Passenger management system and method and electronic device

• US 20030085808A1
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Goldberg, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US10/285,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20030085808A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

The present invention relates to passenger management and, more particular, to a system for improving the experience of a passenger when they embark on a journey. The typical passenger experience then taking, in particular, an international flight is unpleasant. The passenger experiences a significant number of inconveniences which include having to carry and present paper documents at various stages within an airport and being subject to various security checks. Each of these experiences invariably involves a period of time waiting in a queue to be serviced by airport personnel. Waiting in queues is in itself an unpleasant experience and a waste of the passenger'"'"'s time. Suitably, the present invention provides a passenger management system which, in conjunction with an electronic information device, in the form of an electronic boarding card on mobile communication device, improves the passenger'"'"'s experience by reducing the need to queue, where possible, and providing up to date information to ensure that the passenger is kept apprised of events within the airport. Still further, the passenger'"'"'s travel itinerary, ticket and identification details are all stored on the electronic device. The device can provide information to the passenger and be periodically interrogated by the passenger management system remotely to allow the passenger to be traced within the airport.

Claims

1. An electronic information device comprising a transceiver, a memory and a processor for performing at least one function;

the transceiver is arranged to exchange information, stored in the memory, with a remote communication station;

the memory being arranged to store at least identification data relating to the user and travel itinerary data including third party transportation data;

the processor being arranged to output, using the transceiver, at least one of the identification data and the travel itinerary data for processing by the remote communication station.

2. An electronic information device as claimed in claim 1, in which the processor is arranged to output the data in response to actuation of an input device of the electronic information device.

3. An electronic information device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the processor is arranged to output the data in response to receipt, by the transceiver, of a signal issued by the remote communication station.

4. An electronic information device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a radio antenna via which the transceiver receives the signal.

5. An electronic information device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising at least one electrical contact via which the transceiver receives the signal.

6. An electronic information device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for requesting input of data to validate at least one of the identification data and the travel itinerary data.

7. An electronic information device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a speaker for outputting an audible tone in response to receipt of a second signal by the transceiver.

8. A electronic information device as claimed in claim 1 in which the travel itinerary data comprises at least one of check-in status data, baggage check-in data, transport time table data and transport class data.

9. An electronic information device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a visual display for displaying data.

10. An electronic information device as claimed in claim 9, in which the processor is arranged to display directions to be followed to guide a user throughout a building.

11. An electronic information device as claimed in claim 9, in which the data output to the visual display comprises instructions to proceed to an identified location within a building.

12. An electronic information device as claimed in claim 1, in which the device is one of a smart card, a portable computer, a personal digital assistant or a mobile telephone.

13. A passenger management system comprising at least one transceiver, disposed so as to be effective within a building, operable under the control of data received from a monitoring station to at least receive data transmitted by an electronic information device of a user or to transmit data to the electronic information device for output to the user;

the electronic device being within the building.

14. A passenger management system as claimed in claim 13, in which the transceiver is at least one of an induction loop based transceiver, a radio-wave transceiver, a card-chip reader or a magnetic card reader.

15. A passenger management system as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a plurality of transceiver geographically distributed throughout the building.

16. A passenger management system as claimed in claim 15, in which at least one of the transceivers is located at a check-in desk of an airport;

the transceiver being arranged automatically to interrogate the electronic information device when that device is within the vicinity of the check-in desk transceiver; and

to report any data collected from the device in response to the interrogation to a data base accessible from the monitoring station.

17. A passenger management system as claimed in claim 16, further comprising means for receiving from at least a portion of the transceivers, with which the electronic device must register or pass, data indicating the occurrence of the registration of the electronic device.

18. A passenger management system as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a plurality of announcement speakers geographically distributed throughout the building and means, responsive to detecting the presence of the electronic device within a region served by a specific announcement speaker, for selectively activating that specific announcement speaker to convey an audible message to the user of the electronic device.

19. A passenger management system as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a plurality of transceivers geographically distributed throughout the building and means, responsive to detecting the presence of the electronic device within a region of the building serviced by a specific transceiver, for selectively activating that transceiver to convey a message to the user of the electronic device.

20. A computer program element comprising computer program code for implementing a method as claimed in claim 1.

21. A computer program element comprising computer program code for implementing a system as claimed in claim 13.

22. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program element as claimed in claim 20.

23. A passenger management system comprising at least one transceiver, disposed so as to be effective within a building, operable under control of data received from a monitoring station to at least receive data transmitted by an electronic information device of a user or to transmit data to the electronic information device for output to the user;

the electronic device being within the building, and wherein at least one of the transceivers is located in proximity to an airport check-in desk and further being arranged to automatically interrogate the electronic information device when that device is within the vicinity of the check-in desk transceiver; and

to report any data collated from the device in response to the interrogation to a database accessible from the monitoring station.

24. A passenger management system according to claim 23, further comprising a plurality of transceivers geographically distributed through the building and means, responsive to detecting the presence of the electronic device within a region of the building serviced by a specific transceiver, for selectively activating that transceiver to convey a message to the user of the electronic device or to derive data from the electronic device for subsequent processing by the remote monitoring station.