TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TIME CALCULATION AND DISPLAY SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method for providing a transit stop forecast in a self-learning transit system comprising a control center and a transit vehicle unit adapted to be installed into a transit vehicle traveling on a transit route, wherein the transit route comprises a plurality of transit stops, the method comprising:
- a) providing a position information item of the transit vehicle unit to the control center,b) storing the position information item in a memory device of the control center,c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until a predetermined number of position information items have been stored,d) calculating by the control center a medial time table for each of the transit stops based on the stored position information items and storing the medial time table in the memory device, ande) providing the medial time table to the transit vehicle unit as the transit stop forecast.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method collects transit vehicle arrival and departure data sent from the transit vehicle to a stationary control center. The stationary control center continuously calculates, a medial time table, a medial travel time to a destination on a transit route and a medial travel time between transit stops on the route. The medial values may be calculated differently for rush hour, holiday, or certain weather conditions to increase the accuracy of the schedule forecast. Actual position and time information of a transit vehicle may be transmitted via wireless communication from a transit vehicle to the stationary control center. The position and time information is transmitted at least when the transit vehicle arrives and departs each transit stop on the transit route. The medial values can be displayed to transit vehicle users.
39 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for providing a transit stop forecast in a self-learning transit system comprising a control center and a transit vehicle unit adapted to be installed into a transit vehicle traveling on a transit route, wherein the transit route comprises a plurality of transit stops, the method comprising:
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a) providing a position information item of the transit vehicle unit to the control center, b) storing the position information item in a memory device of the control center, c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until a predetermined number of position information items have been stored, d) calculating by the control center a medial time table for each of the transit stops based on the stored position information items and storing the medial time table in the memory device, and e) providing the medial time table to the transit vehicle unit as the transit stop forecast. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A self-learning transit system for providing a transit stop forecast for a transit vehicle traveling on a transit route, wherein the transit route comprises a plurality of transit stops, the system comprising:
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a transit vehicle unit adapted to be installed into the transit vehicle and to provide position information items of the transit vehicle unit, a control center connected to the transit vehicle unit via a wireless communication network and adapted to receive and store the position information items in a memory device comprised by the control center, wherein the control center, as soon as a predetermined number of position information items have been stored, is further adapted to calculate a medial time table for each of the transit stops based on the stored position information items, to store the medial time table in the memory device and to provide the medial time table to the transit vehicle unit as the transit stop forecast. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for a transit system central controller to create and provide a continuously updated time table schedule forecast for a transit vehicle on a first transit route having a 1st to N transit stops, the method comprising:
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a) providing a 1st transit stop name for the 1st transit stop from a vehicle control unit to an information handling device; b) displaying on a transit vehicle display the 1st transit stop name; c) traveling by the transit vehicle to the 1st transit stop; d) arriving, by the transit vehicle, at the 1st transit stop and generating a 1st arrival signal and a 1st arrival time; e) providing by the information handling device the 1st transit stop name and the 1st arrival time to a wireless communication system located on the transit vehicle; f) transmitting, by the wireless communication transceiver, the 1st transit stop name and the 1st arrival time to a central controller; g) storing in a memory of the central controller, the 1st transit stop name, the 1st arrival time and the date; h) initiating departure, by the transit vehicle, from the 1st transit stop and generating a 1st departure signal and a 1st departure time; i) providing by the information handling device the 1st transit stop name and the 1st departure time to the wireless communication transceiver; j) transmitting, by the wireless communication transceiver, the 1st transit stop name and the 1st departure time to the central controller k) storing in the memory device, the 1st transit stop name, the first departure time and the date; l) repeating steps (a) through (k) for each of the 2nd through N transit stops accordingly; m) repeating steps (a) through (l) at least once each day of the week for a predetermined number of weeks; and n) calculating by the central controller a median time table for each of the 1st through N transit stops of the first transit route and storing the median time table in the memory device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for creating and providing a transit stop forecast for a transit route, wherein the transit route comprises a plurality of transit stops, the system comprising:
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a first vehicle unit adapted for installation into a first transit vehicle, the vehicle unit comprising; a vehicle position device adapted to estimate the vehicle unit'"'"'s geographical location and provide geographical location data; a vehicle control unit adapted to store a list of the plurality of transit stops and transit stop data associated with each of the plurality of transit stops on the transit route; a clock circuit adapted to provide date and time data; a mobile data transceiver device adapted to wirelessly communicate over a mobile data network; an information handling device adapted to receive geographical location data from the vehicle position device, adapted to request and receive transit stop data for each transit stop from the vehicle control unit, and adapted to receive date and time data from the clock circuit;
the information handling device further adapted to determine, using the geographical location data, whether the vehicle unit is stopped proximate to or is leaving from a geographical location of one of the plurality of transit stops;wherein, when the information handling device determines that the vehicle unit is stopped proximate one of the plurality of transit stops, the information handling device is further adapted to create an arrival data package comprising a transit vehicle ID, a route ID, time and date data, and an indication that the transit vehicle stopped at one of the plurality of transit stops; and
wherein the information handling device is further adapted to provide the arrival data package to the mobile data transceiver for wireless transmission over the mobile data network; andwherein, when the information handling device determines that the vehicle unit is leaving from the geographical location of one of the plurality of transit stops, the information handling device is further adapted to create a departure data package comprising the transit vehicle ID, the route ID, time and date data, and an indication that the transit vehicle is departing from one of the plurality of transit stops; and
wherein the information handling device is further adapted to provide the departure data package to the mobile data transceiver for wireless transmission over the mobile network; anda control center adapted to communicate over the mobile data network with the mobile transceiver, the control center comprising a database adapted to initially operate in a learning mode for a predetermined amount of time, wherein during learning mode the control center receives the arrival data packages and departure data packages from the vehicle unit and stores the received data in the data base. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A transit vehicle time table notification device comprising:
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an information handling device adapted to provide transit time table information to display to users of a transit system, the transit time table information to display comprising a selected transit stop name and an estimated time of arrival at the selected transit stop; a vehicle control unit adapted to store a list of N transit stop names comprising a first transit stop name to an Nth transit stop name and adapted to store transit stop name geographical location information for each of the N transit stop names, the vehicle control unit adapted to provide a selected transit stop name and geographical location information of the selected transit stop name from the list of N transit stop names to the information handling device; a geographical positioning system (GPS) unit adapted to provide geographical location information about a position of a transit vehicle in which the transit vehicle time table notification device is installed to the information handling device; a time clock circuit that provides a time signal to the information handling device; a door status sensor adapted to provide a door open signal when a predetermined transit vehicle door is opened and a door close signal when the predetermined transit vehicle door is closed to the information handling device; a telecommunication device adapted to accept and transmit a transmit data package from the information handling device to a central controller, the telecommunication device further being adapted to provide a received data package from the central controller to the information handling system; wherein when the door status sensor provides a door open signal at substantially the same time that the geographical location information indicates that the transit vehicle is substantially close to the geographical location information of the selected transit stop name, then the information handling system provides a first transmit data package to the telecommunication device for transmission by the telecommunication device to the central controller, the first transmit data package comprises the selected transit stop name and an indication of the time that the transit vehicle arrived at the selected transit stop name. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification