, HSavg is the average handshake count per transponder (which may be based upon the antenna having the highest count, may be averaged across all antennae, may be averaged using only the mid-lane antennae, etc.), and k is a constant related to system implementation and design. It will be appreciated that another formula may be used and that the precise formula will depend upon the size of the coverage zones, the usual speed of the roadway, the number of antennas in an interrogation cycle, and the target point or axis within the coverage zone by which a lane determination is to be made, among other factors.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that vehicle speed is directly correlated with handshake count for a given captures zone size and interrogation frequency (frame time). Accordingly, the handshake count acts as a proxy for vehicle speed.
In step 212, the reader evaluates whether the newly calculated sampling time period is sufficiently different to justify changing the previous sampling time period. In some embodiments, the newly calculated sampling time period may need to be different by a predetermined amount before the reader will establish it as the current sampling time period. For example, in one embodiment, the reader evaluates whether the newly calculated sampling time period varies from the previous sampling time period by more than 20 percent of the previous sampling time period. If there is a 20 percent variation or greater, then in step 214 the new sampling time period is established as the current sampling time period. Otherwise, the reader elects to continue with the sampling time period unchanged.
It will be appreciated that in some embodiments handshake counts may be accumulated on a per transponder basis—i.e. the reader may associate a handshake count with a particular transponder. In such an embodiment, when a response signal is received from a transponder, the handshake count for the particular transponder is incremented.
It will be appreciated that if separate handshake counts are maintained for each transponder, then the calculation of an average handshake count in step 208 is slightly different in that the individual handshake counts are to be first totaled and then divided by the number of transponders/transactions. It will also be understood that this averaging may be done on an antenna-specific basis or across all antennas of the roadway.
Reference is now made to
The reader 300 further includes a dynamic sampling time determination module 302, which includes a handshake count module 304 and a sampling time period selection module 306. The handshake count module 304 counts the handshakes per antenna or per transponder over the course of a test period. It may further include a timer for timing the test period.
The sampling time period selection module 306 selects a new sampling time period based upon the handshake count from the handshake count module 304. For example, the sampling time period selection module 306 may calculate an average handshake count per transponder based upon handshake counts obtained from the handshake count module 304. It may then calculate or look-up a corresponding sampling time period based upon the average handshake count per transponder. It will be appreciated that the average handshake count per transponder is related to the traffic speed on the roadway for a given interrogation cycle time.
In another embodiment, the reader 300 includes an input for receiving external traffic speed data 308. In such an embodiment, the dynamic sampling time determination module 302 and, in particular, the sampling time period selection module 306 may calculate or look-up a sampling time period based upon the external traffic speed data 308.
The dynamic sampling time determination module 302 sets the current sampling time period for the use of the reader 300 in performing lane assignment determination.
Reference is now again made to
As described above in connection with vehicle position detection, the roadway traffic speed may be obtained through external systems or information suppliers (like a local transportation authority), or based upon its correlation with other variables, like average handshake count within the communication zone. A dynamic timing module adjusts the expected travel time based upon the roadway speed and thereby adjusts the timing for operating the cameras 36.
Reference is now made to
The loop detector system 400 may be used within an ETC system to established a class of vehicle entering a toll collection point, since different toll amounts may be charged to vehicles depending upon their classification. For example, a two-axle passenger vehicle may be assessed a lower toll than a four or five-axle transport truck. The determination of whether a detected axle is associated with a first vehicle or whether it marks the first axle of the next vehicle may be made based upon the timing between axle detections. If a certain vehicle speed is assumed, and if a minimum spacing between vehicles may be assumed, the loop detector system 400 may determine for each detected axle whether it is associated with a current vehicle or a next vehicle. The determination may be sent to the roadside controller or other portion of the ETC system for use in processing a toll transaction.
The determination of axle association based upon timing is prone to errors when the assumed vehicle speed changes. If the vehicles travel more slowly, for example due to a traffic jam, then the timing assumptions are undermined and the system 400 will produce incorrect determinations.
Accordingly, the timing value may be dynamically adjusted to account for roadway traffic speed, as described above. The loop detector 402 may receive roadway traffic speed data and may include a dynamic timing module for adjusting a timing value. Alternatively, another portion of the ETC system may provide the loop detector 402 with a dynamically adjusted timing value as the roadway traffic speed changes.
It will also be appreciated that in some embodiments, the loop detector system 400 may be used to detect vehicle speed based upon detected vehicles and/or vehicle axles. The detections made by the loop detector system 400 may assist in providing dynamic timing adjustment to other sub-systems of the ETC system.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Certain adaptations and modifications of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the above discussed embodiments are considered to be illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
