NOTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES

• US 20100095309A1
• Filed: 08/17/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rite-Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rite-Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Lavoie, James Richard, Angell, Robert C.
• Application Number:
  US12/542,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20100095309A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/318
• 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

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for notifying individuals of the arrival and/or departure of public transportation vehicles. According to one aspect of the invention, one or more persons are notified regarding the location of a transportation vehicle. A subscription request is received from the one or more persons to receive a notification about the location of the transportation vehicle. The transportation vehicle is monitored to determine if one or more predefined notification events occur and a notification is sent if the predefined notification events occur. The predefined notification events comprise a predefined distance or time of the transportation vehicle from a predefined location. The subscription service is optionally fee-based. The system can optionally also provide entertainment to one or more riders on the transportation vehicle; determine an attendance of one or more riders on the transportation vehicle and/or identify one or more riders on the transportation vehicle using an identification token.

Claims

1. A method for notifying one or more persons regarding the location of a transportation vehicle, comprising:

receiving a subscription request from said one or more persons to receive a notification about the location of said transportation vehicle;

determining if one or more predefined notification events occur, wherein said one or more predefined notification events comprise a predefined distance or time of said transportation vehicle from a predefined location; and

generating a notification to said one or more persons if said one or more predefined notification events occur

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said transportation vehicle comprises one or more of a bus, train or ferry.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said predefined location is a desired stop of said bus, train or ferry.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a fee with said subscription.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said fee is subsidized if one or more income requirements are satisfied.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification is sent to one or more of at least one specified individual using at least one specified media.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification is sent based on a predefined contact list.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said predefined distance or time is based on positional tracking updates from said transportation vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing entertainment to one or more riders on said transportation vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining an attendance of one or more riders on said transportation vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of identifying one or more riders on said transportation vehicle using an identification token.

12. A system for notifying one or more persons regarding the location of a transportation vehicle, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor, coupled to the memory, operative to;

receive a subscription request from said one or more persons to receive a notification about the location of said transportation vehicle;

determine if one or more predefined notification events occur, wherein said one or more predefined notification events comprise a predefined distance or time of said transportation vehicle from a predefined location; and

generate a notification to said one or more persons if said one or more predefined notification events occur

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said transportation vehicle comprises one or more of a bus, train or ferry.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said predefined location is a desired stop of said bus, train or ferry.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said processor is further configured to receive a fee with said subscription.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said fee is subsidized if one or more income requirements are satisfied.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said notification is sent to one or more of at least one specified individual using at least one specified media.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said notification is sent based on a predefined contact list.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein said predefined distance or time is based on positional tracking updates from said transportation vehicle.

20. An article of manufacture for notifying one or more persons regarding the location of a transportation vehicle, comprising a machine readable storage medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of:

receiving a subscription request from said one or more persons to receive a notification about the location of said transportation vehicle;

determining if one or more predefined notification events occur, wherein said one or more predefined notification events comprise a predefined distance or time of said transportation vehicle from a predefined location; and

generating a notification to said one or more persons if said one or more predefined notification events occur