Multi-passenger door detection for a passenger transport
First Claim
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1. A vehicle door system, comprising:
- a for-hire vehicle (FHV) having a door;
an actuator configured to adjust a position of the door;
an apparatus configured to detect vehicle occupancy data, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one sensor disposed about the door of the vehicle, the at least one sensor comprising a first detection region positioned at a first distance from a hinge assembly of the door and a second detection region positioned at a second distance from the hinge assembly; and
a controller configured to;
control the actuator to position the door in an open position providing access to a passenger compartment;
detect a vehicle occupancy based on an ingress or egress of a passenger, wherein the detection of the ingress and egress comprises identifying movement of the passenger from the first detection region to the second detection region;
process the vehicle occupancy data to determine a real-time vehicle occupancy over a course of a passenger transport; and
calculate a transport fare as a function of the real-time vehicle occupancy.
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Abstract
A vehicle door system for a for-hire vehicle (FHV) and a method of calculating a transport fare includes providing a FHV having an actuator configured to adjust a position of a door relative to a door opening. An apparatus is configured to receive vehicle occupancy data. A controller is configured to process the vehicle occupancy data to determine the vehicle occupancy over the course of a passenger transport. The controller is further configured to calculate a transport fare as a function of the vehicle occupancy over the course of the passenger transport.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A vehicle door system, comprising:
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a for-hire vehicle (FHV) having a door; an actuator configured to adjust a position of the door; an apparatus configured to detect vehicle occupancy data, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one sensor disposed about the door of the vehicle, the at least one sensor comprising a first detection region positioned at a first distance from a hinge assembly of the door and a second detection region positioned at a second distance from the hinge assembly; and a controller configured to; control the actuator to position the door in an open position providing access to a passenger compartment; detect a vehicle occupancy based on an ingress or egress of a passenger, wherein the detection of the ingress and egress comprises identifying movement of the passenger from the first detection region to the second detection region; process the vehicle occupancy data to determine a real-time vehicle occupancy over a course of a passenger transport; and calculate a transport fare as a function of the real-time vehicle occupancy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18, 19)
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10. A method of calculating a transport fare in a for-hire vehicle (FHV), comprising:
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communicating with a mobile device identifying an occupancy request of the FHV from a patron; providing the FHV having an actuator configured to adjust a position of a door; identifying the patron proximate the FHV by communicating with the mobile device; positioning the door in an open configuration with a door actuator in response to the identification of the patron; detecting passenger activity in a detection region between the door and a passenger compartment with a detection sensor, wherein detecting the passenger activity comprises detecting an ingress or egress of a passenger moving from a first detection region to a second detection region along a radial extent of the door; determining a FHV occupancy from data related to the passenger activity; and calculating said transport fare as a function of the FHV occupancy. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of calculating a transport fare in a for-hire vehicle (FHV), comprising:
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receiving a request from a mobile device by the FHV identifying a pickup location; communicating with the mobile device identifying an occupancy request of the FHV from a patron; providing the FHV at the pickup location, the FHV having an actuator configured to adjust a position of a door relative to a door opening; identifying a passenger proximate the vehicle by communicating with the mobile device; providing access to the FHV using the actuator to open the door based on an authenticated access request signal provided to a controller in response to the identification of the patron proximate the vehicle; monitoring an ingress and egress of the patron through the door opening, wherein monitoring the ingress or egress of the patron comprises detecting the patron moving from a first detection region to a second detection region along a radial extent of the door; closing the door using the actuator; determining an initial FHV occupancy; and calculating said transport fare, further including; determining a destination location; calculating a number of intermediate stops made between the pickup location and the destination location; determining a number of passenger-initiated door open requests sent to the controller; monitoring passenger ingress and egress through the door opening at one or more of the number of the intermediate stops to determine a final FHV occupancy; and providing the transport fare calculated in-part based on the final FHV occupancy relative to the initial FHV occupancy.
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Specification