EP0635814B1 - Installation for informing busnetwork users about waiting times - Google Patents

Abstract

This is an installation intended to inform the users of an omnibus network of the waiting times for the buses at the stops of the network, installations comprising a central station capable of transmitting radio frequency signals relating to the actual instantaneous positions of the buses, and portable receiver boxes (1) capable of displaying the waiting times on screens (3). In each box an identification symbol of this box and (at 11) a subscription end-date are recorded, and only when the box is intended for use before the said date can the desired displays be obtained on the screen. There is provision for remotely revalidating the box for new subscription periods after each subscription lapses. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to installations intended to inform the users of a bus network about the waiting times of buses at the stops of this network.

It relates more particularly to those of these installations, which comprise, on the one hand, means, themselves comprising a central station, for collecting data identifying the instantaneous positions of the different buses which run on the different lines of the network, means for developing from these data electrical information signals on said positions and means for transmitting these signals electromagnetically, and on the other hand, a plurality of portable receiver boxes each comprising means for receiving the above signals above and select those, of these signals, which concern the buses expected at a given stop on a given line of the network and means for exploiting the signals thus selected for the purpose of displaying the waiting times of said buses at said stop.

Such an installation has for example been described in the patent FRANCE No. 92,09042 of the applicant.

These installations are very interesting for the users holding the portable boxes above since these users can know the instants of passage of the "next buses" at the stations where they propose to board these buses, which allows them to manage so as to both much more efficient and relaxing the moments preceding their arrival at the "climb" station.

The object of the present invention is to further improve these installations on several points.

It should be noted in this regard that the service consisting in informing network users about the times waiting for buses to be used by these users involves equipment, operating, updating, etc. costs.

The company that manages this service may consider recovering its costs when users acquire portable receivers only.

This formula can be satisfactory in certain cases.

• le prix de vente de chaque boîtier peut être considéré comme relativement élevé par son usager potentiel, ce qui peut freiner la diffusion desdits boîtiers, et donc limiter la rentabilité de l'installation,
• la formule ne tient pas compte de la durée d'usage effective de chaque boîtier, ce qui n'est pas équitable, les usages limités à une courte période étant défavorisés par rapport à ceux qui s'étendent sur des périodes plus longues.

However, it can also have certain drawbacks, and in particular the following:

• the selling price of each box can be considered relatively high by its potential user, which can slow down the distribution of said boxes, and therefore limit the profitability of the installation,
• the formula does not take into account the actual duration of use of each unit, which is not fair, uses limited to a short period being disadvantaged compared to those which extend over longer periods.

The inventors therefore had the idea of associating the use of the boxes considered with paid subscription periods.

This formula has the great advantage of allowing the portable boxes to be made available to the public, free or almost free, the actual uses of these boxes being authorized only during appropriate subscription periods, subject to the payment of fees proportioned by users at the operating company.

The invention aims, above all, to make possible and even easy the implementation of such an operating formula based on periodic paid subscriptions.

• un circuit d'identification du boîtier comportant lui-même une mémoire se prêtant à l'enregistrement d'un symbole codé d'identification, et des moyens permettant de comparer à ce symbole enregistré les symboles du même type compris par des signaux électromagnétiques de contrôle reçus par le boîtier et pour asservir aux résultats corrects de ces comparaisons l'exécution des contrôles affectés à ces signaux,
• et un circuit de contrôle de validité du boîtier comprenant lui-même une mémoire se prêtant aux enregistrements successifs de symboles codés représentant des dates F "de fin d'abonnement" et des moyens pour comparer à chaque date F enregistrée au cours d'une période donnée les dates réelles R d'émission des signaux de contrôle ci-dessus au cours de cette période et pour asservir aux résultats corrects de ces comparaisons l'accès des signaux utiles aux circuits d'exploitation du boîtier.

To this end, portable receiver boxes of the type in question according to the invention are essentially characterized in that they comprise:

• an identification circuit of the box itself comprising a memory suitable for recording an encoded identification symbol, and means making it possible to compare with this recorded symbol the symbols of the same type understood by electromagnetic control signals received by the unit and to control the correct results of these comparisons by carrying out the checks assigned to these signals,
• and a circuit for checking the validity of the box itself comprising a memory suitable for successive recordings of coded symbols representing dates F "end of subscription" and means for comparing with each date F recorded during a period given the actual dates R of emission of the above control signals during this period and to control the correct results of these comparisons the access of the useful signals to the operating circuits of the box.

In other words, the box is automatically neutralized when the date F is exceeded, that is to say as soon as the subscription period for which the user has paid the corresponding fee is completed.

Of course, the information installation also comprises, at its central station, means for developing and transmitting the coded electromagnetic control signals suitable, on the one hand, for being identified by the boxes and, on the other hand on the other hand, to compare the actual dates R with the subscription end dates F recorded in these boxes.

• la mémoire adaptée à l'enregistrement des dates F de fin d'abonnement est agencée de façon telle qu'elle se prête au remplacement de chaque date de fin d'abonnement par une autre date moyennant la simple réception de signaux électriques appropriés, le poste central étant agencé de son côté de façon à élaborer et émettre de tels signaux de réabonnement,
• le boîtier portatif comprend un écran vidéo ainsi que des moyens pour afficher sur cet écran un message en clair signifiant la fin de l'abonnement ainsi qu'éventuellement les conséquences à en tirer dès que la date F de fin d'abonnement enregistrée dans le boîtier est dépassée.

In preferred embodiments, use is also made of one and / or the other of the following arrangements:

• the memory suitable for recording the end of subscription dates F is arranged in such a way that it is suitable for replacing each end of subscription date with another date by simply receiving appropriate electrical signals, the central station being arranged on its side so as to develop and transmit such re-subscription signals,
• the portable unit comprises a video screen as well as means for displaying on this screen a clear message signifying the end of the subscription as well as possibly the consequences to be drawn therefrom as soon as the date F of end of subscription recorded in the unit is exceeded.

The invention relates not only to information installations of the type in question in general, but also to portable receiver boxes included in these installations.

It includes, apart from the main provisions explained above, certain other provisions which are preferably used at the same time and which will be more explicitly discussed below.

In what follows, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, of course in a non-limiting manner.

Figures 1 and 2 of this drawing show very schematically a portable box according to the invention, respectively in its valid state corresponding to a subscription period and in its neutralized state at the end of the subscription.

It is proposed to inform the users of buses of an urban network who wish to board such a bus at a given stop or station of a given line of said network, on the actual waiting times of the "next buses" expected at said station.

For this purpose, as indicated for example in the patent FRANCE No. 92,09042 of the applicant, provision is made for portable boxes 1 made available to users and suitable for cooperating with a central station designed so as to develop and transmit cyclically by channel. electromagnetic information signals S on the respective actual instantaneous positions of the buses of the network, said boxes each comprising an electric current source 2, interrogation means actuable by the users, capable of identifying each desired "climb" station, means suitable for receiving the above signals and for selecting those, of these signals which concern at least the "next bus" expected at the identified station, means suitable for developing information related to the waiting times of this next bus at said station and means, comprising a video screen 3, suitable for displaying this information.

The above interrogation, reception, selection and processing means include in particular a receiving antenna 4, an amplification, demodulation and decoding circuit 5 associated with this antenna, control keys 6 and means for particularly light and space-saving memory and computation 7, in particular of the microprocessor type.

In the embodiments which have been proposed in the above patent, the determination and display of the bus waiting times can be carried out at any time, under the control of the keys 6.

In the present embodiments, means are provided to make such execution possible only during predetermined and paid subscription periods and to automatically prohibit them outside these periods.

• un circuit 8 d'identification du boîtier comprenant une mémoire qui se prête à l'enregistrement d'un symbole codé d'identification, des moyens permettant de comparer à ce symbole des symboles du même genre qui accompagnent certains des signaux d'exploitation S ou "signaux de contrôle" et des moyens pour n'envoyer ces derniers signaux sur la sortie 9 dudit circuit 8 que si ladite comparaison révèle une identité,
• et un circuit 10 de contrôle de validité de la période d'abonnement relié à la sortie 9 et comportant une mémoire 11 qui se prête à l'enregistrement d'un symbole codé représentant une date F de fin d'abonnement, des moyens pour comparer à cette date codée la date codée réelle R d'élaboration de chaque signal de contrôle reçu, date qui accompagne ce signal ou qui est déterminée par une horloge portée par le boîtier, et des moyens pour asservir à toute réponse négative de cette comparaison une interdiction d'accès au circuit 7 pour les signaux d'exploitation S.

These means include, in each box 1:

• a circuit 8 for identifying the housing comprising a memory which lends itself to the recording of a coded identification symbol, means making it possible to compare symbols of the same kind with this symbol which accompany certain of the operating signals S or "control signals" and means for sending these latter signals to the output 9 of said circuit 8 only if said comparison reveals an identity,
• and a circuit 10 for checking the validity of the subscription period connected to the output 9 and comprising a memory 11 which lends itself to the recording of a coded symbol representing a date F of the end of subscription, means for comparing on this coded date the actual coded date R of preparation of each received control signal, date which accompanies this signal or which is determined by a clock carried by the housing, and means for slaving to any negative response to this comparison a ban access to circuit 7 for the operating signals S.

These latter prohibition means are symbolized in the drawings by the crossed-out circle 12 mounted on the conductor connecting the two sub-assemblies 5 and 7 together.

We also see at 14 a conductor directly connecting to the control circuit 10 the output of circuit 5.

Furthermore, the central station of the installation comprises means suitable for generating the electromagnetic signals required for operation, signals carrying appropriate codes corresponding to the identification symbols of the boxes, on the actual dates R of effective implementation of these boxes. , or at least to the comparisons between these dates, prepared on board the boxes, and the dates F recorded in these, and, for the preferred embodiment described below, on the dates of subscription and resubscription.

It is also possible to make said central station understand means for recording the identification symbols of the various boxes 1 as well as the subscription end dates associated with these boxes.

The operation of the installation is as follows.

We assume that the subscription taken out by the user holder of box 1 expires on July 1, 1993 in the case of FIG. 1 and on June 1, 1993 in the case of FIG. 2 and that the actual implementation date of the box is June 6, 1993.

In the case of FIG. 1, the subscription period corresponding to the box 1 is not completed.

The control of the appropriate buttons 6 then makes it possible to obtain, at the user's discretion, the desired displays of the bus waiting times on screen 3.

Indeed, the signals S then received by the antenna 4 and processed by the circuits 5 are applied to the processing circuits 7 without being interrupted at the level of the "lock" 12.

• les signaux de contrôle sortant des circuits 5, puis des circuits 8 après identification par le boîtier 1, sont appliqués sur le circuit 10, et la comparaison temporelle alors effectuée dans ce dernier circuit entre la date réelle R et la date du 1er juillet 1993 y enregistrée révèle l'état de validité du boîtier à l'instant considéré,
• indépendamment de toute identification du boîtier, la même vérification temporelle peut être effectuée au passage, à travers la connexion 14, par tous les signaux d'exploitation S porteurs d'une identification adéquate des dates réelles R.

This lock 12 is in fact maintained in its authorization position for the following two reasons:

• the control signals leaving circuits 5, then circuits 8 after identification by the box 1, are applied to circuit 10, and the time comparison then carried out in this latter circuit between the actual date R and the date of July 1, 1993 y recorded reveals the state of validity of the case at the instant considered,
• independently of any identification of the box, the same time verification can be carried out in passing, through the connection 14, by all the operating signals S carrying an adequate identification of the real dates R.

On the contrary, in the case of FIG. 2, the subscription period corresponding to the box 1 is ended.

In this case, the operating signals leaving circuits 5 cannot reach circuits 7, being stopped at the level of "lock" 12.

This lock is in fact actuated by the fact that control signals after having been applied to the comparison circuit 10 through the circuit 8 or the connection 14, have undergone in said circuit 10 the negative control due to the fact that the date of June 1, 1993 recorded in it has passed: this negative control has the effect of placing the "lock" 12 in its closed position.

The actuations of the user on the buttons 6 cannot then lead to any useful consequence in terms of display on the screen 3.

In a preferred embodiment, the neutralization of the box which has just been described at the level of the lock 12 is accompanied by the display of an appropriate clear message on the screen 3.

This message is for example developed by the circuit shown diagrammatically by the reference 13 in the drawings.

Said message can simply be "end of subscription".

It can be accompanied by a clear indication giving the user the procedure to follow to renew his subscription.

This renewal can be obtained very simply according to the following preferred embodiment.

The user who wishes to renew his subscription expresses his desire to one of the installation managers, in any case desirable, for example by direct exchange with him at a counter, by telephone, through a automatic device of the kind of those known under the designation "Minitel", etc., by paying at the same time the price corresponding to the new subscription period, the corresponding payment being itself able to be made in any desirable manner, for example by communication of the coordinates of a credit card belonging to the user, by direct debit from a bank account of the latter, etc.

From then on, the person responsible for the installation has electromagnetic signals corresponding to the desired subscription made and sent out by the central station.

These signals, which include the new date F 'at the end of the subscription as well as the identification number of the box to be revalidated, are, as previously described, sent and received by circuits 4, 5, 8 and 10, and they are arranged so as to replace in the memory 11 of the box 1 concerned the expired date F of the end of subscription which was recorded there by the new date F ', subsequent to that of the resubscription operation.

The box 1 is then revalidated and the user can use it again throughout the new subscription period.

As a result of this, and whatever the embodiment adopted, there is finally an information system for users of a bus network, an installation whose constitution and operation result sufficiently from the above.

This installation has the advantage over those currently known, which consists in reserving the privileges of its operation to subscribers who have previously paid an appropriate subscription fee: this formula makes it possible in particular to broadcast the portable receiver boxes of the installation on the based on a low unit purchase price, or even free, the costs of the company managing the installation can then be recovered essentially at the level of subscriptions.

• celles où la date de fin d'abonnement F correspondant à chaque boîtier ne serait pas enregistrée telle quelle dans ce boîtier, mais sous une forme indirecte définie par exemple par l'ensemble d'une date de départ d'abonnement et d'une durée d'abonnement à compter de cette date,
• celles où les renouvellements des abonnements, obtenus par remplacement de la date de fin d'abonnement enregistrée dans la mémoire 11 par une date postérieure, seraient effectués à l'aide de signaux transmis non pas par voie électromagnétique, mais par fil,
• celles où les enregistrements et comparaisons relatifs aux signaux codés d'identification du boîtier et aux signaux codés représentant les dates seraient regroupés au lieu d'être séparés comme supposé ci-dessus en référence aux circuits 8 et 10,
• et celles où des codes spéciaux seraient affectés aux signaux de commande des réabonnements et/ou aux signaux de contrôle pour éviter tout risque de fraude.

As goes without saying, and as it already follows from the above, the invention is in no way limited to those of its modes of application and embodiments which have been more especially envisaged; on the contrary, it embraces all variants, in particular:

• those where the end date of subscription F corresponding to each box would not be recorded as such in this box, but in an indirect form defined for example by the set of a start date of subscription and a duration subscription to count from this date,
• those where the renewals of the subscriptions, obtained by replacing the date of end of subscription recorded in the memory 11 by a later date, would be carried out using signals transmitted not by electromagnetic means, but by wire,
• those where the recordings and comparisons relating to the coded identification signals of the case and to the coded signals representing the dates would be grouped together instead of being separated as assumed above with reference to circuits 8 and 10,
• and those where special codes would be assigned to the re-subscription control signals and / or control signals to avoid any risk of fraud.

Claims (6)

1. An installation for informing the users of a bus network on bus waiting times at stops of the network, the installation comprising firstly means themselves including a central station for collecting data identifying the instantaneous positions of various buses travelling along the various lines of the network, means for generating electrical signals on the basis of said data for the purpose of providing information about said positions, and means for transmitting said signals over an electromagnetic path; and also a plurality of portable receiver appliances (1) each including means for receiving the above signals and for selecting from said signals those relating to the buses expected at a given stop of a given line of the network, and means for making use of the signals selected in this way for the purpose of displaying the waiting times for said buses at said stop, the installation being characterized in that each portable receiver appliance further comprises an appliance identification circuit (8) itself including a memory that lends itself to recording a coded identification symbol, means enabling said recorded symbol to be compared with symbols of the same type included in the electromagnetic check signals received by the appliance and for making execution of the checking performed by said signals contingent on correct results of such comparisons; and a circuit (10) for checking the validity of the appliance, itself comprising a memory (11) lending itself to recording successive code symbols representing expiry dates F and means for comparing the real dates R on which the above-mentioned check signals are transmitted with each date F recorded during a given period, and for making access of signals useful to the operating circuits (7) of the appliance contingent on correct results of said comparisons, and in that the central station includes means for generating and transmitting encoded check signals suitable, firstly, for being identified by the appliances, and secondly, for comparing the real dates R with the expiry dates F recorded in the appliances.
2. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the check signals themselves include encoded portions representing the real dates R on which said signals are transmitted.
3. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the real dates R on which the appliances are operable are determined by clocks carried by the appliances.
4. An installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the memory (11) in each appliance (1) for recording the expiry dates F is organized in such a manner as to lend itself to replacing each expiry date with another date merely on reception of appropriate electrical signals, the central station being organized in such a manner as to generate and transmit such subscription renewal signals.
5. A portable receiver appliance included in an installation according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that it includes the above-specified appliance identification and appliance validity checking circuits.
6. A portable appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that it includes a display screen (3) together with means (13) for displaying on said screen a message in the clear indicating that a subscription has expired and possibly also the consequences to be drawn therefrom as soon as the expiry date F recorded in the appliance has been exceeded.

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