Decentralized Transportation Dispatching System and Method for Decentralized Transportation Dispatching

• US 20120123894A1
• Filed: 11/14/2011
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Institute For Information Industry
• Original Assignee: Institute For Information Industry
• Inventors: Tsai, Frank Chee-Da, Chou, Anthony, Chang, Wen-Yao
• Application Number:
  US13/295,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20120123894A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes

Abstract

A method for decentralized transportation dispatching is disclosed. The method bypasses utilizing a centralized dispatch call center and includes announcing a transportation requirement via broadcasting directly by at least one user, and replying to the transportation requirement with a plurality of competitive bidding information directly from a plurality of transportation providers who are capable of providing a passenger-carrying service or providing a goods-carrying service. The method further includes selecting one transportation provider from the transportation providers according to a request from the user, in which the selecting is performed through referencing the bidding information replied to by the transportation providers.

Claims

1. A method for decentralized transportation dispatching, comprising:

announcing a transportation requirement via broadcasting by at least one user;

replying to the transportation requirement with a plurality of competitive bidding information from a plurality of transportation providers who are capable of providing a passenger-carrying service or providing a goods-carrying service; and

selecting one transportation provider from the transportation providers according to at least one request from the user, wherein the selecting is performed through referencing the bidding information replied to by the transportation providers.

2. The method for decentralized transportation dispatching as claimed in claim 1, wherein the broadcasting is realized through radio broadcasting, and the transportation providers who have a radio broadcast receiver or a radio broadcast transmitter can be dispatched and reply to the transportation requirement.

3. The method for decentralized transportation dispatching as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transportation providers providing the competitive bidding information can belong to different vehicle fleet companies.

4. The method for decentralized transportation dispatching as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transportation providers are self-employed.

5. The method for decentralized transportation dispatching as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transportation providers are taxi agents, motorcycle agents, delivery service providers, or mobile restaurant/snack service providers.

6. A method for decentralized transportation dispatching, comprising:

receiving a calling signal from a user;

in response to receiving the calling signal, sending a regional communication signal which initiates generation of at least one regional reply signal by the driver of at least one vehicle;

waiting for the regional reply signal;

storing the regional reply signal;

when only one regional reply signal exists, giving priority to the only one regional reply signal;

when there are several regional reply signals, sorting the regional reply signals and giving priority to one of the sorted regional reply signals; and

dispatching the vehicle corresponding to the regional reply signal having priority to carry the user or goods.

7. The method for decentralized transportation dispatching as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the regional communication signal and the regional reply signal is a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) signal, a dedicated short range communication signal (DSRC), a digital enhanced cordless telecommunications (DECT) signal, or a walkie-talkie signal.

8. The method for decentralized transportation dispatching as claimed in claim 6, wherein the regional communication signal includes information of at least one of user Id, user position, use preference, number of passengers, and an image of the user.

9. The method for decentralized transportation dispatching as claimed in claim 8, wherein the regional communication signal is directly broadcasted to the vehicle or passed to the vehicle through a relay or another vehicle.

10. The method for decentralized transportation dispatching as claimed in claim 6, wherein the regional communication signal includes information of at least one of passenger capacity, vehicle id, and vehicle characteristics.

11. The method for decentralized transportation dispatching as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sorting is done according to a FIFO method or according to a pre-determined selection method for matching user preference to vehicle characteristics.

12. The method for decentralized transportation dispatching as claimed in claim 6, further comprising requesting the user to input a destination through a touch gesture or a voice command after receiving the calling signal.

13. The method for decentralized transportation dispatching as claimed in claim 6, further comprising requesting the user to input the desired vehicle fleet company through a touch gesture or a voice command after receiving the calling signal.

14. A method for decentralized transportation dispatching, comprising:

receiving a regional communication signal;

determining whether a vehicle driver is willing to carry passengers after receiving the regional communication signal;

replying with a regional reply signal when the willingness by the vehicle driver to carry passengers is affirmed;

waiting for a dispatching signal; and

sending an affirming message that affirms the vehicle driver will pick up the passenger in response to receiving the dispatching signal.

15. The method for decentralized transportation dispatching as claimed in claim 14, further comprising transferring the regional communication signal to another vehicle when the vehicle driver is not willing to carry passengers.

16. The method for decentralized transportation dispatching as claimed in claim 14, wherein the regional communication signal includes information of at least one of passenger capacity, vehicle id, and vehicle characteristics.

17. A decentralized transportation dispatching system for dispatching at least one vehicle according to a calling signal from a user, the decentralized transportation dispatching system comprising:

a user interface, comprising;

a fixed terminal regional signal transmitter for transmitting a regional communication signal according to the calling signal inputted by a user;

a fixed terminal regional signal receiver for receiving at least one regional reply signal from at least one vehicle, wherein the regional reply signal is initiated by the regional communication signal;

a memory unit for storing the at least one regional reply signal;

a sorting control unit which, when there are several regional reply signals, sorts the regional reply signals to give priority to one of the regional reply signals; and

a calling unit for controlling the fixed terminal regional signal transmitter according to the regional reply signal having priority for dispatching the vehicle to carry the user.

18. The decentralized transportation dispatching system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the user interface is installed in an electronic bus stop, a multimedia kiosk, a two-way interactive digital signage, a proprietary taxi-calling kiosk, or a user'"'"'s mobile smart phone.

19. The decentralized transportation dispatching system as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a mobile terminal regional signal transceiver installed in the vehicle for receiving the regional communication signal and sending the regional reply signal.

20. The decentralized transportation dispatching system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the signal sent by the fixed terminal regional signal transmitter and the mobile terminal regional signal transceiver is a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) signal, a dedicated short range communication signal (DSCR), a personal handy-phone system signal, or a walkie-talkie signal.

21. The decentralized transportation dispatching system as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a relay for transmitting the regional signal to another vehicle, wherein the relay can be another electronic bus stop, another multimedia kiosk, another two-way interactive digital signage, another proprietary taxi-calling kiosk, or another user'"'"'s mobile smart phone.

22. The decentralized transportation dispatching system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the sorting control unit sorts the regional reply signals according to a FIFO method or according to a pre-determined selection method for matching user preference to vehicle characteristics.