Transportation information using communication network and method thereof

• US 7,499,714 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2001
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joon-Seong Ki
• Original Assignee: Joon-Seong Ki
• Inventors: Ki, Joon-Seong
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah; Charles N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peaches; Randy
• Application Number:
  US10/344,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20040106399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,764 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.1, 455/422.1, 455/422, 455/406, 340/438, 340/825.2, 705/6
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 13/00 Taximeters measuring distance travelled G01C; measuring time G04
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

The system for processing transportation information using a communication network comprises a customer communication means for performing a direct call connection to a transportation vehicle by the operation of a customer who wants to use a transportation service through the transportation vehicle; a plurality of communication means for transportation vehicles provided with the transportation vehicle for providing a transportation service for performing a direct call connection with the customer communication means; an information database means for storing subscriber information on the plurality of transportation vehicles and communication means of transportation vehicles, connection history information of the communication means of each transportation vehicle and information on a charge as a cost for service of the customer communication means; a host server means in which is operated such that the customer communication means makes a direct call connection to the communication means of the transportation vehicles sequentially according to the predetermined order based on the subscriber information and the connection history information in the information database means; and a data relay means for performing a direct call connection to the customer communication means.

Claims

1. A system for processing transportation information using a communication network comprising:

a customer communication means for performing a direct call connection to a transportation vehicle by the operation of a customer who wants to use a transportation service through the transportation vehicle;

a plurality of communication means for said transportation vehicles provided with the transportation vehicle for providing a transportation service for performing a direct call connection with the customer communication means;

an information database means for storing subscriber information on the plurality of said transportation vehicles and the communication means of said transportation vehicles, connection history information of the communication means of each of said transportation vehicles and information on a charge as a cost for service of the customer communication means;

a host server means in which when connecting the customer communication means as operated by the customer for using the transportation service, said host server means adapted such that a call command is provided for the customer communication means to make a direct call connection with the communication means of the transportation vehicles sequentially according to the predetermined order based on the subscriber information and the connection history information in the information database means, said host server means calculating a charge for each of said transportation vehicles for use of the system according to a number of times of said connection of the transportation service with the customer communication means; and

a data relay means for performing the direct call connection of the customer communication means by calling the communication means of the transportation vehicle according to the call command of the host server means.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer communication means is a mobile communication terminal for performing a call connection via a wireless communication network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer communication means is a wired communication terminal for performing a wire call connection via a public switched telephone network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer communication means comprises a network computer provided with a wire or wireless modem for internet communication and a dedicated web browser program for performing a call connection according to an internet phone function via an internet communication network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of communication means for transportation vehicles are a plurality of mobile communication terminals which perform a wireless call connection, via a wireless communication network and wirelessly transmit empty vehicle information to the host server means in order to provide the transportation service.

6. A method for processing transportation information using a communication network comprising the steps of:

performing a connection of a call made by a customer with a transportation service using a customer communication means via a pre-assigned telephone number by the customer that wants to use the transportation service through a transportation vehicle;

identifying a current location of the customer by locating the customer communication means using a plurality of base stations and a communication service provider;

identifying current locations of communication means of transportation vehicles using the base stations and the communication service provider;

calling the communication means of transportation vehicle of a predetermined order among the communication means provided to the plurality of transportation vehicles based on the current location of the customer and the current locations of the communication means of transportation vehicles, when performing a subsequent connection of the call from the customer communication means, by a host server for managing the transportation service;

performing a direct call connection of the customer communication means and the communication means for the corresponding transportation vehicle by processing the call of the communication means for the transportation vehicle, thereby executing information exchange for a transportation contract; and

billing of the transportation service for use of the system according to a number of times of said direct call connections as initiated by said customer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein in above steps, the transportation service by the transportation vehicle is a taxi call service by a taxi.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein in above steps, the transportation service by the transportation vehicle is a repair shop'"'"'s car transfer service for an accident-occurred car.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein in above steps, the transportation service by the transportation vehicle is a car rental service.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein in above steps, the transportation service by a transportation vehicle is a door-to-door delivery service by a delivery vehicle.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the method, in the step of calling the communication means for the transportation vehicles, further comprises the step of calling the next order communication means for the transportation vehicles, if a call response is not made in the communication means for the transportation vehicle of a predetermined order.

12. A system for processing transportation information using a communication network comprising:

a customer communication means for transmitting position information indicating the current position by operation of a customer who wants to use a transportation service through a transportation vehicle and performing a direct call connection with the transportation vehicle providing the transportation service;

a plurality of communication means for the transportation vehicles provided with the transportation vehicles providing a transportation service for transmitting a trip information indicating the trip position of the corresponding transportation vehicle and performing a direct call connection with the communication means of the customer;

an information database means for storing subscriber information on the plurality of the transportation vehicles and the communication means for said transportation vehicles, current position information of the communication means for said transportation vehicles and information on a charge as a cost for service of the transportation means;

a host server means in which when connecting the communication means of the customer for using the transportation service, the transportation vehicle on a trip in areas most adjacent to the current position of the communication means of the customer is searched based on the subscriber information in the information database means and on the trip position information on the plurality of the transportation vehicles, and a call command is provided for the communication means of the customer to make a direct call connection with the communication means of the transportation vehicle, said host server means calculating a charge for each of said transportation vehicles for use of the system according to a number of times of said connection of the transportation service with the customer communication means, said charge being calculated by said host server means when said host server means identifies that said customer current position and said corresponding transportation vehicle trip position are adjacent positions during a common time; and

a data relay means for performing said direct call connection to the communication means of the customer by calling said transportation vehicle communication means according to the call command of the host server means.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the customer communication means is a mobile communication terminal which receives the position information transmitted from a GPS satellite, stores it into the host server means as the position information of the customer and performs the call connection wirelessly via the wireless communication network.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the host server means comprises an automatic voice response system for guiding the input of the current position of the customer as voice;

and

the customer communication means comprises a wire communication terminal which is connected via a public switched telephone network by wire, which inputs the current position information of the customer by executing the automatic voice response system and which is part of the direct call connection to the communication means of the predetermined transportation vehicle.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the customer communication means comprises a wire communication terminal in which, when connecting it via a public switched telephone network by wire, the current position of the customer is identified via the user'"'"'s information by the telephone number identified in a telephone exchange of the public switched telephone network, and the direct call connection is made through it to the communication means of the predetermined transportation vehicle.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the host server means comprises an internet web site for inputting the current position of the corresponding customer by the operation of the customer communication means and using an internet telephone function;

and

the customer communication means comprises a network computer provided with a wire/wireless modem for an internet communication and a dedicated browser program and for connecting to the web site of the host server means, inputting the current position of the corresponding customer, and performing the call connection according to the internet telephone function.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of communication means is a mobile communication terminal which receives the position information transmitted from the GPS satellite via a wireless communication network and transmits it as trip position information of each transportation vehicle, and performs the direct call connection to the customer communication means via the wireless communication network.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the host server means identifies whether the transportation service of the customer is used or not by searching whether the position information by the GPS satellite transmitted from the customer communication means and the communication means for transportation vehicles is maintained during the constant time at the adjacent positions.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the trip position information stored to the information database means is updated every predetermined periods of time.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the system further comprises a trip measuring means for accumulating the distance and time of the trip, estimating the trip fare after the transportation vehicle picks up the customer, and transmitting the trip fare as trip information, and an interface device for converting the trip information from the trip measuring means into data format capable of transmitting via the communication means of each transportation vehicle, wherein

the host server means differentially calculates the charge of the service of the customer according to the trip fare by the trip information received from the trip measuring means via the communication means of the transportation vehicle.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the host server means generates map position data according to the position information of the customer and then transmits the data to the communication means of the transportation vehicles being on a trip in areas adjacent to the current position of the customer, and the system further comprises

a vehicle navigation apparatus mounted within each transportation vehicle for receiving the map position data of the customer who wants to use the transportation service and visually displaying it on an electronic map of the display screen based on the position information transmitted from the GPS satellite, a data interface for converting the map position data received via the communication means of the corresponding transportation vehicle and then outputting to the vehicle navigation apparatus, said communication network being a wireless communication network.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of communication means for the transportation vehicles store a specific code information of a trip area which is previously determined on each transportation vehicle and transmit the specific code information when transmitting trip information.

23. A system for processing transportation information using a communication network comprising:

a customer mobile communication terminal for performing a direct call connection to a transportation service by the operation of a customer who wants to use the transportation service through transportation means via a wireless communication network;

a first wireless network means including a first mobile communication base station capable of performing a call by exchanging high frequency signals with the customer mobile communication terminal and identifying the current position of the corresponding customer mobile communication terminal;

a mobile communication terminal for transportation vehicles, which is provided with the transportation vehicle providing the transportation service, providing a direct call connection to the customer mobile communication terminal via the wireless communication network;

a second wireless network means including second mobile communication base stations capable of performing a call by exchanging high frequency signals with the mobile communication terminal for the transportation vehicles and identifying the current position of the corresponding mobile communication terminal;

an information database means for storing subscriber information on the plurality of transportation vehicles and mobile communication terminal for transportation vehicles, current position information of the mobile communication terminals for the transportation vehicles and information on a charge for service of the customer mobile communication terminal;

a host server means in which when connecting the customer mobile communication terminal for using the transportation service, the trip position of the mobile communication terminal for the transportation vehicles identified by the second wireless communication network to the current position of the customer mobile communication terminal identified by the first wireless communication network is searched, and a call command is provided for the customer mobile communication terminal to make a direct call connection with the transportation vehicle by calling the transportation vehicle being on a trip in areas most adjacent to the current position of the customer mobile communication terminal, said host server means calculating a charge for each said transportation vehicles for use of the system according to the number of times of said connection of the transportation service with the customer communication means; and

a data relay means for performing the direct call connection to the customer mobile communication terminal by calling the mobile communication terminal for the predetermined transportation vehicle according to the call command by the host server means.

24. A system for processing transportation information using a communication network comprising:

a customer wireless communication means for performing a wireless connection, to a transportation service by operation of a customer who wants to use the transportation service through transportation means via a wireless communication network;

a first wireless network means including a first mobile communication base station capable of transmitting/receiving wireless information by exchanging high frequency signals with the customer wireless communication means and identifying the current position of the customer wireless communication means;

a mobile communication means for transportation vehicles, which is provided with the transportation vehicle providing the transportation service, for transmitting wireless information responding to the request of the transportation service from the customer wireless communication means via the wireless communication network;

a second wireless network means including second mobile communication base stations capable of transmitting/receiving wireless information by exchanging high frequency signals with the mobile communication means for the transportation vehicles and identifying the current position of the corresponding mobile communication means;

an information database means for storing subscriber information on the plurality of transportation vehicles and the mobile communication means for transportation vehicles, current trip position information of the mobile communication means for the transportation vehicles and information on a charge for service of the customer wireless communication means;

a host server means in which when connecting the customer wireless communication means for using the transportation service, the trip position of the mobile communication means for the transportation vehicles identified by the second wireless communication network to the current position of the customer wireless communication means identified by the first wireless communication network is searched, and a call command is provided for the customer wireless communication means to make a direct call connection with the transportation vehicle by calling the transportation vehicle being on a trip in areas most adjacent to the current position of the customer wireless communication means, said host server means calculating a charge for each of said transportation vehicles for use of the system according to the number of times of said connection of the transportation service with the customer communication means; and

a data relay means for processing a wireless exchange to the customer wireless communication means by calling the mobile communication means for the predetermined transportation vehicle according to the call command by the host server means.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the host server means, when the current position of the customer wireless communication means is detected by the first wireless communication means, transmits a character message for inquiring allowance of the position detection to the customer wireless communication means, and

when information allowing the position detection is received from the customer wireless communication means, transmits a character message indicating the current position of the customer wireless communication means to the wireless communication means for the transportation vehicles.

26. A system for processing transportation information using a communication network comprising:

a customer communication means for transmitting character information for indicating current position by operation of a customer who wants to use a transportation service through a transportation vehicle and performing a direct call connection with the transportation vehicle providing the transportation service;

a plurality of communication means for transportation vehicles provided with the plurality of transportation vehicles providing the transportation service and for transmitting a character message information indicating the trip position of each of said transportation vehicles and performing a direct call connection with the customer communicating means;

an information database means for storing character message information about the current position of the customer received from the customer communication means and character message information about trip position of each transportation vehicle from the plurality of communication means for transportation vehicles, in a state that includes the connection numbers of the plurality of communication means for transportation vehicles and local code information of the corresponding area of each transportation vehicle;

a character recognition processing means for recognizing contents of character about character message information received from the customer communication means and the plurality of communication means for transportation vehicles and then creating the current position information of the customer and trip position information of each transportation vehicle;

a host server means for providing a call command for the direct call connection between the communication means for the transportation vehicles being on a trip in areas most adjacent to the current position of the customer and the customer communication means based on the current position information of the customer created from the character recognition processing means, said host server means calculating a charge for each of said transportation vehicles for use of the system according to the number of times of said connection of the transportation service with the customer communication means; and

a data relay means for performing the direct call connection to the customer communication means by calling a predetermined communication means for transportation vehicles according to the call command by the host server means.