Intelligent taxi total service system

• US 6,456,207 B1
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yen, John
• Original Assignee: Yen, John
• Inventors: Yen, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent A.
• Application Number:
  US09/788,960
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 340/434, 340/988, 340/995, 340/994, 340/905, 701/209, 235/384, 455/456, 705/13
• US Class Current: 340/994
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

The present invention relates to an intelligent taxi total service system having an intelligent automatic management system, which provides automation functions such as inquiring, broadcasting positioning, tracing, recording, searching, confirming, charging, receipt printing, navigating, real time traffic information, security, emergency help requesting and communication, so as to achieve a total service system with efficacy of high security, high reliability, and time saving.

Claims

1. In an intelligent taxi total service system, a method for providing taxi service for a customer at either a stationary residence or a non-stationary location, comprising the steps of:

a) the customer sending a message over a phone line by pushing a button on an exclusive paging device provided by a taxi service center so as to display basic information, including at least one of name or identification number, address and phone number, on a computer monitor of said taxi service center, through a satellite navigation system, a directing management means showing the status of nearby subordinate taxis, in which a red symbol indicates occupied, a blue symbol indicates off-duty, and a green indicates vacant;

b) converting said message into readable language by an automatic editing decode function of said directing management means and broadcasting through an FM sub-carrier transmitting station, so as to display said message on an LCD display screen in said subordinate taxis to ask for a taxi that is willing to pickup the customer, upon receiving the response from a taxi, sending the responding taxi'"'"'s basic information, including registration number and model of the vehicle and driver'"'"'s name, as well as a pickup time to the paging device on the customer-side through a cable or a radio transmitting system by means of said directing management means;

c) turning on a meter in the taxi by the driver after pickup of the customer whereby an electronic map of said service center then immediately reacts to indicate that said taxi is occupied;

d) the taxi driver calculating a preferred driving route and an estimated arrival time by use of a satellite navigation function upon being notified by the customer of the destination;

e) said service center recording the location and time of pickup and drop-off in a file;

f) said service center storing the operation track of all its subordinate taxis;

g) the taxi driver printing a receipt for the customer at drop-off, at the same time said service center indicating said taxi as vacant; and

h) the taxi driver pushing an off-duty button so as to display an off-duty status on the computer monitor of said taxi service center at the time the taxi driver is off-duty.

2. In an intelligent taxi total service system a method for providing taxi service for a customer having a mobile phone, comprising the steps of:

a) the customer sending a message to a taxi service center through a mobile phone by use of an intelligent card to display basic information, including at least one of name or identification number, address and phone number, on a computer monitor of said taxi service center, said taxi service center searching for a currently available taxi nearby through a satellite navigation system;

b) converting said message into readable language by an automatic editing decode function of a directing management means which shows the status of nearby subordinate taxis, and broadcasting through an FM sub-carrier transmitting station, so as to display said message on an LCD display screen in said taxis to ask for a taxi that is willing to pickup the customer, upon receiving the response from a taxi, said directing management means sending the responding taxi'"'"'s basic information, including registration number and model of the vehicle and driver'"'"'s name, as well as a pickup time to the customer'"'"'s mobile phone through a voice mail or a message;

c) turning on a meter in the taxi by the driver after pickup of the customer whereby an electronic map of said service center then immediately reacts to indicate that said taxi is occupied;

d) the driver calculating a preferred driving route and an estimated arrival time by use of a satellite navigation function upon being notified by the customer of the destination;

e) said service center recording the location and time of pickup and drop-off in a file;

f) said service center storing the operation track of all its subordinate taxis;

g) the taxi driver printing a receipt for the customer at drop-off, at the same time said service center indicating said taxi as vacant; and

h) the taxi driver pushing an off-duty button so as to display an off-duty status on the computer monitor of said service center at the time the taxi driver is off-duty.

3. In an intelligent taxi total service system a method for providing taxi service for a customer having a pager, comprising the steps of:

a) the customer placing a toll free telephone call through a public phone by using an intelligent card and following the voice instruction to display basic information, including at least one of name or identification number, address and phone number, on a computer monitor of a taxi service center, said taxi service center searching for a currently available taxi nearby through a satellite navigation system;

b) converting said message into readable language by an automatic editing decode function of a directing management means, and broadcasting through an FM sub-carrier transmitting station so as to display said message on an LCD display screen in taxis to ask for a taxi that is willing to pickup the customer, upon receiving the response from a taxi, said directing management means sending the responding taxi'"'"'s basic information, including registration number and model of the vehicle and driver'"'"'s name, as well as a pickup time to the customer'"'"'s pager through a voice mail or a message;

c) turning on a meter in the taxi by the driver after pickup of the customer whereby an electronic map of said service center then immediately reacts to indicate that said taxi is occupied;

d) the taxi driver calculating a preferred driving route and an estimated arrival time by use of a satellite navigation function upon being notified by the customer of the destination;

e) said service center recording the location and time of pickup and drop-off in a file;

f) said service center storing the operation track of all its subordinate taxis;

g) the taxi driver printing a receipt for the customer at drop-off, at the same time said service center indicating said taxi as vacant; and

h) the taxi driver pushing an off-duty button to display an off-duty status on the computer monitor of said service center at the time the taxi driver is off-duty.