A seminar report on

ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the award of the degree of
BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
In
ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING
By
KONAKALLA ARUN KUMAR (17A81A0431)

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING

SRI VASAVI ENGINEERING COLLEGE

(Approved by AICTE, Affiliated to JNTUK, Kakinada, Accredited by NBA,

NAAC with “A” Grade)
Pedatadepalli, Tadepalligudem - 534101 (2017- 2021)
ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION SYSTEM

SRI VASAVI ENGINEERING COLLEGE

DEPARTMENT OF

ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICTION ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the seminar report entitled “ELECTRONIC TOLL

COMMUNICATION” submitted by KONAKALLA ARUN KUMAR, Regd
No: 17A81A0431 in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of
degree of Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Communication
Engineering from Sri Vasavi Engineering College, Tadepalligudem affiliated to
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada (JNTUK), Kakinada.

SEMINAR COORDINATOR-1 SEMINAR COORDINATOR-2

Dr. M. Sathish Kumar Sri.P. Sudheer Chakravarthi
Assistant Professor Assistant Professor
HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT
Dr. E. Kusuma Kumari
Professor

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ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION SYSTEM

Table of Contents

1. Table of Contents................................................................................................ii
2. Abstract .................................................................................................................iii
3. Introduction ........................................................................................................ iv
• RF TAG.......................................................................................................... iv
• RF READER…...............................................................................................ix
4. Technology Used................................................................................................ xi
• Automated Vehicle Identification..............................................................xi
• Automated Vehicle Classification .............................................................xii
• Transition Processing..................................................................................xii
• Violation Enforcement ...............................................................................xii
5. Working of ETCS...............................................................................................xv
• Vehicle Identification....................................................................................xv
• Vehicle Classification......................…………….........................................xvi
• Transition Processing...................................................................................xvii
• Violation Handling .....................................................................................xviii

6. Basic Block Diagram..........................................................................................xix

7. Advantages..............................................................................................................xx

8. Summary.................................................................................................................xxi

9. References...............................................................................................xxii

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank our seminar coordinators Dr. M. SATHISH KUMAR,

AssistantProfessor, Department of ECE and Sri P. SUDHEER
CHAKRAVARTHI, Assistant Professor, Department of ECE for the
guidance and help throughout the seminar work by providing us the required
information.

I would like to thank Smt. Dr. E. KUSUMA KUMARI, Head of the

Department of ECE, Dr. G. RATNAKAR RAO, Principal of our college and
Management of SRI VASAVI ENGINEERING COLLEGE for extending all
the facilities without which this seminar would not have seen of the light of the
day. An endeavor can only be successful by constant effort and encouragement.

I wish to take this opportunity to express my deep sense of gratitude to all the
people who have extended their cooperation in various ways during this seminar
work. I take pleasure to acknowledge the help of all the respected elders.

Thanking You

K.ARUNKUMAR

Regd.No-17A81A040

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ABSTRACT

Electronic Toll Collection is a generally mature technology that allows

for electronic payment of highway tolls. It takes advantage of vehicle-to-
roadside communication technologies to perform an electronic monetary
transaction between a vehicle passing through a toll station and the toll agency.
This system is implemented using the innovative technology of Radio
Frequency Identification
(RFID).

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is a technology that uses

communication via electromagnetic waves to exchange data between a terminal
and an electronic tag attached to an object, for the purpose of identification and
tracking.
Each vehicle will be provided with an RFID tag. This tag stores the
unique ID of the vehicle and related information. When interrogated by a reader,
it responds with that data over a radio frequency link. The readers are fixed in
the toll gates. So when the vehicle comes near the reader, the data from the tags
can be easily read by the readers. This data is passed to the computer and thus
the cash can be deducted from the user’s account .
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INTRODUCTION

Electronic Toll Collection system is implemented using the technology of

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).

RFID is a wireless link to uniquely identify tags. These systems

communicate via radio signals that carry data either unidirectional or
bidirectional. The tag is energized by a time-varying electromagnetic radio
frequency (RF) wave that is transmitted by the reader. This RF signal is called
carrier signal. When tag is energized the information stored in the tag is
transmitted back to the reader. This is often called backscattering. By detecting
the backscattering signal, the information stored in the tag can be fully
identified. RFID systems are comprised of two main components RF reader and
RF Tag.
❖ RF TAG

The RFID tag, or transponder, is located on the object to be identified and

is the data carrier in the RFID system. Typical transponders
(transmitters/responders) consist of a microchip that stores data and a coupling
element, such as a coiled antenna, used to communicate via radio frequency
communication. Transponders may be either active or passive.
Active transponders have an on-tag power supply (such as a battery) and
actively send an RF signal for communication while passive transponders obtain
all of their power from the interrogation signal of the transceiver and either
reflect or load modulate the transceiver’s signal for communication. Most
transponders, both passive and active, communicate only when they are
interrogated by a transceiver.
Active RFID and Passive RFID are fundamentally different technologies.
While both use radio frequency energy to communicate between a tag and a
reader, the method of powering the tags is different. Active RFID uses an
internal power source (battery) within the tag to continuously power the tag and
its RF communication circuitry, whereas Passive RFID relies on RF energy
transferred from the reader to the tag to power the tag. While this distinction
may seem minor on the surface, its impact on the functionality of the system is
significant
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Passive RFID either (1) Reflects energy from reader or (2) Absorbs and
temporarily stores a very small amount of energy from the reader’s signal to
generate its own quick response.
In either case passive RFID operation requires very strong signals from
the reader and the signal strength required from the tag is constrained to very
low levels by the limited energy. On the other hand active RFID allows very
low level signals to be received by the tag, and the tag can generate high level
signals back to the reader, driven from its internal power source. Active RFID
tag is continuously powered, whether in the reader field or not.

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The selection of active or passive tag affect factors like range of

communication, data storage capacity, sensor ability etc. If the tag is active the
reader can spot more tags within seconds than the passive tag, but as the cost is
compared the passive tags are cheaper than the active tags. The life of the
passive tags are more than the active tag because, active tag requires tag power
supply within the chip.

The different frequencies that the tag can work are:-

Low frequency (LF) - These tags work at a frequency of around 132 kHz
and have a reading range of less than 50 cm. The reading speed is relatively low
and the tags are relatively insensitive to interference. This band enjoys relative
freedom from regulatory limitations because it has not been reserved as an ISM
frequency range, although in this frequency interval other systems operate
typically for aeronautical and marine navigational services. Tags in this
frequency range have been using now in applications such as access control and
animal tracking.
High frequency (HF) - Operate worldwide at 13.56 MHz and can be
read at distances of around one meter, but tags use more energy than low
frequency tags.
Existing uses include tracking books in libraries and baggage at airports. At
around

13.56MHz, electromagnetic fields can propagate through water and tissue but
cannot penetrate metals. Antennas are made simply of turns of coils of small
radius.
Ultra-High frequency (UHF) - These tags work at a range between 315
and

915 MHz and can be read from further away and at higher speed than HF tags.
This makes this frequency the most appropriate for supply chain applications,
such as tracking pallets and case.

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❖ RF READER

The interrogator consists of a reader and data processing subsystem. The

RFID reader, or transceiver, which may be able to both read data from and write
data to a transponder. The data processing subsystem which utilizes the data
obtained from the transceiver in some useful manner.
Typical transceivers (transmitter/receivers), or RFID readers, consist of a
radio frequency module, a control unit, and a coupling element to interrogate
electronic tags via radio frequency communication. In addition, many
transceivers are fitted with an interface that enables them to communicate their
received data to a data processing subsystem, e.g., a database running on a
personal computer. The use of radio frequencies for communication with
transponders allows RFID readers to read passive RFID tags at small to medium
distances and active RFID tags at small to large distances even when the tags
are located in a hostile environment and are obscured from view. The figure
shows handheld and stationary reader modules.
The basic components of an RFID system combine in essentially the
same manner for all applications and variations of RFID systems. All objects to
be identified are physically tagged with transponders. The type of tag used and
the data stored on the tag varies from application to application.

The RF field generated by a tag reader (the energy transmitter) has three
purposes:
1. Induce enough power into the tag coil to energize the tag:

2. Provide a synchronized clock source to the tag:

3. Act as a carrier for return data from the tag:

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TECHNOLOGY USED

Electronic toll collection systems rely on four major components: automated

vehicle identification, automated vehicle classification, transaction processing,
and violation enforcement.
1. Automated vehicle identification

Automated vehicle identification (AVI) is the process of determining the

identity of a vehicle subject to tolls. The majority of toll facilities record the
passage of vehicles through a limited number of toll gates. At such facilities, the
task is then to identify the vehicle in the gate area.
Some early AVI systems used barcodes affixed to each vehicle, to be read
optically at the toll booth. Optical systems proved to have poor reading
reliability, especially when faced with inclement weather and dirty vehicles.
Most current AVI systems rely on radiofrequency identification, where an

antenna at the toll gate communicates

with a transponder on the vehicle Figure: - Many ETC systems use transponders
like this one to electronically debit the accounts of
registered
via Dedicated Short Range cars without their stopping

Communications (DSRC). RFID tags have proved to have excellent accuracy,

and can be read at highway speeds.

2. Automated vehicle classification

Automated vehicle classification is closely related to automated vehicle

identification (AVI). Most toll facilities charge different rates for different types
of vehicles, making it necessary to distinguish the vehicles passing through the
toll facility.

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The simplest method is to store the vehicle class in the customer record, and use
the AVI data to look up the vehicle class. This is low-cost, but limits user
flexibility, in such cases as the automobile owner who occasionally tows a

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trailer. More complex systems use a variety of sensors. Inductive sensors

embedded in the road surface can determine the gaps between vehicles, to
provide basic information on the presence of a vehicle. Treadles permit
counting the number of axles as a vehicle passes over them and, with offset-
treadle installations, also detect dual-tire vehicles. Light-curtain laser profilers
record the shape of the vehicle, which can help distinguish trucks and trailers.
3. Transaction processing

Transaction processing deals with maintaining customer accounts, posting toll

transactions and customer payments to the accounts, and handling customer
inquiries. The transaction processing component of some systems is referred to
as a "customer service centre". In many respects, the transaction processing
function resembles banking, and several toll agencies have contracted out
transaction processing to a bank.
Customer accounts may be post-paid, where toll transactions are periodically
billed to the customer, or prepaid, where the customer funds a balance in the
account which is then depleted as toll transactions occur. The prepaid system is
more common, as the small amounts of most tolls makes pursuit of uncollected
debts uneconomic. Most post-paid accounts deal with this issue by requiring a
security deposit, effectively rendering the account a prepaid one.

4. Violation enforcement

A violation enforcement system (VES) is useful in reducing unpaid tolls, as an

unmanned toll gate otherwise represents a tempting target for toll evasion.
Several methods can be used to deter toll violators.
Police patrols at toll gates can be highly effective. In addition, in most
jurisdictions, the legal framework is already in place for punishing toll evasion
as a traffic infraction. However, the expense of police patrols makes their use on
a continuous basis impractical, such that the probability of being stopped is
likely to be low enough as to be an insufficient deterrent.
A physical barrier, such as a gate arm, ensures that all vehicles passing through
the toll booth have paid a toll. Violators are identified immediately, as the
barrier will not permit the violator to proceed. However, barriers also force

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authorized customers, which are the vast majority of vehicles passing through,
to slow to a near-stop at the toll gate, negating much of the speed and capacity
benefits of electronic tolling.
Automatic number plate recognition, while rarely used as the primary
vehicle identification method, is more commonly used in violation
enforcement. In the VES
context, the number of images
collected is much smaller than
in the AVI context. This makes
manual review, with its Figure
1:-Ontario's Highway 407 use
automatic number plate recognition
greater accuracy over fully
automated methods, practical.
However, many jurisdictions
require legislative action to
permit this type of
enforcement, as the number
plate identifies only the vehicle, not its operator, and many traffic
enforcement regulations require identifying the operator in order to issue an
infraction.

WORKING OF ETCS

ETC system relies on four major components: automated vehicle identification

(AVI), automated vehicle classification (AVC), transaction processing, and
violation enforcement.
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(i) Vehicle identification: When a vehicle approaches the ETC lane, the
system installed at the plaza communicates with FASTag and checks for card
validity and account balance.
• Vehicles with valid tag (Tag registered with ETC program) and positive
account balance are allowed to cross the intersection.
• Other vehicles entering ETC lanes are guided out via ejection lane
mechanism to adjacent manual cash lanes, where they would be allowed
to pass after paying toll fee and a penalty.

(ii) Vehicle classification: Toll charges levied on a vehicle depend on its

class- Car/Jeep/Van, Truck, Bus, LCV, Multi Axle vehicles. AVC (automatic
vehicle classification) is a key element for assessment of the correct toll tax at
toll plazas and ensures accurate vehicle detection and classification.
The classification is based on axles, distance between axles, single and
double wheels and multiple vehicle heights. This is done using infra-red sensors
installed at the toll plaza.

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If the AVC class matches the vehicle class associated with that FASTag
the vehicle is successfully classified, else there is a class mismatch. Class
mismatch is verified by looking at video recording captured by lane camera.

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(iii) Transaction Processing: This requires setting up of a Central Clearing

House (CCH) for clearing and settlement of toll transactions.
• ETC transaction file is generated for all vehicles that cross the plaza with
valid tag and positive account balance.
• These ETC transaction files are relayed to CCH (Central Clearing House)
for debiting appropriate toll fee from the pre-paid account of registered
vehicle and crediting the same to respective toll collection agency.
• Text message is sent to the vehicle owner for each transaction.

(iv) Violation handling: Stolen vehicles, vehicles with class mismatch,

vehicles with insufficient balance and those that run through (cross without
payment in cash lane) are blacklisted. List of blacklisted vehicles is shared
with all toll plazas. These vehicles are stopped when they cross the next toll
collection point and appropriate steps are taken.
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BASIC BLOCK DIAGRAM

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ADVANTAGES

 Entire process takes a matter of seconds to complete.

 Electronic system records transaction, including the time, date, and plaza
and toll charge of each vehicle.
 Allow drivers to pass through the system at 55 miles per hour (88 kph). 
99.95% accuracy as said by toll plaza authority.
 Vehicles equipped with ETC require less time than all other vehicles to
conduct a toll transaction.
 An increase in a toll lane service rate causes a decrease in the average
waiting time of vehicles at the toll plaza.
 Vehicle emissions are reduced because vehicle speeds through the toll
plaza are increased and accelerations and decelerations reduced.
 ETC requires far less roadside infrastructure than manual tollbooths.

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SUMMARY

Here I have discussed various types of ETC systems applied in some

countries. The proposed ETC system discussed in this work applies RFID
technology. By doing so, increased efficiency will be guaranteed since RFID is
known as a highly stable technology. With the elimination of human interaction
in the entire toll collection process, we can create a better ETC system to be
implemented. It can also significantly improve the efficiency of toll stations and
the traffic abilities of the toll road.

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REFERENCES

1. Copeland, Larry, Toll roads take cashless route, USA Today, July 28,
2008.
2. Kelly, Frank (2006). "Road Pricing: Addressing congestion, pollution and
the financing of Britain's road". Ingenia. The Royal Academy of
Engineering. 39: 36–42.
3. Roth, Gabriel (2008). "Roads in a Market Economy". In Jordi, Philipp
(ed.). Institutional Aspects of Directive 2004/52/EC on the
Interoperability of Electronic Road Toll Systems in the Community.
Europainstitut der Universität Basel.
4. Change in ETC utilization rate -Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,
Transport and Tourism (May 4, 2019)
5. Poole Jr., Robert W. (November 6, 2007). "Life in the Slow Lane". The
Wall Street Journal.
6. European Parliament; European Council (April 29, 2004). "Directive
2004/52/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April
2004 on the interoperability of electronic road toll systems in the
Community". EUR-Lex. European Union. Retrieved March 8, 2012.

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