Automated system for preventing vehicle bunching
First Claim
1. An in-bus controller installed in a bus comprising:
- a network interface configured to receive status data of other busses of a transportation route, via a network from other in-bus controllers placed in the other busses;
a spatial positioning device configured to continuously collect status data of the bus in which the in-bus controller is placed;
a signaling device configured to provide an operating instruction to a bus driver of the bus in which the in-bus controller is placed;
a processor configured to determine the operating instruction based on the status data of the busses; and
a passenger display configured to display passenger information, passenger information including a location of the bus, connecting transportation lines with arrival times, landmarks, local maps, or real-time location-based advertisements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention contemplates a distributed automatic control system for preventing the vehicle bunching. Information of vehicle locations is automatically detected and used to determine the positions and velocities of vehicles along a route. Vehicles pass predetermined points, such as stations, along the route. Information about whether the vehicle skipped the station, arrived at the station, or departed from the station, is automatically calculated based on the position and velocity information. This information is distributed among the vehicles that belong to the same route. An in-vehicle controller dynamically calculates holding times at each station and displays the information to the driver so that buses do not get too close to one another, thereby preventing bunching while maintaining appropriate speeds of the vehicles.
34 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An in-bus controller installed in a bus comprising:
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a network interface configured to receive status data of other busses of a transportation route, via a network from other in-bus controllers placed in the other busses; a spatial positioning device configured to continuously collect status data of the bus in which the in-bus controller is placed; a signaling device configured to provide an operating instruction to a bus driver of the bus in which the in-bus controller is placed; a processor configured to determine the operating instruction based on the status data of the busses; and a passenger display configured to display passenger information, passenger information including a location of the bus, connecting transportation lines with arrival times, landmarks, local maps, or real-time location-based advertisements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An in-vehicle controller in a mass-transit vehicle comprising:
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a network interface configured to receive status data of other mass-transit vehicles of a transportation route, via a network from other in-vehicle controllers placed in the other mass-transit vehicles; a spatial positioning device configured to continuously collect status data of the mass-transit vehicle in which the in-vehicle controller is placed; a signaling device configured to provide an operating instruction to an operator of the mass-transit vehicle in which the in-vehicle controller is placed, wherein the processor is further configured to determine maintenance needs of the mass-transit vehicle or to record maintenance activities of the mass-transit vehicle.
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14. An in-vehicle controller in a mass-transit vehicle comprising:
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a network interface configured to receive status data of other mass-transit vehicles of a transportation route, via a network from other mass-transit in-vehicle controllers placed in the other mass-transit vehicles; a spatial positioning device configured to continuously collect status data of the mass-transit vehicle in which the in-vehicle controller is placed; a signaling device configured to provide an operating instruction to an operator of the mass-transit vehicle in which the in-vehicle controller is placed; and a payment module configured to process passenger payments.
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15. An in-vehicle controller in a mass-transit vehicle comprising:
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a network interface configured to receive status data of other mass-transit vehicles of a transportation route, via a network from other in-vehicle controllers placed in the other mass-transit vehicles; a spatial positioning device configured to continuously collect status data of the mass-transit vehicle in which the in-vehicle controller is placed; a signaling device configured to provide an operating instruction to an operator of the mass-transit vehicle in which the in-vehicle controller is placed; and a feedback module configured to collect passenger feedback on ride experience.
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Specification