Passenger occupancy identification system

• US 9,352,756 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2013
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trainfx Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Trainfx Ltd.
• Inventors: Grant, Zeph
• Primary Examiner(s): He, Amy
• Application Number:
  US14/072,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20140125355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 340/667, 297/411.1, 297/445.1, 297/452.1, 324/661, 324/658, 324/665, 324/629, 324/679, 324/663, 324/686
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/242 Bus seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01532 using electric or capacitive field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 33/0057 characterised by their mounting in vehicles B61D33/0028 and B61D33/0092 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 41/02 Holders or devices for cargo tickets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0015 Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06 Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats crew seat constructions for emergency purposes B64D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/062 Belts or other passenger restraint means for passenger seats
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0647 Seats characterised by special upholstery or cushioning features
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/007 Indicators or signs in the cabin, e.g. exit signs or seat numbering
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/22 by investigating capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/088 operating with electric fields G01V3/082 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A seat for a passenger vehicle is provided that comprises a first sensor for detecting the presence or absence of an occupant in the seat and a second sensor for validating the seat occupancy. The seat further comprises a transmitter for transmitting a signal indicative of valid occupancy of the seat. The first sensor may be a non-contact, capacitive sensor and the second sensor may comprise a near-field communication device for receiving a seat validation code. A seat validation system may be established on a passenger vehicle such as a train, wherein a central controller may report on seat occupancy status for the vehicle.

Claims

1. A seat for a passenger vehicle, the seat comprising:

a first sensor for detecting the presence or absence of an occupant in the seat; and

a second sensor for validating the seat occupancy based on a received validation code and a reservation record pertaining to the seat by;

identifying occupant identity information from the received validation code;

identifying the reservation record; and

comparing the occupant identity information and the reservation record to determine whether the occupancy of the seat is valid,

wherein the seat further comprises a transmitter for transmitting a signal indicative of valid occupancy of the seat and wherein, in use, the occupancy data is transmitted to and from the vehicle during transit of the vehicle for updating the reservation record substantially in real-time with at least one of the comparing or a current vehicle journey.

2. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises a capacitive non-contact sensor.

3. The seat according to claim 2, wherein the first sensor comprises a charged electrode of predetermined area calibrated and mounted relative to the seat so as to define an operational range which extends only slightly beyond an occupant contacting portion of the seat.

4. The seat according to claim 2, wherein the first sensor has an operation range of between 5 and 50 cm.

5. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor is calibrated so as to have one or more threshold values indicative of a difference between a human occupant and other articles occupying the seat.

6. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor has a self calibration routine for determining one or more environmental condition and adjusting one or more threshold values indicative of seat occupant detection.

7. The seat according claim 1, wherein the seat comprises a rigid support and upholstery mounted thereon, wherein the first sensor is mounted to the rigid support.

8. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the second sensor comprises a wireless radio frequency communication device comprising a near field communication device.

9. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the second sensor is provided in an arm-rest portion of the seat or else maintained within a cover material of the seat.

10. The seat according to claim 1, further comprising:

a controller arranged to receive signals from the first and second sensors and to control transmission of the signal indicative of valid occupancy of the seat in dependence thereon, wherein the controller is arranged to receive a code via the second sensor and compare the code against one or more pre-stored codes in order to determine a valid occupation status of the seat.

11. The seat according to claim 10, wherein the seat comprises transceiver means and the controller receives updates of valid codes from a remote location external to the vehicle.

12. The seat according to claim 1, wherein, in use, the occupancy data is transmitted for updating the reservation record based on whether occupancy of the seat is valid.

13. A passenger vehicle occupancy monitoring system comprising a plurality of seats according to claim 1 and a central controller onboard the vehicle, wherein the central controller is arranged to receive occupation status signals for each seat via a local communication network by:

identifying occupant identity information from a validation code;

identifying a reservation record pertaining to a seat of the plurality of seats; and

comparing occupant the identity information and the reservation record to determine whether the occupancy of the seat is valid based on the validation code and the reservation record;

wherein the central controller is arranged to update the reservation record for each seat substantially in real-time with at least one of the comparing or the current vehicle journey.

14. An occupancy monitoring system according to claim 13, comprising seat controllers arranged to receive signals from the first and second sensors of each seat and to control transmission of the signal indicative of valid occupancy of each seat to the central controller.

15. The occupancy monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein the central controller controls output of a vehicle seating plan, said seating plan comprising at least one of an occupancy status or a reservation status for each seat.

16. The occupancy monitoring system according to claim 15, wherein the plan comprises a color coding scheme indicative of at least one of the occupancy status or the reservation status of each seat.

17. The occupancy monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein at least one of predetermined seat validation or reservation information is stored in advance for one or more journeys.

18. The occupancy monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein the system further comprises a portable communication device for use by a member of vehicle crew on board said vehicle, said device having a display screen and being in communication with the central controller.

19. The occupancy monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein the central controller is arranged to update the reservation record based on whether occupancy of the seat is valid.

20. The occupancy monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein the central controller is arranged to update the reservation record for each seat in substantially real-time with the current vehicle journey.