METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION ON AVAILABILITY OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING SAID INFORMATION

• US 20080068221A1
• Filed: 08/27/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: PARK, Jun Hyung
• Granted Patent: US 7,928,864 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/994
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/092 Coding or decoding of the information
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/55 for traffic information

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing public transportation information and using the provided information are discussed. A method for encoding transportation information in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention creates information on a bus route, creates information on the current location and availability of each bus running on the bus route, and creates status information containing the created information. A method for encoding transportation information in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention creates information on a bus stop, creates information on the route, current location, and availability of each bus to arrive at the bus stop, and creates status information containing the created information. The constructed status information can be transmitted wirelessly along with containers carrying other types of information such as management or location information.

Claims

1. A method for encoding transportation information, comprising:

creating information on a bus route;

creating information on a current location and availability of each bus in service on the bus route; and

organizing status information with at least the created information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating information on each bus stop pertaining to the bus route; and

incorporating the information on each bus stop into the status information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating the information on the current location and availability of each bus further creates information on the number of buses in service on the bus route.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information on the availability of each bus includes information on the number of remaining seats and/or whether or not the bus is fall.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information on the bus route includes an ID or number for uniquely identifying the bus route among a plurality of bus routes.

6. A method for encoding transportation information, comprising:

creating information on a bus stop;

creating information on a bus route, current location, and availability of at least one bus to arrive at the bus stop; and

organizing status information with at least the created information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of creating the information on the bus route, current location, and availability of the at least one bus further creates information on the number of buses to arrive at the bus stop.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the information on the availability of the at least one bus includes information on the number of remaining seats and/or whether or not the bus is full.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the information on the bus stop includes an ID for uniquely identifying the bus stop among a plurality of bus stops.

10. A method for decoding transportation information, comprising:

extracting status information from a received signal; and

extracting, from the extracted status information, information on a bus route and information on a current location and availability of each bus in service on the bus route.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

extracting information on each bus stop pertaining to the bus route from the extracted status information.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of extracting the information on the bus route and the information on the current location and availability of each bus further extracts information on the number of buses in service on the bus route from the status information.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the extracted information on the availability includes information on the number of remaining seats and/or whether or not the bus is

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the information on the bus route includes an ID or number for uniquely identifying the bus route among a plurality of bus routes.

15. A method for decoding transportation information, comprising:

extracting status information from a received signal; and

extracting, from the extracted status information, information on a bus stop and information on a bus route, current location, and availability of at least one bus to arrive at the bus stop.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of extracting the information on the bus stop and the information on the bus route, current location, and availability of the at least one bus further extracts information on the number of buses to arrive at the bus stop from the extracted status information.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the extracted information on the availability includes information on the number of remaining seats and/or whether or not the bus is full.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the information on the bus stop includes an ID for uniquely identifying the bus stop among a plurality of bus stops.

19. An apparatus for decoding transportation information, comprising:

a demodulator to demodulate a received signal and to output a sequence of messages containing public transportation information;

a decoder to extract status information from each of the messages, and to extract information on an availability of each bus in service on a bus route and/or information on an availability of at least one bus arriving at a bus stop; and

a controller to store the extracted information in a storage unit and to output the stored information or a part of the stored information via an output unit depending on a condition.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a location detector to detect information on a current location of a terminal associated with the apparatus, wherein the controller stores in the storage unit status information related with only bus stops near the detected current location among the extracted information.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller, responsive to inputted route selection information, reads information on a plurality of bus routes including the route selection information from the storage unit, outputs a list of routes via the output unit, reads from the storage unit information on an availability of at least one bus to arrive at one bus stop located on a bus route selected from the list of bus routes, and outputs the information on the availability via the output unit.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller, responsive to inputted route selection information, reads information on a bus route matched with the inputted route selection information, reads information on an availability of at least one bus to arrive at one bus stop located on the bus route from the storage unit, and outputs the information on the availability via the output unit.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller, responsive to a user'"'"'s request, reads information on bus stops from the storage unit and outputs the information in form of a bus stop list via the output unit, reads from the storage unit information on an availability of at least one bus in service on one bus route passing a bus stop selected from the bus stop list, and outputs the information on the availability in form of a route list via the output unit.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the information on the availability includes information on the number of remaining seats and/or whether or not the bus is full.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the output unit presents the stored information or a part of the stored information visually and/or audibly.

26. An apparatus for providing transportation information for a user, comprising:

a decoder to extract, from a received signal, information on a bus route and information on a current location and availability of each bus in service on the bus route;

a controller to output the extracted information via an output unit in response to a user'"'"'s request; and

an interface unit for the user to request information on the availability of a bus.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the controller outputs via the output unit information on an availability of at least one bus in service on a bus route selected by the user, the bus route being close to a bus stop selected by the user.

28. An apparatus for providing transportation information for a user, comprising:

a decoder to extract, from a received signal, information on a bus route and information on a current location and availability of each bus in service on the bus route; and

a controller to output the extracted information via an output unit in response to a user'"'"'s request,

wherein the controller provides an interface unit for requesting information on an availability of a bus when providing information on bus stops or bus routes via the controller.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the interface unit includes a physically fixed key providing a function of requesting the information on the availability of the bus, and a text string indicating the function of the key,

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the interface unit includes a touch area on the output unit providing a function of requesting the information on the availability of the bus, and a text string indicating the function to be conducted when the touch area is touched, the text string being displayed on the touch area.