Collective Transportation System and Process

• US 20090313095A1
• Filed: 03/02/2007
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Patrick Hurpin
• Original Assignee: Patrick Hurpin
• Inventors: Hurpin, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 8,306,833 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 6/14 with endless conveyor chains having load-carrying parts moving vertically, e.g. paternoster lifts also similar transport in which cells are continuously mechanically linked together
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/04 comprising devices to free a barrier, turnstile, or the like turnstiles with registering means G07C9/10; coin-freed aspects G07F17/00
• 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 17/0057 for the hiring or rent of vehicles, e.g. cars, bicycles or wheelchairs car rental G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/24 for parking meters
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

The object of the invention is a process and a global system for the transportation of people using shared individual vehicles, where multiple vehicles (5) are put to the disposition of a population of users for the purpose of commuting within a territory equipped with multiple parking structures (T) with an automated means to return and retrieve a vehicle. According to the invention. serving an urban district whose territory is equipped with a public transportation network (R. M), the parking structures (T) are situated at a short distance. accessible by foot in a few minutes, from at least a certain number of transfer stations (C) of the network and are of a type that permit the storage of at least ten vehicles (5) in a vertical displacement system on a reduced ground surface, the said individual vehicles (5) constituting, for its users, a complement to the public transit system (R,M) permitting a user, at any time, to take charge of a vehicle (51) at the exit of a public transit station stop, carry out an individual journey, and return the vehicle at the reception space (12) of a parking structure (T) located in close proximity to his/her destination or of a transfer station (C) to then continue his/her journey by public transit.

Claims

1. ) A Process for the collective transport of people by the shared use of individual vehicles, in which multiple vehicles (5) are put to the disposition of a group of users for their displacement within a territory with multiple parking structures (T) equipped with an automated means for the return of a vehicle after its use to store it in the parking structure (T) and the withdrawal of a stored vehicle (51) for a user to take charge of for the purposes of an individual displacement within the territory for a certain amount of time and over a certain distance until the vehicle is returned to one of the parking structures (T), characterized by the fact that, the territory being an urban district equipped with a public transportation network (R,M) with station stops (S) and transfer stations (C) at the crossing of transit lines, the parking structures, accessible by foot in several minutes, are located at a short distance from at least a certain number of transfer stations (C) of the transit system and are of a type that allows for the vertical displacement of vehicles permitting the storage of at least ten vehicles (5) on a reduced footprint, each parking structure comprising, at the level of a working platform (4), at least one empty vehicular space at the entrance (13) for the immediate reception of a vehicle after its use and a vehicular space at the exit (12) containing a vehicle (51) available for a user to quickly take charge of, the said vehicles (5) providing, for the users, a complement to the public transportation system (R,M) permitting a user at any time to take charge of a vehicle (51) at the exit of a station stop of the public transportation system, to carry out an individual journey and to return the vehicle to the reception space (12) of a parking structure (T) located in immediate proximity to his/her destination or that of a transfer station (C) to then be able to continue his/her journey by public transport.

2. ) A process of transportation according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that each automated garage (T) is of the Noria Type with vertical displacement of storage boxes (1) on two columns, respectively ascending (11) and descending (11′

), in such a way as to permit, on one hand, the quick placement of a vehicle (5) on the entrance space and its rapid replacement by an empty box (12) ready to receive a new vehicle and, on the other hand, the rapid availability of a new vehicle (52) at the exit space (13) of the garage (T) after a vehicle (51) has been removed by its user.

3. ) A process of transportation according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that each automated garage (T) is of the Noria type comprising two columns of storage boxes (1), respectively ascending (11) and descending (11′

) with, at least one empty box on a first column, at the level of a handling platform (4), providing a reception space (12) and, on the other column, a box (13) containing an available vehicle (51), and that the garage is placed in a building (2) where the lower section (21) is sunk into the ground to a depth which may vary in such a way that the upper section (24) that is above the handling level extends to a height compatible with the site in which the garage (T) is placed.

4. ) A process of transportation according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that, the urban district comprising a center surrounded by peripheral suburbs served by a regional public transportation system (R1, R2 . . . ), at least a certain number of transit station stops of the regional transportation system are equipped with automated garages (1′

1,1′

2 . . . ) for the storage of available vehicles (5), in such a way that a user taking a regional transit line (R1) can, at the exit of a station stop, quickly take charge of a vehicle (5) in a garage (T) located in proximity, to continue his/her journey individually to a station stop of another line (R4) and return his/her vehicle in another garage located in proximity to that station.

5. ) A process of transportation, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that those parts of the territory not served by public transit station stops are equipped with automated garages (1′

1,1′

2 . . . ) distributed in such a way that a user can quickly access one by foot to then take charge of an autonomous vehicle (5) to return to, either a transit station equipped with a garage (T) for reception of the vehicle, or another garage in proximity to his/her destination, to deposit the vehicle.

6. ) A process of transportation according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the territory comprises at least two urban zones each equipped by a public transport system with automated garages, the two zones being spaced apart at a distance compatible with the use of an autonomous vehicle (5) in such a way as to permit transport by an autonomous vehicle either within one zone, or from one zone to another.

7. ) A process of transportation according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the territory is equipped, around the center of the district, with parking lots (A1,A2 . . . ) able to hold a large capacity of private vehicles, placed respectively in proximity to public transportation station stops each equipped with automated garages (1′

1, 1′

2 . . . ) in such a way that, after having parked ones vehicle in one of the parking lots (A1) a user has the choice, depending on his/her intended destination, of taking a public transit line (R1) or to take an autonomous vehicle (5) from the automated garage (1′

1) located in proximity, to access a destination in the territory (P′

2) that is not served by public transit and return the vehicle (5) to an automated garage, in proximity to his/her destination.

14. ) A system of transportation according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the automated garages are of the Noria type and comprise multiple superimposed boxes (1) serving as vehicle storage spaces, and suspended from a chain drive (3), each storage box being secured to the chain drive by a means of fixation allowing for the box to be suspended on a vertical axis, the said chain drive (3) being stretched between two spaced plateaus (31,32), turning about two parallel horizontal axes (30,30′

) in such a way as to control the displacement of the boxes (1) in two directions, respectively ascending (11) and descending (11′

), passing by at least one handling zone located on a floor plate (4) at an intermediate level between the two rotating boxes (31,32), the rotation of the chain (3) stopping at the moment a box (12) containing a vehicle (51) arrives at the level of the handling zone (4) for retrieval by the user, or an empty box (13) for the deposit, by a user, of a returning vehicle (5).

15. ) A transportation system and process according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the vehicles are propelled by electricity or by dual energy and each storage space (1) is equipped with a means (23) to recharge the vehicle batteries during the time that it is stored in the garage.

8. ) A global transportation system for people in an urban district comprising:

at least one network of public transit lines (R,M) with station stops (5) and transfer stations (C) at the crossing of lines;

a collection of autonomous vehicles (5) equipped with a locking system and a start-up system activated by the same means of command, the said vehicles (5,51) being made available to a population of users each having their own personalized transportation title (8) serving as a means of command;

a plurality of automated garages (T) located in proximity to certain station stops of the network, each garage being of a type that permits vertical displacement of vehicles allowing for the storage of at least ten vehicles (5) on a reduced ground surface and comprising, at the level of a handling platform (4), at least one empty space (12) for the rapid reception of a vehicle after use and a space (13) containing an available vehicle (51) ready for a user to take charge of;

each user needing to travel to a point in the district being able to undertake one part of the journey by public transport and another part by individual vehicle requiring minimal displacement by foot and minimal waiting time for the taking charge of and return of a vehicle.

9. ) A system of transportation according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that each personalized transportation title (8) comprises a means of command to lock-unlock and start-up anyone of the vehicles (5) and constitutes an authorization to access anyone of the garages (2) to take charge of a vehicle (5) at the exit space (12) of the said garage (2) and to return a vehicle (51) to an entrance space (13) at anyone of the garages, after free displacement.

10. ) A system of transportation according to one of claim 8, characterized by the fact that each personalized transportation title (8) provides a means of payment, by its holder, for the use of a vehicle (5) according to the distance travelled or the elapsed time.

11. ) A system of transportation according to claim 10, characterized by the fact that each transportation title comprises a smart card (8) with a personal access code programmed to permit the holder, after code authorization, to effectuate all the operations necessary for taking charge of and returning a vehicle (5) and for its payment of use.

12. ) A system of transportation according to claim 11, characterized by the fact that the transportation titles (8) are smart cards programmed in such a way as to serve, on one hand, as authorization to access the public transit network (R,M) and, on the other hand, as authorization to access the automated garages (T) and the autonomous vehicles (5) and as means of payment for their use.

13. ) A system of transportation according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that the access to an automated garage and the use of a vehicle therein is authorized by a system of central control accessible by cell phone or by internet service in order to obtain all authorizations for its use.