AU2828984A - Improvements in taxi meters - Google Patents

Description

TAXI METERS - -.--,_

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to improvements in taxi meters and relates particularly to an improved taxi meter which is able to handle a variety of metering functions associated with variations in hiring arrangements which taxi cabs and hire cars are able to perform.

In various countries, and in various localities with¬ in countries, the tariff and other charges relating to the hire of a taxi cab or hire car depends on a number of factors including elements of time and day, public holidays, the geographical location of the vehicle i.e. within city boundaries or outside, and the number of passengers whom may share the vehicle along the journey. The taxi meter, therefore, must operate in a manner which takes into account all these factors and this, therefore, necessitates a taxi meter of relatively complex form and operation. Background of the Invention

Until relatively recently, at least in some localities or countries, taxi cabs have been prohibited from operating on a "share" basis whereby the driver, after accepting ah initial hiring, picks up additional passengers destined for different destinations to the original hirer. However, such practices are now becoming legalized in most localities and countries subject to the taxi meters being able to calculate appropriate fares applicable to each fare paying passenger or passenger group.

Taxi meters are now available which are able to accurately calculate the appropriate fare for each share passenger, although operation of such meters is relatively complicated and requires some skill on behalf of the driver. With such taxi meters, the unsuspecting passenger maybe charged at an incorrect tarrif rate by a driver who in¬ correctly selects the wrong tariff or by the driver who deliberately operates the taxi meter in a fraudulent manner. Background Art

A number of forms of taxi meters are available which enable the operator to select the appropriate tariff rate applicable to the day, time of day and geographical ^^*-^ 0R£

( OMFI location. However, as indicated above, such taxi meters require the user, i.e., the driver, to select the correct tariff rate. If the driver^' selects the incorrect rate, the passenger will be charged an incorrect fare for the partic- ular journey, and no check can be made with such taxi meters as to whether or not the driver has selected the correct rate.

Such known taxi meters also require the driver to manipulate the meter in order to facilitate the selection of correct share-riding tariffs. If one passenger in a share- hired vehicle alights, and another passenger enters the vehicle at a subsequent time, the driver must search for the appropriate passenger number in order that the meter is able to correctly calculate the fares applicable to each sharing passenger. This leads to delays and may also lead to errors in fare calculation.

The known taxi meters also require relatively comp- licated and time consuming operations when it is necessary to vary a fare structure, as by increased fare rates, flag- fall tariffs and the like. If such rates are changed by statutory authorities, it is necessary for vehicles using such prior art to have the meters removed from the vehicle in order that the appropriate rates can be entered. The removal and subsequent re-installation of the meter is relatively time consuming and requires that the vehicle be Inoperative during that period.

Similar difficulties are encountered when it is necessary to calibrate the meter installed in a particular vehicle. 'Such calibration is required by statutory authorities to ensure that the meter accurately registers distance travelled by the vehicle. In some known meters, speedometer cable revolutions are counted during movement of thevehiσle over a set distance and such "counts" 'are loaded into the meter by means of a plurality of toggle switches built into the meter to thereby calibrate the meter. Such calibration is also relatively time consuming and requires accurate setting of the toggle switches to give an accurate calibration. It is therefore desirable to provide an improved form of taxi meter whereby the correct tariff for the particular day and time of day is automatically registered so that the passenger is correctly charged in accordance with the conditions prevailing during the time of hire of the vehicle.

It is also desirable to provide an improved form of taxi meter which avoids at least some of the disadvantages of prior art meters particularly in terms of simplicity of operation thus reducing the possibility of the operator, i.e. the driver, making an error. Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an improved taxi meter having two or more - tariff rates, said meter having an in-built clock means and display means which, after setting, displays the time of day, an in-built date calculator means and associated date dis¬ play means "which, after setting, displays at least the day and month, and an in-built holiday calendar means which is able to be pre-set with predetermined holiday dates, means to automatically select. the correct tariff rate applicable at any time which rate isdependant on time of operation of the meter as determined by the in-built clock means, the date of operation of the meter as determined by the date calculator means and whether or not that date is a pre¬ determined holiday date as determined by the holiday calendar means, and manually operable switch means to over¬ ride the automatically selected tariff rate to manually select a different tariff rate, and tariff display means which displays an indication of the particular tariff rate either automatically or manually selected.

In a preferred form of the invention, the in-built clock means comprises a micro-processor controlled clock and associated clock display means whichdisplays in digital form the time of day. Associated with the clock means is a micro-processor controlled date calculator and associated date display means which, after correct setting, displays the correct date in digital form. The in-built holiday calendar means is able to be re-set on a periodic

OMPI basis, i.e., yearly, so that particular, predetermined dates are stored in a memory as holiday dates.

With this form of the invention, when the meter is switched to a "hire" mode, the appropriate tariff rate applicable to the particular time and day of the operation of the meter in that "hire" mode is checked in a logic sequence and if the time and the day are seen to be those for which a normal or standard tariff rate is to be charged, the meter selects that rate and an appropriate indication ^**is displayed in the tariff. display means. If, however, the time or the date are seen to be those for which ahigher tariff rate is applicable, the meter operates automatically at the higher tariff rate, and an indication of the selected tariff rate is displayed in the tariff display means. If the vehicle is in a geographical location, or moves to a geographical location in which a different tariff rate is applicable, the operator i.e. the driver, can manually operate the manually operable switch means to change the appropriate tariff rate, an indication of which will then appear in the tariff display means. If desired, a

"tariff override on" light maybe provided on the taxi meter to indicate to passengers that the manual override has been actuated and that the tariff rate applicable is different to that which is normally automatically set. In a further preferred form of the invention, operation of the manually operable switch means results in a log being kept in a micro-processor memory system of the date, time and tariff manually selected so that a super¬ visor or the like can determine at a later time when the manually operable switch means has been actuated.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention a taxi meter is provided which includes means to calculate a plurality of fares dependent on the number of fare-paying passengers in the vehicle, means to select the appropriate tariff and commence calculation of the fare payable by a first fare-paying passenger on operation of a first manually operable switch means, means to vary the first fare-paying passenger fare calculation and to commence a second fare-paying passenger fare calculation on a second actuation of said first manually operable means, means to vary the fare calculations in respect of the first and second and any subsequent fare-paying passengers in response to subsequent actuation of said first manually operable means, second manually operable means to stop the fare calculations, means to cease the fare calculation of any selected passenger and to correspondingly adjust calculation rates of other fares, and means to periodically and or selectively display the fares appropriate to any particular fare-paying passenger.

In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the taxi.meter is able to calculate individual fares in respect of a vehicle shared by a number of fare-paying passengers. The fare calculation for each passenger is auto- matically adjusted as passengers enter and leave the vehicle and the fare for each passenger is calculated on the basis of the number of passengers which share the vehicle, i.e., on a discounted tariff rate, the distance travelled and the time taken in respect of each passenger. The fare calculation is made on the basis of the appropriate tariff applicable at the particular time and. on the particular day of the journey, that tariff rate being discounted according to the number of passengers at any particular time during the journey.

A particular advantage of the taxi meter according to the invention is that the taxi driver needs to operate only three push button switches or keys, the first being a "hire" when the first and subsequent passengers enter the^* vehicle, the second being a "passenger" key to cause the taxi meter to display the fare applicable to any particular passenger, and a "stop" key to stop the meter operation, on a first depression, when passengers are leaving the vehicle and to transfer any "extras" to the fare amount indicated for the particular passenger leaving the vehicle and, at the same time, to re-set the meter to clear the "extras" and fare in respect of that particular passenger as soon as the vehicle commences moving.

In a preferred form, the meter emitts a tone when¬ ever one of the keys or switch buttons is actuated. Preferably, the tone emitted is different for each key or button actuated and, when the meter is in the "stop" mode, a tone is emitted periodically.

According to a still further aspect of the invention there is provided a taxi meter comprising switch means to initiate the meter into a hire mode from a vacant mode, fare means to automatically display a fare applicable to the vehicle hire^* on initiation of the* hire mode and including means to increase the displayed fare either in accordance with distance travelled by the vehicle or in accordance with time if the vehicle is not moving, a first power source which operates the meter, voltage measuring means to measure the voltage of said primary power source, a back-up power source connected to meter memory means, timing means operable to measure a period of time commencing when the voltage measuring means detected a voltage reduction of the primary power source below a predetermined minimum voltage, distance measuring means operable to measure a distance travelled by the vehicle from a time of voltage reduction below the predetermined minimum voltage of the primary power source, back-up switch and storage means operable to transfer hire mode and fare information to the meter memory means when the voltage of the primary power source falls below the predetermined minimum voltage and to restore such in formation to the meter and fare means when the primary voltage raises above said predetermined minimum, said back¬ up switch and storage means being responsive to the timing means and the distance measuring means to return the meter to the hire mode if the measured period is less than a pre- determined minimum period or if the measured distance is greater than a predetermined minimum distance.

With this arrangement, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, in the event that the primary power supply cannot be maintained at a satisfactory level, the taxi meter responds by storing its current activities in its memory powered by the back-up power^* source until the voltage of the primary power source is restored to at least the pre¬ determined minimum. When power is stabilized, the meter resumes its functions from the point of interrupt provided that, if the voltage of the primary power source has been below the predetermined minimum for a period greater than a predetermined minimum period and the distance travelled by the vehicle during that period is less than a predetermined minimum distance, the meter is automatically switched to a vacant mode.

This insures that an operator, i.e., a driver, cannot "load up" the meter and then wait, with the primary power to the meter being switched off, until a passenger hires the vehicle. In such circumstances, and with meters of the prior art, when power is again applied to the meter, the unsuspecting passenger may be asked to pay a "Flag Fall" which comprises components of the normal flag fall and the period of time in which the meter had been in the "waiting" mode. Such a practice, known as "high flag" is prevented with the meter of the present invention as once power is withdrawn from the meter for more than the predetermined period of time and the vehicle has not travelled the pre¬ determined distance, the meter is returned vacant mode. Preferably, the meter includes means whereby, if the meter was in the hire mode when voltage of the primary power source fell below the predetermined minimum and the vehicle did travel the predetermined distance, the fare displayed when the voltage again rises above the pre- determined minimum flashes five times on the meter and the meter is then di-activated so that.no further fare incrementation occurs. A warning tone may also sound to • alert the driver and the passenger to this function. The driver will then be required to collect the fare shown at that time and to re-initiate the meter into the hire mode before additional fare amounts are accrued. This ensures that if a power failure occurs accidentially during operation of the vehicle in the hire mode, the driver and passenger are alerted to such power failure and can take appropriate steps to ensure that the full and correct fare is paid. Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a taxi meter in accordance with the present invention and illustrating the front face thereof, Figure 2 is a logic diagram showing operation of the meter in its vacant mode,

Figures 3A and 3B are logic diagrams illustrating operation of the meter on actuation of a hire switch,

Figures 4A, 4B and 4C are logic diagrams illustrat- ing operation of the meter in its hire mode,

Figure 5A, 5B, and 5C are logic diagrams illustrat¬ ing operation of the meter on operation of its stop switch, and

Figure 6 is a logic diagram illustrating operation of the automatic tariff determination performed by the meter. Description of Preferred 3aτtbodiment

The taxi meter of the present invention has been designed particular for use where sharing-riding in hire vehicles is permitted and also where more than one tariff rate maybe used to calculate the fare or fares, the tariff being variable in accordance with the time of day, the date and geographical location of the vehicle.

In many countries, share-riding is permitted by the appropriate statutory authorities whereby a fare-paying passenger in a vehicle may permit the driver to pick-up additional fare-paying passengers, the first fare-paying passenger then being charged at a discounted rate while the cab is being shared. The second, and any subsequent fare- paying passengers carried during the journey are also charged.at a discounted rat .

In some countries, and in some localities within countries, varying tariff rates are applicable. In one example, a first tariff rate is applicable for the days Monday through Friday and between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. That rate may also be applicable for Saturdays be¬ tween the hours of 6 a.m. and 12 noon for travel within a designated area. A second tariff rate is applicable to the other times and for travel outside the designated area.

OMPI The taxi meter of this embodiment of the invention incorporates a micro-processor with appropriate circuitry and switches, the micro-processor being operable as a clock, a date calendar and a public holiday calendar. The micro-processor, or other micro-processors, are arranged to perform other metering functions herein described to provide a unique taxi meter having unique combinations of various functions which facilitate simple and automatic operation of the meter and substantially prevents mis-use, whether intentional or unintentional, which could give rise to a fare-paying passenger being charged an incorrect fare or which could lead to the driver being unable to charge the passenger the proper and correct amount.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the taxi meter illustrated in the Figure 1 has a display panel which includes visual display 1 which displays a numerical indication of the tariff rate on which the meter is function¬ ing, displays 2 and 3 which show the appropriate date and time, respectively, with a further indicating light (not shown) to indicate whether the time "a.m." or "p.m.".

The display 4 is a "share" display indicating the number of fare-paying passengers, or groups of passengers, sharing the journey. The display 5 shows the particular share passenger, or share passenger group, to which the amounts displayed in the "fare" display 7 and the "extras" display 8, respectively, applies. A red LED 14 and a green LED 15 indicate that the- meter is in a "stop" mode and "hire" mode, respectively.

The taxi meter has five operational keys which are operable singularly, in pairs or sequentially to key inputs into the processors of the meter. The operational keys comprise a hire key 9, a stop key 10, an extras key 11, a passenger key 12 and a function key 13. The operation of these keys is described hereafter. The taxi meter is powered from a primary power source which normally comprises the battery of the vehicle into which the meter is fitted. The meter includes an in¬ built back-up power supply which is used to maintain a memory which stores all relative information regarding the iURE

OMPI past operation of the meter. If the voltage of the primary power supply falls below a predetermined level, the meter automatically switches to the back-up power supply so that the contents of the memory are maintained. When primary power is restored to the meter, functions which were taking place at the time of power interrupt i.e. a hire function, is restored and the meter resumes its functions from the point of interrupt. However, the meter is provided with means to prevent a delibrate power interruption being used to display incorrect fare indications. The meter includes a clock which, as soon as the primary power voltage falls below a predetermined level, commences a timing function. If, when the primary power voltage exceeds the predetermined minimum, the time elapsed is less than, for example, 15 seconds, the meter will resume its actitivity immediately, irrespective of whether it was in a hire mode or a vacant mode.

However, if the power interruption was for more than the predetermined period i.e. 15 seconds, and the meter was in a hire mode when the power interruption occurred, the meter assess the distance which has been travelled by the vehicle during the time of the power interruption. If the vehicle had not travelled a predetermined distance, which is normally the initial distance allowed in the flag fall amount, the meter assumes that a delibrate attempt has been made to "high flag" the meter and the meter is restored to a vacant mode as soon as voltage of the primary source exceeds the predetermined minimum.

If, when power is restored to the meter, the meter has sensed that the power has been off for more 15 seconds and that the vehicle had travelled more than the pre¬ determined distance, it causes the fare display to flash a number of times and then freezes the display so th'at no further fare increments occur. At the same time, a warning tone or buzzer may sound to provide an indication to the driver and the passenger of the frozen meter. The driver must then "re-flag" the meter before continuing with the journey. Naturally, the totalisators maintained by the meter are updated during this last operation.

-gXJR£ OMPI -li¬ lt would be appreciated that this function of the meter prevents the driver delibrately disconnecting power to the meter by use of a power switch or otherwise which might otherwise cause the meter to display an incorrect fare when the vehicle is next hired.

Referring particularly to Figure 2, when the taxi cab is vacant and is awaiting a fare or is moving to a radio-directed location to pick-up a fare, the meter operates continuously testing various parameters and input switches to determine if a change of operating mode has been called for either by a change of operating parameters or by manual operation of one or more of the keys 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13. The. vacant mode logic is entered at 49 and a micro-processor follows through the logic circuit which firstly provides at 51 for the meter to display the date and time in displays 2 and 3, respectively, and, at the same time, to display any lights, such as a dome light which indicates that the vehicle is vacant.

A series of interrogations are then made commencing with a distance travelled interrogation at 52 which assess if any distance has been travelled since a previous interrogation. If no distance has been travelled, interrogations are made of inputs from the various keys at 53, which tests the hire key 9, 54 which tests the stop key 10, 55 which tests the extras key 11, 56 which tests the passenger key 12 and 57 which tests the function key 13. If all these tests are negative, the program reverts back to the start at 50.

If the interrogation of the distance travelled, at 52, is positive, the measured distance travelled is added at 58 to the total distance totalisator and the program re¬ commences at 50. Thus, while the vehicle is moving, operation of any of the keys on the meter have no effect in changing the vacant status. If the vehicle is stationary and the tests at 53 reveals an input from the hire key, the program initiated a hire routine 59, hereinafter described, and, subsequently, the vehicle enters a hire mode 60, also described hereafter. If the test at 53 is negative but the stop key has been activated while the vehicle has been stationary, the test at 54 directs the program to a "stop - vacant" sub-routine 61 which then requires one of the extras key 11, the passenger key 12 or the function key 13 to be subsequently actuation to thereby enable access to information contained in the totalisators of the meter or enable the driver to input information, such as fuel purchasers and the like, to the meter for entry on the totalisators.

Thus, when the stop key 10 and the extras key 11 are pressed while the vehicle is in the vacant mode, and the vehicle is stationary, the meter displays in the high order position of the "extras" display 8 a single digital number corresponding to a particular, totalisator being interrogated. The fare display 7 displays the contents of that particular totalisator. The various totalisators will scroll through- the fare display 7, and the totalisator number will scroll through the extras display 8 at 5 second intervals unless otherwise stopped by pressing the stop key. Pressing the stop key .twice in sucession ends this meter function.

Similarly, actuation of the stop key 10 and the passenger key 12 while the vehicle is stationary and in vacant mode causes other totalisators to be displayed. The two lots of totalisators may be set up as "shift" totalisators which retain all fare, distance and other information relating to operations which occur during a particular operation shift, and "total" totalisators which contain cummulative totalisator information, and which is normally only accessible by the vehicle owner using a password security. r

!.£, in the vacant mode, the vehicle is stationary and both tests of the hire switch and stop switch are negative, but a test of the extras switch indicates an operation thereof, the program will enter an extras/vacant routine 62 which is used to enable the driver to obtain a display in the fare display 7 of the total takings in¬ cluding extras and fares since the beginning of the part- icular operational shift.

If the interrogation 55 is negative, and the interrogation 56 indicates the passenger switch has been operated, this indicates that the vehicle has been set "NOT FOR HIRE" and, provided that such an option has been built into the meter, a "NOT FOR HIRE" indicator on the vehicle is illuminated. The progam then re-commences at 50.

If the interrogation at 56 is negative but the interrogation at 57 indicates that the function key 13 has been operated, the progam enters a function/vacant routine, which is a test routine for the use of statutory authorities to check the distance calibration of the meter, to display an accumulator indicating whether or not a "tariff override" routine has been used, display the various fare, flag fall and discount tables applicable to fare calculations, and for any other purposes for which operating authorities may require information or to make tests on the accuracy and operation of the meter. Referring to Figures 3A and 3B, operation of the hire key 9 causes the micro-processor to enter a hire routine which is illustrated in the logic circuit. Initiation of the hire routine causes, at 21, the hire LED 15 to be illuminated and turns off the dome light which was previously indicating that the vehicle was in the vacant mode. The hire switch indicator is set to zero. At 22, the share count, which counts the number of people sharing the vehicle at any o e time, is increased by a factor of one and, at 23, the share count is tested to ensure that the number of sharing passengers is less than 9. At 24, 26 and 28, a passenger table index i is set to one, the index is tested to ensure that it is correctly set and a passenger number indicator is set to equal the index Figure. At.29, the program enters an auto-tariff routine, hereinafter described. following which the program enters a share routine which sets the appropriate flag fall for the^; number of sharing passengers and increments the share display 4 to display the number of sharing fare-paying passengers. The program then enters a duty log routine 31 in which appropriate information as to the number of passengers, -the time and date, the applicable tariff rate and the like are entered into a duty log which can be subsequently accessed by the operating authority, as previously described.

At 32, the appropriate display operation is set to enable the various figures and amounts to be displayed by the meter and the program then enters a display routine 33 which causes the display to be continuously up-dated by fare increments and by periodically showing the fares and extras applicable to the various share passengers (if more than one). At 34, the program causes the meter to emit a tone indicating to the passenger that the meter has entered the hire mode.

If, at 23, when checking the number of share passeng¬ ers indicated by the share count, that number is 9, the program diverts to the side circuit via the set loop count 36 which sets a l&op counter to the figure ten. At 38, the display is then set to zero so that all the displays in the passenger display 5-, the share display 4, the fare display 7 and the extras display 8 are set to zero. At 39, a clock timer is set to zero and the progam circulates between 40 and 41 for a period 0.25 seconds. At the expiration of that period, the display in the passenger, share, extra and fares displays are cleared at 42 and, at 43, the clock is re¬ started so that a further timing period of 0.25 seconds can take place in the loop of 44 and 45. After this timing period, the lope count is decreased by one at 46, and the lώop repeated through 47 and 37 until the loop count is zero at which time the share count is set to 9 and the hire routine is exited via 35. Thus, for a period of approx¬ imately 5 seconds, the displays will all flash zero'thus indicating that no more share passengers can be accommodated in the vehicle. The maximum number of share passengers set in the meter is 9, although this Figure maybe varied as desired.

Once the hire routine has proceeded, the meter then proceeds in hire mode which is illustrated in Figures 4A, 4B

[JRI and 4C. In the hire mode, the micro-processors test, at 70, if the vehicle is moving. If the test is negative, tests are then made at 71, 72, 73, 74 and 75 to sequentially check the operation of the function keys 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, respectively. If the hire key has been operated a second time since commencement of the hire routine (during which, at 21, the hire switch indicator was set to zero) , such a second operation indicates a second fare-paying share passenger entering the vehicle while the vehicle has been stationary. This then causes the program to enter the hire routine 59, previously described and the hire mode is then re-entered at 69.

If there has been no second operation of the hire key, but an operation of the stop key has occurred, the program enters the stop routine 80, hereinafter described.

Similarly, the extras/hire routine 81, the passenger/ hire routine 82 and the tariff override routine 83 maybe entered if ^*any of the appropriate keys have been activated. If no keys have been activated, the program enters, sequentially, the unit calc routine 77 and the display routine 33. The unit calc routine 77 calculates an appropriate incrementation of the fare display 7 as a result of distance travelled, and/or time elapsed while the vehicle is stationary^*, for each particular share-paying passenger. Thus, while the vehicle is stationary, the fare display is up dated for each increment of time which elapses and for which a fare is payable.

After the display routine 33, which has been previously described, the display timer is operated to dis- play the waiting time appropriate to the particular share passenger displayed in the display 5. After a period of 10 seconds, the passenger number is incremented to the number of the next share paying passenger (if more than on fare- paying passenger) through the appropriate routine sections 95, 97, 98, 96 and 99. The display routine 33 is then entered to display the appropriate fare and extras amounts and the share and passenger numbers for the next numbered share passenger, and the routine is repeated through 84

If the test at 70 of the vehicle motion is positive, i.e. the vehicle is moving, the program branches to 86 to turn off the stop LED 14. At 87, the function switch is tested to ascertain if an input has been received and, if so, the program passes to tariff override routine 83. This routine overrides the auto-tariff routine 29 to enable the driver to set a tariff rate other than that which is automatically set by the auto-tariff routine 29. The program branch is re-entered at 88 and, at 89, the total distance totalisator is up-dated by the distance travelled since last up-date. At 91, a test is made of the share count register to ascertain if more than one fare-paying passenger is registered in the meter. If so, a totalisator of paid-share kilometers is up-dated at 90. Otherwise, the paid normal kilometers totalisator 92 is up-dated. The program then re-enters the hire mode program at. 76.

It will be seen that, when the vehicle is in the hire mode, the program loop is repeated until such time as the vehicle stops and one or other of the operating keys 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13 is activated.

Referring to Figures 5A, 5B and 5C, there is illustrated a logic circuit of the stop routine which is entered primarily when the vehicle has been in hire mode and the stop key 10 is actuated. The stop routine is entered at 101 and, at 102, the stop LED 14 is illuminated and the hire LED 15 is turned off. The stop switch is set to zero at 103 and the program passes to a vehicle moving test 105 to determine if the vehicle is still moving when the stop switch has been actuated. If so, the stop LED 14 is turned off and the hire LED is turned on at 115 and a passenger number routine 109 and the display routine 33 are sequentially entered before the stop routine is exited via 114.

The passenger number routine 109 acts to re-set the meter display by entering the passenger number one into the passenger display 5 and entering the appropriate fare and extras applicable to that passenger in the appropriate fare and extras displays 7 and 8 as provided in the^' display routine 33. Thus, operation of the stop key 10 during the hire mode and when- the vehicle is in motion acts to re-set the display to the passenger number one.

If the vehicle is not moving when the stop key 10 has been actuated during hire mode, a test is made at 106 for a second stop key actuation which indicates a fare-pay¬ ing passenger is leaving the vehicle. If the test is negative, i.e. there has been only one actuation of the stop key, a test is made at 108 to ascertain if the passenger key 12 has been actuated. If not, the program loops to 104 and the moving test, stop key and passenger key tests are re¬ peated.

If a passenger key 12 has been actuated, the program enters the passenger number routine 109 and display routine 33, sequentially,to bring up the passenger number one and to display the appropriate fares and extras applicable to that passenger. A click tone is emitted at 110 and a timer clock is started at 111 so that a timing period maybe measured through 112 and 113. At half second intervals, the program re-enters the circuit at 107. If the passenger key 12 is maintained pressed the passenger numbers and the fares and extras applicable thereto scroll at half second intervals through the meter displays. When the appropriate passenger numberfor the passenger leaving the vehicle is displayed in the passenger display 5, the passenger key 12 is released and the stop key is pressed (for the second time) which causes the program to divert from 106 to 121 which turns on the'hire LED 15 (both stop LED 14 and hire LED 15 are illuminated ^' together) . At 122, 123 and 124, the appropriate fare is added to the permanent and shift totalisators, the duty log is completed, and if an extras/fare option has been selected for the meter, the extras are added to the fare and are cleared from the extras display. The display routine 33 is then entered to add and display the appropriate amounts for the selected passenger and the passenger table is re- set at 126 to accountfor the passenger leaving the vehicle. The share count counter is reduced by one at 116 and, if the share count equals zero when tested at 117, a timer clock is re-set at 118 and operates for a period of 15 seconds as tested at 120 and during which time the distance travelled is checked at 127 and the hire switch is checked at 128. If, after 15 seconds, there has been no movement of the vehicle or operation of the hire switch, the- vehicle returns to vacant mode after turning off the stop LED 14 and turning off the hire LED 15 at 131.

If, during the 15 second timing period, the vehicle moves, it also reverts to the vacant mode. If, during the timing period, the hire switch is actuated, the stop LED 14 is extinguished at 129 and the hire routine 59 and hire mode 130 are sequentially entered.

In the hire routine of Figures 3A and 3B, the program branches to the auto-tariff routine 29, a logic circuit of which is illustrated in Figure 6. Whenever the taxi meter enters the hire mode, the auto-tariff routine determines the appropriate tariff rate for the particular date and time of day. This rate is then used to calculate the fare of the fare-paying passenger. The inbuilt clock and date calendar are used and are interrogated to check, at 134, if the day is a Saturday or a Sunday. If not, the holiday calendar is checked at 135 to ascertain if the particular day, as indicated by the date, is a public holiday. If the day is a public holiday, tariff 2 is selected through 140, 141 and 142. If not, the time is checked at 136 to ascertain if it is greater than 0600 hours. If not, i.e., it is before 6 a.m., tariff 2 is again selected. If the . time is after 6 a.m. , the clock is checked to see if the time is less than 2100 hours. If not, i.e., it is after 9 p.m., tariff 2 is, once again, is selected. Otherwise, tariff 1 is set via 138 and 139 and the taxi meter calculates the fare in accordance with that particular tariff rate.

If, in determining the particular day, it is found that the day is a Saturday or Sunday, the calendar is check¬ ed to see if the day is a Saturday. If not, tariff'2 is set. If the day is a Saturday, the time is checked to see if the time is between 0600 hours and 1200 hours and, if so, tariff 1 is set. Otherwise, tariff 2 is selected.

It will seen that, with this particular arrangement, the tariff rate at which the taxi meter calculates the fares is automatically set at the correct rate for the appropriate day and time. The public holiday calendar can be programmed into the taxi meter periodically, i.e., yearly, by connecting the taxi meter to a master meter which re-programs the public holiday calendar.'.

It will be appreciated, naturally, that more than two tariff rates maybe applicable, and the meter has the facility for accepting up to nine different tariff rates for different periods of time during the day, different days and public holidays as well as rates for other purposes, such as long distance hire and hire on a time basis.

As previously indicated, the auto-tariff routine can be overriden by operation of the function key 13 to enable the driver to select a higher tariff whenever the vehicle passes into a geographical area for which that higher tariff is applicable. The data log is up-dated to indicate the operation of the override function.

It will been seen that operation of the taxi meter of the present invention is far simpler than the operation of other known meters and provides a combination of auto¬ matic functions and driver selected functions to cater for all types of variations in the hire of the vehicle. Thus, there is no "vacant" key to set the meter to the vacant mode, which is required by most prior art meters, and there is no "tariff" key" for the driver to set the appropriate tariff rate.

The taxi meter of the invention contains various security safe guards to prevent unauthorized tampering with the tariff rates, the distance calibration, the shift totalisators, the permanent totalisators, the data log and to prevent unauthorized access to the permanent totalisators. Such security measures include the use of "password" matching which requires the entry of a five digital "password" to be entered and matched with a predetermined "password" in the memory of the meter before the meter will respond to requests for display of totalisator information and the like.

. In the description of the preferred embodiment, reference has been made to detecting vehicle motion or to testing as to whether the vehicle is in motion. The meter of the present invention accepts inputs from a counter or transducer which is operable only when the vehicle is in motion i.e. the counter or transducer is driven from the speedometer cable or is otherwise related to forward or rearward movement of the vehicle. Inputs from the counter or transducer which indicate a vehicle speed of less than 3 kilometers per hour are i terpretated as the vehicle being in a stationary mode. If the vehicle is moving more than 3 kilometers^' per hour, the inputs from the counter or trans¬ ducer indicate that the vehicle is in motion. Operation of the hire key 9, the stop key 10, the extras key 11 and the passenger key 12 have no effect when the vehicle is moving at more than 3 kilometers per hour. The function key 13 maybe actuated, in the hire mode, when the vehicle is moving to change the tariff rate to a higher rate as, for example, when the vehicle moves across geographical boundaries requiring a higher tariff rate.

As previously indicated, a master meter maybe connected to the taxi meter, by way of a communications port, to enable changes^*to be made to the various tariff and fare rates, holiday calendar dates, and other parameters which may need to be changed from time to time. The master ^' meter is also used for distance calibration of the taxi meter and, where necessary, for setting the "password" to enable the taxi operator to obtain access to the permanent totalisators.

OMPI

Claims (16)

Claims .

1. A taxi meter for mounting in a vehicle and compris¬ ing means to calculate an applicable fare dependant on vehi¬ cle distance travelled or time as related to a tariff rate, switch means manually operable to select one of two or more predetermined tariff rates whereby the meter will calculate the applicable fare determined by the selected tariff rate, tariff rate display means to display an indication of the selected tariff rate/ an inbuilt clock means to register the time of day, and clock display means to display the register¬ ed time, characterised in that said meter further comprises an inbuilt date calculator means which operates to maintain a registration of the date, an inbuilt holiday σalander means, means to preload the holiday σalander means with a plurality of predetermined holiday dates, tariff rate selection means operable when the meter is switched to a hire mode to auto¬ matically select an appropriate tariff rate which is applic- able to the time and date when the meter is switched to the hire mode, said tariff rate selection means including means to check whether or not the date registered by the date calculator means is a predetermined holiday date and, if not, to determine if that date is one for which a tariff rate change is applicable dependant on the time, and to check, if required, the time registered by the clock means to determine if that time is between predetermined limits which limits relate to changes in applicable tariff rates, and said manually operable switch means being operable to override the automatically selected tariff rate, the tariff rate display means displaying an indication of the partic- ular tariff rate either automatically or manually selected.

2. A taxi meter as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that an inbuilt data log means stores the date, time and selected tariff rate each time the manually operated switch means overrides the automatically selected tariff rate.

3. taxi meter as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that said tariff rate selection means has up to nine differ¬ ent selectable tariff rates each applicable to a different predetermined date, time and day combinations as registered by the date calculator means, the clock means and the holiday calander means.

4. A taxi meter as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that visual indicator means are actuated by operation of the manually operated switch means to provide a visual indica¬ tion that the automatically selected tariff rate has been changed.

5. A taxi meter as claimed in claim 1 and including hire switch means to cause the meter to operate in the hire mode, fare means to automatically display an applicable fare appropriate to the vehicle hire, fare incrementing means to increment the fare means either in accordance with distance travelled by the vehicle or in accordance with time if the vehicle is stationary in the hire mode, a primary power source, a backup power^* source, and primary power source voltage measuring means operable to monitor the voltage of the primary power source, characterised in that the meter comprises a timing means actuated by the voltage measuring means when the measured voltage of the primary power source falls below a predetermined minimum value, distance measur¬ ing means operable to measure a distance travelled by the vehicle from the time the voltage of the primary power source falls below the predetermined minimum, backup switch and storage means operable to transfer hire mode and fare information to a meter memory means and to maintain a power connection between the memory means and the backup power source, and restoring means operable in association with ^" said timing means and said distance measuring means to restore the hire mode and fare information to the meter display when the voltage of the primary power source as measured by the voltage measuring means exceeds the pre¬ determined minimum provided the period measured by the tim¬ ing means is less than a predetermined period or the dis¬ tance travelled is greater than a predetermined minimum distance.

6. A taxi meter as claimed in claim 5 characterised in that said restoring means operates to switch the meter to a vacant mode if the period measured by the timing means is greater that the predetermined period and the distance URE f OMP travelled is less than the predetermined minimum distance.

7. A taxi meter as claimed in claim 5 characterised in that said restoring means operates to restore the hire mode and fare information to the meter display and to stop opera- tion of the fare incrementing means when the period measured by the timing means is greater than the predetermined period and the distance travelled is greater than the predetermined minimum distance, said restoring means further actuating warning means to indicate disablement of the fare increment- ing means.

8. A taxi meter as claimed in claim 7 characterised in that said warning means includes means to cause the meter display to flash periodically.

9. A taxi meter as claimed in claim 1 and including hire switch means to cause the meter to operate in the hire mode, fare means to automatically display an applicable fare appropriate to the vehicle hire, fare incrementing means to increment the fare means either in accordance with distance travelled by the vehicle or in accordance with time if the vehicle is stationary in the hire mode, and stop switch means to stop operation of the fare incrementing means characterised in ..that the meter further includes vehicle movement sensing means operative to disable said hire switch means and said stop switch means when the vehicle is moving, and further operative to automatically return the meter to a hire mode or to a vacant mode on commencement of movement after one or more actuations of the stop switch means while the vehicle has been stationary.

10. A taxi meter as claimed in claim 9 characterised in that said vehicle movement sensing means is responsive to a vehicle movement speed greater than a predetermined minimum spee .

11. A taxi meter as claimed in claim 9 characterised in that said vehicle movement sensing means includes transducer means associated with a vehicle speed measuring means, said transducer means producing electrical pulses having a frequency proportional to the vehicle speed.

12. A taxi meter as claimed in claim 9 and further including an input/output port means adapted to communicate with a master meter whereby tariff rates and fare incremen¬ tation rates are varied in accordance with command signals transmitted from the master meter.

13. A taxi meter according to claim 12 wherein said means to preload the holiday calander means comprises further command signals transmitted from the master meter via the input/output port.

14. A taxi meter for mounting in a vehicle to calculate fares applicable to hire of said vehicle and to record appropriate information as to vehicle use and hire, said meter comprising distance measuring means operatively connected to the vehicle speedometer drive means, means to calibrate the distance measuring means, manually operable hire switch means to cause the meter to operate in a hire mode, tariff selection means to select one of a plurality of predetermined tariff rates applicable to the vehicle hire, fare means to automatically calculate and display a fare appropriate to the vehicle hire when the vehicle is operat- ing in the hire mode, fare incrementing means operable in the vehicle hire mode to automatically increment the fare means in relation to the tariff rate selected by the tariff selection means and either in accordance with distance travelled by the vehicle or in accordance with time when the vehicle is stationary, and manually operated stop switch means operable when the meter is in the hire mode to stop operation of the fare incrementing means, characterised in that said distance measuring means includes vehicle movement sensing means operatively associated with said stop switch means to disable operation of the stop switch means when the vehicle is moving at a speed greater than a predetermined minimum speed and to re-commence operation of the fare incrementing means when the stop switch means has been operated once when the vehicle speed was less than the pre- determined minimum and the vehicle speed subsequently increases above the predetermined minimum.

15. A taxi meter as claimed in claim 14 characterised in that said vehicle movement sensing means is further opera-

OMPI tively assiciated with said manually operable hire switch means to disable the hire switch means when the vehicle speed is greater than said predetermined minimum.

16. A taxi meter as claimed in claim 14 and including share means to register more than one fare-paying passenger sharing the vehicle, said fare means including share calculation means to calculate the fares applicable to each fare-paying passenger and to sequentially display the calculated fares for each fare-paying passenger, manually operable passenger switch means enabled by the stop switch means when the vehicle speed is less than the predetermined minimum speed to sequentially display a passenger number and a fare appropriate to that fare-paying passenger, said stop switch means responsive to further operations thereof to reduce the share means register of fare-paying passengers by a number corresponding to the number of further operations of the stop switch means and to transfer fare information to a meter memory, said share means being responsive to said vehicle movement sensing means to return the meter to either a hire mode or to a vacant mode which mode is dependant on the status of the share means register.

OMPI y ^* -^* W"^vΪⁱP^rO'--'