Communications system for registering tolls
View Patent ↗A communications system for registering tolls, with vehicles which have communications devices for wirefree communication between the vehicles and the toll operator which is assigned to them and has a corresponding communications device. In this context, the vehicles transmit toll information relevant to the toll operator in a toll-registration area which is assigned to the toll operator, and the toll operator determines or bills the tolls to be charged therefrom. If the vehicles communicate, by means of their communication devices, with other toll operators outside the toll registration area of the toll operator assigned to them, in order to register tolls, the exchange of toll-related information takes place only when a certificate of the assigned toll operator is successfully transmitted and on the basis of a public key or a private key.
1. A communications system for registering tolls, comprising
a vehicle having a first communications device;
a first toll operator assigned to the vehicle and having a second communications device for wirefree communications between the first and second communications devices, the toll operator being assigned to a toll-registration area; and
a second toll operator outside of the toll-registration area,
wherein, within the toll-registration area, the vehicle transmits toll information relevant to the first toll operator and the first toll operator determines or bills a toll to be charged from the toll information,
and wherein, outside of the toll-registration area, the vehicle communicates with a second toll using the first communications device, a successful communication for the exchange of toll-related information with the second toll taking place only when a certificate of the first toll operator is successfully transmitted and on the basis of a public key or a private key.
2. The communications system for registering tolls as recited in claim 1 , wherein the certificate is defined bilaterally between the first toll operator and one of the second toll operator, the vehicle, and a further point in the communications system for registering tolls.
3. The communications system for registering tolls as recited in claim 2 , wherein the further point includes a toll control point.
4. The communications system for registering tolls as recited in claim 2 , wherein the certificate was defined without a central certification point.
5. The communications system for registering tolls as recited in claim 1 , wherein a transmission of the certificate is evaluated as successful if the transmitted certificate refers to a successfully certified communications party.
6. The communications system for registering tolls as recited in claim 1 , wherein the certificate and the public or private key are transmitted together.
7. The communication system for registering tolls as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first toll operator has a contract with the second toll operator.
8. A method for registering tolls using a communications system for registering tolls, the communications system comprising a vehicle having a first communications device; a first toll operator assigned to the vehicle and having a second communications device for wirefree communications between the first and second communications devices, the toll operator being assigned to a toll-registration area; and a second toll operator outside of the toll-registration area, wherein, within the toll-registration area, the vehicle transmits toll information relevant to the first toll operator and the first toll operator determines or bills a toll to be charged from the toll information, and wherein, outside of the toll-registration area, the vehicle communicates with a second toll using the first communications device, a successful communication for the exchange of toll-related information with the second toll taking place only when a certificate of the first toll operator is successfully transmitted and on the basis of a public key or a private key, the method comprising:
enquiring after toll related data from the second toll operation via the vehicle when the vehicle enters the region of the second toll operator;
replying to the vehicle via the second toll operator with a data record; and
generating a payment voucher via the vehicle and sending the payment voucher to the second toll operator.