US5955970A — On-board electronic device for use in electronic …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 117 words

A communication system for use in an electronic toll collection system in which a toll is electronically collected through wireless communication between an on-board electronic device and a stationary electronic device, the communication system comprising: means for detecting an illegitimate action committed in the electronic toll collection system, said detecting means being a component of said on-board device; means, electrically connected to the detecting means, for temporarily terminating the wireless communication between the on-board electronic device and the stationary electronic device when the illegitimate action is detected by the detecting means; and means, including a programmer separate from the on-board electronic device, for recovering the wireless communication between the on-board electronic device and the stationary electronic device.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 117 words

A communication system for use in an electronic toll collection system in which a toll is electronically collected through wireless communication between an on-board electronic device and a stationary electronic device, the communication system comprising: means for detecting an illegitimate action committed in the electronic toll collection system, said detecting means being a component of said on-board device; means, electrically connected to the detecting means, for temporarily terminating the wireless communication between the on-board electronic device and the stationary electronic device when the illegitimate action is detected by the detecting means; and means, including a programmer separate from the on-board electronic device, for recovering the wireless communication between the on-board electronic device and the stationary electronic device.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 62 words

The communication system as in claim 1, wherein: the temporarily terminating means includes a memory containing original data which are altered when the illegitimate action is detected by the detecting means; the wireless communication remains terminated during a period in which the memory remains altered; and the recovering means restores the original data in the memory whereby the wireless communication is recovered.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 34 words

The communication system as in claim 2, wherein: the data in the memory are altered by eliminating data necessary for the wireless communication; and the original data are restored by rewriting the eliminated data.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 41 words

The communication system as in claim 2, wherein: the data in the memory are altered by setting a flag in the memory which indicates a temporary termination of the wireless communication; and the wireless communication is recovered by resetting the flag.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 18 words

The communication system as in claim 1, wherein the illegitimate action is opening the on-board electronic device illegitimately.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

The communication system as in claim 1, wherein the illegitimate action is reading the data stored in the memory illegitimately.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 20 words

The communication system as in claim 1, further comprising means for recording an accumulated number of the illegitimate action committed.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 27 words

The communication system as in claim 7, wherein: the wireless communication is made unrecoverable when the accumulated number of the illegitimate action committed exceeds a predetermined number.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 56 words

The communication system as in claim 1, wherein: the wireless communication is performed under encryption; the on-board electronic device includes a key memory containing various key data for encryption and decryption; and the key data used in the wireless communication are selected from the various key data at random every time the wireless communication is performed.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 37 words

The communication system as in claim 9, wherein: the key data used in the encrypted wireless communication are first selected at the stationary electronic device and sent to the on-board electronic device which decodes the key data.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 57 words

The communication system as in claim 1, wherein: the on-board electronic device includes electronic components which require security protection against an illegitimate access thereto and electronic components which require maintenance service; and the electronic components requiring security protection are formed as a single chip in which all of such components are connected by an inner bus line.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 33 words

The communication system as in claim 11, wherein the single chip containing the electronic components requiring security protection is mounted on a single circuit board separate from the electronic components requiring maintenance service.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 36 words

The communication system as in claim 12, wherein the single chip is covered by a cover case, and a photo-diode is disposed in the cover case so that the photo-diode detects opening of the cover case.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 49 words

The communication system as in claim 1, wherein the programmer includes an electromagnetically shielded box for containing the on-board electronic device therein for recovering a temporarily terminated communication function of the on-board electronic device and a computer for communicating with the on-board electronic device contained in the shielded box.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 156 words

An on-board electronic device having a communication function for use in an electronic toll collection system in which a toll is electronically collected through wireless communication between the on-board electronic device and a stationary electronic device, the on-board electronic device comprising: means for detecting an illegitimate action committed in the electronic toll collection system; means, electrically connected to the detecting means, for temporarily terminating the communication function of the on-board device when the illegitimate action is detected by the detecting means; means for recovering the communication function of the on-board device; a circuit board carrying electronic components thereon; and a case containing the circuit board therein, wherein: the illegitimate action is opening the case illegitimately; the circuit board is fastened to the case with a plurality of screws; and removal of the screws from the circuit board in an order other than a predetermined order is judged as the action illegitimately opening the on-board electronic device.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 156 words

An on-board electronic device having a communication function for use in an electronic toll collection system in which a toll is electronically collected through wireless communication between the on-board electronic device and a stationary electronic device, the on-board electronic device comprising: means for detecting an illegitimate action committed in the electronic toll collection system; means, electrically connected to the detecting means, for temporarily terminating the communication function of the on-board device when the illegitimate action is detected by the detecting means; means for recovering the communication function of the on-board device; a circuit board carrying electronic components thereon; and a case containing the circuit board therein, wherein: the illegitimate action is opening the case illegitimately; the circuit board is fastened to the case with a plurality of screws; and removal of the screws from the circuit board in an order other than a predetermined order is judged as the action illegitimately opening the on-board electronic device.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 47 words

The on-board electronic device as in claim 15, wherein: each screw fastening the circuit board to the case constitutes an electric switch which turns on when the screw fastens the circuit board to the case and turns off when the screw is removed from the circuit board.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-09-20	2003-03-22	2003-09-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-09-20	2007-03-22	2007-09-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-09-20	2011-03-22	2011-09-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

On-board electronic device for use in electronic toll collection system

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