DE9102892U1 - Electronic timetable optimiser (PoInter) - Google Patents

Description

Be s cn rub and &eegr;"%&Lgr;

for the

"electronic timetable optimizer"

presented by F.-J. Surges

Al senstr. 3 5100 Aachen

Pointer (working title)

1.) Future of local public transport

2.) Request Pointer

3.) Market opportunities and distribution channels

4.) Financing/subsidies

5.) Models

1. Basic model

2. Basic model plus

3. Default

4. Superior

5. Future

6.) Technical details

1. Data volume

2. Interfaces

3. Energy supply

7.) Outlook

1.) Future of public transport

The future of transport in cities with more than 200,000 inhabitants lies in public transport. The development has already been initiated by politicians. Investments worth billions have been approved or are planned. The political will has been strengthened by the pressure of public opinion. A reversal is unlikely.

In this situation, new possibilities for improving public transport are being experimented with. Numerous technical innovations - in addition to attractive fares - are intended to make it possible to switch to public transport. The cautious steps taken so far have been accompanied by drastic measures in recent years.

2.) Request Pointer

No incentives have yet been created in terms of passenger information. Quite the opposite. With the constant increase in public transport services, the weaknesses of conventional passenger information are becoming increasingly apparent.
Stops where 10 or more lines can be reached are no longer exceptions. In the center of cities, they are the rule. Those switching to public transport can reach all points in the city in a comparable time to a car. However, it takes time, creativity and local knowledge to find the optimal route.

Depending on the model, the Pointer offers quick and reliable help for the basic problems that passengers face.

3.) Market opportunities/distribution channel

Even if the car-free city center cannot be realized, the number of people who are "completely switching" from cars to public transport will increase dramatically in the next few years. These people who are completely switching are the first target group for marketing measures. Public transport companies will carry out a variety of advertising campaigns to make the point known and acceptable to the group of first-time buyers.
The situation here is comparable to the introduction of the pocket calculator. However, the pointer will have significantly shorter acceptance times, as the sustained support of public transport companies will enable faster implementation on a broad basis.

These companies will promote the introduction of the Pointer with significant resources, as they have a strong interest in its dissemination:

a.) Improving passenger information

b.) Reduced costs in the medium term

c.) Image improvement through electronic data storage

4.) Financing/subsidies

Since the Pointer is an article whose market launch is of considerable public interest, public funding cannot be ruled out. Grants from the BMFT are to be expected during the development phase. When it is launched on the market, subsidized sales of the Pointer by public transport providers are possible. Other funding options should be examined (e.g. Association of German Cities).

5.) Models

The Pointer is a product that is similar in shape and dimensions to a pocket calculator (passenger model).

All models require new developments in hardware and software. For the sake of simplicity, buses are mentioned as examples in the Model 1 presentation. The problem is identical for subways and commuter trains.

All models are equipped with an interface that allows them to be reused in the event of timetable changes.
The model variants also represent the market launch sequence.

1. Basic model

The user lives, works or regularly shops on a route that is frequented by several public transport lines.

Problem: When does the next bus leave?

Input: Time
15:40 bus stop
4561 'Lines!'
!number ! (possibly Sat/Sun/ Display: !Departure- ,'
,'time !131! Advertisement: !15:45! !472,' Release Advertisement: !15:47! !221! Release Advertisement: !15:55!

It can be assumed that the user knows the lines that are relevant to him. The HS numbers of the heavily frequented transfer stops are listed alphabetically on the back of the pointer.

-A-

2. Basic model plus

The user wants additional information about the route. This makes route planning easier.

Problem: How do I plan my route?

Display:

!Departure! ! time :

!Time *HSNo*HSName

|Line-|

! number ! ! time *HSN r*HSName

! Time *HSNo*EndHSName

A) Input:

Advertisement:

Line number 131

! xx:xx !

xx:xx*4562*Ludw igstr

xx:xx*4563*Peterstr xx:xx*0015*Bus station

B) Input:

Advertisement:

Time 15:45

! 15:50 ,'

Line number 131

131

HS
4561

15:59*4562 *Ludwigstr

16:05*4563*Peterstr

17:15*0015*Bus station

The "Basic Model Plus" allows for improved route planning compared to the basic model. Local knowledge is an advantage. The line number of the destination stop must be known. Any transfer options should be known.

*) Fields with scroll function HS: Stop HSNr: Stop number

3.) Default

The medium-term product is the Pointer Standard.

Market-enforcing products

Building on the previous models, this brings an optimization program for route planning. Even without knowledge of the local conditions and the route, the route can be optimally planned with up to two transfer options.

Problem: How do I plan my route?
Where do I change?
When do I arrive?

A) Input:

Line number 131

Display: As basic model Plus B) Input: Time Line number HS Display: As basic model Plus

C) Input: Time
15:45 HS TargetHS
4561 0030 UTime*HSNo*UHSName L .No Display: [Departure-I !Line-! UTime*HSNo*UHSName L .No !time !number ! AZe i t*HSN r*Z i e1HSName — 1131! !15:50! 16:10*0015*Bus station 020 Advertisement 16:35*4563*Peterstr 112 16:45*1225*Main station

UTime

UHSName

ATime

Zi elHSName

Transfer time

Transfer stop name Arrival time Destination stop name

4.) Superior

The Pointer Superieur allows you to search for the destination stop number when you enter the destination alphanumerically. The stop search takes the house number into account.

Example: Ludwigstr. 678 = destination stop 4562
Ludwigstr. 62 = destination stop 4560

Additional features like Pointer Standard

5.) Future (additional functions)

Timer: The "timer" gives a signal when the journey to the stop should begin. If, for example, a journey time of 3 minutes is set and a time is fixed, the "timer" gives a signal 180 seconds before the fixed time (bus departure).

Radio option: A signal is received when the bus

has reached a specified distance. _fc

This feature has brought significant benefits for

the passenger (no waiting times at the stop- I'

Variable transfer time: The user enters his individual transfer time factor in minutes or percent before the first query.

Printing the route: The optimized route can be printed out on the stationary device (train station/bus station) or via an interface (to the PC).

Fare display: Display of the corresponding fare zone and the fare.

Integration of other transport systems (e.g. Federal Railways)

Accessibility directory: Prominent traffic points with line number and stop number.

Signpost: A larger display field allows an integrated city map, station map, stop map, etc. to be displayed.

6.) Technical details

1. Data volume

Length of a record Pointer Standard
Departure time Line Stop Type Total
4 3 4 1 = 12

Lines in a medium-sized city (300,000 people)

25 with 25 stops in each direction.

Total 15,000 characters per line

With 50 trips per day, the amount of data is too large.
Since the lines have fixed travel times between stops, this can be taken into account in the processing programs.

Data set for a route:
Time difference Line Stop Type Total

3 3 4 1 - 11
Time difference to departure time!

Total approx. 30,000 (50 trips, 50 stops)

With 3 different days of the week you can
Count on 60-80,000 characters .

Furthermore, the amount of data of the respective program must be added.

Total approx. 150,000 characters .

Reductions in the data set from the program side are conceivable, but only make sense if the command execution time of the various models is not affected. With the structure presented here, the models have been tested for relatively easy programming.

Geographically limited pointers may be offered.

2. Interfaces

1. Data as software

The 3 different areas - program, route and the timetable itself - should be transmitted individually. Using a simple serial interface (9600 bps), a complete transmission should take about 4 minutes.

2. Hardware/Software

If you choose the program and/or route as hardware (ROM or credit card modules), the loading time for the timetable changes is approx. 25 seconds.

Route changes require correspondingly longer loading times.

If transmission reliability can be guaranteed at other interfaces, a considerable time saving is certainly possible (factor 4-8).

3. Energy supply

The aim should be to be able to get by with batteries for about half a year. Since the pointer has the greatest flexibility thanks to the variable software, a constant power supply must be guaranteed. Whether solar cells, accumulators or just batteries are used is more a question of cost and technical development.

When selecting components, care must be taken to ensure that they are sufficiently protected against sources of electromagnetic interference.

7.) Outlook

The market opportunities of a new product are naturally difficult to assess.

The need for an improved information system for users of public transport services is undisputed.
What is questionable is the speed of acceptance among buyers, the dynamics of technical development and the development of public transport itself.

Given the current trend, a market launch is conceivable as early as the 1990s. The first fully developed models (standard) could form the basis for the broad market launch of the Pointer in the middle of this decade.

The inherent dynamic of the process can lead to a significant acceleration in the spread of the pointer, so that in about 5-8 years the pointer will be a common everyday object for city dwellers.

Claims (7)

r t Jf S c h u t &zgr; a &eegr; s &rgr; r N \cc;h e° .' to the electronic timetable optimizer "Pointer" 1.) electronic device based on the technology of pocket calculators characterized by: an interface for data transmission and a special keyboard as well as dedicated data display, (two fields), which allow timetable recording and timetable display in public transport. (Basic model) 2.) Calculator as in claim 1.) characterized by: 11 data display fields that can display line progressions in addition to the functions of the basic model. This is done using a scroll function. (Basic model plus) 3.) Computer as in claim 1.) and 2.) characterized by: 13 data display fields that allow route optimization in addition to the functions of the basic model. (Standard model; see drawing) 4.) Computer as in claim 1.) to 3.) characterized by: radio receiver for reporting the distance of a transmitting means of transport s 5.) Computer as in claims 1.) to 4.) characterized by: Signal generator for acoustic indication of departure times (timer) 6.) Computer as in claim 1.) to 5.) characterized by a printer for printing the route 7.) Calculator as in claim 1.) to 6.) characterized by: additional calculator functions and real-time clock Sheet - 2 - Protection claims of electronic "ahYplanoptimizer 7.) Computer as in claim 1.) to 7.) characterized by: alphanumeric keyboard for target position search (Model 1 Superieur)