PROCEDURE AND PLANT FOR THE DETERMINATION AND MONITORING OF THE LOADING CONDITION OF MOTOR VEHICLES IN FLOWING TRAFFIC AND FOR THE REQUIRED CALIBRATIONABLE NACHWÄGUNG OF ÜBERLADENEN MOTOR VEHICLES

[0001] Procedure and plant for the determination and monitoring of the loading condition of motor vehicles in flowing traffic and for the required calibratable Nachverwägung of überladenen motor vehicles

[0002] The invention concerns a procedure and a plant for the determination and monitoring of the loading condition of motor vehicles in flowing traffic and to the required calibratable Nachverwägung of überladenen motor vehicles.

[0003] It is well-known to measure axle load of motor vehicles calibratable at control stations or not calibratable dynamically in flowing traffic (EP 0,166,168 Bl, DE-OS 2,263,145).

[0004] A dynamic axle load measurement makes the determination for the load possible of traffic routes without restriction of the driving speed (WIM = Weighing in Motion).

Such an axle load measurement is so far for higher speeds > 10 km/h not yet calibrationofficially certified. Therefore static, or slowly dynamic calibratable balancing at checkpoints must be made for a loadable examination of the loading condition of motor vehicles.

[0005] Calibratable balancing at checkpoints requires deriving in a random sampling way of a coincidentally arranged group from truck (truck) of a traffic route, like a motorway, and controlling by means of personnel, who uses for this static Radund/or slowly dynamic axle load measurers. Here groups are examined by indiscriminately derived truck, thus also empty or not überladene trucks.

The success rate is small for finding out and if necessary punishing überladenen truck (80% to 90% are not overloaded usually), which has as a consequence that legal defaults are frequently not kept concerning the loading. This leads to traffic endangerment and accidents and to avoidable road damage.

[0006] With the duty collection system introduced to Germany at the beginning of the yearly 2005, to the so-called mad Collect system (TC-system), the number of duty-requiring trucks can be only seized and checked whether for the seized trucks duly a duty was paid.

Loading conditions of the trucks are not seized with the duty collection system.

[0007] The protection of roads by the determination and punishment of the überladenen trucks on the roads is for years of large interest in the owners of the traffic routes, in all rule the state. In the USA one created an expensive, additional infrastructure for it country widely also over 400 Weigh station. To become each station exists beside the cradle place of several kilometers is intake-purely enough, speed reduced strongly by the highway separately led (Ramp), on which all trucks until recently with enterprise of the Weigh station of the mainpure the highway bend must, in order at (20-30 miles by hour) with dynamic axle load balances before-weighed there. In case of an assumed overloading the trucks must bend and become into the cradle place to weigh there eichfahig exactly.

Those as overloaded which are applicable trucks may not continue their driving at the highway. The appropriate information is signaled to the drivers over a green or red traffic light. Since these traffic lights are switched vehicle-specifically, the speed of the truck must be low also for this reason.

[0008] Recently it can be able to be examined on voluntary basis truck before use of the highway and a “Pre passport” loosen which ensures with the help of a transponder that these trucks a green signal to usually receive and so that for weighing into the inspection station does not have to bring in. In the Pre passport program so far approx. 2-5% all truck in the USA participate. 95% of all vehicles must drive, become however over the slow trace weigh dynamically there, and become then if necessary the measuring position referred.

After the USPatentanmeldung 2004/0021579 this ScreeningVorgang can be also doubly accomplished, in order to obtain a higher Screening accuracy (once in that mainpurely and once in that intake-purely). The US patent application 2004/0021579 Al describes a system for the monitoring of the loading of motor vehicles in traffic, which is based on the PrePass technology and these further developed. The system works with dynamic and static balancing stations. It presupposes that before the branching to a static balancing station a dynamic balancing station is integrated into the right lane of an highway. If a vehicle equipped with a PrePassTransponder approaches this dynamic balancing station, it is recognized and weighed.

If it does not exceed its registered total weight, a signal is set, which signals to the vehicle that it can pass the static balancing station. If the driver receives a red signal and a sound signal due to it or its vehicle does not have a transponder, the vehicle must bring in into the Ramp for static balancing station. In accordance with US 2004/0021579 Al is accomplished again in the approach road to the static balancing station a dynamic measurement at decreased speed, and the motor vehicle becomes if with this second dynamic weighing it is determined that it does not exceed its registered total weight, on the highway returned, without it must undergo of the static weighing.

[0009] The PrePass system has several disadvantages.

First it requires the Vorabregistrierung, certification and examination of all vehicles, which want to participate in the PrePass system. Vehicles, which are equipped with the PrePass transponder not (at present more than 95%), must in each case into the static balancing stations bring in. Thus all truck, which are not equipped with a PrePass transponder, as well as all truck, which was determined nevertheless in the PrePass system to participate and with those an overload, drive into a static balancing station downstream, independently of whether this balancing station has capacity for taking up further truck.

This leads in practice to the fact that in the Ramps to the balancing stations for a long time queue of by the majority überladenen truck form, which means economicalally a high cost disadvantage.

[0010] Also the system of the USA could not be completed in Europe, because the necessary infrastructure became very expensive and usually no area for a separate expandable intake-purely, including cradle place, is present. Finally the balancing control system is in the USA with the low flow of traffic speeds and the pilot effect, which also the 80% - 90% that do not überladenen trucks concerns, already actually not optimally. The present European solution is still unsatisfactory, with which arbitrarily in a random sampling way picked out trucks without previous Screening will weigh through according to authorized personnel on parking lots.

These measurements are without considerable success and concern only more few parts per thousand of all being applicable trucks. Therefore it could not be prevented so far that between 10% and 20% all truck are further overloaded.

[0011] The invention is the basis the task, a procedure and a plant for the monitoring of the loading condition of motor vehicles, in particular trucks, to create which ensure a very high accuracy in case of of overloading when finding überladenen motor vehicles, the incentive and/or.

Pressure on the drivers and the owner of the motor vehicles to keep clearly increase loading regulations and at the same time a complete elimination or at least a drastic reduction of redundant calibratable controls (statically or slowly dynamically) of empty driving or duly loaded motor vehicles to cause are.

[0012] For the solution a procedure according to requirement 1 and after plant responded 18 serves this task.

[0013] Favourable arrangements of the invention are posed in the Unteransprüchen under protection.

[0014] The invention plans a two-stage system,

with first at a measuring station the loading condition of a motor vehicle is seized dynamically and the leader of the motor vehicle an assumed overloading of the vehicle is signaled if necessary and the vehicle marked accordingly (woman driver formation system or subsystem 1). At checkpoint downstream and an optional marked vehicles can do seized and it can them be signaled e.g. by means of a mobile Transceivers that they must start a nearest control station (control system or subsystem 2). For this purpose first and a second optical or acoustic signal is umgeschaltget. The first optical signal can switch for example a green light into a yellow light, and which can switch second optical signal the yellow light into a red light.

Additionally or alternatively appropriate text messages or warning tones can be spent. Erfmdungsgemässe system has advantage that all motor vehicles, for which a prospective overloading was determined an appropriate control station to start automatically. The number of vehicles, which must bring in into the control station, can be adjusted by the mobile Transceiver downstream at the checkpoint dependent on their capacity. The motor vehicles are seized appropriately at the checkpoint only then and marked with the second signal, if the control station is opened and capacity has for examining further vehicles. If the control station is working at full capacity, then all vehicles can happen.

Nevertheless already the first stage of the system according to invention has, i.e. the notification of the driver with the first signal, a warning function, which refers the driver to an assumed overloading, so that this can meet measures suitable if necessary.

[0015] The procedure after the invention leaves itself in the 24-hour operation independently of weather and time of day would drive through. This is a particularly important advantage, which has the interactive cooperation according to invention between the components in the vehicle and at Messund checkpoints as well as the control stations for condition.

[0016] The invention has also the advantage that it can be converted under use of infrastructure existing at motorways.

In particular the control station can be furnished for the static weighing of the motor vehicles on existing parking lots, because the number of motor vehicles at the checkpoint, which can be examined, can be adjusted. There is not from there, as with from the USA necessarily admitted to systems, own balancing stations with several a kilometer-long waiting trace.

[0017] Appropriately all motor vehicles, in particular truck (in the following “truck” mentioned) should, which in a certain area operate, for example in the Federal Republic of Germany, with transponder systems to be equipped, which make a participation possible in the system according to invention.

If this is ensured, Messund checkpoints knows, for example 300 measuring points (150 measuring points for each driving direction) in the German motorway net with a suitable distribution, which goods traffic, whereby by the dynamic monitoring of flowing traffic a preselection presumably überladener truck can be met, those are nearly completely supervised accuracy when finding actually überladenen motor vehicles in relation to measurements in a random sampling way drastically increased. Advantages way characteristic data, like characteristic, becomes vehicle code and/or by the motor vehicles - type, oh number of etc., to the measuring point conveys, and the measured values for Radund/or axle load of a motor vehicle are added these data.

Thus the speed increases with the determination of a prospective overloading condition. Furthermore the measuring data and vehicle-specific characteristic data preferably become, as well as an identification of the measuring station and the point of gate time combine, in the vehicle stored and to a central computer transmission, in which they are stored likewise. It is possible to seize motor vehicles which exceed their permissible total weight repetitive with the dynamic measurement.

Such vehicles can be observed and examined purposefully.

[0018] At the checkpoints the motor vehicles are photographed preferably additionally to the electronic collection and marking, in order to be able to sue vehicles, which pass the control station prohibition-adversely, later judicially.

[0019] Also the vehicle-specific characteristic data of motor vehicles marked with the second signal should be stored in the vehicle and sent to the central computer, in order to seize these vehicles in a central register.

[0020] In the preferential execution of the invention the motor vehicles concerned assigned markings are only deleted automatically at expiration of a given time interval.

This time interval should be so limited that it would be uneconomic for a driver, between passing the measuring point to insert, with which its vehicle was marked, and which following control station a break, with which it for expiring the marking waits. Furthermore the time interval for the marking should be so limited that the marking usually expired, before the truck became to load next time entund. One time interval from approximately two to five hours, in particular about three hours appears appropriate. Also the expiring letting of the marking dependent on a put back distance, e.g. 200 km, is possible.

By suitable choice time interval or distance can also reached that a marked motor vehicle, which passes a closed or overloaded checkpoint is nevertheless seized at a following checkpoint. In a further Ausfuhrung of the invention the motor vehicle concerned assigned marking only in each case by or personnel authorized with permission of are deleted.

Seizing mentioned characteristic data is however no compelling condition for fundamental functioning of the procedure according to invention.

[0021] Furthermore in the preferential execution of the invention it is intended that a vehicle, with which an overloading in a control station was verified and seized, whereby overloading is however not so serious that it the vehicle to drive on would prevent, accordingly with a third signal is marked, so that the vehicle concerned at following checkpoints is not again marked and requested for bringing in into a further control station, but its trip intended to terminate can.

[0022] In an execution of the invention the procedure according to invention is used in connection with madly Collect bridges,

in order to consult the measuring data and the vehicle-specific data for the duty computation.

[0023] The invention plans also a plant for the execution of the procedure described above. This plant covers moved cradle sensors into the lane of the traffic route for seizing Radund /oder axle load the measuring point of passing motor vehicles; local computers would install one at each measuring point for evaluating and changing the measuring data into first marking signals; a first communication unit for sending the first marking signals, coupled arranged along the traffic route, with the local computer; Registrierund warning unit for noting and indicating the marking signals, sent installed in each motor vehicle, by the communication unit.

Registrierund warning unit should be intended equipped with a transponder and preferably in each truck operating within a certain transportation network. Furthermore the plant covers a second communication unit arranged at the checkpoint, which receives a status signal from Registrierund warning unit and sends dependent on the status signal a second marking signal if necessary. The communication unit furnished at the checkpoint can be programmed in such a way that it marks only a desired number of truck with the second marking signal, for example of “yellow” on “red” scolded. In a preferential execution of the invention the first communication unit covers a Transceiver, which is arranged with distance in driving direction behind the measuring point at the edge of the traffic route.

The distance should be measured in such a way that the time interval between passing the measuring point and following passing of the communication unit is sufficient for processing the measuring data in the local computer as well as forming and sending the signals to Registrierund warning unit.

[0024] Further it is preferential that the communication unit of a further Transceiver exhibits, at which each truck equipped with a transponder registers. For this registration the truck sends for example its characteristic and a vehicle code, which identifies the motor vehicle type.

Due to this information the local computer can determine and with the results of measurement compare permissible Radund in a simple manner/or axle load of the truck.

[0025] Furthermore in the preferential execution a tolerance level for the excess of permissible values Radund is programmable/or axle load of the trucks in the local computer. For example it can be adjusted in an introduction phase of the system according to invention of the tolerance levels for the message of the excess of the permissible weight to 110% of this weight, in order to avoid that too many trucks with the first signal are marked. This tolerance level can be gradually lowered then.

[0026] Registrierund warning unit can a reader for a smart card for identification the driver and/or the vehicle contain.

Furthermore it exhibits appropriately a display with an optical indicator light, which is activated in case of an overloading condition over the first communication unit.

[0027] In accordance with a further aspect of the invention the measuring points in the lane can being constantly after-calibrated by use of reference axles than standard.

[0028] The invention is more near described in the following on the basis schematic designs with remark examples with further details.

Show:

[0029] Fig. 1 a perspective representation of a motorway section, which is equipped in accordance with the invention with a measuring station of a plant; Fig. 2 the scrap view of an operator's cab of a truck, into which Registrierund warning device of a plant is built in accordance with the invention;

[0030] Fig. 3 a perspective representation of a motorway section, which is equipped in accordance with the invention with a control station of a plant;

[0031] Fig. 4 a schematic representation of the measuring station of the plants according to invention; and

[0032] Fig. 5 a schematic representation of the control station of the plant according to invention.

[0033] With in Fig. 1 plant shown are in one or more lanes of the motorway section shown cradle sensors, e.g.

Cradle plates 2 inserted, one dynamic seizing of the axle load of motor vehicles, like truck 6, make possible. The structure of such cradle plates is for example descriptive from the EP 0,166,168 Bl or the DE-OS 2,263,145 well-known and therefore here not again in detail.

[0034] The cradle plates 2 are connected with an associated local computer 4, which is arranged beside the lane laterally. If a truck 6 over-drives the cradle plate 2 in its lane, its Radund are thus measured/or axle load and converted in the local computer to permissible axle load, permissible load of group of oh, permissible total weight and Unbalanz (due to shifted load). In driving direction seen with distance A behind the local computer 4 a communication unit, for example with a Transceiver 8, is arranged beside or over the lane.

The distance A is so certain that the time interval between point of over travel time of the cradle threshold 2 and passing time of the Transceiver 8 is limited also with maximum speed of the truck sufficiently for the local computer 4 for the calculation and conveying the result of computation at the Transceiver 8. The Transceiver 8 can communicate to 10 by radio with Registrierund warning unit (RWE), which is built according to invention in each truck.

The RWE 10 covers transponder or another transmission receipt unit, a data memory, in which place and time of the initiation of a warning signal are registered, and can also a smart card reader have, into which each driver before driving has to insert a smart card clearly identifying him.

[0035] In a preferential execution the RWE 10 sends 5 characteristic data when passing the cradle threshold over a further Transceiver to the local computer 4. these characteristic data covers for example the vehicle characteristic and a vehicle code, which mark the motor vehicle type, number of oh of etc. If the vehicle code is well-known, then the computation of the permissible axle load, permissible load of group of oh etc. is simplified due to measured Radund/or axle load in the local computer substantially.

The measured values must be only inserted then into given algorithms. Also the computing speed becomes better, because due to the measurement a certain motor vehicle type does not only have to be determined.

[0036] With exceeding of a programmable tolerance threshold for the Radoder axle load the local computer 4 heads for the Transceiver 8, for his part the appropriate radio signal conveyed to the RWE 10 in the truck 6. With the transferred signal also an index is supplied, which identifies the Transceiver 8 and with it the location of the measuring point as well as the point of gate time clearly. The Transceiver 8 is activated only if an excess of the permissible values of the practice-experienced cradle threshold 2 were measured.

[0037] The radio signal releases an optical and/or acoustic warning signal in the RWE 10.

For example a yellow lamp lights up. This warning signal can be deleted by authorized personnel, for example by employees of the federal office for goods traffic, again, if the LKWs is weighed statically, i.e. while stationary or slowly dynamically and thus calibratable. Such cradles happens in appropriate distance from the measuring point on a following control station on a motorway parking lot apart from the distance covered, whereby it can concern a mobile control station.

There it can be decided by the authorized personnel whether a überladener truck will unload must or under editions drive on may.

[0038] In a preferential execution of the invention the RWE 10 is programmed in such a way the fact that the warning signal, for example the yellow lamp while a pre-defined time interval is active and is deleted automatically afterwards. This time interval can amount to about one until five hours, in particular about three hours. It is sufficiently long the fact that the warning signal is still activated if the marked trucks passes the next and possibly further control stations. Furthermore the time interval should be so long selected that it is not interesting for a driver to interrupt its trip and to wait for an expiring of the warning signal, before it passes the next control station.

The warning signal should expire however within one period, in which it is probable the fact that the truck concerned at its goal and became to unload. It can be also intended to let the warning signal expire after putting a given distance back. The warning signal released by the measuring station has independently of it, whether the truck in a following station is controlled, the effect, to refer the driver to an assumed overloading condition so that it can meet appropriate measures. Furthermore the warning signal produced by the measuring station serves the evaluation in a following control station, as is descriptive down more near.

[0039] Beyond that the warning signal in the data memory of the RWE with Zeitund map reference of the initials warning is documented and conveyed if necessary to a central computer.

This can lead owners of the LKWs with repetitive remarkableness of a LKWs to appropriate consequences for the driver and -.

[0040] Fig. a retort shows 3 llstation the plants according to invention in perspective representation. With distance, e.g. a mobile checkpoint 20 is furnished 2 to km before the control station, some further local computer 22, one sends/24 and a lightning camera 26 covered receipt unit (mobile Transceiver). Those sends/receipt unit 24 receives from the RWE 10 everyone it passing truck a status signal, which indicates the marking condition of the RWE, and sends then, if the RWE 10 in a preceding measuring point with a warning signal were marked, a second marking signal, which releases into the RWE a further optical and/or acoustic warning signal. For example a red lamp lights up.

This signal indicates to the driver that it has to start the nearest control station, which is for example on a following parking lot constant or mobilely installed. At the same time the trucks 6 by the lightning camera 26 marked first at the measuring point are seized.

[0041] Drivers, to who the RWE indicates an appropriate marking signal, for example a red light, must leave the distance and start the nearest control station 28.

Vehicles, whose RWE indicates only the first marking signal, e.g. yellow light, or no marking signal, e.g. green light, may pass the control station 28.

[0042] The control station 28 is in a suitable distance, for example up to two kilometers behind the checkpoint 20, so that each driver has sufficiently time to react to the warning signal and turn from the main route. At the control station 28 is a calibratable balancing station 30, which permits a calibrated weighing of the trucks to 6. The export example shows a slowly dynamic weighing. According to the desired degree of inspection existing parking lots for calibratable measurements are occupied e.g. with mobile troops of the BAG or police.

Those sends/receipt unit 24 in suitable distance before the parking lot dependent on the capacity of the control station 28 is activated. Only so many are again marked the truck marked with the first signal, i.e. switched for example from yellow to red warning light, how it makes the respective capacity for the control station possible. For this purpose sends/receipt unit 24 can to be in such a way programmed that it only a desired number of truck of “yellow” on “red” scolded. “Yellow”, if presumably überladener truck receives the signal from sends/to receipt unit 24, its RWE is switched “red” and the driver must leave the main route, in order to head for the cradle place.

Driving out into the parking lot is at any time possible for the driver without impairment of flowing traffic.

[0043] As a check everyone at the checkpoint 20 marked (“red”) truck with a conventional lightning camera made a blueprint. If the driver of red signaling should not respond, then he can nevertheless due to the collection with the lightning camera 26 identified and because of neglect of an instruction for traffic to be punished. For this also the smart card reader mentioned above could serve. If it follows the instruction, then it is examined on the parking lot with calibratable balances 30.

[0044] It is also possible to pick the condition out Registrierund warning unit over their transponder by mobile monitoring vehicles, which contain a further mobile Transceiver.

Furthermore it is possible to use into Registrierund Warnemheit stored information for other purposes e.g. for the distinction from truck to pollutant classes. Finally it is also possible the fact that Registrierund warning unit with that actually admitted on board unit of the mad Collect system co-operates as weight information also for a differentiated duty collection is e.g. used.

Preferably with each axle load measurement is seized the associated point of gate time and measuring point together with the vehicle specifications and noted in Registrierund warning unit.

[0045] For the elucidation the invention of the underlying principle, with which two subsystems are combined, these subsystems are again schematic in the figures 4 and 5 that procedures according to invention could the problem existing in the European transportation network for the first time solve, without making the high infrastructure investments possible for balancing stations after US standard an almost complete examination from truck permanently on overloading. The procedure can control 100% the truck for example driving on the motorways and gets along with the existing conventional lay-by and their sign-posting and entries.

According to invention for this certain commercial truck classes (e.g. starting from 7,5 t or starting from 12 t total weight of the vehicle) should contain an appropriate RWE with a transponder; the costs for this could be clearly lower than EUR 50.00. The trucks would know for example related to the Federal Republic of Germany at normal speed at approx. 150 measuring points for each lane, i.e. approx. all 90 km, with the help of which well-known dynamic balances are weighed permanently in flowing traffic. As presumably overloaded identified truck with Mittern of close range communication, communication units within 5,6 the GHz range are only marked, so that the RWE in the operator's cab produces a warning signal, for example a yellow light. This light expires automatically after a given time.

Furthermore according to the desired degree of inspection the trucks at firmly installed or mobile control stations, marked with the yellow light, can be herausgepickt, as capacity-dependently so many “yellow” trucks are switched to red warning light, as it permits the respective capacity.

[0046] With that invention gemässen procedures it is guaranteed that those approx.

10% to 20% trucks - and only these - überladenen to be examined, and not also the 80% to 90% do not überladenen truck.

[0047] The procedure according to invention functioned with all Witterungen, also with fog and in darkness, makes thus a seizing and a deriving possible of überladener LKWs in the 24Stundenbetrieb.

[0048] Furthermore the invention creates independently of control probably überladener truck at control stations a Falirerinformationssystem, which informs each registered truck driver, if its vehicle is presumably overloaded. Also without each measuring point and/or checkpoint a control station follow, it is to be expected that this will have a positive influence on the loading condition of truck. The control stations can be furnished selectively, independently of the measuring points and checkpoints.

Influence on the loading condition of truck will have. The control stations can be furnished selectively, independently of the measuring points and checkpoints.

[0049] The procedure in accordance with the invention makes effective, surface covering overloading control possible, which might lead owing to the intended, not Erkennungsmechanismus which can be gone around to a substantial decrease at overloading.

The procedure after the invention permits a purposeful deriving only to that actually überladenen LKWs for intended static balancing controls and furthermore to the traffic volume adapted interferences, e.g. by activating and deactivating or by change of the tolerance thresholds for the permissible axle load, so that in the result the flow of traffic is significantly less than so far disturbed.

[0050] The procedure can be used with integration into the mad Collect system at a later time also for differentiated duty computation depending upon load condition.

[0051] The characteristics revealed in the managing description, the requirements and the designs can be both separately and in arbitrary combination for the implementation of the invention in their different arrangements of importance.