Bus safety controller method and system

• US 7,474,202 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2006
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Transportation Safety Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Transportation Safety Products, Ltd.
• Inventors: Rose, Dean E., Dryer, Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAU, HOI CHING
• Application Number:
  US11/473,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20070132561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 340/433, 340/994, 340/457, 340/463, 381/82, 381/86, 701/213, 701/117
• US Class Current: 340/433
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968

Abstract

System and method for automatically broadcasting voice-based prompt warnings toward an embarkation and/or disembarkation location at which passengers such as students and others may or will be present. The method is multi-model providing voice messages during an approach mode, a stop mode and a standby mode. Recorded human voice messages are employed for the prompt and are the recorded voices of one or more people having voice characteristics generally recognizable by the passengers to an extent effective to supplement the function of the immature prefrontal cortex.

Claims

1. In an operator controlled vehicle for carrying passengers having a door actuatable between open and closed orientations for the embarkation and/or disembarkation of passengers at a location, a method for prompt warning such passengers comprising the steps:

approaching such location with the vehicle to define an approach mode;

initiating by said operator the broadcasting of a voice-based aurally discernable approaching message toward said location during said approach mode to provide one or more approach warning prompts to individuals at such location;

stopping said vehicle at said location to define a stop mode;

automatically terminating said approach warning prompt at said stop mode;

actuating said door from said closed to said open orientation at said stop mode;

automatically broadcasting a voice-based aurally discernable loading message toward said location during said stop mode to provide one or more embarkation warning prompts to individuals at such location;

actuating said door from said open to said closed orientation to terminate said stop mode and commence a standby mode;

automatically broadcasting a voice-based aurally discernable departure message toward said location during said standby mode to provide one or more departure warning prompts to individuals at said location; and

automatically terminating said standby mode.

2. The method of claim 1 in which:

said approach prompts are broadcast in a repetitive manner during said approach mode.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step:

providing a visibly perceptible approach warning cue during said approach mode; and

wherein said approach cue is automatically terminated during said stop mode.

4. The method of claim 3 in which:

said approach cue is terminated in response to said actuation of said door to said open orientation during said stop mode.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step:

providing a visibly perceptible stop warning cue during said stop and standby modes; and

wherein said stop cue is automatically terminated at the termination of said standby mode.

6. The method of claim 1 in which:

when said arrival mode has occurred, said standby mode is underway and the operator re-actuates said door from said closed to said open orientation, said departure prompt is automatically terminated.

7. The method of claim 6 in which:

said standby mode is automatically re-entered when the operator re-actuates said door from said closed to said open orientation.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step:

automatically providing a visibly perceptible stop-warning cue during said stop and standby modes and when said operator actuates said door from a closed to an open orientation without initiating the broadcasting of a voice-based aurally discernable approaching message.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step:

automatically terminating said visibly perceptible stop warning cue in the absence of said standby mode.

10. The method of claim 1 in which:

said step broadcasting an aurally discernable loading message during said stop mode is preceded during said stop mode by the automatic broadcasting of a voice-based aurally discernable unloading message to provide one or more debarkation prompts to passengers entering said location from said vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10 in which:

said loading message and said unloading message are broadcast once.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said voice-based aurally discernable approach warning is the recorded voice of one or more persons whose voice characteristics are generally recognizable to the passengers to an extent effective to supplement the function of the immature prefrontal cortex.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said voice-based aurally discernable loading message is the recorded voice of one or more persons whose voice characteristics are generally recognizable to the passengers to an extent effective to supplement the function of the immature prefrontal cortex.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said voice-based aurally discernable departure message is the recorded voice of one or more persons whose voice characteristics are generally recognizable to the passengers to an extent effective to supplement the function of the immature prefrontal cortex.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein:

said voice-based aurally discernable loading message is the recorded voice of one or more persons whose voice characteristics are generally recognizable to the passengers to an extent effective to supplement the function of the immature prefrontal cortex.

16. In an operator controlled vehicle for carrying passengers having a hood, and a door actuatable between open and closed orientations for the embarkation and/or disembarkation of passengers at a location, a prompt warning system comprising:

an external function drive and monitoring assembly operator actuatable to provide a start sequence condition and door open and closed conditions;

a memory assembly controllable to receive, retain and transfer treated recorded human voice prompts recorded by one or more people having voice characteristics generally recognizable by the passengers to an extent effective to supplement the function of the immature prefrontal cortex;

a decoding assembly controllable to receive said treated recorded human voice prompts and convert them to analog human voice signals;

an amplifier assembly responsive to said analog human voice signals to derive amplified analog human voice signals;

a broadcaster responsive to said analog human voice signals to derive corresponding human voice messages aurally discernable at said location;

a digital control assembly, responsive to said start sequence condition and door open and closed conditions to control said memory and said decoding assembly to transfer said treated recorded human voice prompts from said memory to said decoding assembly and effect said conversion to analog human voice signals;

said digital control assembly being responsive to said start sequence condition to establish an approach mode controlling said memory to effect transfer of one or more approach message designated treated recorded human voice prompts to said decoding assembly and effect the conversion thereof to one or more approach message designated analog human voice signals;

said digital control assembly, when in said approach mode further being responsive to a door open condition to establish a stop mode controlling said memory to effect transfer of one or more embarkation and/or disembarkation designated treated recorded human voice prompts to said decoding assembly and effect the conversion thereof to one or more embarkation and/or disembarkation designated analog human voice signals; and

said digital control assembly, when in said stop mode further being responsive to a door closed condition to establish a standby mode controlling said memory to effect transfer of one or more departure designated treated recorded human voice prompts to said decoding assembly and effect the conversion thereof to one or more departure designated analog human voice signals.

17. The system of claim 16 in which:

said memory retained treated human voice prompts are digitized A-law compressed data; and

said decoder assembly is controllable to expand and convert said data into said analog human voice signals.

18. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

an input/output port coupled with said digital control assembly operable for conveying said treated recorded human voice prompts thereto.

19. The system of claim 16 in which:

said digital control assembly is responsive in the presence of said transition to a door open condition, to a door closed condition, to re-enter said standby mode.

20. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

a stop assembly controllable to provide a visibly perceptible stop-warning cue mounted upon said vehicle; and

said digital control assembly is responsive, in the absence of said start sequence condition, to said transition from said door closed condition to control said stop assembly to provide said visibly perceptible stop warning cue.

21. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

said broadcaster is mounted under said hood at a location adjacent said door effective to provide said human voice messages which are aurally discernable by humans at said location.

22. The system of claim 16 in which:

said digital control assembly is responsive, in the absence of said start sequence condition, to a transition from said door closed condition to said door open condition to provide no control to said memory assembly nor said decoding assembly.