Post-trip bus inspection alert system
First Claim
1. A bus comprising:
- a motor that propels the bus and that is turned on and off by an ignition switch that is selectively operable to at least OFF, IGNITION, and ACCESSORY positions;
a bus body comprising an interior and an exterior;
a driver'"'"'s seat at one side of the interior at a front of the body;
an entrance/exit door at the other side opposite the driver'"'"'s seat that, when open, allows passengers to board and exit;
an aisle running rearward from the front;
passenger seats adjacent the aisle;
an electrical system comprising signaling devices on the exterior of the bus body that, when activated, signal that the bus is stopping to allow passengers to enter or exit, one or more alert devices for giving alerts within and immediately surrounding the bus, and an electrical system controller (ESC) that processes data from various sources to provide output data for performing certain functions incidental to operation of the bus via various virtual controllers in the ESC,one of which virtual controllers;
controls the alert devices by processing data indicating status of the entrance/exit door, data indicating status of the signaling devices, data indicating status of the ignition switch, and data indicating status of a disarming device disposed proximate a rearmost passenger seat;
is set from an UNARMED state to an ARMED state upon processing data disclosing concurrence of the ignition switch being in IGNITION position, the entrance/exit door being open, and the signaling devices being activated;
is set from ARMED state to a TRIGGERED state upon processing data disclosing concurrence of the ignition switch being operated out of IGNITION position and the signaling devices not being activated;
and is rendered capable of being reset from TRIGGERED state to UNARMED state upon processing data disclosing concurrence of operation of the disarming device and of the ignition switch being in ACCESSORY position.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for alerting responsible personnel to perform a post-trip inspection check for passengers remaining on a bus at the end of a trip by issuing audible and/or visual alerts when the bus is parked and the motor shut off at the end of the trip. The ignition switch (47) must be placed in ACCESSORY position and a park brake applied for the system to be rendered capable of being disarmed by operation of a disarming device (45S) at the rear of the bus. Operation of the disarming device is indicated by a correct sequence of operating conditions of the device, namely first non-actuated, then actuated, and then non-actuated. The system includes a SNOOZE state that allows the ignition switch to be temporarily turned off during a trip and the alert to be stopped by pressing a snooze switch.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A bus comprising:
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a motor that propels the bus and that is turned on and off by an ignition switch that is selectively operable to at least OFF, IGNITION, and ACCESSORY positions; a bus body comprising an interior and an exterior; a driver'"'"'s seat at one side of the interior at a front of the body; an entrance/exit door at the other side opposite the driver'"'"'s seat that, when open, allows passengers to board and exit; an aisle running rearward from the front; passenger seats adjacent the aisle; an electrical system comprising signaling devices on the exterior of the bus body that, when activated, signal that the bus is stopping to allow passengers to enter or exit, one or more alert devices for giving alerts within and immediately surrounding the bus, and an electrical system controller (ESC) that processes data from various sources to provide output data for performing certain functions incidental to operation of the bus via various virtual controllers in the ESC, one of which virtual controllers; controls the alert devices by processing data indicating status of the entrance/exit door, data indicating status of the signaling devices, data indicating status of the ignition switch, and data indicating status of a disarming device disposed proximate a rearmost passenger seat; is set from an UNARMED state to an ARMED state upon processing data disclosing concurrence of the ignition switch being in IGNITION position, the entrance/exit door being open, and the signaling devices being activated; is set from ARMED state to a TRIGGERED state upon processing data disclosing concurrence of the ignition switch being operated out of IGNITION position and the signaling devices not being activated; and is rendered capable of being reset from TRIGGERED state to UNARMED state upon processing data disclosing concurrence of operation of the disarming device and of the ignition switch being in ACCESSORY position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of operating an on-board alert system in a bus having a body containing passenger seats adjacent an aisle running from front to rear in the bus body in order to alert responsible personnel when the bus has not been checked at the conclusion of a trip for the presence of passengers who may have remained in the bus body after they should have exited, the method comprising:
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processing in an electrical system controller (ESC) of the bus electrical system data indicating status of a passenger entrance/exit door that opens and closes at a side of the bus body, data indicating status of signaling devices on an exterior of the bus body, data indicating status of an ignition switch that turns on and off a motor for propelling the bus and that is selectively operable to at least OFF, IGNITION, and ACCESSORY positions, and data indicating status of a disarming device disposed proximate a rear end of the aisle; setting the alert system from an UNARMED state to an ARMED state when the processing of data discloses concurrence of the ignition switch being in IGNITION position, the entrance/exit door being open, and the signaling devices being active; setting the alert system from ARMED state to a TRIGGERED state when the processing of data discloses concurrence of the ignition switch being operated out of IGNITION position and the signaling devices not being active; and rendering the alert system capable of being reset from TRIGGERED state to UNARMED state when the processing of data discloses concurrence of operation of the disarming device and of the ignition switch being in ACCESSORY position. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A bus comprising:
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a motor that propels the bus and that is turned on and off by an ignition switch that is selectively operable to at least OFF, IGNITION, and ACCESSORY positions; a bus body comprising an interior and an exterior; a driver'"'"'s seat at one side of the interior at a front of the body; an entrance/exit door at the other side opposite the driver'"'"'s seat that, when open, allows passengers to board and exit; an aisle running rearward from the front; passenger seats adjacent the aisle; an electrical system comprising signaling devices on the exterior of the bus body that, when activated, signal that the bus is stopping to allow passengers to enter or exit, one or more alert devices for giving alerts within and immediately surrounding the bus, and an electrical system controller (ESC) that processes data from various sources to provide output data for performing certain functions incidental to operation of the bus via various virtual controllers in the ESC, one of which virtual controllers; controls the alert devices by processing data indicating status of the entrance/exit door, data indicating status of the signaling devices, data indicating status of the ignition switch, data indicating status of a disarming device disposed proximate a rearmost passenger seat, and data indicating status of a switch proximate the driver'"'"'s seat; is set from a first state to a second state upon processing data disclosing concurrence of the ignition switch being in IGNITION position, the entrance/exit door being open, and the signaling devices being activated; is set from the second state to a third state upon processing data disclosing concurrence of the ignition switch being operated out of IGNITION position and the signaling devices not being activated; causes at least one of the alert devices to give an alert when in the third state; is set from the third state to a fourth state upon processing data disclosing concurrence of the ignition switch being operated to either ACCESSORY position or IGNITION position and operation of the switch proximate the driver'"'"'s seat; and causes the at least one alert device that had been giving an alert in the third state to cease giving the alert in the fourth state. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification