Transportation information using communication network and method thereof

• US 8,116,836 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2009
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• 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
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peaches, Randy
• Application Number:
  US12/359,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20090176483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.2, 455/414.4, 455/422.1, 455/459
• US Class Current: 455/575.9
• 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

System for processing transportation information using a communication network, comprising a customer communication means for performing a direct call connection to a transportation vehicle; a plurality of communication means provided with the transportation vehicle for performing a direct call connection with the customer communication means; an information database means for storing subscriber information; 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:

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, and for transmitting data via the direct call connection;

a plurality of communication means for transportation vehicles for performing a direct call connection with the customer communication means, for receiving data from the customer communication means;

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

host server means for selecting the communication means for transportation vehicles sequentially according to a predetermined order, the predetermined order based on the subscriber information and the connection history information in the information database means, and for providing a call command to the customer communication means for making the direct call connection with the communication means for transportation vehicles selected sequentially according to a predetermined order; and

data relay means for performing the direct call connection between the customer communication means that has operated the call command and the communication means for transportation vehicles selected by the host server means, the customer communication means transmits the data to the communication means for transportation vehicles selected by the host server means during the direct call connection.

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:

performing a call made by a customer to a transportation service using a customer communication means;

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 for transportation vehicles using the base stations and the communication service provider;

calling the communication means for transportation vehicles in 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 for transportation vehicles according to a call command by a host server for managing the transportation service to identify a transportation vehicle; and

performing a direct call connection between the customer communication means and the communication means for transportation vehicles by processing the call for the communication means for transportation vehicles for the transportation vehicle;

the customer communication means transmitting data to the communication means for transportation vehicles during the direct call connection.

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

8. The method of claim 6, wherein 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 the transportation service by the transportation vehicle is a car rental service.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein 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 step of calling the communication means for transportation vehicles, further comprises the step of calling the next order communication means for transportation vehicles, if a call completion is not made with a first call to the communication means for transportation vehicles of the predetermined order.

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

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

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

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

host server means in which when connecting the customer communication means for using the transportation service, the transportation vehicle being on a trip in areas most adjacent to the current position of the customer communication means is searched based on the subscriber information in the information database means and on the trip position information on the plurality of transportation vehicles, and for providing a call command to the customer communication means to make a direct call connection with the communication means for transportation vehicles of the transportation vehicle; and

data relay means for performing a direct call connection to the customer communication means 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 a wireless communication network.

14. 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 a GPS satellite transmitted from the customer communication means and one of the communication means for transportation vehicles is maintained during a constant time at an adjacent position.

15. 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 the public switched telephone network by wire, inputs the current position information of the customer by executing the automatic voice response system and makes a direct call connection to the communication means transportation vehicles of the transportation vehicle.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the customer communication means comprises a wire communication terminal in which, when connecting it via the 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 for transportation vehicles.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the host server means comprises an internet web site for inputting the current position of the 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 or 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 customer, and performing the call connection according to the internet telephone function.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of communication means for transportation vehicles are mobile communication terminals which receive the position information transmitted from a GPS satellite via a wireless communication network and transmit it as trip position information for the transportation vehicles, and perform the direct call connection to the customer communication means via a wireless communication network.

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

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the system further comprises trip measuring means for accumulating 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 for transportation vehicles, wherein

the host server means 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 for transportation vehicles for 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 for 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 a GPS satellite, and a data interface for converting the map position data received via the communication means for transportation vehicles 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 transportation vehicles store a specific code information of a trip area which is previously determined for the transportation vehicles and transmit the specific code information when transmitting the 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 vehicle by the operation of a customer who wants to use a transportation service via a wireless communication network;

first wireless network means for exchanging high frequency signals with the customer mobile communication terminal and identifying the current position of the customer mobile communication terminal, said first wireless network means including a first mobile communication base station;

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

second wireless network means for exchanging high frequency signals with the mobile communication terminals for transportation vehicles and identifying the current position of the mobile communication terminal for transportation vehicles of the transportation vehicle providing the transportation service, said second wireless network means including a second mobile communication base station;

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

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 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 for providing a call command to 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; and

data relay means for performing the direct call connection to the customer mobile communication terminal by calling the mobile communication terminal for the transportation vehicle according to the call command of the host server means, the customer communication terminal transmits data to the communication terminal for transportation vehicle during the direct call connection.

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

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

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

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

second wireless network means for transmitting/receiving wireless information by exchanging high frequency signals with the mobile communication means for transportation vehicles and identifying the current position of the mobile communication means for transportation vehicles for the transportation vehicle providing the transportation service, said second wireless network means including second mobile communication base stations;

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

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 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 for providing a call command to the customer wireless communication means to make a direct call connection to 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; and

data relay means for processing a wireless exchange of data for the customer wireless communication means by calling the mobile communication means for transportation vehicles according to the call command by the host server means, wherein the customer wireless communication means transmits data to the mobile communication means for transportation vehicles during the direct call connection.

25. A 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 regarding the position detection to the customer wireless communication means, and

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

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

customer communication means for transmitting character information for indicating current position by the operation of a customer who wants to use a transportation service through a transportation vehicle and for performing a direct call 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, for transmitting a character message information indicating the trip position of each of said transportation vehicles and for performing a direct call with the customer communication means;

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;

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;

host server means for performing a call command for a direct call connection between the communication means for 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; and

data relay means for performing the direct call connection to the customer communication means by calling the communication means for transportation vehicles according to the call command by the host server means, wherein the customer communication means transmits data to the communication means for transportation vehicles during the direct call connection.