GB2551727A

GB2551727A - Revenue collection system for use in a road-based passenger transport vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2551727A
Application number: GB1611177.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edwards Malcolm
Original assignee: Parkeon Transit Ltd
Current assignee: Flowbird Transport Ltd
Priority date: 2016-06-28
Filing date: 2016-06-28
Publication date: 2018-01-03
Also published as: GB201611177D0

Abstract

A revenue collection system 100 used in a road-based passenger transport vehicle 200, such as an electronic ticketing machine installed in a bus, comprises a ticket processing system; a location device providing the current location of the vehicle; at least one vibration sensor for sensing vibrations of the vehicle; and a facility for recording the sensed vibrations of the vehicle in conjunction with the current location of the vehicle, providing a record of the sensed vibrations together with the location of the vehicle. The vibration sensors can be accelerometers or gyroscopes and can detect linear movement and rotation. A computer may be provided to detect abnormalities in the operation of the vehicle from the vibration data by comparing the received vibration data to a known vibration profile for the vehicle. The known profile can be based on the sensed vibrations of vehicles that have travelled the route. A warning to the vehicle driver can be provided when the abnormality is detected. Further disclosed is a remote computer system 220 arranged to receive and process vibration data collected by road-based passenger transport vehicles in order to update vehicle profiles, route profiles or detect abnormalities in the data.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: Revenue collection system for use in a road-based passenger transport vehicle Abstract Title: Revenue collection system in a road-based passenger transport vehicle with vibration and location recording (57) A revenue collection system 100 used in a road-based passenger transport vehicle 200, such as an electronic ticketing machine installed in a bus, comprises a ticket processing system; a location device providing the current location of the vehicle; at least one vibration sensor for sensing vibrations of the vehicle; and a facility for recording the sensed vibrations of the vehicle in conjunction with the current location of the vehicle, providing a record of the sensed vibrations together with the location of the vehicle. The vibration sensors can be accelerometers or gyroscopes and can detect linear movement and rotation. A computer may be provided to detect abnormalities in the operation of the vehicle from the vibration data by comparing the received vibration data to a known vibration profile for the vehicle. The known profile can be based on the sensed vibrations of vehicles that have travelled the route. A warning to the vehicle driver can be provided when the abnormality is detected. Further disclosed is a remote computer system 220 arranged to receive and process vibration data collected by road-based passenger transport vehicles in order to update vehicle profiles, route profiles or detect abnormalities in the data.

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REVENUE COLLECTION SYSTEM FOR USE IN A ROAD-BASED PASSENGER TRANSPORT VEHICLE

Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a revenue collection system for use in a road-based passenger transport vehicle.

Background of the Invention [0002] Customer service is a key consideration for road-based passenger transport vehicle operators. In particular, ride quality has become increasingly important for passengers. For example, passengers want to be able to move around the inside of a road-based passenger transport vehicle easily and safely and whilst seated they want a smooth ride so that they can do activities such as reading and typing on a mobile phone or portable electronic device. Accordingly, road-based passenger transport vehicle operators want to be able to monitor their road-based passenger transport vehicles in order to be able to detect any faults or issues that could affect the ride quality for the passengers.

Summary of the Invention [0003] The invention is defined in the appended claims.

[0004] A revenue collection system for use in a road-based passenger transport vehicle, comprises a ticket processing system; a location device configured to provide the current location of the vehicle; at least one vibration sensor for sensing vibrations (including directional movement) of the vehicle; and a facility for recording the sensed vibrations of the vehicle in conjunction with the current location of the vehicle so as to provide a record of the sensed vibrations as a function of the location of the vehicle. [0005] The revenue collection system may be used to issue or validate tickets or other payment mechanisms, or support any appropriate form of fare collection, and/or more generally act as an onvehicle driver and passenger console. In some implementations, the ticket processing system may, for example, comprise a unit for printing tickets, a unit for supporting contactless payment (without or without issuing physical tickets), or any similar system relating to fare collection and passenger control. The location device may comprise (for example) a GPS receiver or a facility for determining position from mobile telecommunication signals (or a combination thereof). Alternatively, the GPS and/or mobile telecommunications receiver may be external to the revenue collection system itself, with the revenue collection system then configured to acquire the location information from such a receiver and to provide such location information for storage. In some implementations, the operation of the location device may be supplemented by movement data.

[0006] Providing such a revenue collection system offers a number of advantages. For example, the vibration sensor may help to provide early detection of vehicle faults, thereby enabling preventative maintenance to be carried out. It may also be used to help detect potholes or similar faults in the road surface, such that other vehicle drivers can be alerted. A further potential application is in driver training, for example, to help detect if a particular driver is cornering the vehicle too quickly.

[0007] In addition, integrating the vibration sensor into the revenue collection system for a vehicle likewise offers a number of advantages. Such a revenue collection system is typically already provided with various support systems, such as power, communications, processing and storage capabilities, which assist in the operation ofthe vibration sensor, and also the exploitation of results. Moreover, the vehicle driver does not have to operate or interact with any additional device (but rather continues to operate just the revenue collection system, which is already a familiar device per se for the driver and passengers).

[0008] Furthermore, the revenue collection system is normally a stand-alone unit which is designed to be removable from one vehicle to another. Accordingly, that the vibration sensing can be easily retro-fitted (in effect) into existing vehicles (which in any event will normally be designed for use with an electronic ticket machine). Moreover, the number of revenue collection systems (and the components therein, such as the vibration sensor) only has to reflect some or all of the number of vehicles in a fleet that are operational (i.e. out on a route) at any given time, rather than the total number of vehicles in the fleet, thereby helping to reduce costs.

[0009] Also provided is a road-based passenger transport vehicle comprising the revenue collection system, a method of operating such a revenue collection system, and a computer system for use in a road-based passenger transport vehicle control system.

[0010] It is noted that recently, some vehicles are now manufactured with engine monitoring systems installed to detect excessive vibration during vehicle operations that might be indicative of a fault with the engine. However, retro-fitting such a system to an existing vehicle is a relatively complex and expensive operation. Moreover, such engine monitoring systems, while valuable for their specified intended purpose, are focussed in a different direction from, and lack the flexibility and additional functionality ofthe systems described herein.

[0011] The foregoing paragraphs have been provided by way of general introduction, and are not intended to limit the scope ofthe following claims. The described embodiments, together with further advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description ofthe Drawings [0012] Various embodiments ofthe invention will now be described in detail by way of example only with reference to the following drawings:

[0013] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a revenue collection system in accordance with some embodiments ofthe invention.

[0014] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a communications interface between a road-based passenger transport vehicle control computer system and a plurality of vehicles in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.

[0015] Figure 3 is a flow diagram of a method of detecting abnormalities in the operation of a roadbased passenger vehicle by a revenue collection system in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.

Detailed Description [0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a revenue collection system configured for use in a roadbased passenger transport vehicle in accordance with some embodiments of the invention, wherein the revenue collection system is an electronic ticket machine (ETM) 100 for use in a bus. The ETM 100 is typically installed near the driver’s seat of the bus to allow the driver to operate it without having to move from their seat whilst at the same time being located proximate to a door of the bus to allow passengers to pay for or validate their tickets as they board the bus. Each ETM 100 is a small stand alone unit, allowing them to be easily removed and installed in different buses.

[0017] Although the ETM 100 described herein is configured for use in a bus, it will be appreciated that the ETM 100 may also be used in similar modes of road-based passenger transport vehicle, for example coaches, trolleybuses and trams. In particular, it is noted that whilst trams are operated on rails, the factors affecting ride quality and comfort are similar to those for buses and other road-based passenger vehicles, such as road defects, faulty mechanical components and driving style.

[0018] An ETM 100 is used in a bus as a revenue collection system. Traditionally this involved passengers buying tickets from the driver as they boarded the bus. The bus driver would the use the ETM 100 to generate and/or validate a ticket. More recently, passengers have begun to pre-pay and pre-authorise their tickets before boarding a bus. For example, a passenger may purchase a ticket with an app on a mobile electronic device, or use a pre-paid contactless card, such as an Oyster card. When boarding the bus, the bus driver uses the ETM 100 to validate the passengers’ payment means, for example by touching the contactless card on a Near Field Communications (NFC) chip or Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) reader attached to the ETM 100. The ETM 100 then calculates the appropriate fare to be charged and, if required, deducts it from the contactless card or app. Accordingly, no ticket as such is issued, but revenue is collected.

[0019] As illustrated in Figure 1, an ETM 100 may comprise a driver display 110 configured to display messages to bus driver, for example the cost of different tickets that can be purchased, route information for the bus, information regarding contactless card validity, whether a contactless card or app has been read successfully, ora message regarding the status of a season ticket.

[0020] As illustrated in Figure 1, an ETM 100 may comprise a passenger display 112 configured to display messages to passengers, for example the total cost of the tickets the passenger wishes to purchase, information regarding contactless card validity, whether a contactless card or app has been read successfully, ora message regarding the status of a season ticket.

[0021] As illustrated in Figure 1, an ETM 100 may comprise a keyboard 114 configured to allow the bus driver to input information. The ETM 100 may also comprise individual selection buttons, for example located around the edges of the driver display 110, to allow the driver to press a button to make a selection based on the information displayed on the driver display 110. Alternatively, or in addition, the driver display 110 may be a touch screen allowing the driver to make an input or selection by touching or making a gesture on a particular portion or location on the touchscreen.

[0022] The ETM 100 may also comprise a speaker 116 configured to produce sound for the benefit of the bus driver. For example, the speaker may produce a sound when a contactless card or mobile communications device has been successfully detected by a contactless card reader. The speaker may also be configured to produce a warning sound, for example if the ETM 100 has detected that the bus is running late or that the bus is not driving along a particular service route.

[0023] The ETM 100 may also comprise a printer 118 for printing tickets or receipts for tickets purchased by the passengers. As described above, not all passengers will require a paper ticket, particularly those paying using a contactless card or app on a mobile communications device.

[0024] The ETM 100 may also have one or more wired external input/output interfaces 120, for example USB, Ethernet, RS485 and/or other digital/analogue interfaces to bus systems. The ETM 100 may also have a contactless card reader, for example using RFID or NFC, to communicate with contactless payment cards. The contactless card reader, and/or any other suitable facility in the ETM 100, may be utilised for accepting fare payment. In addition, passengers may also be able to utilise mobile communications devices for making or confirming payments with the ETM 100 (or for performing any other suitable operation). The ETM 100 also includes a communications device 150 for communicating with other on-bus and ground-based computing systems and for displaying and processing information relating to them. The communications device may be Wi-Fi, GSM, GPRS, Bluetooth or any other suitable means for communicating between other ETMs and computing systems. The communications device may be utilised, for example, to upload usage data recorded in the memory 126 to a server, and/or to download software updates (for running on processor 124), routing information, and other such operational data.

[0025] The ETM 100 may also have a powersupply 122 configured to provide power to the hardware components of the ETM 100. Power may be provided from the bus electrical system and connected to the ETM 100 via a wired power connection. The ETM 100 may also comprise one or more internal power storage devices (e.g. batteries and/or capacitors) to provide power when the ETM 100 is not connected to a bus electrical system or when the bus electrical system is turned off. The internal power storage devices may be configured to charge when power is provided to the ETM 100 from an external supply, such as the bus electrical system.

[0026] The ETM 100 may also have one or more processors 124 for performing computing operations and controlling the interaction between the various hardware components such as the driver display 110, the passenger display 112 and the printer 118. The ETM 100 may also have volatile and/or non-volatile memory 126 for storing instructions and data for use by the processor and other hardware components of the ETM 100.

[0027] The ETM 100 also includes a location device 140 (or interface to such a device) configured to determine the location of the bus using, for example, GPS or other global navigation satellite system (GNSS), and/or a mobile telecommunications network. The ETM 100 also includes at least one vibration sensor 130 configured to detect vibration of (and in) the bus. The at least one vibration sensor 130 may comprise one or more accelerometers and/or one or more gyroscopes and/or one or more directional movement sensors. The at least one vibration sensor 130 may include or be supplemented by sensors operating close to, or within the audible range of frequencies. Note that the term vibration should be understood herein to include the various types of movement, in particular, involving linear and/or rotational acceleration or deceleration, as experienced by a bus, including oscillations at particular frequencies and linear movement, as well as individual changes in movement in a given direction (e.g. if the bus brakes sharply). Most typically, the vibration sensor will provide 6axis data (corresponding to the three possible axes of linear movement, and the three possible axes of rotational movement).

[0028] The ETM 100 is able to record the combination of bus location and sensed vibration, to provide an output that represents the sensed vibration at each location. In some cases, this linkage between sensed vibration and location may be direct, for example, the output may comprise a single file or data stream that contains the sensed vibrations stored with their corresponding locations. In other cases, the linkage may be indirect, for example, the locations and sensed vibrations may be provided as separate output files or streams, in which the locations and sensed vibrations are both recorded with a corresponding time; this then allows a correspondence to be determined between location and sensed vibrations based on matching time. The record of the bus location and sensed vibration may be stored locally into the ETM 100, e.g. into memory or storage 126, and/or transmitted to an external bus control system using communications device 150 or external I/O 120.

[0029] Note also that the information from the vibration sensor 130 may be able to supplement the location information from the location device 140, especially during brief interruptions in the availability of the latter. For example, GPS reception is often limited or unavailable in certain locations, such as tunnels, or city routes through many tall buildings. In this case, the vibration sensor 130, which typically measures acceleration (changes in velocity), can be used to interpolate through any temporary gaps or interruptions in the position signal.

[0030] It will be appreciated that the combination of components for the ETM 100 shown in Figure 1 is by way of example only, and other implementations of the revenue collection system may have a different combination of components depending upon the particular circumstances of the intended use. For example, some implementations may have only wired (or wireless) communications facilities (but not both), some implementations may not have a printer, and so on. In addition, one or more of the components shown in Figure 1 as being incorporated into the revenue collection system may be located external to the ETM 100, but configured or connected for inter-operation with the ETM 100. For example, rather than having the location device incorporated into the ETM 100, it may be provided as a separate component, perhaps located on or adjacent to the outside of the road-based passenger transport vehicle, and configured to communicate with the ETM 100 through a wired or wireless communications means.

[0031] For example, the revenue collection system may not comprise a printer 118 and may only be used for reading and validating pre-payment cards, such as ITSO or Oyster cards and other forms of prepaid tickets. In such implementations, the revenue collection system is a validation unit which may comprise a contactless card reader, for example using RFID or NFC, to communicate with contactless payment cards and/or mobile communications devices. An indication is then provided to the driver and/or passenger that the payment method is valid, for example by displaying a message on the driver display 110 and/or the passenger display 112, and/or by an audible sound being produced by the speaker 116, for example a beep. In this example, the revenue collection system may comprise more than one validation unit per vehicle, for example a validation unit may be provided near each door of the vehicle to allow multiple passengers to validate their tickets simultaneously as they board the vehicle. This also reduces the burden on the driver for operating the revenue collection system. [0032] In operation, the one or more processors 124 may be configured to receive data from the one or more vibration sensors 130 in order to detect any abnormality in the operation of the vehicle in which the revenue collection system is fitted. In general terms, there are multiple possible sources of vibration for a road-based passenger transport vehicle, for example:

[0033] (a) vibrations directly due to operation of the vehicle, primarily caused by the engine, but also other operations, such as doors, windscreen wipers.

[0034] (b) vibrations caused by driver operations, such as braking and steering. For example, longitudinal vibration may be caused by the bus increasing or decreasing its speed whilst lateral acceleration may be caused when the bus turns.

[0035] (c) vibrations caused by the different road surfaces over which the bus is being driven, such as tarmac, concrete or cobbles, as well as the presence of other factors, for example, potholes and other road defects, speed bumps, etc.

[0036] (d) vibrations caused by other external factors, e.g. wind, other traffic, etc.

[0037] The profile of the vibrations from the each source is generally distinct in terms of parameters such as frequency (or spread of frequencies), amplitude, duration, gradual or sudden onset, etc. For example, engine noise will typically have a primary frequency corresponding to the operating speed of the engine (rpm), road surface noise will typically have a much wider spread of frequencies (usually with no dominant single frequency), hitting a pothole will correspond to a single impulse of very short duration, while a driver braking will likewise correspond to a single impulse, but spread over a longer duration.

[0038] Furthermore, some sources of vibration, such as engine noise, are primarily related to the particular bus (or at least type of bus), while other sources of vibration, such as potholes, are primarily related to the route. Moreover, some sources of vibration, such as road noise, are related to both the bus (especially the tyres) and the route (e.g. the type of road surface), while other sources of vibration are not specifically related to the bus or route (e.g. wind).

[0039] In operation of the electronic ticket machine described herein, there is generally an initial data collection phase in which data for the sensed vibrations is recorded for a number of different buses and routes. Because buses typically follow the same route multiple times a day, this initial data collection phase can be relatively short - e.g. a week. At the end of the initial data collection phase (or potentially on an ongoing basis as the data is collected), the sensed vibration data is analysed. [0040] This analysis splits the vibrations according to their likely source, based on the nature of the vibrations sensed, and also expected properties of the different types of noise source as indicated above. Furthermore, the multiple sets of vibration data can also assist with the allocation of vibrations to particular sources - for example, if a given pattern of vibration occurs on most or all buses travelling on a given road, then such vibrations might typically be due to road noise from the surface of that road. Conversely, vibration data for when a bus is stationary (i.e. remains at the same location for a period of time) is most likely to represent engine noise from the bus.

[0041] The analysis may also be able to discriminate against different types of vibration from the same general source of vibration. For example, a pothole in a road will usually generate a sudden large scale (impulse) vibration each time a wheel passes over it. In contrast, a speed bump, which is a different type of feature on the surface of the road, may typically create a lower frequency, larger amplitude vibration, which will always be repeated as each axle passes over the speed bump (whereas on at least some occasions, only a front or rear wheel may encounter the pot hole). Note that the sensed vibrations may also be able to discriminate between a speed bump and a pot hole by looking at the initial direction of movement, since for a pot hole, there is a slight initial downward movement prior to a sharp upward movement as the tyre hits the far edge of the pothole.

[0042] After the various vibration components have been identified, and their respective sources, the statistical properties of such components are determined. For example, for each bus that makes a journey along a particular street, this provides one sample of the road noise component for this journey. When enough samples have been collected, the statistical distribution of the samples can be determined, e.g. to provide a mean and standard deviation of the noise level. Similarly, if the bus is stationary, and the engine noise is therefore the main contributor to the sensed vibrations, the mean and standard deviation of the engine frequency (idling speed) might be determined. In other cases, the statistical distribution of the samples might best be represented by other parameters as appropriate.

[0043] An alternative method of analysis, for use in detecting at least some types of conditions, relies on triggering based on one or more predetermined thresholds programmed into the system. This approach is not reliant on building up a profile using many samples from a route.

[0044] The analysis of the various vibration components may also take into consideration the speed of the bus at the time the vibrations were sensed (this speed can be determined from the location data), as well features of the road - e.g. a particular location may be known to represent a steep hill up or down. These parameters may be factored into the known vibration profiles - e.g. it may be expected that the normal noise (vibration) level from the road will increase with speed, as will windinduced vibration.

[0045] After the initial data collection phase, the sensed vibration data from the buses can continue to be collected. This then allows further refinement and updating of the characterisation of the different contributions to the vibrations. However, the statistical characterisation of the vibration sources already identified above supports additional functionality, in particular, the identification of any abnormality during subsequent bus journeys. For example, the sensed vibrations arising from road noise on a given journey may be found to differ significantly from the expected values - e.g. the sensed level of road noise is more than a given number of standard deviations from the mean (using the means and standard deviation values found during the initial data collection phase). This then represents an abnormality, which might arise from a number of different causes - e.g. a problem with one or more tyres on the bus, or changes to the road surface itself, such as the presence of many leaves or ice. Similarly, an abnormality might be found if the vibrations attributed to engine noise indicate an idling speed which is significantly above or below the norm from the initial data collection phase - this might then indicate an engine or fuel problem. The detection of an abnormality may take into consideration additional information, such as the speed of the vehicle at the time of the sensed vibrations (the speed again generally being available from the location data).

[0046] This comparison of the sensed vibrations against the known profiles, and the different components therefore, which can be represented by one or more statistical parameters, as appropriate, may be performed within the electronic ticket machine itself and/or by an external computer system, for example at a bus control centre. In the former case, the known vibration profile for a given bus journey may be loaded into and stored in the electronic ticket machine itself. In the latter case, the sensed vibration data may be uploaded to the external computer system, which maintains the known vibration profiles. This uploading may be performed in real-time, while the bus is still progressing along the route using the wireless communications systems of (or available to) the electronic ticket machine 100. Note that there may be some delays (interruptions) to the real-time communications, for example, as caused by portions of the route for which no mobile telecommunications signal is available. In this case, the relevant data may be transmitted once a suitable signal has been re-acquired. In some cases, the sensed vibration data may be uploaded from the electronic ticket machine to the external computer system once the bus journey has completed, for example, once the bus has returned to its depot (where there may be specific wired or wireless connections for communications between the computer system and the electronic ticket machines).

[0047] An abnormality may be detected from the sensed vibration data by comparison with the known vibration profile, and the components from various sources. For example, a given road surface may be largely free of potholes. The known vibration profile may then include a threshold that represents an upper limit on the amplitude of any sudden impulsive vibration. If this threshold is subsequently exceeded on a given bus journey, then this may potentially represent a new or enlarged pothole (or possibly an accident).

[0048] The analysis of the sensed vibration data, and the comparison against a known vibration profile to detect an abnormality, may be performed by the electronic ticket machine itself, typically in real-time or near real-time, as described above. Alternatively (or additionally), such analysis and comparison may be performed by a centralised computer system, whether in real-time, or in batch (e.g. overnight) processing. In some cases, a simplified analysis and comparison may be performed in real-time, e.g. looking for exceeding a particular threshold, while a more in-depth and sophisticated analysis may be performed subsequently. This latter analysis may, for example, look for commonalities between the sensed vibrational data from different buses in order to better understand the vibration sources (and any changes therein). For example, the discrimination discussed above between a pothole and a speed bump can be assisted by looking at the data from multiple buses to see if both axles have encountered the same obstruction. In addition, the nature and shape of a given pothole may be understood better by looking at its impact on buses travelling at different speeds over the pothole. Furthermore, the known vibration profiles may also be updated based on data collected by the vibration sensors 130 of such buses to improve the subsequent detection of abnormalities.

[0049] A detected abnormality could relate to one or more mechanical components of the bus inside the engine. For example, a component in the engine, such as a timing belt or spark plug, may have become faulty or worn out, thereby causing excessive or irregular vibration of the engine of the bus. This additional vibration can be detected by the vibration sensor and compared to the known vibration profile of the bus. A faulty or worn component in the engine of the bus may cause a vibration which has the same frequency as the known vibration profile of the bus, but a larger amplitude, or may cause additional modes of vibration to be created on top of the known vibration profile of the bus. Thus as noted above, when the bus is stationary and the engine is idling, any detected abnormalities can be determined as originating from one or more mechanical components of the bus. In other words, the location device can be used to determine that the bus is staying at a fixed location and therefore the vibration detected by the vibration sensor can be determined as originating from the engine of the bus.

[0050] A detected abnormality might also relate to one or more mechanical components of the bus outside of the engine. For example, a faulty door motor may prevent the doors from opening and closing smoothly. As the doors are typically only opened when the bus is stationary at a predetermined bus stop (rather than stationary, for example, at a set of traffic lights), the electronic ticket machine 100 may use the location data to determine whether the bus was stationary at a bus stop when the abnormal vibration was detected. If so, it can then be determined whether the detected abnormality relates to the idling engine or whether it was due to a faulty component of the bus outside the engine. For example, the latter possibility is likely if the abnormality is only detected at bus stops, but unlikely if the abnormality is detected not at a bus stop (but rather, for example, at some traffic lights).

[0051] As noted above, a detected abnormality might also be due to the road surface over which the bus is passing. If the bus passes over an uneven road service, for example a pothole, the vibration sensor will detect a sudden large-scale vibration (impulse). By comparing the detected sudden vibration to the known vibration profiles, this vibration could then be attributed to a damaged road surface.

[0052] Once the location of the pothole has been determined by using the location data, there are various further actions that could be implemented. For example, the electronic ticket machine of a bus that goes along this route (or some other system in such a bus) might be configured to provide the driver with a warning (e.g. and audio warning via the speaker 116, and/or a visual warning on the driver display 110) the next time the pothole is approached, thereby allowing the driver to take mitigating action, e.g. by steering around the pothole. This can help improve the ride comfort of the passengers, as well as reducing the risk of any damage to the bus. In addition, the bus company might notify the relevant authorities responsible for the upkeep of the road about the existence and location of the pothole.

[0053] The ETM 100 may also be configured to allow the bus driver to provide an input as to the nature of a particular abnormality. For example, the bus driver might press a particular button on the keyboard 114 or touchscreen of the ETM 100 when the bus passes over a road defect, such as a pothole. The processor may then be configured to store information about this pressed button in the memory 126, in conjunction with the vibration data received from the vibration sensor 130 and the location data received from the location device 140. This allows the system to confirm directly that the sensed vibrations for that location correspond to a pothole, which firstly avoids the risk of any misinterpretation of the sensed vibrations, and also can assist in updating the known vibration profiles (since this record now represents another sample for determining such profiles, moreover with a known source of vibration).

[0054] The ETM 100 may also be configured to detect whether there are any changes to the normal vibration profile of the bus after it has passed over an uneven road surface or road defect. For example, passing over a pothole may damage the suspension or the wheels of the bus. This may cause a change in the vibrations detected by the vibration sensor. Detecting such a change in the normal pattern of vibrations in the bus may help to trigger (and assist with) a maintenance check. Furthermore, should the bus have sustained damage from the incident, the record of the sensed vibrations provided by the electronic ticket machine 100 might be used as evidence for an insurance claim or for taking action against the authority responsible for maintaining the road.

[0055] The sensed vibration records may also be used to determine the rate of change of a road defect overtime. By comparing the latest record of vibrations with corresponding records from buses that have previously encountered the road defect, it can be determined whether the road defect has deteriorated, for example, if a pothole has got larger in diameter or deeper. Again, this information might be provided to the relevant authorities in order to help them prioritise which road repairs should be performed first.

[0056] The electronic ticket machine 100 may also receive, via the communications device 150, updates to the known vibration profiles for the bus. For example, the electronic ticket machine 100 may receive new known vibration profile when the bus is in the depot, for example every evening. This allows the electronic ticket machine 100 to be updated about new (or altered) road defects on different routes.

[0057] In some implementations, each bus fitted with an electronic ticket machine 100 and including a vibration sensor 130 may collect, via the vibration sensor 130, and store, in the memory 126, sensed vibration data. This sensed vibration data may then be communicated, via the communications device 150, to a central server when the buses return to the depot (or on a real-time basis, as discussed above). Vibration data from each electronic ticket machine 100 can then be accumulated and merged to update the known vibration profiles for all the routes in a given bus operator’s network. Each electronic ticket machine 100 may then receive, via the communications device 150, the updated known vibration profiles. Depending upon the storage capacity of the electronic ticket machine 100, the known vibration profiles loaded to a given electronic ticket machine 100 may be limited to the bus/buses and route(s) that the electronic ticket machine 100 will be used for over a certain period of time (e.g. for the next week). Alternatively, the electronic ticket machine 100 may store known vibration profiles for all buses and routes supported by that operator, and the driver then identifies the bus and route to the electronic ticket machine 100, or the route is downloaded via the communications device 150 (including any desired vibration profiles) as appropriate. This latter approach supports easy portability and interchange of the electronic ticket machines 100 between different buses.

[0058] As discussed above, the electronic ticket machine 100 may be configured to provide a warning to the bus driver when the bus is approaching a known surface defect. For example, the ETM 100 may be configured to provide an audible warning to the bus driver via the speaker 116, or a visual warning to the driver on the driver display 110. This allows the driver to take preventative action, for example slowing the bus down, to prevent undue damage to the bus and to prevent adverse ride quality. An audible warning helps to increase safety, as the driver does not have to take their eyes off the road to receive the warning. The warning may also be different to indicate the type and/or severity of defect the bus is approaching, for example by changing the pitch of an audible warning or by changing the colour or flashing pattern of a visual warning.

[0059] The electronic ticket machine 100 may also be used to assist in driver training assistance and appraisals. For example, the vibration sensor 130 may detect vibrations due to sudden accelerations and decelerations of the bus. It may be determined that these vibrations were caused unnecessarily by the driver, for example by accelerating or braking heavily, cornering sharply or turning at excessive speed. Each of these actions may adversely affect the ride quality for the passengers. Accordingly, the record of the sensed vibrations can be used by the bus operator to provide feedback and training to the individual drivers. For example, the drivers may be educated about their driving behaviour by the bus company in order to help them improve the ride quality for the passengers. The drivers can then adapt their driving behaviour to improve the ride quality, and may be given remedial training to assist with this. The data provided by the system may also be used to provide information on fuel usage and fuel efficiency relating to driving style.

[0060] The electronic ticket machine 100 may also be configured to provide real-time feedback to the driver if an abnormality in the operation of the bus is determined to have been caused by the driver. For example, the electronic ticket machine 100 may be configured to give an audible and/or visual warning to the bus driving if heavy braking or acceleration has been detected. The electronic ticket machine 100 may be configured with a predefined limit on the allowable acceleration or deceleration. The predefined limit may be based on the known vibration profiles for the bus, for example the range of acceleration previously detected, or it may be set based on a known maximum acceleration that does not adversely affect ride quality for the passengers.

[0061] The records of vibrations from multiple journeys (by one or more buses) may be used to determine whether a sharp acceleration or deceleration occurs regularly at a certain location. For example, a bus may be required to accelerate quickly along a short slip road in order to join a fast moving carriageway, or when pulling out of a junction onto a busy road. The predefined limit on the allowable acceleration or deceleration (having regard to ride quality) may therefore be set differently for different locations. In other words, the limit may be relaxed (increased) at such a location where there are particular reasons for a driver to provide a higher level of acceleration or deceleration in view of the prevailing traffic or road situation.

[0062] The record of the sensed vibrations may also be useful as evidence, for example in the event of a passenger claim for compensation if it is alleged that an injury occurred due to a particular driver action, such as heavy braking. Similar, in the event of an accident or collision, the record of the sensed vibrations might indicate any action taken by the driver immediately prior to the collision, such as swerving or braking. The sensed vibrations, such as for a change in direction and/or whether the bus is still detected as being in a vertical orientation, may also be used to automatically communicate via the communications device 150 with the emergency services in order to call for assistance and to notify the emergency services that an accident or incident has occurred.

[0063] Figure 2 illustrates an example of a road-based passenger transport vehicle maintenance computer system (bus control computer system) 220 interacting with a plurality of road-based passenger transport vehicle 200A, 200B in accordance with some implementations of the invention. Each of the plurality of vehicles (buses) 200A, 200B has revenue collection system such as an electronic ticket machine 100 installed in it, such as described above with reference to Figure 1. As previously mentioned, the revenue collection system is typically a standalone unit and that may be installed or retrofitted into any bus or other similar mode of road-based passenger transport vehicle. [0064] The bus maintenance computer system 220 provides an interface for communicating with an electronic ticket machine installed in the each of the buses 200A, 200B. This communications interface may utilise any suitable network or communications means. For example, the electronic ticket machines and the bus maintenance computer system may communicate over a wireless network using Wi-Fi, GSM, GPRS, Bluetooth or any other suitable communications means. Multiple such communications systems may be supported. For example, the bus maintenance computer system 220 may be configured to communicate with the electronic ticket machine 100 via Wi-Fi when they are located at the bus depot, and via GPRS when the buses are out on route. Another possibility is that some bus stops are equipped with a Wi-Fi connection, and that buses out on route can use such a facility to communicate with the bus maintenance computer system 220 (instead of, or as well as, using GPRS).

[0065] In some cases, the use of wireless communications whilst the bus is on route may be limited to higher priority transmissions, such as reporting potential abnormalities, e.g. the possible detection of a significant new pothole from the bus to the bus maintenance computer system, and/or sending a notification of the new pothole out to the buses from the bus maintenance computer system. In these cases, lower priority communications (in either or both directions) may be deferred until the bus is back at a depot (or other suitable location). In such a location, a wireless or wired connection (e.g. USB) may be used to transfer data rapidly between the ETM 100 and the bus maintenance computer system 220. In some cases, such wired transmissions occur after the ETM has been removed from the bus. A further possibility is that the ETM includes a removable memory card (e.g. flash ROM), and this can be removed to take data from the ETM (or inserted to provide data to the ETM). Accordingly, the bus maintenance computer system 220 is configured both to receive data from each of the ETMs 100 as well as to send data to each of the ETMs 100 via one or more appropriate mechanisms or interfaces.

[0066] The bus maintenance computer system 220 may be configured to analyse data received from each of the ETMs 100. The bus maintenance computer system 220 may then use the results of this analysis for detecting abnormalities, and/or for detecting patterns in such abnormalities (whether detected by the bus maintenance computer system itself, or notified by an ETM 100). For example, if two or more ETMs 100 have detected an abnormality at the same location, the bus maintenance computer system 220 may determine with increased confidence that there is a road defect at that location, for example a pothole. Further, if two or more ETMs 100 have detected an abnormality in the same location, such as a particularly high acceleration or deceleration, the bus maintenance computer system 220 may determine this rapid acceleration or deceleration is appropriate because of the road and traffic situation at that location (and so tolerate a temporary lapse in the ride quality at this particular location).

[0067] The bus maintenance computer system 220 also comprises a storage means for storing the sensed vibrations, the results of the data analysis, the information related to detected abnormalities, and the known vibration profiles. This stored data can then be used to update the ETMs 100 as appropriate, for example, to provide them with updated known vibration profiles. In some implementations, data analysis is performed by the bus maintenance computer system 220 whilst the ETMs are out in operation, and the results of the analysis may be transferred to the ETMs 100 installed in each of the buses 200A, 200B at a later time after such operations have been completed. [0068] The bus maintenance computer system 220 may also be in communication with a road infrastructure maintenance system 240. Accordingly, if an abnormality detected by an ETM 100 or the bus maintenance computer system 220 is determined to have been caused by a road defect, the bus maintenance computer system 220 can communicate the location of the road defect to the road infrastructure maintenance system 240. The bus maintenance computer system 220 may also provide an indication of the type and severity of the road defect as determined from the sensed vibrations, as well as indication of how rapidly the road surface is deteriorating. The road infrastructure maintenance system 240 may also communicate to the bus maintenance computer system 220 to provide the locations of road defects determined by other (non bus) related systems. [0069] The bus maintenance computer system 220 may also comprise a user interface 260, for example a monitor and a keyboard or a touch screen display. Accordingly, the bus maintenance computer system 220 can provide a user at the bus depot with information about the detected abnormalities and the results of data analysis performed by the bus maintenance computer system 220. For example, if an ETM 100 has detected an abnormality in the operation of the bus 200A in which it is installed, and this might be attributed to a faulty component, for example a door or a part in the engine, the bus maintenance computer system 220 may provide an indication of any corrective maintenance action that should be performed or scheduled. In some cases, it may also be feasible to send a request to the driver via the ETM 100 to take some appropriate remedial action, or at least to inform the driver as to the nature of the fault, and any potential workaround. Location information may be communicated to drivers by way of graphical means such as maps or by textual means on the driver display 110 or using the user interface 260 at the depot.

[0070] Figure 3 illustrates a method of detecting abnormalities in the operation of a road-based passenger transport vehicle by a revenue collection system according to an embodiment of the present application. It will be appreciated that this represents just one potential implementation, and is presented by way of example only; other implementations may omit, replace or amend the various operations shown in Figure 3.

[0071] The method may be performed by the one or more processors 124 of the revenue collection system. The method begins at step 300. At step 302, location information is received from the location device 140 related to the current position of the vehicle in which the revenue collection system is installed. This may be done periodically, for example once a second, once a minute or at a less regular interval (in which case the location information comprises the record of locations with corresponding times since the last set of location information was provided). Alternatively, or in addition, location information could be received from the location device 140 in response to a given event, for example if vibration is detected by the one or more vibration sensor 130 above a predetermined amplitude or frequency, or in response to the vehicle driver pressing a button on the revenue collection system.

[0072] At step 304, vibration data is received from the one or more vibration sensors 130 and at step 306 the vibration data received from the one or more vibration sensors 130 is recorded (e.g. to memory 126) and analysed by comparing the vibration data received against a known vibration profile stored on the memory 126 of the revenue collection system.

[0073] Steps 302, 304 and 306 may occur in a different order. For example, vibration data may be received from the vibration sensor 130 and analysed. Location data from the location device 140 may then only be received in response to analysing the vibration data, for example if an abnormality is detected or if a particular trend is observed. Equally, steps 302 and 304 may occur concurrently. For example, the processor 124 of the revenue collection system may continuously receive, record and analyse vibration and location data from the vibration sensor 130 and the location device 140 respectively.

[0074] At step 308 it is determined whether an abnormality in the operation of the vehicle has been detected based on the comparison of the vibration data received from the one or more vibration sensors 130 with the known vibration profile stored in the memory 126 of the revenue collection system. If an abnormality is not detected, the method returns to step 302. If an abnormality is detected, the method continues to step 310 where data relating to the detected abnormality is stored in the memory 126 of the revenue collection system. At step 320 it is determined whether a wireless network is present. If no wireless network is detected, for example, because the vehicle is in operation and currently driving along a given route, the method returns to step 302. If a wireless network is present, for example because the vehicle has access to a GPRS network, then the data stored on the memory 126 of the revenue collection system regarding the abnormality may be communicated via the wireless network, for example to an operations computer located within the vehicle depot (operation 340). The operations computer may then collate the data received from each vehicle and use it (for example) to update the known vibration profile for a vehicle or to schedule maintenance for given vehicle based on the received data.

[0075] For convenience, the processing of Figure 3 is shown as terminating after step 340, but it will be appreciated that more typically it will be performed on a continuous basis while the vehicle is on route. Moreover, the collection of location and vibration data of operations 302 and 304 will generally also continue while other operations are being performed (such as communicating abnormality data as per operation 340).

[0076] The revenue collection system described herein may perform a number of software-controlled operations. In such cases, the software may run at least in part on special-purpose hardware or on conventional systems with conventional processors. The software may be loaded into such hardware, for example, at the time of revenue collection system manufacture or upgraded post manufacture by a wireless or wired communications link, or may be loaded by some other mechanism - e.g. from a hard disk drive, or a flash memory device.

[0077] Although the term electronic ticket machine (ETM) is used in the specific embodiments herein to describe the features and functionality of a revenue collection system, the skilled person will appreciate that these features and functionality may also be performed by other revenue collection systems, for example a validation unit located at one or more doors to the road-based passenger transport vehicle.

[0078] The skilled person will appreciate that these embodiments are provided only by way of example, and different features from different embodiments can be combined as appropriate. Accordingly, the scope of the presently claimed invention is to be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A revenue collection system for use in a road-based passenger transport vehicle, the revenue collection system comprising:

a ticket processing or validation system;

a location device configured to provide the current location of the vehicle;

at least one vibration sensor for sensing vibrations of the vehicle; and a facility for recording the sensed vibrations of the vehicle in conjunction with the current location of the vehicle so as to provide a record of the sensed vibrations as a function of the location of the vehicle.

2. The revenue collection system of Claim 1, wherein the at least one vibration sensor is at least one of:

an accelerometer; and a gyroscope.

3. The revenue collection system of Claim 1 or 2, wherein the vibration sensor detects vibrations including linear movement and rotation.

4. The revenue collection system of any preceding Claim, further comprising a computing means for detecting abnormalities in the operation of the vehicle from the sensed vibrations.

5. The revenue collection system of Claim 4, wherein detecting abnormalities comprises comparing the output from the at least one vibration sensor to a known vibration profile.

6. The revenue collection system of Claim 5, wherein the known vibration profile is locationspecific, and the detection of abnormalities is based on comparing the sensed vibrations fora given location with the known vibration profile for the given location.

7. The revenue collection system of Claim 5 or 6, wherein the known vibration profile is specific to the vehicle in which the revenue collection system is being used.

8. The revenue collection system of any of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the known vibration profile is based at least in part on sensed vibrations of one or more vehicles that have previously travelled along a given route.

9. The revenue collection system of any of Claims 4 to 8, wherein the revenue collection system is configured to provide a warning to a driver of the vehicle if an abnormality has been detected.

10. The revenue collection system of Claim 9, wherein the warning ofthe abnormality includes an indication ofthe nature ofthe abnormality.

11. The revenue collection system of any of Claims 4 to 10, further comprising a wireless communications means to report the abnormality to a control centre while the vehicle continues on its route.

12. The revenue collection system of any of Claims 4 to 11, wherein the abnormality relates to one or more ofthe following: internal mechanical operation ofthe vehicle, driving actions performed by the vehicle, and external road conditions.

13. The revenue collection system of any preceding Claim, wherein the facility for recording the sensed vibrations ofthe vehicle comprises a storage device for storing the record ofthe sensed vibrations as a function ofthe location ofthe vehicle.

14. The revenue collection system of any preceding Claim, wherein the facility for recording the sensed vibrations ofthe vehicle comprises a communication device for transmitting the record ofthe sensed vibrations as a function ofthe location ofthe vehicle to an external computer system.

15. The revenue collection system of any preceding Claim, wherein the location device receives the location ofthe vehicle from a separate GPS unit in the vehicle.

16. The revenue collection system of any preceding Claim, wherein the at least one vibration sensor is used to provide supporting movement data to the location device for determining the current location ofthe vehicle.

17. The revenue collection system of any preceding Claim, wherein the revenue collection system is configured to be easily removable as a complete unit from a vehicle.

18. The revenue collection system of any preceding Claim, wherein the revenue collection system is configured to issue or validate tickets or other payment mechanisms, or support any other form of fare collection, and/or to act as an on-vehicle driver and passenger console.

19. A road-based passenger transport vehicle including the revenue collection system of any preceding Claim.

20. A method of operating an revenue collection system in a road-based passenger transport vehicle, the method comprising the revenue collection system performing the steps of:

receiving the current location ofthe vehicle;

sensing vibrations experienced by the vehicle; and recording the sensed vibrations of the vehicle in conjunction with the current location of the vehicle so as to provide a record of the sensed vibrations as a function of the location of the vehicle.

21. A computer system for use in a road-based passenger transport vehicle control facility,

5 comprising:

a communication means for communicating with a plurality of revenue collection system located in respective vehicles, each vehicle following a respective route, for receiving data concerning sensed vibrations in the vehicles;

a processing means for analysing the received data to (i) create or update existing profiles for 10 the vehicles and/or routes, and (ii) detect any abnormality in the received data.

22. A revenue collection system substantially as described herein with and reference to the drawings.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1611177.5