RFID technology drives the intelligent engine of the efficient operation of the ETC system

With the development of modern highways and urban roads, traffic congestion has become a common problem. The traditional manual toll collection method is not only inefficient, but also greatly affects the traffic capacity of the road. In order to alleviate this problem, contactless payment technology came into being and has been widely used in the ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) system. Among them, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology, as the core technology of the ETC system, plays a vital role.

RFID Technology Overview

RFID technology is a communication technology that identifies specific targets and reads and writes related data through radio signals, without the need to establish mechanical or optical contact between the identification system and the specific target. This technology exchanges data through radio frequency signals to achieve remote identification and tracking of objects. The RFID system mainly consists of three parts: reader (reader/writer), electronic tag (RFID tag) and application software system. The reader emits radio wave energy of a specific frequency to drive the internal circuit of the electronic tag and receive the data returned by the tag. The electronic tag is attached to the object and contains a chip and an antenna for storing and transmitting data.

RFID technology has many advantages, including contactless identification, long identification distance, fast identification speed, large data storage capacity, strong security, etc. Compared with barcode technology, RFID technology does not depend on the orientation of the tag, and can be identified at a longer distance, which greatly improves the identification efficiency and accuracy.

Application of RFID technology in ETC system

ETC system is an automatic toll collection system that uses RFID technology to realize non-stop toll collection. In this system, the RFID tag (OBU) serves as the vehicle's identity and Stores the vehicle's basic information and account information. When the vehicle drives to the ETC toll station, the reader will emit a radio frequency signal. After receiving the signal, the OBU transmits the vehicle information to the reader through the antenna. The reader compares the received information with the database in the ETC system to verify the vehicle's identity and account balance, and completes the automatic deduction process.

1. Vehicle identification: When the vehicle enters the entrance of the ETC dedicated lane and enters the sensing area of the reader, the reader sends a microwave signal to the vehicle's electronic tag, causing it to generate an induced current, thereby activating the electronic tag and transmitting the vehicle information to the reader. The vehicle information stored in the electronic tag will be transmitted to the reader/writer in the form of microwaves with the help of an antenna.

2. Automatic toll collection: After the reader/writer receives the information from the electronic tag, it will decode and encrypt the information and transmit the processed signal to the host of the ETC system. The system host automatically deducts the fee through the bank account bound to the owner based on the vehicle information, realizing fully automatic toll collection without stopping. During the toll collection process, the system will also capture the vehicle information on the lane in real time and upload this information to the corresponding system for the traffic police department to process.

3. Information processing and exception handling:

Data integration, efficient upload: After completing vehicle identification and automatic toll collection, the lane computer will generate detailed transaction records, including vehicle identification information, station passing time, toll station code, etc. These records are encrypted and efficiently uploaded to the local center and regional center to provide support for subsequent data analysis and statistics.

Intelligent anomaly detection, fast response: For vehicles without cards or vehicles holding invalid OBUs, the system can instantly identify and trigger an early warning mechanism. RSU will quickly start the fast automatic barrier, close the toll lane, and start the toll evasion camera to record vehicle information. This information is then uploaded to the database of the traffic management department to provide a basis for subsequent legal accountability.

With the rapid development of Intelligent transportation, the application prospects of RFID technology in the ETC system are very broad. The application of RFID technology in the ETC system not only realizes the accurate and correct vehicle identification and the fast and convenient automatic toll collection, but also greatly improves the traffic efficiency of the highway, reduces the pressure of manual toll collection, and brings unprecedented convenient experience to users. In the future, with the continuous integration and innovation of cutting-edge technologies such as the Internet of Things, big data, and cloud computing, the application of RFID technology in the ETC system will be more extensive and in-depth. We can expect that the future ETC system will be more intelligent and personalized, and can provide car owners with more accurate and efficient toll collection and navigation services based on real-time road conditions, vehicle types, driving habits and other factors.