Information system for travellers

• US 20020135515A1
• Filed: 03/19/2002
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Simons, Paul R., Rankin, Paul J.
• Application Number:
  US10/101,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20020135515A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/385
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/42 for mass transport vehicles, e.g. buses, trains or aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00

Abstract

A data transmission system for a transportation platform (100) comprising a transport beacon (102) and a user terminal (104), the transport beacon and user terminal being carried on the transportation platform (100), the transport beacon operable to access data associated with a geographical position (106), to receive a signal relating to the present geographical position (108) of the transportation platform and to exchange the data (110) with the user terminal in response to the signal.

Claims

1. A data transmission system for a transportation platform comprising a transport beacon and a user terminal, the transport beacon and user terminal being carried on the transportation platform, the transport beacon operable to access data associated with a geographical position, to receive a signal relating to the present geographical position of the transportation platform and to exchange said data with the user terminal in response to said signal.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 comprising a basestation beacon, the basestation beacon operable to exchange data with the transport beacon.

3. A transport beacon for a transportation platform for use in the system of claim 1 comprising a data processing unit, a first communications port operable to support communications with a user terminal, a second communications port operable to receive a signal relating to the present geographical position of the transportation platform and a third communications port operable to access data associated with a geographical position and to exchange said data with the user terminal in response to said signal.

4. A transport beacon as claimed in claim 3 in which the signal relating to the present geographical position is provided by a system related to the management of the transportation platform.

5. A transport beacon as claimed in claim 3 comprising a GPS unit, which GPS unit provides the signal relating to the present geographical position.

6. A transport beacon as claimed in claim 3 comprising a store for data associated with a geographical position.

7. A basestation beacon for use in the system of claim 1 comprising a store for data associated with a geographical position and a communications port operable to support communications with a transport beacon.

8. A use of a transport beacon according to the system of claim 1 to deliver user services and advertising to travellers on a transportation platform, the use comprising:

the accessing of data associated with a geographical position of the transportation platform;

the reception of a signal relating to the present geographical position of the transportation platform; and

the exchange of said data with a user terminal residing on the transportation platform in dependence of the present geographical position of the transportation platform.

9. A use of a transport beacon as claimed in claim 8 wherein the exchange of said data with the user terminal is in addition in response to the current date and time.

10. A method for use in the system of claim 1 for delivering personalised data services and adverts to travellers, the method supported by a transport beacon and a user terminal residing on a transportation platform, the method comprising the steps of:

a) accessing data associated with a geographical position along the route of the transportation platform;

b) receiving a signal related to the present geographical position of the transportation platform; and

c) exchanging data related to a geographical position along the route of the transportation platform between the transport beacon and the user terminal in response to said signal.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the exchange of said data with the user terminal is in addition in response to the current date and time.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10 or 11 comprising the steps of storing data comprising a profile and filtering data transmitted to the terminal in response to said profile.

13. A method as claimed in claim 10 or 11 comprising the step of filtering said exchanged data in the user terminal in response to a local profile.

14. A method for use in the system of claim 1 for creating virtual advertising space comprising the steps of:

a) providing to a transport beacon on a transportation platform advertising material relating to a geographical position;

b) detecting the present geographical position of the transportation platform; and

c) transmitting to a user terminal on the transportation platform advertising material in response to the present geographical position.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said advertising material is transmitted to the user terminal in addition in response to the current date and time.

16. A method for use in the system of claim 1 for updating basestation beacons utilising a transport beacon carried on a transportation platform comprising the steps of:

a) uploading to the transport beacon update data from a first basestation beacon;

b) storing the update data within the transport beacon; and

c) downloading to a second basestation beacon the update data from the transport beacon.

17. A method for use in the system of claim 1 for identifying to a user a store associated with an advertisement comprising the steps of:

a) sending an advertisement from the transport beacon to a user terminal;

b) receiving at the transport beacon a user identity data accompanying a user response to said advertisement;

c) forwarding the user identity data from the transport beacon to a basestation beacon;

d) sending the user identity data from the basestation beacon to a store node; and

e) receiving the user identity data at the store node and the store node responding to the user.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 in which the user identity data comprises a user mobile phone number which is dialled by the store node to call the user who is travelling nearby.

19. A method for use in the system of claim 1 for configuring billboard advertising to correspond with a profile of nearby travellers comprising the steps of:

a) providing a set of pre-defined user profiles;

b) providing a set of billboard locations;

c) receiving by a transport beacon a user profile from a user terminal;

d) associating the received user profile with a user profile group;

e) determining an appropriate user profile group corresponding to the present user population riding the transportation platform;

f) detecting the present geographical position of the transportation platform;

g) detecting the proximity of a billboard to the transportation platform;

h) exchanging said appropriate user profile group identity between the transport beacon and a basestation beacon;

i) exchanging said appropriate user profile group identity between the basestation beacon and the billboard; and

j) displaying on the billboard an advertisement corresponding to said appropriate user profile group identity.

20. A method for use in the system of claim 1 for advance notification of users of upcoming information on the route of a transportation platform comprising the steps of:

a) providing to a transport beacon information material relating to a geographical position on the present route of the transportation platform;

b) receiving a signal related to the present geographical position of the transportation platform;

c) determining the present geographical position of the transportation platform;

d) repeating steps b) and c) and thereby computing the direction and speed of the transportation platform; and

e) transmitting to a user terminal on the transportation platform information material associated with a subsequent geographical position in relation to the present geographical position, speed and direction of the transportation platform.

21. A method for use in the system of claim 1 for performing customer surveys comprising the steps of:

a) providing the capability for travellers to leave messages for other travellers on the transport beacon/network;

b) receiving messages from user terminals on the transport beacon;

c) scanning said messages to identify those which include service related keywords; and

d) reviewing said messages identified to obtain customer survey data.

22. A method for use in the system of claim 1 wherein a user can post a message to another user on the transport beacon.