AUTOMATIC VEHICLE MONITORING, IDENTIFICATION, LOCATION, ALARM AND VOICE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

• US 3,644,883 A
• Filed: 12/29/1969
• Issued: 02/22/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald L. Walker, William M. Borman
• Original Assignee: Donald L. Walker, William M. Borman
• Inventors: Borman, William M., Walker, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cooper, William C.
• Application Number:
  US04/888,519
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 340/23,24 180/98 246/187B
• US Class Current: 340/991
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station

Abstract

In a computer-controlled bus-monitoring system, each of the buses in the system is provided with a two-way radio for communication with the control center on either a voice channel or a data channel. In addition, each bus includes a second receiver for receiving signals from signpost transmitters located along the route, with the signpost information being stored in a temporary storage unit in the bus. The computer continually controls interrogation of all of the buses in the system on a data channel, with the buses automatically replying with the stored signpost location plus the time elapsed since that signpost location was stored in the bus. Deviations from schedule are displayed on a control console at the control center. The bus may be alerted to reply on a voice channel by a special code sent over the data channel with selective calling of the particular bus being provided, and a provision also is made for alerting the control center of an emergency on the bus by automatic data transmission from the bus over the voice channel.

Claims

1. In a vehicle-monitoring system having a central control station with transmitter means for transmitting interrogation signals on a first frequency corresponding to desired replies in either a first or a second mode, the control station also including transmitter means for transmitting signals on a second frequency, and receiver means for receiving signals on at least one receiver frequency, at least one vehicle to be monitored, with position indicating transmitting means located at predetermined positions along a route travelled by the vehicle and having a transmission range which is substantially less than the transmission range of the control station transmitter means, each position indicating transmitting means transmitting unique position information, a vehicle reporting system in said vehicle including in combination:

first storage means for storing said position information;

first receiver means responsive to the position information transmitted by said position indicating transmitting means for supplying said position information to the storage means;

elapsed time indicating means reset to an initial time indication in response to the supplying of said position information to the storage means;

clock means for driving the elapsed time indicating means for indicating the time interval subsequent to the time of the last resetting of the elapsed time indicating means;

second receiver means normally operated to be responsive to input signals from the control station on said first frequency;

means coupled with the second receiver means for determining the mode of replies desired from said vehicle;

second storage means for storing a unique vehicle identification code;

means for comparing said interrogation signals with the code stored in the second storage means;

vehicle transmitter means for operation on said control station receiver means frequency;

means responsive to an output of the comparing means signifying the reception of interrogation signals corresponding to the stored vehicle identification code and responsive to an output to the mode determining means indicative of a desired reply in said first mode for causing the vehicle transmitter means automatically to transmit the information stored in the elapsed time indicating means and the first storage means.

2. The combination according to claim 1 further including alarm means in said vehicle for causing transmission of the information stored in the elapsed time-indicating means and the first and second storage means by the vehicle transmitter in response to the operation of the alarm means.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said vehicle is one of a plurality of vehicles each having a different unique vehicle identification code stored in the second storage means thereof, said central control station sequentially transmits interrogation signals on said first frequency along with said vehicle identification codes corresponding to desired replies in said first mode, and wherein each vehicle further includes comparing means for comparing the received vehicle identification code with the code stored in the second storage means, the output of the comparing means controlling the operation of the vehicle transmitting means enabling automatic operation thereof in said first mode when the stored identification code and received vehicle identification code correspond.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said control station receiver means receives signals on two frequencies and further including means at the central control station for inserting into the sequence of interrogation signals corresponding to desired replies in the first mode, a selected interrogation signal addressed to a selected vehicle corresponding to desired replies in a second mode from said vehicle, and means in each of said vehicles responsive to received interrogation signals corresponding to a desired reply in said second mode for indicating said second mode, wherein the vehicle transmitter means may be operated at said two control station receiver means frequencies, with means responsive to initiation of operation of the vehicle transmitter means at one of said frequencies for coupling and initiating transmission of the output of the second storage means to the control station at said one frequency;

and wherein the initiation of operation of the vehicle transmitter means at said one control station receiver means frequency also causes the vehicle receiver means to be operated at said one frequency.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the sequential transmission of interrogation signals by the central control station for desired replies in said first mode includes predetermined time intervals for permitting the transmission of interrogation signals corresponding to desired replies in said second mode.

6. In a vehicle monitoring system having a central control station with a transmitter and a receiver and at least one vehicle to be monitored, with position indicating transmitting means located at predetermined positions along a route travelled by the vehicle and having a limited transmission range with respect to the route length, each position indicating transmitting means transmitting unique position information, a vehicle reporting system in said vehicle including in combination:

storage means for storing said position information;

first receiver means responsive to the position information transmitted by said position indicating transmitting means for supplying said position information to the storage means;

elapsed time indicating means reset to an initial time indication in response to the supplying of said position information to the storage means;

clock means for driving the elapsed time indicating means for indicating the time interval subsequent to the time of the last resetting of the elapsed time indicating means; and

transmitter means connected for receiving and transmitting the position information from the storage means and the elapsed time indication from the elapsed time indicating means.

7. The combination according to claim 6 further including a second receiver means in said vehicle and wherein the control station transmitter transmits interrogation signals and the vehicle transmitter means includes transfer means coupled with the storage means and the elapsed time indicating means, and a signal transmitter coupled with the transfer means, with the transfer means operating in response to an interrogation signal received by the second receiver means from the control station for causing the informaTion stored in the storage means and in the elapsed time indicating means to be supplied to and transmitted by the signal transmitter.

8. The combination according to claim 7 further including comparing means in said vehicle, wherein the storage means is a first storage means and wherein the vehicle reporting system includes a second storage means in said vehicle, the second storage means storing an identification code unique to said vehicle, the interrogation signal from the central control station including a vehicle identification code portion, the received interrogation signal and the output of the second storage means being supplied to the comparing means, the output of the comparing means controlling the operation of the transfer means and the signal transmitter, causing the transfer of the position information and the elapsed time indication to the vehicle transmitter means only when the received vehicle identification code portion of the interrogation signal corresponds to the identification code stored in the second storage means.

9. The combination according to claim 8 wherein said vehicle is one of a plurality of vehicles, each having a different unique vehicle identification code stored in the second storage means thereof.

10. In a vehicle monitoring system having a central control station with transmitter means for transmitting interrogation signals on a first frequency corresponding to desired replies in either a first or a second mode, the control station also including transmitter means for transmitting signals on a second frequency, and receiver means at the central control station for receiving signals on at least two receiver frequencies the control station transmitter means and receiver means being adapted for communication with at least one mobile communications station, the mobile communications station including in combination:

first storage means for storing data corresponding to a condition to be reported;

second storage means for storing a unique mobile communications station identification code;

mobile receiver means normally operated to be responsive to input signals from said control station on said first frequency;

mode determining means coupled with the mobile receiver means and responsive to the received interrogation signals for providing an output indicative of the mode of the replies desired from said mobile communications station;

means for comparing said interrogation signals with the code stored in the second storage means;

mobile communications station transmitter means connected to receive and transmit the data stored in the first storage means and the identification code stored in the second storage means; and

means responsive to an output of the comparing means signifying the reception of interrogation signals corresponding to the stored vehicle identification code and responsive to an output of the mode determining means indicative of a desired reply in said first mode by said mobile receiver means for causing the mobile communications station transmitter means automatically to transmit said stored data on one of said two control station receiver means frequencies.

11. The combination according to claim 10 wherein the mobile communications station transmitter means may be operated at the other of said two control station receiver means frequencies, with means responsive to initiation of operation of the mobile transmitter means at said other frequency for initiating transmission of the identification code stored in the second storage means to the control station.

12. The combination according to claim 11 further including indicating means in said mobile station coupled with the mode determining means and energized in response to an output of the mode determining means indicative of a reply desired in said second mode.

13. The combination according to claim 11 further including alarm means in the mobile communication station, with operation of the alarm means causing Transmission of the data stored in the first storage means and the identification code stored in the second storage means by the mobile transmitter means at said other control station receiver frequency.

14. The combination according to claim 13 wherein the alarm means further includes timing means for causing repeated transmission of said data and said identification code for a predetermined length of time.

15. The combination according to claim 11 wherein the initiation of operation of the mobile transmitter means at said other control station receiver frequency also causes the mobile receiver means to be operated at said second frequency.

16. The combination according to claim 15 wherein the first frequency from the control station is used for data transmission and the second frequency from the control station corresponds to a voice channel, with the one transmitting frequency of the mobile transmitter means corresponding to a data channel and with the other transmitting frequency from the mobile transmitter means corresponding to a voice channel, wherein receipt of interrogation signals on the first frequency from the control station corresponding to the second mode of operation causes an alerting means to be energized at the mobile communications station.

17. A vehicle-monitoring system having at least one vehicle to be monitored, with the vehicle having means for determining its position as it moves along a route, the system including in combination, a central control station-having receiver means for receiving information from a vehicle, memory means for storing information as to the schedule for the vehicle, and means for comparing the stored information with the received information;

and apparatus on the vehicle including storage means for storing the vehicle position information, elapsed time measuring means for measuring the time elapsed subsequent to the storage of position information, and transmitter means connected to said storage means and to said time measuring means for transmitting to the central station the position information and the elapsed time information.

18. The system of claim 17 further including transmitter means at the central station for sending interrogation signals to the vehicle, receiver means at the vehicle for receiving said interrogation signals, and means at the vehicle responsive to the received interrogation signals for causing said transmitter means at the vehicle to transmit position information and elapsed time information.

19. The system of claim 17 including display means at the central station for indicating deviations of the received information from the stored schedule information.