Abstract: The present application discloses a method of issuing pseudonymous authorisation tickets to nodes of a cooperative ITS, for signing messages, comprising: receiving a ticket request from a node in an authorisation server, and sending a validation request to an enrolment server, conducting a validity check in the enrolment server, and, when the validity check is passed, incrementing a counter value of a counter assigned to an account at an account server enrolled with the enrolment server for the requesting node, sending a validation message to the authorisation server, and issuing a pseudonymous authorisation ticket from the authorisation server to the requesting node, repeating the aforementioned steps until a predetermined charging period expires, and, upon expiry, sending, from the enrolment server to the authorisation server, said counter value, and sending a charging request calculated from said counter value from the authorisation server to the account server for charging said account.

Abstract: The present application discloses a method of issuing pseudonymous authorisation tickets to nodes of a cooperative ITS, for signing messages, comprising: receiving a ticket request from a node in an authorisation server, and sending a validation request to an enrolment server, conducting a validity check in the enrolment server, and, when the validity check is passed, incrementing a counter value of a counter assigned to an account at an account server enrolled with the enrolment server for the requesting node, sending a validation message to the authorisation server, and issuing a pseudonymous authorisation ticket from the authorisation server to the requesting node, repeating the aforementioned steps until a predetermined charging period expires, and, upon expiry, sending, from the enrolment server to the authorisation server, said counter value, and sending a charging request calculated from said counter value from the authorisation server to the account server for charging said account.

Abstract: A method provides for wireless transmission and reception of messages in an asynchronous ad hoc network having multiple network nodes, of which at least a first network node periodically transmits messages with a predefined period length. A second network node carries out: Defining two consecutive time intervals, each having the length of one period and a first time interval being past and a second time interval being future; subdividing the time intervals into two time slots each; calculating an occupancy for each time slot of the first time interval based on the number of messages of other network node(s) received in this time slot; identifying the time slot having the lowest occupancy; and transmitting a message in a time slot of the second time interval that corresponds to the identified time slot. The exact transmission point is defined on the basis of the time stamp derived from the synchronized TSF.

Abstract: Methods for identifying a vehicle using a predetermined location are provided, as well as a radio beacon and an onboard unit for use with the methods. One method comprises: carrying, on the vehicle, an onboard unit that broadcasts status messages that each indicate a current position of the onboard unit and a radio identifier that changes after each or several status messages; receiving at least one status message in a radio beacon; detecting a location usage of the vehicle by evaluating the status message(s) based on the position(s) indicated therein with respect to the predetermined location; transmitting an identification request from the radio beacon to the onboard unit addressed according to the radio identifier from the status message(s); receiving and conducting a legitimacy check of the identification request in the onboard unit and, if the request is legitimate, transmitting an identification of the onboard unit to the radio beacon.

Abstract: Methods for identifying a vehicle using a predetermined location, and a radio beacon and an onboard unit are provided. One method comprises: carrying, on the vehicle, an onboard unit that broadcasts status messages that each indicate a current relative distance of the onboard unit from the predetermined location and a radio identifier that changes after each or several status messages; receiving at least one status message in a radio beacon; detecting a location usage of the vehicle by evaluating the status message(s) based on the indicated relative distance; transmitting an identification request from the radio beacon to the onboard unit addressed according to the radio identifier from the status message(s); receiving and conducting a legitimacy check of the identification request in the onboard unit; and if the request is legitimate, transmitting an identification of the onboard unit to the radio beacon that remains the same over changes of radio identifier.

Abstract: A method for providing location-specific data services to vehicles that carry onboard units for short-range communication with tolling stations at known locations in a road-tolling system and mobile terminals for data reception in a mobile communication network. The method includes: storing a list of service IDs, a mapping between a device ID and a terminal ID, and at least one booking of a service ID for a device or terminal ID within the road tolling system; transmitting the device ID of an onboard unit to the tolling station; retrieving the booking of the service ID for the device ID or the mapped terminal ID; testing whether the service ID from this booking is included in the service ID list, and if so, transmitting of the mapped terminal ID to the data service; and providing this data service via the mobile communication network to the mobile terminal.

Abstract: A method provides for wireless transmission and reception of messages in an asynchronous ad hoc network having multiple network nodes, of which at least a first network node periodically transmits messages with a predefined period length. A second network node carries out: Defining two consecutive time intervals, each having the length of one period and a first time interval being past and a second time interval being future; subdividing the time intervals into two time slots each; calculating an occupancy for each time slot of the first time interval based on the number of messages of other network node(s) received in this time slot; identifying the time slot having the lowest occupancy; and transmitting a message in a time slot of the second time interval that corresponds to the identified time slot. The exact transmission point is defined on the basis of the time stamp derived from the synchronized TSF.

Abstract: A system and method for Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC) between beacons and onboard units of a road toll system, wherein the beacons have a system-wide key and the onboard units have only individual keys, which are respectively formed from the system-wide key on the basis of a derivation code specific to the onboard units, wherein upon a communication from the onboard unit the derivation code is transmitted to the beacon in order to enable the beacon to emulate the individual key to encrypt/decrypt the communication with the onboard unit and/or for access to data stored in the onboard unit, and wherein upon communications with consecutive beacons the onboard unit transmits varying derivation codes.

Abstract: Methods for identifying a vehicle using a predetermined location are provided, as well as a radio beacon and an onboard unit for use with the methods. One method comprises: carrying, on the vehicle, an onboard unit that broadcasts status messages that each indicate a current position of the onboard unit and a radio identifier that changes after each or several status messages; receiving at least one status message in a radio beacon; detecting a location usage of the vehicle by evaluating the status message(s) based on the position(s) indicated therein with respect to the predetermined location; transmitting an identification request from the radio beacon to the onboard unit addressed according to the radio identifier from the status message(s); receiving and conducting a legitimacy check of the identification request in the onboard unit and, if the request is legitimate, transmitting an identification of the onboard unit to the radio beacon.

Abstract: Methods for identifying a vehicle using a predetermined location, and a radio beacon and an onboard unit are provided. One method comprises: carrying, on the vehicle, an onboard unit that broadcasts status messages that each indicate a current relative distance of the onboard unit from the predetermined location and a radio identifier that changes after each or several status messages; receiving at least one status message in a radio beacon; detecting a location usage of the vehicle by evaluating the status message(s) based on the indicated relative distance; transmitting an identification request from the radio beacon to the onboard unit addressed according to the radio identifier from the status message(s); receiving and conducting a legitimacy check of the identification request in the onboard unit; and if the request is legitimate, transmitting an identification of the onboard unit to the radio beacon that remains the same over changes of radio identifier.

Abstract: A method for recharging an electric vehicle in a recharging station of a network of geographically distributed recharging stations. The method includes: communicating availability of a recharging station to a control center of the network; transmitting a recharge request from an onboard unit of the electric vehicle via communication devices of a road toll system to the control center; assigning the onboard unit to an available recharging station in the control center; notifying the onboard unit of the assigned recharging station via the communication devices of the road toll system and notifying the recharging station of the onboard unit; and activating the recharging station to recharge the electric vehicle, when the assigned onboard unit is detected therein. The recharging in the recharging station is monitored and an image of the vehicle is recorded in the recharging station in an event of an interruption, interference or deviation in the recharging process from a given course.

Abstract: A method for providing location-specific data services to vehicles that carry onboard units for short-range communication with tolling stations at known locations in a road-tolling system and mobile terminals for data reception in a mobile communication network. The method includes: storing a list of service IDs, a mapping between a device ID and a terminal ID, and at least one booking of a service ID for a device or terminal ID within the road tolling system; transmitting the device ID of an onboard unit to the tolling station; retrieving the booking of the service ID for the device ID or the mapped terminal ID; testing whether the service ID from this booking is included in the service ID list, and if so, transmitting of the mapped terminal ID to the data service; and providing this data service via the mobile communication network to the mobile terminal.

Abstract: A method and device for dynamically changing transmission parameters of broadcast messages transmitted and received by a mobile unit. The method and device include monitoring transmission channel characteristics; dynamically adjusting the transmission parameters of a message based on the monitored transmission channel characteristics; and broadcasting the message using the adjusted transmission parameters. The transmission parameters may include one or more of transmission power, error code rate, and modulation rate. The transmission channel characteristics include one or more of the group consisting of received message density, channel congestion, detected number of message collisions, and signal to interference ratio.

Abstract: A system for electronic toll collection from a vehicle including an electronic tag for capturing information including a number of passengers in the vehicle and an electronic tag identification, a wireless transmitter for transmitting the captured information; and a wireless receiver for receiving the captured information. The system further includes a toll computer for determining a toll fee for the vehicle based on the received number of passengers and a time of day. The wireless transmitter may be an IR or RF transmitter. The toll computer determines the toll fee for the vehicle based on the received number of passengers, and one or more of the time of day, the day and the traffic information.

Abstract: A network node for an ad-hoc network having a plurality of network nodes of the same type, which provide one another with application services via wireless connections. The network node generates a list of all application services provided to it by other network nodes including associated quality classes and makes this list available to other network nodes as list of the application services provided by it with such quality classes. The quality class is at least dependent on the number of consecutive network nodes, via which the application service is provided, and the quality class specified by the last of these network nodes. The invention also relates to a method for providing application services in an ad-hoc network.

Abstract: A method for recharging an electric vehicle in a recharging station of a network of geographically distributed recharging stations. The method includes: communicating availability of a recharging station to a control centre of the network; transmitting a recharge request from an onboard unit of the electric vehicle via communication devices of a road toll system to the control centre; assigning the onboard unit to an available recharging station in the control centre; notifying the onboard unit of the assigned recharging station via the communication devices of the road toll system and notifying the recharging station of the onboard unit; and activating the recharging station to recharge the electric vehicle, when the assigned onboard unit is detected therein. The recharging in the recharging station is monitored and an image of the vehicle is recorded in the recharging station in an event of an interruption, interference or deviation in the recharging process from a given course.

Abstract: A network node for an ad-hoc network having a plurality of network nodes of the same type, which provide one another with application services via wireless connections. The network node is configured to generate a list of all application services provided to it by other network nodes with associated quality classes and makes the list available to other network nodes as a list of the application services provided by it with such quality classes. At least one of the quality classes is dependent on movement vectors of at least one wireless connection, via which the respective application service is provided. The invention also relates to a method for providing application services in an ad-hoc network.

Abstract: A system and method for Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC) between beacons and onboard units of a road toll system, wherein the beacons have a system-wide key and the onboard units have only individual keys, which are respectively formed from the system-wide key on the basis of a derivation code specific to the onboard units, wherein upon a communication from the onboard unit the derivation code is transmitted to the beacon in order to enable the beacon to emulate the individual key to encrypt/decrypt the communication with the onboard unit and/or for access to data stored in the onboard unit, and wherein upon communications with consecutive beacons the onboard unit transmits varying derivation codes.

Abstract: An onboard unit for a road toll system including: at least one transceiver for transmitting toll-relevant data to transceiver stations for forwarding to a central processing unit of the road toll system; at least one camera, which is directed towards a passenger compartment of a vehicle carrying the onboard unit and can create at least one image recording of at least one section of the passenger compartment; and an evaluation unit connected down-line of the camera that detects and counts the passengers of the vehicle in the image recording.

Abstract: An onboard unit for a road toll system including: at least one transceiver for transmitting toll-relevant data to transceiver stations for forwarding to a central processing unit of the road toll system; and at least one camera, which is directed towards an environment in front of a vehicle carrying the onboard unit and can create at least one image recording of at least one section of the environment. The camera forms an object detector, which detects the presence of an object remaining substantially stationary in a moving environment of the vehicle and upon detection of such an object causes the camera to record an image.