Bus arrival notification system and methods related thereto

• US 6,700,506 B1
• Filed: 09/14/2000
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Synovia Solutions LLC (CalAmp Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Everyday Solutions, Inc. (CalAmp Corporation)
• Inventors: Winkler, Josef K., Stant, Vernon L., Wilson, Stephen G.
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US09/661,746
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 340/994, 340/993, 340/989, 340/991, 340/990, 340/539, 340/988, 701/204, 701/200, 701/213
• US Class Current: 340/994
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and methods for notifying passengers of an approaching vehicle. Utilizing this invention, passengers can remain in a safe, controlled environment, avoiding harsh environmental conditions and excessive waiting times, instead arriving at their pick-up point just prior to a vehicle'"'"'s arrival. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bus notification system wherein passengers are able know the precise location and arrival time of the transporting vehicle several minutes before its arrival at a specified location along the vehicle route.

Claims

1. A vehicle notification system comprising:

at least one vehicles,

a vehicle transmission apparatus on each of the at least one vehicle such that the vehicle transmission apparatus determines the vehicle location by GPS and broadcasts a radio frequency signal including vehicle identification information and vehicle location as determined by GPS;

wherein said transmission apparatus for each of the at least one vehicle comprises a central processing unit (CPU), a transmission module, a GPS device, and at least one antenna, where the GPS device calculates the vehicle location using a plurality of global positioning satellite signals, the CPU generates a signal comprising vehicle identification information and vehicle location and the transmission module emits a radio frequency signal comprising the CPU generated signal; and

a plurality of receiving units, each of said plurality of receiving units being capable of providing a notification that a specified vehicle is approaching a given location along a route for the specified vehicle, said each of the plurality of receiving units comprising a receiver module, and a CPU, wherein said receiving unit receives a RF signal, identifies the RP signal that corresponds to that being transmitted by the transmission apparatus for the specified vehicle, calculates the distance between the receiving unit and the specified vehicle with GPS determined locations included with the received RF signal from the specified vehicle and provides one of a distance indication or an alert signal as the notification of arrival of the specified vehicle, the distance indication being representative of the calculated distance and the alert signal is provided when the calculated distance is less than a threshold distance.

3. A system as in either claim 1 or 2 wherein the transmission apparatus broadcasts a RF signal using Spread Spectrum channel hopping technology and receiving units receive Spread Spectrum RF signals from the transmission apparatus by intelligently channel hopping.

4. A system as in any of claims 1 or 2 wherein the vehicle is a school bus.

5. A system as in claim 1 wherein the GPS device of said vehicle transmission apparatus for each of the at least one vehicle further determines the direction of vehicle travel, wherein the signal generated by the transmission apparatus CPU and broadcasted by the vehicle transmission apparatus transmission module further includes the direction of vehicle travel and wherein said receiving unit further compares the transmitted direction of vehicle travel for the specified vehicle with a stored direction of vehicle travel such that when the transmitted and stored directions of vehicle travel match said receiving unit provides the alert signal.

7. A system as in any of claims 1-2 wherein said vehicle transmission apparatus for each of the at least one vehicle further comprises a transmitter pendant, wherein:

said vehicle transmission apparatus is programmed by input entered in the transmitter pendant; and

the transmitter pendant comprises an interface to transfer information with a vehicle transmission apparatus, at least one display and at least one input device to change vehicle identification information stored in the transmission apparatus memory means.

8. A system as in any of claims 1-2 wherein transmission apparatus for each of the at least one vehicle further comprises a GPS device that further determines vehicle speed and a CPU with the means to create a vehicle log file wherein each entry in the vehicle log file comprises the time and vehicle information including location and speed and the system has the means to transfer the contents of at least one vehicle log file to a PC.

9. A system as in claim 8 wherein the vehicle log file is downloaded to a PC which comprises the means to generate a vehicle track plot from the information included in the downloaded vehicle log file.

10. A system as in claim 9 wherein a website comprising vehicle information is available to passengers to monitor vehicle activities wherein the vehicle information can include any of the following information vehicle log files, vehicle track plots and estimated vehicle delay times for a plurality of vehicles.

11. A system as in of any of claims 1-2 wherein said receiving unit further includes

a learning protocol for execution in the CPU of the receiving unit the learning protocol including instructions for acquiring vehicle location information being transmitted by the specified vehicle, said learn protocol for teaching the receiving unit certain information for the receiving unit to use during its operation;

and

a mechanism operably coupled to the CPU for actuation and de-actuation of the learning protocol.

12. A system as in claim 11, wherein the learning protocol includes instructions to acquire location information being transmitted with the strongest RF signal and to store this information in a receiving unit memory when the mechanism actuates the learning protocol.

13. A system as in claim 11, wherein the learning protocol includes instructions to acquire vehicle location and identification information being transmitted by the specified vehicle and to store this information in a receiving unit memory when the mechanism actuates the learning protocol.

14. A system as in claim 11, wherein the learning protocol includes instructions to acquire vehicle location, vehicle identification information and vehicle direction of travel information being transmitted by the specified vehicle and to store this information in a receiving unit memory when the mechanism actuates the learning protocol.

15. A system as in claim 11, wherein the learning protocol includes instructions to acquire vehicle location and vehicle direction of travel information being transmitted by the specified vehicle and to store this information in a receiving unit memory means when the mechanism actuates the learning protocol.

16. A system as in any of claims 1-2 wherein said system further comprises:

a plurality of vehicles; and

a plurality of vehicle transmission apparatuses, one for each vehicle.

17. A system as in any of claims 1-2 wherein there are a plurality of given locations along the travel route of the specified vehicle and wherein said system further comprises:

a plurality of vehicles;

a plurality of vehicle transmission apparatuses, one for each vehicle; and

wherein at least one receiving unit is located at each of the plurality of given locations.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of receiving units includes an alert mechanism that is activated to provide the alert signal when the CPU determines that the calculated distance is less than the threshold value.

2. A vehicle notification system comprising:

at least one vehicle

a vehicle transmission apparatus on each of the at least one vehicle such that the vehicle transmission apparatus determines the vehicle location by GPS and broadcasts a radio frequency signal including vehicle identification information and vehicle location;

wherein said transmission apparatus for each of the at least one vehicle comprises a central processing unit (CPU), a transmission module, a GPS device, and at least one antenna, wherein the GPS device calculates the vehicle location using a plurality of global positioning satellite signals, the CPU generates a signal including vehicle identification information and vehicle location, and the transmission module emits a radio frequency signal comprising the CPU generated signal; and

a plurality or receiving units, each of said plurality of receiving units being capable of providing a notification that a specified vehicle is approaching a given location along a route of the specified vehicle and comprises a receiver module, a CPU, and a historical log file being accessible to the CPU, wherein said receiving unit receives a RF signal, identifies the RF signal that corresponds to that being transmitted by the transmission apparatus for the specified vehicle, determines the vehicle arrival time by comparing the current vehicle position with the historical log tile and provides one of an indication of the determined arrival time or an alert signal as the notification of arrival of the specified vehicle and the alert signal is provided when the determined time to vehicle arrival is less than a threshold time.

6. A system as in claim 2 wherein the GPS device of the vehicle transmission apparatus of the at least one vehicle further determines the direction of vehicle travel, wherein the signal generated by the transmission apparatus CPU and broadcasted by the vehicle transmission apparatus transmission module further includes a direction of vehicle travel, wherein the receiving unit compares the vehicle location and direction travel for the specified vehicle with the stored historical log file to determine the time to vehicle arrival and to determine if the transmitted direction of vehicle travel for the specified vehicle matches a stored direction of vehicle travel, and wherein the alert signal is provided when the determined arrival time is less than a threshold time and the transmitted and stored directions of vehicle travel match.

19. The system of claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of receiving units includes an alert mechanism that is activated to provide the alert signal when the CPU determines that the determined vehicle arrival time is less than the threshold value.

20. A method for teaching a receiving unit located in proximity to a given location along a route for a specified vehicle and being provided to give advance notification of arrival of the specified vehicle, said receiving unit comprising a receiver module, a CPU, and a memory means, wherein said receiving unit receives a RF signal, identifies the RF signal that corresponds to that being transmitted from the specified vehicle, and determines the vehicle arrival time;

the teaching method comprising the steps of;

activating a receiving unit learn function protocol as the specified vehicle approaches the given location, said learn function protocol for teaching the receiving unit certain information for use by the receiving unit to provide advance notification of arrival of the specified vehicle at the given location;

monitoring the RF signal with the greatest amplitude; and

capturing the vehicle identification information and vehicle location being received and storing the vehicle location in the receiving unit memory as the location of the receiving unit when the signal amplitude of the RF signal is maximized.

23. A method for teaching a receiving unit as in claim 20, wherein the receiving unit further compares a direction of travel being transmitted from the specified vehicle with a stored direction of vehicle travel such that when the transmitted and stored directions of vehicle travel match said receiving unit generates an alert signal as advance notification of vehicle arrival, said method comprising the steps of:

activating a receiving unit learn function protocol as the specified vehicle approaches the location for passenger pickup;

monitoring for the RF signal with the greatest amplitude; and

capturing the direction of vehicle travel for the specified vehicle and storing the direction of travel along with the vehicle location information being stored in the receiving unit memory.

24. A method as in any of claims 20, 23, or 21 further comprising the step of:

deactivating said learn function protocol after said step of capturing and storing.

31. The teaching method of any of claims 20, 23, or 30 wherein the receiving unit further includes an alert mechanism that is activated to provide the alert signal when the determined vehicle arrival time is less than the threshold value.

21. A method for teaching a receiver unit located in proximity to a given location along a route for a specified vehicle and being provided to give advance notification of arrival of the specified vehicle, said receiving unit comprising a receiver module, a CPU, a memory means, a historical log file stored in the memory means and an alert mechanism wherein said receiving unit receives a RF signal, identifies the RF signal that corresponds to that being transmitted from the specified vehicle, determines the vehicle arrival time by comparing the transmitted current vehicle position with the historical log file, compares a direction of travel being transmitted from the specified vehicle with a stored direction of vehicle travel, and activates the alert mechanism when the calculated time to vehicle arrival is less than a threshold time and when the transmitted and stored directions of vehicle travel match, the method comprising the steps of:

activating a receiving unit learn function protocol as the specified vehicle approaches the given location, said learn function protocol for teaching the receiving unit certain information for use by the receiving unit to provide advance notification of arrival of the specified vehicle;

monitoring for the RF signal with the greatest amplitude; and

capturing the vehicle identification information and storing the captured vehicle log file in the receiving unit memory means as the historical log file when the signal amplitude being monitored is determined to be maximized.

22. A method of calculating the time to vehicle arrival at a specified point along the route of a vehicle wherein the method comprises:

locating a receiving unit in proximity to the specified point;

receiving a vehicle location from the vehicle using the receiving unit,

matching the received location to the location parameter of a log file entry in a stored log file of the receiving unit,

calculating the time to arrival in the receiving unit, wherein the time in the matching log file entry is subtracted from the time corresponding to the vehicle arriving at the specified point on the vehicle route,

comparing the calculated time to a threshold time value, and

alerting a user if the calculated time is less than the threshold value.

25. A method as in claim 22 wherein the method further comprises matching the received vehicle location and direction of vehicle travel to the location and direction of travel parameters of a log file entry in a stored log file in the receiving unit before calculating the time to vehicle arrival.

26. A method as in any of claims 22 or 25 further comprising the step of

activating a learn function protocol as the vehicle approaches the specified point to acquire vehicle location information of the approaching vehicle, said learn function protocol for teaching the receiving unit certain information for use by the receiving unit.

27. A method as in any of claims 22 or 25 further comprising the steps of:

activating a learn function protocol as the vehicle approaches the specified point, said learn function protocol for teaching the receiving unit certain information for use by the receiving unit;

capturing vehicle location information being transmitted from the approaching vehicle, and

storing the last transmitted vehicle location as the receiver location.

28. A method as in claim 26 further comprising the step of:

deactivating said learn function protocol after the vehicle has stopped at the specified point.

29. A method as in claims 27 further comprising the step of:

deactivating said learn function protocol after the vehicle has stopped at the specified point.

30. A method for teaching a receiving unit located in proximity to a given location along a route for a specified vehicle and being provided lo give advance notification of arrival of the specified vehicle, said receiving unit comprising a receiver module, a CPU and a memory means, wherein said receiving unit receives a RF signal, identifies the RF signal that corresponds to that being transmitted from the specified vehicle, determines the vehicle arrival time, and provides one of an indication of the determined arrival time or an alert signal as advance notification of vehicle arrival;

the method comprising the steps of;

activating a learn function protocol as the specified vehicle approaches the given location whereby the receiving unit captures the approaching vehicle identification information, said learn function protocol for teaching the receiving unit certain information for use by the receiving unit to provide advance notification of arrival of the specified vehicle, and

deactivating said learn function protocol after the specified vehicle has stopped at the given location, whereby said receiving unit stores the last transmitted vehicle location in memory as the receiver location.

32. A method for teaching a receiving unit located in proximity to a given location along a route for a specified vehicle and being provided to give advance notification of arrival of the specified vehicle, said receiving unit comprising a receiver module, a CPU, a memory means, a historical log file stored in the memory means and an alert mechanism wherein said receiving unit receives a RF signal, identifies the RF signal that corresponds to that being transmitted from the specified vehicle, determines the vehicle arrival time by comparing the transmitted current vehicle position with the historical log file, compares a direction of travel being transmitted from the specified vehicle with a stored direction of vehicle travel, and activates the alert mechanism wherein the calculated time to vehicle arrival is less than a threshold time and when the transmitted and stored directions of vehicle travel match, the method comprising the steps of:

activating a learn function protocol as the vehicle for which notification is desired approaches the given location, whereby the receiver captures the approaching vehicle identification information, said learn function protocol for teaching the receiving unit certain information for use by the receiving unit to provide advance notification of arrival of the specified vehicle, and

deactivating said learn function protocol after the specified vehicle has stopped whereby the receiving unit stores the last transmitted vehicle position such that the captured vehicle position is stored in receiving unit memory means as the historical log file.