FR2664075A1 - System for checking tickets and tickets for such a system - Google Patents

Abstract

System which comprises a railway ticket (25) or voucher or the like including a transmitter/receiver (51) and a memory (55), this implying that information can be received and stored by the ticket (25) and that information can be consulted or interrogated. The system uses a transmitter situated in a location other than the exit from the transport means. When the ticket or voucher passes through, a signal carrying information indicating the position of the transmitter is broadcast by radio. The information is preserved in the memory (55) of the ticket. When exiting the transport means, the memory of the ticket is interrogated remotely by a machine installed at the exit. The information thus captured is used to verify the validity of the ticket or voucher for the journey in progress.

Description

The present invention relates, in general to a memory ticket and to

  a processing system using this memory (portable storage medium), as well as a processing system using this storage medium More specifically, the invention relates to a transport ticket and to a system for check tickets used by rail and other means of transport travelers Various means of transport are used to

  carry large numbers of passengers and travelers. In these means of transport, a general control inspector

  travelers' tickets when they pass in front of him or in the transport vehicle. More recently, advances in technology have developed a system using information recorded on a magnetic strip provided on the ticket or transport ticket. In such a system, travel tickets are issued by an automatic dispenser. The system is designed so that information is recorded on the magnetic strip of the tickets, information which will be read later by a control machine

  automatic when the traveler passes through a turnstile leading to the quay, the machine checking whether the ticket presented is valid for the intended journey and whether it is valid from the point of view of date and time.

  The rail ticket system allows for fraud. For example, the traveler can fool the system by using two separate rail tickets or tickets, the former being used to board the train. and the second to descend. To unmask such fraudulent use, an improved system has been designed. In this system, the date of entry is recorded by magnetic means on the ticket by the automatic control machine when the traveler get on the train and the entry date is read on 2 the ticket when the traveler gets off the train Use

  ticket fraud becomes apparent if the arrival date has not been recorded on the ticket or travel ticket. However, in the case of the improved control system described above, such a control machine

  tickets must be installed in all stations for the system to operate effectively. Added to this is that even if such a machine is installed10 at all railway stations, it is difficult to detect fraudulent use of the ticket if the traveler

  claims that he did not use the automatic control machine because he passed through a gate where his ticket was examined by a controller.15 Consequently, the aim of the present invention is to provide a ticket or ticket and a con-

  a role which overcomes the drawbacks mentioned in the prior art. One aspect of the invention relates to a ticket or a ticket comprising a memory, and a receiving device for receiving the information transmitted by electromagnetic means and for storing the data indicating the station or station through which the passenger has entered. and the data indicating the point through which it passes, and an emitting section for transmitting, on request, the information concerning the station or the entry station and the passenger crossing point. According to another aspect of the present invention, it provides a system for processing a ticket or a

  ticket as specified and which is transported by a vehicle traveling along a prescribed track

  taking means, provided in the vehicle, for receiving waypoint data indicating that the vehicle is passing at a specified waypoint, and a transmitter mounted in the vehicle for transmitting data indicating waypoints for recording purposes in the

ticket or ticket memory.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, this presents an automatic ticket or ticket control system suitable for railways which includes a chronological or "timing" device installed at a predetermined location in order to emitting a signal, an output device, installed in the train, for emitting information indicating the passage of a predetermined point in response to the signal from the timing device when the train passes the predetermined point, a memory ticket including a receiving section to receive the information indicating the passage to the planned point, a first memory section to keep the information of the passage from the planned point and the entry station information, a second memory section to keep information indicating the period of validity of the ticket or the ticket and the route on which it is valid, and an exit section to deliver, on request, waypoint information, information indicating the station where the traveler has boarded, validity period information and authorized journey information, and an automatic ticket or ticket control device including an issuing section to transmit station information to which the traveler has mounted the ticket or a memory ticket when the passenger passes in front of a

  control to enter the platform, an information request section to request the transmission of information registered

  in the memory of the ticket when the passenger passes in front of the control device in order to leave the station platform, a receiving section to receive information30 of crossing point, station or entry station, period of validity and memory path

  of the ticket or the ticket, and a control section to determine the validity of the ticket or the ticket on the basis of the information of entry point, station or station35, period of validity or journey authorized by the means reception.

  Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, in

  reference to the embodiments shown in the appended drawing, which are, of course, in no way limiting, of which: FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating an automatic machine for checking tickets or tickets and a way map iron according to the invention held by a traveler; Figure 2 is a block diagram of the automatic ticket control machine shown in Figure 1; FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating a train passing beyond the point where an information transmitter is installed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention and which also shows the railway card with receiver or "radio type" "with which the passenger is provided; Figure 4 is a block diagram of the pass information transmitter shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a block diagram of the radio type travel card shown in Figures 1 and 3; Figure 6 is a schematic view showing the active areas of the memory of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a schematic view illustrating the exchange of information between the automatic ticket or ticket control machine and the travel card shown in Figure 1; Figure 8 is a schematic view illustrating the exchange of information between the automatic ticket control machine and the traveler card; and Figure 9 is a map showing the route of a railway track and showing a certain

  number of stations located on this route.

  A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to

  referring to the attached drawing As can be seen in FIG. 1, an antenna 21 has been installed on the upper part of an automatic machine for checking tickets and bills 23 The automatic machine 23 performs a reading and writing in association with the radio travel card 25 of the passenger 27 thanks to an antenna 21 when the passenger 27 passes through the ticket control machine 10 or automatic tickets 23 As shown in FIG. 2, the machine 23 is connected to a section modulation and demodulation 29 Section 29 demodulates the waves

  radio picked up by the antenna 21 and translates them into digital signals, or else modulates a carrier with digital signals 15 representing the desired data to be transmitted by the antenna 21.

  The modulation and demodulation section 29 is controlled by a control section of the main procedure 31 The section 31 also controls a memory 33 so that it sends the information contained in the memory 33 to the antenna via the modulation and demodulation section 29 The information stored in the memory 33 can, for example, represent the code of a station However, the machine for checking the tickets and the tickets 23 could also not have a memory 33 but simply have access to a large capacity basic memory, which is generally installed at a great distance from the machine 23 This main memory generally contains all the necessary data

  the operation of the railway line.

  A waypoint code transmitter 35 shown in FIG. 3 is installed in train 37.

  The transmitter 35 radiates a radio signal representing the code corresponding to a station determined by the antenna 3935 to the travel card with radio receiver 25 carried by the passenger 27 of the train 37 when the train stops at or 6 passes through the station planned In this case an oscillator

  (not shown) transmitting a specific signal corresponding to the code of the station concerned could be installed

  At this station and passing this point, the transmitter 35 5 could transmit a radio signal representing the code of said station, signal detected in the train If train 37 is an express train, this operation is carried out while the train is passing in front of the oscillator installed at the station

  in question This oscillator could be installed at a given point located between two stations.

  data or information mission by the transmitter 35 could also be carried out while the train is passing at the point

o the oscillator is installed.

  In FIGS. 3 and 4, we see an antenna 39 extending in the direction of the length of the train 37, which is connected to a modulation and demodulation section 41 of the pass point code transmitter 35 The section modulation and demodulation 41 is controlled by a main control and processing section 43 A memory 45 is also controlled by the control section

  main 43 Memory 45 contains information

  feeling the codes of a number of different waypoints When the processing and control section 43 receives the specific timing signal from the oscillator

  via antenna 39 and the modulation section

  tion and demodulation 41, a corresponding determined passage point code is read from memory 45 and is transmitted to the antenna 39 by the modulation and demodulation section 41 Thus, the planned passage point code is transmitted to the ticket or to the railway card at

radio receiver 25.

  The structure of the radio receiver railway card 25 will now be described. In the figure, an antenna 47 formed on the surface of a flat base 49 of the radio receiver type railway card

  , is connected to a modulation and demo section

  7 dulation 51 Section 51 demodulates wave signals

  radio picked up by antenna 47 and converts them into digital signals or module, a carrier wave with digital signals to be transmitted by antenna 47 The modulation and demodulation section 51 is controlled by the control and main treatment 53 The sec-

  tion 53 also controls a memory 55 so that it sends data or information to the modulation and demodulation section 51 or so that it stores the information from the modulation and demodulation section 51 in the memory 49 The main control and processing section 51 and the memory 56 can be part

  from the same microcomputer chip A battery, for example a film, is provided in the flat base 43 to power the main section 53, the modulation and demodulation section 51 and the memory 55.

  We will now describe an example of the arrangement of the information storage area of the memory 55 As shown in FIG. 6, the memory 55 is divided into four zones DA 1, DA 2, DA 3 and DA 4 La first day, zone D Al keeps the code of the entry station, while

  that the DA 2 zone contains the waypoint code (station code located on the route) The third DA 3 zone contains the information relating to the validity period, while the fourth DA 4 zone contains the validity information of route (i.e., information

  information concerning the part of the network for which the ticket or card is valid). We will now describe how

  operates the above railway ticket control system:

  The first step takes place between the automatic ticket control machine or travel tickets.

  ge 23 and the railway card with radio receiver 2535 which is provided to traveler 27, when the latter passes in front of the machine 23 to reach the station platform.

  8 When the traveler 27 places his railway card 25 near the antenna 21 of the automatic control machine 23, as shown in FIG. 1, a CALL call signal emitted by the antenna 21 of the machine 23 is picked up by antenna 47 on the card, as shown in the figure

  7 This signal changes the railway card 25 from the standby state to the communication state.

  sequence, the main control section 53 of the railway card 25 transmits an ACK confirmation signal to the control machine 23, through the modulation / demodulation section 51 and the antenna 47 and erases the second zone DA 2 of memory 55 in which the code of the waypoint is kept. In response to the AKN confirmation signal sent by the railway card 25, the automatic control machine 23 transmits the code of the input station IN to the railway card 25 by the antenna 21 The railway card iron to radio receiver 25 picks up the IN code from the passenger entry station via antenna 47 and stores this IN code in the first zone D Al of the memory Then, the main processing and communication section - request 42 of the railway card with radio receiver

  again sends the confirmation signal ACK to the banknote control machine 23 by the modulus

  lation and demodulation 51 and the antenna 47, then goes to "standby" When the confirmation signal ACK of the card 25 is received by the automatic ticket control machine 23, the first sequence of operations described below - above is completed If, however, the confirmation signal 30 ACK was not received by the automatic ticket control machine 23, a new attempt would be made by the machine 23 to enter into communication with the railway card 25. A second operation is carried out during the running of the train 37 which the traveler 27 has taken. When the train 37 reaches a given point or station, the transmitter 9 of the crossing point code 35 installed in the train 37 detects the specific signal coordination or timing indicating the station code or the prescribed waypoint code from the oscillator (not shown) located at station 5 or at the predetermined point When this specific signal is detected, the section of t processing and control 43 transmits a call signal and reads the TS code information of the waypoint in question from memory 45 in response to the specific timing signal and transmits the TS waypoint code by the antenna 39 s extending along the train 37 Since the processing and control section 53 of the radio receiver card 25 with which the passenger 27 is provided was in the "communication" position, the section 53 receives the signal d call of the waypoint code transmitter 35, so that it passes from the position

  "standby" in the "reception" position Thus, the main processing and control section 53 of the chek card

  min of iron at radio receiver 25 receives through the antenna 47 and the modulation and demodulation section 51 the code 20 of crossing point TS and writes it in the second zone DA 2 of memory 55 Then, the path map of iron

  goes to the standby position, which completes the second operating step If the card 25 had not been

  tact of the automatic ticket control machine 2325 when passenger 25 reached the station platform, the card would have remained in the standby position and, therefore, the waypoint code TS would not have been registered by the card 25. A third operation takes place between the radio railway card 25 and the automatic ticket control machine 23 when the passenger 27 passes in front of the machine 23 to leave the platform. When the traveler 27 places his railway card 25 near the antenna 21 of the automatic ticket control machine 23, the CALL call signal emitted by the machine 23 is picked up by the radio receiver card 25,

  which has the effect of switching it from the

  the "at the" communication "position The card 25 sends in response an ACK confirmation signal to the automatic bill-checking machine 23, by the antenna 47, as 5 represented in FIG. 8 The checking machine 23 receives the confirmation signal ACK of the card 25 and sends a request signal REQ which conditions the card 25 to transmit the information contained in the memory 55. When the railway card has a receiver

  radio 25 receives the REQ request signal from the automatic ticket control machine 23, the sec-

  main processing and control function 53 thereof reads the validity period information VP previously recorded in the third area DA 3 of the memory, the authorized trip information VS previously recorded in the fourth area DA 4, and the entry station code

  IN contained in the first zone DA 1 and the pass point code ST kept in the second zone DA 2 and transmits them respectively in series, to the control machine 2320 by the modulation and demodulation section 51 and the antenna 47.

  Based on the information from the railway card 25, the main processing and control section 31 of the automatic banknote control machine 23 determines whether or not the card is used appropriately Section 31 of the machine 23 determines the validity of the card 25 taking into account the information of validity period VP, route VS, entry station code IN, point of passage code ST If correct use of the card 25 is noted by the processing and control section 31

  of the automatic control machine 23, the gate (not shown), with which the control machine 23 is generally associated, opens and delivers passage to the traveler 27.35 Otherwise, the gate remains closed and the traveler 27 cannot pass.

  It is now proposed to explain how the embodiment described above works.

  of the present invention assuming that traveler 27 takes the train at station or station Si to reach station 52 along the route indicated by arrow (A) in Figure 9.

  The IN code of the entry station is transmitted by the automatic ticket control machine 23 to the railway card with radio receiver 25 and is stored in the first zone DA 1 of memory 55 when the train accosts at the station If the pass point code TS is also sent by the transmitter 35 to the radio receiver card 25 when the train passes the station 53 and is also kept in the second zone DA 2 of the memory 56 Thus, the entry station code IN and the waypoint code TS have been recorded in the corresponding zones D A1 and DA 2 of the memory 55 of the railway card 25 when the passenger 27 leaves the train 37 at the station 52. However, if the traveler uses two subscription cards, one of which is valid from station Si at station 54 and the other, from station 55 at station 52, the ST crossing point code ST corresponding to station 53 has been saved in the memory of one of the subscription cards, alros qu e the subscription card is only valid from the 25 station If at the station 54 On the other hand, the waypoint code -ST is also kept in the memory of the other subscription card, which is valid from station 52 to station 55 If the traveler uses the other subscription card, fraudulent use of this card is exposed30 when traveler 27 leaves the station 52 This is due to the fact that the point code Passage ST corresponding to station 53 has been stored in both subscription cards, while the use of the section between station 54 and station 53 is not authorized.35 In the Above embodiment, TS waypoint data is simply transmitted from 12 the transmitter 35 to the railway card 25 Or,

  ID code information of different railway companies could be added to TS crossing point signals In addition, an ID code could be previously contained in memory 55 of the railway card 25 The identification code

  incident ID and the already stored ID code could be compared when the TS pass station code is

  issued by the transmitter 35 to the railway card 25.

  The pass point code TS will only be kept in the memory 55 of the radio receiver railway card if the two identification codes ID match. So the TS waypoint code is not saved

  on the railroad card used by the other railways.

  In addition, TS waypoint information could be transmitted by a transmitter installed at a determined location and the waypoint information transmitter installed in the train could receive TS waypoint information and could simply send it back to the radio receiver card

  carried by the traveler In this case, the memory in which the waypoint information is kept could be deleted.

  In the above embodiment, the second area DA 2 of the memory 55 which stores the waypoint information TS is erased when the passenger 27 passes through the automatic ticket control machine 21 to reach the platform of the station Furthermore, the second zone 30 DA 2 of the memory could be erased when the traveler 27 leaves the platform The transmission of information between the ticket control machine 23 and the railway card 25 could be carried out by means of signals radio. However, a magnetic recording medium could also be provided on the railway card 25 and the exchange of information between the automatic control machine

  23 and the card 25 could be produced by the latter, the latter 23 carrying out a reading and writing operation.

  ture on the magnetic recording medium provided on the railway card 25. 5 According to the present invention, since the waypoint information TS is written in a portable memory medium (railway card to radio receiver), the illegal use of this card can be detected and, therefore, the personnel on board the

  vehicle is not obliged to control the ticket.

  Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment which has just been described and shown.

  Many modifications of detail can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (4)

CLAIMS A ticket or ticket (25) which includes a transceiver (51) adapted to receive entry station information indicating the station at which said ticket (25) enters a transport system, and information waypoint indications indicating a position on the route along which the ticket passes; a memory (55) for storing the entry station information and the waypoint information; and said transceiver (51) being adapted to transmit the input station information and the waypoint information on request. 2 Ticket or ticket according to claim 1, characterized in that the memory (55) has a location which can contain the period of validity and the authorized route, the transceiver (51) having means for transmitting the information of validity and journey period authorized on request. 20 3 Ticket system for a means of transport which comprises: a ticket or a ticket (25) comprising a transceiver (51) adapted to receive and store information in a memory (55) ticket or ticket; and a transmitter installed at a certain position or between a station or a station giving access to said means of transport, and a station making it possible to leave said means of transport, so that the position of the transmitter is transmitted so as to be received by the ticket transceiver (51) and stored in the memory of said ticket.   4 System according to claim 3, character-   risked that the transmitting and receiving device is installed at a waypoint located on the route followed by the vehicle and transmits the point of information   switching to a transceiver (35) installed in the vehicle   the, said transceiver being adapted to respond to the reception of the waypoint signal by transmitting waypoint information to be picked up by a ticket or ticket (25) in the vehicle.     System according to claim 4, characterized in that the crossing point signal is a signal   coordination or "timing", while the signal broadcast by the vehicle transmitter is an information code signal.   6 System according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the transceiver is adapted to pro-   refer to the erasure of previously stored waypoint information. 15 System according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the transceiver (35) of the vehicle (37)   includes a processor which receives information from the ticket transceiver (51) indicating the route for which the ticket is valid, as well as information20 regarding the validity date thereof and point of information information passage.   8 System according to any one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that the transmitter is installed   at the station or access station for the purpose of registering on the passing ticket.   9 System according to any one of Claims 3 to 6, characterized in that a machine for checking   ler tickets or tickets is installed at the outlet of the means of transport, said machine comprising a transceiver-30 adapted to transmit an interrogation signal intended for the transceiver (51) of the ticket (25) or of   ticket, which, in response to this interrogation signal, transmits the information contained in its memory (55), the transceiver of the control machine receiving the ticket information in order to verify the validity of said ticket or ticket.