Telecommunications System & Management

Zimbabwe Government invests significant amount of money is to construct tollgates infrastructure along its major roads with the intention of generating road maintenance revenue. This research exploits the use of Geo-Fencing (G-F) with the aid of GPS systems to create cheap infrastructure-less tolling system that is more efficient compared to the current ZINARA tolling system. The city geographical boundaries generate a digital G-F around it. The coordinates of the G-F that intersect with the road network on the digital map thus become the virtual toll points (tolling points). Vehicles equipped with active GPS systems linked to a toll-fee account, constantly communicates with the control centre, relaying real-time vehicle coordinates to the servers. Billing is affected every time a vehicle crosses the tolling point. Successful model functionality of the infrastructure-less tollgate system is presented and developed using Arduino micro-controllers and a modified GPS map-matching algorithm. The successful prototype functionality presented is proof of concept that reveals significant cost saving in improved tollgate system implementation, which enables an increased traffic flow rate, reduction in traffic delays and system scalability.

In today’s rapidly advancing technology market, most conventional digital display system is now being implemented using individual logic gates and integrated circuits such as microprocessor and microcontroller chips which contain the circuitry necessary to create logic functions are being used to implement digital systems, The advent of new technologies has made information in form of electronic display in the world of advertisement and promotion. The LED dot matrix display is a display system which is used in information dissemination to larger number of audience within the location which it is situated. It has three sections; power, control and display. This which could be grouped into two main part; the hardware and software. The display system physically conveys set of programmed data on the controller card, the hardware part comprises of numbers of LED module, power supply module, controller card and the casing. The software part is the part on the controller card that stores the received programmed data. It uses a volatile memory which allows reprogramming and memory formatting for maximum of 1000 times. The casing of the display system comprises of rectangular screwed and riveted aluminium rod, ACO Board and transparent plastic which covers it both in the front and back. The system switches on automatically whenever it is plugged to the AC supply and it has a minimum efficient life span of 50,000 hours and a maximum viewing angle and distance of 140 degrees and 25 metres.