Portable transit data information system and apparatus
First Claim
1. An improved method of disseminating urban transit information relating to routes with a multiplicity of vehicles on them;
- said method utilizing the following elements;
an Automated Vehicle Location system;
a Transit Central Computer;
a computer data interface between the AVL and the TCC;
one or more radio broadcast towers;
a communications data interface between the TCC and the broadcast tower; and
a multiplicity of portable radio receivers comprising visual readout, user input means, and computer memory and receiver computer programs;
said method comprising the following steps;
the TCC maintains a plurality of information files, herein called route files, concerning vehicle routes and schedules and users;
the AVL collects vehicle location information, herein called location files;
the TCC reads said location files from the AVL by means of the computer interface and combines location files with route files into three discrete data stream;
the three data streams are processed into radio broadcast data files, and forwarded to the broadcast tower by means of the communications interface;
said three streams comprising;
first, a vehicle location file, containing vehicle location information;
said file being transmitted periodically to said receivers;
second, a route information file, containing route information including stop numbers, route numbers, cross-streets, and route symmetry, and periodically transmitted to and maintained by the receivers in memory until updated; and
third, a display information file, containing diverse information including weather information and warnings, personal messages, date and time, cross-street names, receiver identification, and prepaid fare validity, and periodically transmitted to said receivers;
the receivers having means for selective accessing the broadcast data files from one or more of said broadcast towers and utilizing said files in said receiver computer programs and processing means to compute values; and
the receivers display information chosen from said values according to requests by users through the user input means, thus providing users with a visual readout of, at least, a continuously updated time-to-arrival estimate of the next arriving transit vehicle at a user-specified stop, with said estimate being counted down to zero, and corrected as new locational data is received by radio.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Provides users with an accessible continuously updated arrival time estimate of the next vehicle arriving at vehicle stops such as bus stops. Three discrete data streams are collected at a central computer and radio-beamed to portable receivers, each of which places some of the data in memory and uses some for real-time display, when the unit has been activated by the user. One stream allows time estimate to be computed; a second updates route changes; a third places messages such as cross-street data into unit memory, or displays storm warnings or the like. Users can enter specific stops and routes, can program audible pre-alert arrival warnings, can choose to be alerted to specific vehicle types (such as handicap accessible), and can see two arrival time estimates simultaneously, either for two different stops of different routes (to compute transfers) or of two sequential vehicles arriving at the same stop. The user'"'"'s pre-paid fare status can be displayed for drivers, and users can enter an ad-hoc stop on an unfamiliar trip and read the distance and arrival information of the return stop on the other side of the street.
172 Citations
17 Claims
-
1. An improved method of disseminating urban transit information relating to routes with a multiplicity of vehicles on them;
- said method utilizing the following elements;
an Automated Vehicle Location system; a Transit Central Computer; a computer data interface between the AVL and the TCC; one or more radio broadcast towers; a communications data interface between the TCC and the broadcast tower; and a multiplicity of portable radio receivers comprising visual readout, user input means, and computer memory and receiver computer programs; said method comprising the following steps; the TCC maintains a plurality of information files, herein called route files, concerning vehicle routes and schedules and users; the AVL collects vehicle location information, herein called location files; the TCC reads said location files from the AVL by means of the computer interface and combines location files with route files into three discrete data stream; the three data streams are processed into radio broadcast data files, and forwarded to the broadcast tower by means of the communications interface;
said three streams comprising;first, a vehicle location file, containing vehicle location information;
said file being transmitted periodically to said receivers;second, a route information file, containing route information including stop numbers, route numbers, cross-streets, and route symmetry, and periodically transmitted to and maintained by the receivers in memory until updated; and third, a display information file, containing diverse information including weather information and warnings, personal messages, date and time, cross-street names, receiver identification, and prepaid fare validity, and periodically transmitted to said receivers; the receivers having means for selective accessing the broadcast data files from one or more of said broadcast towers and utilizing said files in said receiver computer programs and processing means to compute values; and the receivers display information chosen from said values according to requests by users through the user input means, thus providing users with a visual readout of, at least, a continuously updated time-to-arrival estimate of the next arriving transit vehicle at a user-specified stop, with said estimate being counted down to zero, and corrected as new locational data is received by radio. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 17)
- said method utilizing the following elements;
-
8. An improved apparatus for disseminating urban transit information relating to routes with a multiplicity of vehicles on them;
- said apparatus comprising;
an Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system providing real-time vehicle location data, herein called location files, of each transit vehicle on each route at least once each 11/12 minutes; a Transit Central Computer (TCC) that maintains in its computer programs said real-time location information on each transit vehicle, and as well maintains other information files, herein called route information, comprising;
route number;
average vehicle speed;
average weather;
vehicle handicap status;
vehicle loading;
route symmetry;
special entry of vehicles into route;
special removal of vehicles from route;
percentage behind schedule;
weather warnings;
personal messages;
data and time;cross-street names;
receiver identification; and
prepaid fare validity;a computer data interface between the AVL and the TCC; one or more radio broadcast towers; a communications data interface between the TCC and the broadcast tower(s); and a multiplicity of portable radio receivers comprising visual readout, user input means, and computer memory and receiver computer programs; whereby said TCC processes said location, route, time, and weather information into three discrete streams of radio broadcast data files, said files comprising; first, a vehicle location file, containing (primarily) vehicle location information;
said file being transmitted periodically to said receivers;second, a route information file, containing (primarily) route information including stop numbers, route numbers, cross-streets, and route symmetry, and transmitted (daily) to and maintained by the receivers in memory until updated; and third, a display information file, containing diverse information including weather information and warnings, personal messages, date and time, cross-street names, receiver identification, and fare validity, and transmitted daily and more often as needed to said receivers; and forwards said files to a radio broadcast tower that broadcasts the files to the receivers; whereby the receivers then utilize said files in said receiver computer programs and processing means to compute and display selected information, responsive to inputs to said user input means, including; a visual readout of a continuously updated time-to-arrival estimate of the next arriving transmit vehicle at a user-specified stop, with said estimate being counted down to zero, and corrected as new locational data is received by radio;
stop numbers;
stop opposite information for a return transit trip;
`fare valid` message on the receiver in order to obtain access to transit vehicles;
cross-street names;
personal messages; and
handicap status of transit vehicles; and
further wherein said receivers include aural alert means selectively programmable by users to warn users of vehicles approaching specified stops at specified times. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
- said apparatus comprising;
-
12. An apparatus providing transit users with continuously updated arrival time estimates of next vehicle arrivals at any one of a plurality of specific vehicle stops on routes having a multiplicity of vehicles on them;
- said apparatus comprising;
data interface to an Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system;
said AVL system providing real-time vehicle location data of each transit vehicle on each route at least once each 11/2 minutes, to a Transit Central Computer (TCC);a TCC that maintains in its computer programs said real-time location information on each transit vehicle, and as well maintains route information and time information; and
weather information;
vehicle handicap status;
vehicle loading;
route symmetry;
special entry of vehicles into route;
special removal of vehicles from route; and
percentage speed slower than average;one or more radio broadcast towers; and a multiplicity of portable radio receivers comprising visual readout, user input means, and computer memory and receiver computer programs; said TCC having means for processing said location, route and time information into radio broadcast data files, and forwarding selected files to said one or more radio broadcast towers for broadcasting the files to the receivers; microprocessing means in each receiver for selectively accessing the files broadcast from said one or more radio broadcast towers and to compute and display selected information, thus providing users with a visual readout of a continuously updated time-to-arrival estimate of the next arriving transit vehicle at a user-specified stop, with said estimate being counted down to zero, and corrected as new locational data is received by radio. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
- said apparatus comprising;
Specification