Method for automatically detecting the use of a means of transport conveying persons

• US 8,018,330 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mcity GmbH
• Original Assignee: Mcity GmbH
• Inventors: Stoffelsma, Bouke C., Feiter, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US11/792,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,111 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.21, 340/539.23, 380/24
• US Class Current: 340/522
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0652 e-cash with decreasing value according to a parameter, e.g. time
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/381 Currency conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for automatically detecting the use of a means of transport (10; 16) conveying persons. According to said method, a transmitter emits signals, a receiver receives signals emitted by the transmitter, positional and/or movement-related data of the means of transport are determined, and the use of the means of transport is detected based on an evaluation of the change in intensity of successive signals received by the receiver as well as the positional and/or movement-related data.

Claims

1. A method for automatic detection of the use with costs of a transport means, the method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one transmitter being arranged in an area of said transport means;

emitting signals by the transmitter at a constant intensity, the signals including position or movement-related data of said transport means as well as an identification of said transport means;

providing at least one receiver being integrated in a user terminal of a user;

receiving the emitted signals by the receiver of the user terminal;

determining position or movement information of said transport means with said user terminal based on evaluating the position and movement-related data in the emitted signals in the user terminal; and

detecting of the use of said transport means based on analyzing a change in intensity of successive signals emitted by the transmitter and received by the receiver as well as said determined position or movement information with the user terminal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a receiving and control device arranged at the transport means is used to control the operation of the transmitter by receiving the signals emitted by the transmitter.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the transmitter automatically changes the frequency on which the signals are emitting if operation is determined to be interfered or disturbed.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising arranging the transmitter inside of the transport means and arranging a comparative transmitter about an outside of the transport means, the comparative transmitter emitting comparative signals.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the transmitter and the comparative transmitter emit signals of equal or different predetermined intensity.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein, if the receiver receives signals from several transmitters or comparative signals from several comparative transmitters, or both, that are arranged at different transport means, the user terminal reduces the number of received signals or comparative signals using exclusion criteria such that a maximum of one signal and one comparative signal remain.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the user terminal comparing the intensity of signals emitted by the transmitter with an intensity of comparative signals emitted by the comparative transmitter to determine if the user terminal is inside or outside the transportation means.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the user terminal determining the user terminal is located inside the transportation means based upon determining the intensity of the signals emitted by the transmitter is greater than the intensity of the signals emitted by the comparative transmitter.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising detecting use of said transportation means based on:

determining said user terminal is inside of said transport means;

determining said transportation means is in motion based on said determined position or movement information; and

determining the intensity of successive emitted signals of said transmitter remain substantially constant.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter emits signals in regular time intervals.

11. A method for automatic detection of the use with costs of a transport means, the method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one transmitter being integrated in a user terminal of a user;

emitting signals by the transmitter at a constant intensity, the signals comprising an identification signal that unequivocally identifies the user terminal or the user;

providing at least one receiver being arranged in the area of said transport means;

receiving the emitted signals by the receiver;

determining position or movement information of said transport means; and

detecting of the use of said transport means based on analyzing of a change in intensity of successive signals received by the receiver as well as said position or movement information.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising using a receiver arranged inside of the transport means and a comparative receiver arranged about an outside of the transport means.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the transmitter emits signals in regular time intervals.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the receiver and the comparitive receiver are each configured to receive the emitted signals, the method further comprising comparing an intensity of the signals received by the receiver with an intensity of the signals received by the comparative receiver to determine if the user terminal is inside or outside the transportation means.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising determining the user terminal is inside the transportation means based on determining the intensity of the signals received by the receiver is greater than the intensity of the signals received by the comparative receiver.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising detecting use of said transportation means based on:

determining said user terminal is inside of said transport means;

determining said transportation means is in motion based on said determined position or movement information; and

determining the intensity of successive signals received by the receiver remain substantially constant.