High-speed processing in wired-and-wireless integrated autonomous decentralized system and its application to IC card ticket system

The automatic fare collection systems need both highspeed processing and high reliability. High-speed processing is one of the most expected functions on the automatic fare collection gates (AFCGs) handling the highly dense passengers during rush hours. Reliability is also indispensable because the tickets are equivalent to notes. On the other hand, a wireless IC card ticket system is preferable to improve the passengers' convenience and to reduce the maintenance cost. However, this system is difficult to meet these two requirements because of wireless communications between an IC card and an AFCG. In this paper, the "Autonomous Decentralized Processing Technology" and the "Decentralized Algorithm on the Fare Calculations with an IC card and AFCGs" are modeled for high-speed processing in the system, assuming "IC cards," "AFCGs," and a "center server" as the autonomous nodes. These technologies are introduced into the "Suica" system at East Japan Railway Company and have proven the effectiveness.