Transit vehicle wireless transmission broadcast system

• US 20040198281A1
• Filed: 10/24/2002
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CBS Broadcasting Incorporated (Paramount Global (f/k/a ViacomCBS Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Rail Network, Inc.
• Inventors: Lane, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,139,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/186.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/62 for transportation systems, e.g. in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/79 characterised by transmission among broadcast stations

Abstract

A transit vehicle wireless transmission broadcast system for wirelessly transmitting multimedia content from one transit vehicle to another transit vehicle for broadcast of the multimedia content to passengers traveling in the transit vehicles. Each transit vehicle includes a receiver for receiving the multimedia content or storage device for retrieving the multimedia content and a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the multimedia content to a receiver located on another transit vehicle. Each of the transit vehicles includes broadcast device for broadcasting the multimedia content to the passengers.

Claims

1. A transit vehicle broadcast system for broadcasting multimedia content to a plurality of passengers traveling in multiple transit vehicles, the system comprising:

a first means for receiving said multimedia content, said first receiving means located on a one of said multiple transit vehicles;

a first means for broadcasting said received multimedia content to said plurality of passengers traveling in said one of said multiple transit vehicles;

a first means for wirelessly transmitting said received multimedia content to another one of said multiple transit vehicles and, said first wireless transmitting means located in said one of said multiple transit vehicles and;

a second means for receiving said transmitted multimedia content at said another one of said multiple transit vehicles for broadcast to passengers traveling in said another one of said multiple transit vehicles.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a first means for storing said multimedia content including a means for processing to manage said multimedia content and to distribute and broadcast said multimedia content, wherein said first storage means is located within said one of said multiple transit vehicles.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

a second storage device connected to said second wireless receiving means for storing said received multimedia content for broadcast to said plurality of passengers traveling in said another one of said multiple transit vehicles.

4. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

a means for converting said multimedia content stored on said first storage means to a predetermined wireless frequency; and

a means for transmitting said converted multimedia content for receipt by passengers who are in possession of devices capable of receiving wireless transmission at said predetermined wireless frequency.

5. The broadcast system of claim 1 further comprising:

a closed circuit broadcast means for broadcasting said multimedia content to said plurality of passengers traveling in said multiple transit vehicles, each of said multiple transit vehicles having said closed circuit broadcast means.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless transmitting means further comprises:

a means for converting said multimedia content to a predetermined wireless frequency.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second transmitter within said another one of said multiple transit vehicles, for wireless transmitting said received multimedia content to another one of said multiple transit vehicles.

8. The system of claim 1 for use distributing said multimedia content to a transit vehicle having a plurality of cars, said system comprising:

a converter connected to said storage means for converting said multimedia content to a predetermined wireless frequency;

an amplifier for amplifying said converted multimedia content;

a plurality of transmitters, one of said plurality of transmitters located on each of said plurality of cars for transmitting said converted multimedia content to a next one of said plurality of cars;

a plurality of receivers, one of said plurality of receivers located on each of said plurality of cars for receiving said transmitted multimedia content from a previous one of said plurality of cars; and

a plurality of means for broadcasting said multimedia content, at least one of said plurality of broadcasting means connected to said plurality of receivers for broadcasting said multimedia content to said plurality of passengers.

9. A system for wirelessly distributing multimedia content for broadcast to a plurality of passengers traveling in two or more interconnected transit vehicles, said system comprising:

a first storage device for storing said multimedia content and including a processing means to manage said stored multimedia content and to transmit said multimedia content to another one of said two or more interconnected transit vehicles;

a first transmitter connected to said storage device for wirelessly transmitting said multimedia content to said another one of said two or more transit vehicles; and

a receiver located in said another one of said two or more interconnected transit vehicles for wirelessly receiving said multimedia content wirelessly transmitted from said first transmitter for broadcasting said received multimedia content to said plurality of passengers traveling in said another one of said two or more interconnected transit vehicles.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said first transmitter further comprises at least one of:

a converter for converting said multimedia content to a predetermined wireless frequency; and

an amplifier for amplifying said multimedia content prior to transmitting said multimedia content to said another one of said two or more interconnected transit vehicles.

11. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

a second storage device located in said another one of said two or more interconnected transit vehicles for storing said wirelessly received multimedia content for broadcasting said multimedia content to said plurality of passengers traveling in said another one of said two or more interconnected transit vehicles.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

an amplifier connected to said receiver within said another one of said two or more interconnected transit vehicles for amplifying said wirelessly received multimedia content to produce an amplified multimedia content;

a second transmitter for transmitting said amplified multimedia content to another one of said two or more interconnected transit vehicles;

a second receiver on said another one of said two or more interconnected transit vehicles for receiving said amplified multimedia content.

13. The system of claim 9 for further use broadcasting said multimedia content to said plurality of passengers traveling in said two or more interconnected transit vehicles, said method further comprising:

a plurality video graphic display means for displaying said multimedia content to said plurality of passengers, each of said two or more interconnected transit vehicles having at least one of said plurality of video graphic display means.

14. A method for distributing multimedia content stored on a server to a plurality of interconnected cars on a transit vehicle for broadcast to a plurality of passengers traveling in said transit vehicle, said plurality of interconnected cars each including one of a plurality of wireless transmitters and one of a plurality of wireless receivers, the method comprising:

retrieving said multimedia content stored on said server located within one of said plurality of interconnected cars;

wirelessly transmitting said retrieved multimedia content to a one of said plurality of receivers located in another one of said plurality of interconnected cars via a corresponding one of said plurality of transmitters located within said one of said plurality of interconnected cars;

receiving said multimedia content transmitted from said one of said plurality of interconnected cars at a corresponding one of said plurality of receivers located on said another one of said plurality of interconnected cars; and

wirelessly transmitting said received multimedia content to a another one of said plurality of receivers via said one of said plurality of transmitters on said adjacent one of said plurality of interconnected cars.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said wirelessly transmitting said retrieved multimedia content comprises:

converting said multimedia content to a predetermined wireless frequency;

amplifying said converted multimedia content to produce an amplified multimedia content; and

transmitting said amplified multimedia content to each of said another one of said plurality of receivers on said another one of said plurality of interconnected cars.

16. The method of claim 14 for further use broadcasting said multimedia content to said plurality of passengers traveling in said plurality of interconnected cars, the method further comprising:

broadcasting said received multimedia content to said plurality of passengers traveling in said plurality of interconnected cars on a plurality of video graphic displays, each one of said plurality of interconnected cars having at least one of said plurality of video graphic displays.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting said received multimedia content to a plurality of hand held devices capable of receiving said wireless multimedia content.

18. A method for broadcasting multimedia content to a plurality of passengers traveling in a plurality of interconnected cars comprising a transit vehicle, said method comprising:

wirelessly receiving said multimedia content at a first one of said plurality of interconnected cars;

wirelessly transmitting said received multimedia content a next one of said plurality of interconnected cars;

each next one of said plurality of interconnected cars, wirelessly receiving said transmitted multimedia content at said another one of said plurality cars;

each next one of said plurality of interconnected cars, wirelessly transmitting said received multimedia content at said another one of said plurality cars; and

broadcasting said received multimedia content to said plurality of passengers traveling in said plurality of interconnected cars.