Dispatcher free vehicle allocation system

• US 5,945,919 A
• Filed: 05/30/1996
• Issued: 08/31/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Trask, Matthew M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Asongwed, Anthony A.
• Application Number:
  US08/652,688
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.49, 340/825.31, 340/825.06, 340/539, 340/573, 340/825.54, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 307/10.2, 342/450, 342/457, 342/465, 180/287
• US Class Current: 340/8.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 13/00 Taximeters measuring distance travelled G01C; measuring time G04
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

A system and method for dispatcher free vehicle allocation. In one embodiment, the present dispatcher free vehicle allocation (DFVA) system includes a plurality of mobile service providers (vehicles). Each of the vehicles is communicatively linked to DFVA computer system. Each of the vehicles contain a position determining system adapted to determine the present position of each the vehicle. Each of the vehicles communicates its present position to the DFVA system. The DFVA system is adapted to track the present location of each vehicle. The DFVA system answers dispatch requests for service from customers within the operational area. The DFVA system then determines a most appropriate vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, to respond to the customer'"'"'s dispatch request. The present DFVA system then transfers the customer to the driver of the most appropriate vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for dispatcher free vehicle allocation comprising:

a plurality of vehicles; and

a dispatcher free vehicle allocation (DFVA) system communicatively coupled to said plurality of vehicles, said DFVA system not requiring a manned central base or dispatcher personnel, said DFVA system determining the present location of each of said plurality of vehicles, said DFVA system including provision for receiving a dispatch request from a customer for one of said plurality of vehicles, said DFVA system determining a most appropriate vehicle of said plurality of vehicles and transferring said customer to said most appropriate vehicle of said plurality of vehicles such that said customer is transferred to said most appropriate vehicle without requiring intervention by said manned central base and without requiring intervention by said dispatcher personnel.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of vehicles have disposed therein a position determining system, said position determining system communicatively coupled to said DFVA system.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said position determining system is a GPS based position determining system.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of vehicles is selected from the group consisting of emergency response vehicles, commercial transport vehicles, and private use vehicles.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said DFVA system is at a fixed geographic location.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said DFVA system is mobile.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said DFVA system is disposed within one of said plurality of vehicles.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said DFVA system is adapted to determine a geographic location of said customer and compare said geographic location of said customer with a present location of each of said plurality of vehicles such that said DFVA system automatically transfers said dispatch request to said most appropriate vehicle.

9. A computer implemented method for dispatcher free vehicle allocation comprising the computer implemented steps of:

receiving a request from a caller at a dispatcher free vehicle allocation system to dispatch a vehicle to a customer;

automatically answering said request from said caller, said request automatically answered by a dispatcher free vehicle allocation system, said dispatcher free vehicle allocation system not requiring a manned central base or dispatcher personnel;

examining a status of a fleet of vehicles;

determining a most appropriate vehicle from said fleet of vehicles; and

transferring said request to said most appropriate vehicle by establishing a communication link between said caller and said most appropriate vehicle such that said customer is transferred to said most appropriate vehicle without requiring intervention by said manned central base and without requiring intervention by said dispatcher personnel.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9 wherein said step of examining the status of said fleet of vehicles further includes receiving vehicle location and status information from said fleet of vehicles.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 9 wherein said step of transferring said request further includes displaying said customer'"'"'s location and status information in said most appropriate vehicle.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 9 wherein said step of determining a most appropriate vehicle is comprised of:

determining a geographic location of said customer; and

,

comparing said geographic location of said customer with a present location of each of said available vehicles.

13. A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving a request from a caller at a dispatcher free vehicle allocation system to dispatch a vehicle to a customer;

automatically answering said request from said caller, said request automatically answered by said dispatcher free vehicle allocation system, said dispatcher free vehicle allocation system not requiring a manned central base or dispatcher personnel;

examining a status of a fleet of vehicles to select available vehicles;

determining a most appropriate vehicle from said available vehicles; and

transferring said caller to said most appropriate vehicle by establishing a communication link between said caller and said most appropriate vehicle.

14. The computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein of claim 13 wherein said step of examining the status of said fleet of vehicles further includes receiving vehicle location and status information from said fleet of vehicles.

15. The computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein of claim 14 wherein said step of transferring said request further includes displaying said customer'"'"'s location and status information in said most appropriate vehicle.

16. The computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein of claim 14 wherein said step of determining a most appropriate vehicle is comprised of:

determining a geographic location of said customer; and

,

comparing said geographic location of said customer with a present location of each of said available vehicles.

17. A system for dispatcher free vehicle allocation comprising:

a plurality of vehicles; and

a mobile dispatcher free vehicle allocation (DFVA) system communicatively coupled to said plurality of vehicles, said mobile DFVA system not requiring a manned central base or dispatcher personnel, said mobile DFVA system determining the present location of each of said plurality of vehicles, said mobile DFVA system including provision for receiving a dispatch request from a customer for one of said plurality of vehicles, said mobile DFVA system determining a most appropriate vehicle of said plurality of vehicles and transferring said customer to said most appropriate vehicle of said plurality of vehicles such that said customer is transferred to said most appropriate vehicle without requiring intervention by said manned central base and without requiring intervention by said dispatcher personnel.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said mobile DFVA system is disposed within one of said plurality of vehicles.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said plurality of vehicles have disposed therein a position determining system, said position determining system communicatively coupled to said mobile DFVA system.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein said position determining system is a GPS based position determining system.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein said plurality of vehicles is selected from the group consisting of emergency response vehicles, commercial transport vehicles, and private use vehicles.