EP0923061B1 - Method and device for automatically displaying the probable waiting time until the arrival of the next vehicle at public transport stops - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves providing a device (5) at each bus stop with a receiver (7) and transmitter (8) for bus stop signals (H). Stored data relating to reception of these signals are used to predict the time until the next vehicle and the time is displayed on an indicator (6). Whenever the detector (4) senses a vehicle at a bus stop, the device stops the current time measurement, resets the indicator, updates a look-up table with the actual journey time of the vehicle, and transmits a new bus stop signal. An Independent claim is included for a device for carrying out the above method.

Description

The invention relates to a method for automatically displaying the until the arrival of the next vehicle Stops of a means of transport, each vehicle with vehicle identification means is equipped, with a vehicle detector at each stop and display means are present and being at each stop Device with a receiver and a transmitter for stop signals as well is provided with signal processing means.

The invention also relates to a device for performing the Method comprising vehicle identification means arranged on or in each vehicle and at each stop a vehicle detector, display means and a device comprising a receiver, a transmitter for stop signals and contains signal processing means.

There are several generic methods and correspondingly working Devices known. For example, the document shows FR 2 336 752 a device in which a device arranged in each vehicle unspecified transmitter a permanent, coded, assigned to a line Sends out signal. Detect detectors located along the route the passage of the vehicle and its line number. processing means for the signals display boards at the stops control which indicate the approach of a vehicle. Although with this device the waiting time at the stops is displayed, but neither the travel times the display of the remaining waiting time is still being calculated customized.

Another system of the type mentioned at the outset is in the document GB 2 178 210. In this system there are means along the route to determine the position of a vehicle. It also contains System processing means showing the expected time of arrival of a vehicle based on data currently received and previously saved Calculate data. This document does disclose a learning ability when calculating the waiting time, however, is the position detection of the vehicles relatively complex along the route.

The international patent application WO 93 13510 A describes a Passenger information system for use at stops. The system has devices at individual stations, the data storage means for Storage of schedule information about planned arrival times of vehicles and display means for displaying these scheduled arrival times.

Based on this prior art, the present Invention the task, a method and an apparatus of the aforementioned Way of creating that manage without a control center, the positions the vehicle knows and the arrival time on the display systems transmitted. Further objects of the invention are a method and propose a device that without a position detection system in the Vehicles work and do not need any timetable information. Further the aim of the invention is to provide a method and a device, that without the use of a public or private data transmission network work and even without the use of a nationwide Radio network or service work.

These objects are accomplished in accordance with the present invention which in the characterizing parts of independent claims 1 and 7 specified features solved.

Such a system is able to use the current position reports and from self-created, continuously updated experience tables reliably predict when a particular vehicle will be on a particular Stop will arrive. This information is preferably called Remaining time displayed in minutes.

Particular embodiments of the invention are in the dependent Circumscribed patent claims.

The invention is described below with reference to an in the single Figure 1 of the drawing illustrated embodiment described in more detail.

The basic principle of the method and the device is a vehicle arrival of, for example, public transport Detect coded signals at bus stops and send them to the subsequent stops to report, so that these by time measurements up empirical values for vehicle arrival at their own location in a table who can already register for further courses concrete values for the expected waiting time for the next vehicle supplies. The appropriate devices can work that the values are ongoing become refined and more accurate and also like changing circumstances For example, adapt traffic jams due to construction sites. They can also if necessary Differentiate regular timetable courses from special courses. The stored values are start values or synchronization values of a internal time counter, which counts down to zero every minute and the Current meter reading for the waiting passengers on a controllable display visualized.

The only figure 1 shows schematically three stops 3 of a bus line and a vehicle 1 traveling on the line. Each vehicle 1 is equipped with a equipped small transmitter 2, which continuously sends out a vehicle signal F. The range of this signal is about 25 meters, making it from a receiver 4 mounted at each stop is received as soon as the vehicle is approaching a stop. In the following it is assumed that the transmitter 2 and the receiver 4 work with infrared signals, but it should be emphasized that the invention is not limited to its use is limited by infrared signals. Rather come for the vehicle signal all types of coded signals, especially ultrasound or radar signals in question. The sensitivity of the infrared connection between infrared transmitters 2 and infrared receiver 4 is dimensioned such that vehicles, that do not stop, up to a limit speed of, for example 80 km / h can be recorded. The vehicle signal F is also insensitive against extraneous light, especially sunlight, for example by modulating is. The vehicle signal F emitted by the infrared transmitter 2 is encoded and contains information about the line the vehicle is currently traveling on and the course type. These two pieces of information can be set by the driver become. The course type code can be, for example, 1 for a schedule course, 2 for a special course and 3 for a depot course. The signal also contains a factory-set individual vehicle address (e.g. 000 to 999) that occurs only once in the relevant transport network.

At each stop a device 5 is mounted, which is essentially one Contains receiver 7 and a transmitter 8, which with a common Antenna. The device also contains 5 signal processing means 9, which in turn is essentially a computer, storage means and timing elements include. The storage means are used in particular to create Experience tables with which the travel times are managed. You are preferred designed in such a way that all data cannot be lost regardless of the feed to save. The line number and the Departure direction can be set, is an individual stop address set at the factory and allowed like the vehicle addresses in the relevant traffic network only occur once. The device 5 is with the infrared receiver 4th and display means 6 connected. The receiver 7 and the transmitter 8 are for example for a frequency range assigned to the short-distance data radio designed. By means of this radio equipment it is possible to use a modest one Transmitter power the current position of each vehicle from the stop to report to stop. The range of all transmitters 8 is so dimensioned that their signals at least from the receiver of the following two Stops of the line in question can be received. The This means that at least everyone can access information even if one transmitter fails Display systems at the stops of a certain line without this a nationwide radio network is required. Should, due to special circumstances, for example, large differences in the distances between the Stations, the radio range is not at least the distances between the cover two next stops, a relay station can be switched in between which receives stop signals without its own address and these are forwarded unchanged.

In order to make the function and the advantages of the invention clear, the route of two buses along a line is described below. It is assumed that the first bus is the first bus to be the Line after installation of the device according to the invention.

In this state, the devices 5 lack practically all of the information. They only know their own address and their assigned line number with departure direction. These values were at installation on everyone Device set. But you do not know the addresses of those involved in this line Stops still their local order. Even the clear one Direction of travel of the registered vehicles, the timetable with the expected Waiting times from a specific station and the current time of day and the current day of the week is initially unknown to the devices. All Missing data, each device will work out by teaching itself, whereby the evaluation logic is designed for high fault tolerance.

Accordingly, the display means 6 show the first ones to which the bus 1 approaches Stop 3 at nothing yet. As soon as bus 1 stops 3 approaches, the relevant infrared receiver 4 receives the vehicle signal F and forwards this to the signal processing means 9. The signal processing means 9 first check the line code received with your own Attitude. If they match, they generate a stop signal H, which the information contained in the vehicle signal F, the stop address and contains the default departure direction. This stop signal H is broadcast by the transmitter 8. Before doing so, however, it is checked whether the frequency is not currently occupied by a carrier, or whether data from another stop can be received at this time. The stop signal H is emitted several times, for example three times to increase the security of signal transmission. The temporal Distances between the individual broadcasts is used to avoid Signal collisions determined by a random number generator.

In each device 5, which receives a stop signal, run in Principle exactly the same procedures. The following are the procedures at the second stop to be approached by the bus, whereby the bus is still at the first stop. The device 5 checks first, whether the line code of the received stop signal H with its matches. The next step is to check whether the same signal already exists within the last time, e.g. 10 minutes, where the stop address together with the vehicle address the signal clearly identified. If so, the signal is ignored. It is assumed the signal H emitted from the first stop will be the first time receive. Since the device 5 or its signal processing means 9 notice that the stop address contained in the received signal is not included in your participant register, the new ones Data registered and a time measurement assigned to the relevant bus is started. At the same time, the stop signal H is unchanged Form, i.e. with the original sender data, passed on. To this In principle, all stops on the line are always above the current one The location of each vehicle traveling on this line is informed. The The unchanged stop signals H are forwarded from the above mentioned reasons also repeated and in by a random generator certain intervals.

Also the display means 6 of the second bus stop 1 3 do not display anything because the relevant experience tables are also still empty. When the same bus arrives at the second Stop is determined by the device 5, repeat the above described procedures, that is, if the line code matches a new stop signal H is generated and transmitted, which the information contained in the vehicle signal F of the bus and the stop data the second stop contains. At the same time, the one assigned to the bus Timekeeping stopped. The result of this time measurement corresponds the actual travel time of the bus from the first to the second stop and is saved in an experience table. The device of the second stop "knows" now that the second stop immediately after the first information about the direction of travel of the bus derived. The order of all stops is based on the chronological order Sequence and storage of infrared arrival reports of a specific one Vehicle number at the various stops. Every stop Thanks to their pre-selection of the direction, "guesses" whether the detected vehicle is moving moved towards term A or B. However, it must not necessarily be trusted be that the infrared signal of an incoming vehicle only from Stops in its direction of travel is received because of reflections of the infrared signal can possibly also stop in the opposite direction incorrectly register a vehicle. For a clear statement it is necessary to determine the frequency and chronological order of reporting A and Analyze B stations. The sequence data are each time each vehicle registration reprocessed. As soon as certain orders are obvious and incorrect arrival reports have been recognized as such, sort the Devices the valid data in their individual tables according to level these local conditions, so that ultimately all addresses of the affected Route and at least the waiting times of the interested, front Stations are in memory. This automatic sorting remains then active if at some point an ad with a new address should be added or a defective device is replaced.

Now we are following the path of a second bus on the same line from the first to the second of the previously considered stops. The device of the The first stop currently does not have enough data to already have one To be able to display the waiting time. But the next morning we do it differently because measurement results are also stored for your own location, which then the waiting times from the arrival of one course to the next quantify. The nightly business interruption also counts as a waiting period. If these measurements are recorded in a table over a period of one week, the different traffic volume depending on the time of day and day of the week are taken into account or there can be different Timetables depending on days, for example working days or public holidays differentiate by already registered in sufficiently large tables Recognized sequences between two courses and accordingly can be assigned without the device having a real-time clock.

The effective travel time is already at the second stop of the first bus from the first to the second stop. Therefore starts when the stop signal from the first stop is received H not just a new time measurement, but the saved travel time is indicated by the display means 6 as remaining until the arrival of the bus Counting down time remaining. When the second bus arrives at a new stop signal H is generated at the second stop and sent out and at the same time the time measurement assigned to the second bus stopped. At the same time, the display means 6 are reset. The result the time measurement is now saved and with the saved result compared to the first bus. Exceeds the deviation of the compared If a specified tolerance is set, the one to be displayed for the next bus Corrected remaining time. The corrections are always dampened and under Inclusion of the frequency of events made, with very many different algorithms to the conditions of the respective traffic network Can be taken into account. However, these algorithms themselves are not Subject of the present patent application.

There are numerous special embodiments of the invention conceivable, some of which are briefly described below. The display means 6 at the stops can be designed so that they not only numerically the expected waiting time, but also alphanumeric Can display text messages. For example, at stops with several lines the next arrival times accompanied by line number and end destination alternately on the same display. The display means can also be designed as color monitors or combined with such become. The possibility of listening to or feeding in data at any point to be able to be used in various ways. For example can evaluate the current operating situation at an optional control center be listened to by radio traffic and the data on a computer be evaluated. As a result, the control center knows the current location of everyone Vehicle in the line network and can, for example, trigger an alarm if one or several vehicles at certain stops at the expected time arrive. For example, by feeding data into the radio network Text messages or even advertising messages on the ads to the Show stops. As long as a vehicle is in the reception area of a Stop, it is also conceivable that the driver reports status such as "Don't get in", "Vehicle overcrowded", "Special course Fair "and so on to the displays at the stops or to a Control center (e.g. "robbery"). If the infrared connection is bidirectional is configured, messages can be sent from an existing one Control center or from participating stops on an additional display be communicated directly to the driver in the infrared transmitter. At the stops an emergency button can be attached for waiting passengers whose Actuation locally on the scoreboard visual and / or acoustic alarm signals triggers and / or is recorded at an optional control center and a appropriate response such as triggering the police alarm. If the stops are equipped with solar cells, the invention can Device operated without connection to a power supply network become.

Claims (9)

1. Method for automatic display of the expected time remaining until arrival of the next vehicle at vehicle stopping points of a transport means, each vehicle (1) being provided with vehicle identification means (2), a vehicle detector (4) and display means (6) being present at each stopping point (3), and at each stopping point (3) a device (5) with a receiver (7) and a transmitter (8) for stopping point signals (H) and with signal processing means (9) is provided for, characterised in that each device (5) which receives a particular stopping point signal (H) for the first time within a certain time period stores the data of this signal, starts a time measurement assigned to the respective vehicle, and passes on the stopping point signal unchanged, in that each device determines with the aid of its stored data the expected time remaining until arrival of the next vehicle and causes the display means (6) to display this time, in that when a vehicle detector detects a vehicle (1) at a stopping point, the device of this stopping point stops a running time measurement assigned to the vehicle, sets the display means back, updates the empirical table with the actual measured travel time of the vehicle and transmits a new stopping point signal (H).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the vehicle identification means (2) comprise a transmitter mounted in or on the vehicle, preferably an ultrasound, infrared or radar transmitter, and in that the vehicle detector (4) is a corresponding receiver.
3. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that the vehicle signal (F) transmitted by the vehicle identification means (2) contains a code assigned to the line driven by the vehicle and an individual address code of the vehicle.
4. Method according to claim 3, characterised in that the vehicle signal (F) transmitted by the vehicle identification means (2) contains a code corresponding to the vehicle's present type of run.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each stopping point signal (H) contains a code assigned to the line driven by the vehicle (1) which has emitted the stopping point signal, an individual address code of the vehicle and an individual address code of the stopping point at which the stopping point signal is emitted as well as a direction of travel code indicating the direction of travel.
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the temporal value indicated by the display means (6) is automatically reduced by time intervals, for example every minute by one minute.
7. Contrivance for carrying out the method according to one of the claims 1 to 6, comprising vehicle identification means (2), disposed on or in each vehicle (1), and at each stopping point (3) a vehicle detector (4), display means (6) and a device (5) containing a receiver (7), a transmitter (8) for stopping point signals (H) and signal processing means (9), characterised in that each device (5) is capable of storing the data of a stopping point signal (H) received for the first time within a certain time period, of starting a time measurement assigned to the respective vehicle, and of passing on the stopping point signal unchanged, in that each device (5) is capable of determining with the aid of its data stored in an empirical table the expected time remaining until arrival of the next vehicle and of causing the display means (6) to display this time, in that each device (5) is capable of stopping the running time measurement assigned to the vehicle and of setting the display means back when the vehicle detector detects the respective vehicle (1) at the stopping point, and in that each device is designed to update the empirical table with the actual measured travel time of the vehicle and to transmit a new stopping point signal (H).
8. Contrivance according to claim 7, characterised in that the vehicle identification means (2) comprise a transmitter mounted in or on the vehicle, preferably an ultrasound, infrared or radar transmitter, and in that the vehicle detector (4) is a corresponding receiver.
9. Contrivance according to one of the claims 7 to 8, characterised in that the receiver (7) is a radio receiver and the transmitter (8) is a radio transmitter.

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