GB2152261A

GB2152261A - Taximeter remote indicator

Info

Publication number: GB2152261A
Application number: GB08400079A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Thomas Everitt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-01-04
Filing date: 1984-01-04
Publication date: 1985-07-31
Also published as: GB8400079D0

Abstract

A taximeter remote indicator 12 comprises a digital display device 22 arranged to display information displayed on a taximeter installed in a taxi, such as the amount of the fare 22a and of any extras 22b to be charged and of the operating state of the taxi such as 'hired' 22d, for 'hire' 22c, and 'stopped' 22e. The facility to totalize the charges is also provided. The remote indicator can also be provided with additional display areas 24, 26 on which can be displayed other information such as advertising material, television or video information. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Taximeter remote indicator This invention relates to taxi meters and concerns a remote indicator for use therewith.

The regulations for the construction and licensing of taxis, or motor cabs, vary from country to country and from area to area within a country. For example, in London, the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is appointed to exercise the duties imposed by the London Cab Order, 1 934 to ensure that a taxi is fit for the purpose.

One essential accessory is a taximeter which must not only be of an approved type but also fitted in an approved position where it can be easily seen by both the taxi driver and the fare-paying passenger.

Taxi meters indicate the amount of the fare as it accumulates during a journey and most will include other information, such as alowable extras for example, luggage, late-night hire and the like, together with indicators to show that the taximeter is set to one of various quotional modes such as "FOR HIRE", "HIRED" and "STOPPED".

Indication of the monetary amounts such as fares and extras are indicated by digital display devices and nowadays by electronic devices, such as light-emitting diodes (L.E.D's), liquid crystal devices and the like.

The design of the taximeter is a compromise between various conflicting requirements; it must be of such a size that it can accommodate a display device large enough to be seen easily by the driver and passenger but sufficiently small that it does not become an encumbrance or hinder the driver's vision when fitted in its approved position.

The result is that the display tends to be quite small and sometimes difficuit to read by the fare-paying passenger.

According to the invention there is provided a taximeter remote indicator comprising a digital display device and means for electrically coupling the display device to the taximeter whereby the remote indicator is caused to display the same information as the taxi meter.

The displayed information on the remote indicator can be the amount of the fare. but preferably includes an indication of the extras.

It may also include a visual indication either digitally or by an illuminated device with an appropriate legend to provide such information as "FOR HIRE", "HIRED" or ' 'STOPPED' ' .

Means may also be provided for providing a totallised amount of the fare and extras. The means may be operated automatically by the taximeter at the end of a journey, or by the driver and/or the passenger.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawing there is shown, in schematic form, a taximeter 10 coupled to a remote indicator 1 2 by way of a cable 14; the cable being coupled to terminal connector 1 Oa on the taximeter 10 and terminal 1 2a on the remote indicator 1 2.

In use, the taxi meter would be fitted in a position where it could conveniently be seen and the displayed information read easily by the driver. The remote indicator 1 2 would likewise be fitted in a position where it could be seen easily by the passenger.

The taxi meter 10 can be any suitable device which would include means 1 6 to accumulate the information, such as waiting time and distance travelled, from which the fare is calculated as this information would be decoded in a decoder and display drive circuit 1 8 before being fed to a display device 20.

The display device could include light-emitting diodes to form the digital indicators or other suitable devices could be used. The taximeter 10 thus far described could be conventional and would typically include a four digit display 20a to indicate the fare, a three-digit display 20b to indicate any extras to be charged, and three light indicators 20c, d, e which can be energised to indicate "FOR HIRE", "HIRED" or "STOPPED" respectively, with the appropriate legends as shown.

In another arrangement the legends could themselves be illuminated, by back lighting, for example. In addition for use with the invention, the electrical information for the display 20 together with a power line is coupled in parallel to the output terminal 1 0a.

The remote indicator 1 2 receives its power and display information by way of cable 14 and terminal 12a. It has a display device 22 arranged to display the same information as that on display 20, and comprises, for example, light-emitting diodes having display digits preferably more than 1 Omm high. As in display 20, the device 22 has a fourdigit display 22a to indicate the fare, a three-digit display 22b to indicate the extras, and three light indicators 22c, d, eto indicate "FOR HIRE", "HIRED" or "STOPPED".

In addition, two panels 24, 26 are provided on which can be displayed other information such as fixed format advertising displays, small screen television or video information.

Although the panels 24, 26 have been shown one on each side of the display device 22, other formations could readily be adopted.

The operation of the panels 24, 26 is prefera bly triggered by the taximeter over cable 14 but power requirement for the panels is preferably taken from the vehicle supply (not shown).

The taximeter 10 can be arranged automatically to totalise the fare and extras amounts or manually operable means can be provided.

Thus there has been described a taxi meter remote indicator which, although relatively small and compact so that it can be fitted in a convenient position for the passenger, can be provided with relatively large and easily readable display information.

Claims

1. A taxi meter remote indicator comprising a digital display device and means for coupling the indicator to a taxi meter whereby the remote indicator is caused to display information displayed on the taxi meter.

2. A taximeter remote indicator according to Claim wherein the digital display device is arranged to display the amount of the fare.

3. A taxi meter remote indicatcr according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the digital display device is arranged to display an amount representative of extras to be charged.

4. A taximeter remote indicator according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the digital display device comprises means for indicating the operative mode such as for hire, hired or stopped, of the taxi in which it is, in use, installed.

5. A taximeter remote indicator according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising additional display means for displaying other information such as fixed or variable format advertising material, television or video information.

6. A taximeter remote indicator according to any one of the preceding claims in combination with a taximeter.

7. A combination according to Claim 6, as dependent on Claim 3 with Claim 2, comprising means for totalling and displaying on the remote display device the sum of the fare and extra amounts.

8. A combination according to Claim 6 or 7, as dependent upon Claim 5, comprising means for triggering into operation the additional display means when the taxi is hired.

9. A taximeter remote indicator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

10. A taxi meter remote indicator in combination with a taximeter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the adcompanying drawings.