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Mass transit system

  • US 5,797,330 A
  • Filed: 07/31/1996
  • Issued: 08/25/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An on-demand mass transit system to enable the non-stop transport of individuals from a first location to a second location, both locations within an area serviced by the system, the system comprising:

  • a) a plurality of self-propelled mass transit passenger vehicles, each passenger vehicle suitable to transport passengers from the first location to the second location;

    b) a network of interconnected tracks including main tracks and holding tracks, the main tracks provided as the main conduits for the passenger vehicles to move within the network and the holding tracks provided to hold unoccupied vehicles that are available to be dispatched to transport passengers;

    c) a plurality of passenger stations, including a first station at the first location and a second station at the second location, each passenger station removed and decoupled from the main track, located adjacent to at least one portion of the main track, and configured to support the pick-up and drop-off of passengers while not affecting the flow of vehicular traffic on the main track;

    d) ramp means to enable passenger vehicles to move between the respective passenger stations and at least one of a portion of the main track and the holding track at each of the stations;

    e) a plurality of station interface units, at least one installed in each of the plurality of passenger stations to enable individuals to request a pickup at the first station by one of the passenger vehicles and to specify the second station to be transported to; and

    f) computing means provided to control and coordinate the activities of the mass transit system, the computing means in communication with each station interface unit to enable the exchange of information between the computing means and the station interface units so as to process and coordinate the requests by individuals for transport, and further to process information received related to the position and speed of the plurality of the passenger vehicles in operation on the network of tracks to determine and provide appropriate control information;

    g) the ramp means provided to (1) enable passenger vehicles that are not presently in use to be dispatched by the computing means from the holding track to the first station to pick up at least one passenger who has requested transport, (2) enable occupied passenger vehicles to move from the first station to the main track to commence transport to the second station, (3) to enable passenger vehicles to move from the main track to the second station to drop-off passengers, and (4) enable passenger vehicles to be moved from the second station to the associated holding track until the passenger vehicle is needed to transport additional passengers.

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