Bicycle rental and security system

• US 6,384,717 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2001
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dean R. Devolpi
• Original Assignee: Dean R. Devolpi
• Inventors: DeVolpi, Dean R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Sihong
• Application Number:
  US09/884,267
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 340/432, 340/427, 340/543, 340/568.1, 340/932.2, 194/205, 194/248, 194/902, 235/381, 235/382
• US Class Current: 340/432
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 2003/005 Supports or holders associated with means for bike rental
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 3/02 involving means for gripping the cycle by the handlebars or by the upper part of the frame
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/20 indicating unauthorised use, e.g. acting on signalling devices alarm locks in general E05B45/00, e.g. alarm cable or chain lock E05B45/005
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0057 for the hiring or rent of vehicles, e.g. cars, bicycles or wheelchairs car rental G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1463 Physical arrangements, e.g. housings devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags A45C13/18
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 194/902 Check-operated device for controlling parking lot

Abstract

An unattended bicycle rental and security system, utilizing bi-directional communications with data verification between the individual bicycles and the system is provided which is equipped with an alarm, and can individually identify a number of bicycles and attribute their rental with corresponding customers. The unattended bicycle rental and security system is able to identify if a rental bicycle has sustained an impact during a rental that is sufficient to damage it and identify the customer whose care the rental bicycle was in at the time. The system also allows the integration of several rental locations allowing a bicycle to be rented at one location and returned at another.

Claims

1. A bicycle rental and security system comprising:

one or more individually identifiable rental bicycles;

a number of security racks with specific locations to place a rental bicycle;

bi-directional communication means, capable of data verification, for signaling the individual identity of a rental bicycle and its presence when placed in a security rack, comprised of, a semi conductor circuit, which is attached to the rental bicycle and is programmed with data to individually identify the particular rental bicycle to which it is attached and the communication protocol to be utilized, having a link to a system controller, thereby establishing bi-directional communication between the semi conductor circuit and the system controller when a rental bicycle is present at the location on the security rack;

customer input means for providing customer identification and payment information; and

data memory means;

wherein the system controller, monitors the bi-directional communication means for each rental bicycle, monitors the customer input means, and communicates with the data memory means for comparing changes in the presence and location of each rental bicycle and recording changes in the presence and location of each rental bicycle with corresponding customer identification and payment information.

2. A bicycle rental and security system as defined in claim 1 in which the link of the semi conductor circuit to the system controller comprises a first set of electrical contacts extending from the semi conductor circuit and a second set of corresponding electrical contacts positioned on the security rack and connected to the system controller which are arranged so that electrical contact is established between the first set of electrical contacts and the corresponding second set of electrical contacts when a rental bicycle is present at the location of the security rack.

3. A bicycle rental and security system as defined in claim 1 in which the link of the semi conductor circuit to the system controller comprises a first radio frequency transceiver electrically connected to the semi conductor circuit attached to the rental bicycle and a second radio frequency transceiver electrically connected to the system controller in sufficient proximity to the location on the security rack that bi-directional communication is established when the rental bicycle is within the location on the security rack.

4. A bicycle rental and security system as defined in claim 1 in which the link of the semi conductor circuit to the system controller comprises a first optical transceiver electrically connected to the semi conductor circuit attached to the rental bicycle and a second optical transceiver electrically connected to the system controller in sufficient proximity to the location on the security rack that bi-directional communication is established when the rental bicycle is within the location on the security rack.

5. A bicycle rental and security system as defined in claim 1, further comprising impact recording means, incorporated within the semi conductor circuit of the bi-directional communication means which communicates the status of the impact recording means when the rental bicycle is present at a location in a security rack.

6. A bicycle rental and security system according to claim 1 further comprising reservation input means, for selectable reserving a rental bicycle for the customer at a specific security rack location for a specified time period.

7. A bicycle rental and security system as defined in claim 1, further comprising, locking means for selectively releasing a rental bicycle from a security rack location, in response to a signal from the system controller.

8. A bicycle rental and security system as defined in claim 6, further comprising, locking means for selectively releasing a rental bicycle from a security rack location, in response to a signal from the system controller.

9. A bicycle rental and security system as defined in claim 1 wherein the bi-directional communication follows a changing encryption scheme for increased communication security.

10. A bicycle rental and security system as defined in claim 7, further comprising impact recording means, incorporated within the semi conductor circuit of the bi-directional communication means which communicates the status of the impact recording means when the rental bicycle is present at a location in a security rack.

11. A bicycle rental and security system as defined in claim 8, further comprising impact recording means, incorporated within the semi conductor circuit of the bi-directional communication means which communicates the status of the impact recording means when the rental bicycle is present at a location in a security rack.

12. A bicycle rental and security system as defined in claim 5 wherein the bi-directional communication follows a changing encryption scheme for increased communication security.

13. A bicycle rental and security system as defined in claim 10 wherein the bi-directional communication follows a changing encryption scheme for increased communication security.

14. A bicycle rental and security system comprising:

one or more individually identifiable rental bicycles;

a number of security racks with specific locations to place a rental bicycle;

bi-directional communication means, capable of data verification, for signaling the individual identity of a rental bicycle and its presence when placed in a security rack, comprised of, a semi conductor circuit, which is attached to the rental bicycle and is programmed with data to individually identify the particular rental bicycle to which it is attached and the communication protocol to be utilized, having a link to a system controller, thereby establishing bi-directional communication between the semi conductor circuit and the system controller when a rental bicycle is present at the location on the security rack; and

data memory means;

wherein the system controller, monitors the bi-directional communication means for each rental bicycle, and communicates with the data memory means for comparing changes in the presence and location of each rental bicycle and recording changes in the presence and location of each rental bicycle, whereby the desirability of relocating one or more rental bicycles to different security rack locations may be ascertained.