IES86246B2

IES86246B2 - Safety verification and notification system for MPV passengers

Info

Publication number: IES86246B2
Application number: IES20120023A
Authority: IE
Inventors: Michael Flanagan
Original assignee: Michael Flanagan
Priority date: 2012-01-17
Filing date: 2012-01-17
Publication date: 2013-08-14
Also published as: IES20120023A2; WO2013108238A1

Abstract

Information relating to vehicles and vehicle drivers are stored electronically on a database. Quick Response Codes or QR codes are located in the vehicle. Smart phones or similar devices with pre-loaded software read the QR code. Vehicle and driver information is obtained in this manner from the database. The information obtained can then be sent to third parties through email, text and social media website posting. Pattern recognition technology can also be used to extract the information as can the input of a code into the mobile device. The passenger can also verify if the vehicle and driver details correspond to these details on the database. GPS is used to show exactly where the code was read/scanned, indication the beginning of the journey. The time and data of the red/scan is also logged and can be sent on.

Description

TITLE SAFETY VERIFICATION AND NOTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR MECHANICALLY PROPELLED VEHICLE PASSENGERS Technical Field The invention is for use in any industry relating to the carrying of passengers in vehicles. The invention relates to the use of pre-loaded application software on a smartphone or similar device to retrieve information from an electronic database which is then stored, forwarded to third parties and verified. This information relates to the vehicle / vehicle operator, vehicle itself and vehicle company and also to details of the journey undertaken by the passenger. Quick Response codes and pattern technology are both utilised by the invention.

Background Art It is recognised that Quick Response Codes are often read by mobile internet connected devices such as smartphones or other devices and the reading always provides some sort of information, whether it directs to a website, advertises, etc.

Photographs are often taken of different types of identifiers, and information can then be retrieved from the captured image through pattern recognition technology.

S 8 6246 ~ 2 ~ This invention operates through the use of pre-loaded application software on a smartphone or similar device and utilises both the above and other technologies, as explained below. The invention is intended for use in the passenger carrying industries.

Summary of the Invention Technical Problem There is no system in place which allows passengers or anyone to immediately independently verify if a taxi’s license details are genuine.

Often passengers must verify licensing details through the various taxi regulation bodies.

There is no system in place which allows license verification and which also enables passengers to log and send key safety information relating to themselves, the taxi or vehicle in which they are travelling, their vehicle operator and their journey to their contact’s email addresses, mobile telephones and to social media sites of the passenger’s choice.

It is submitted that a phone call, a text message or an email all require the passenger to, in some manual way, list all of the above details. None of these communication methods automatically incorporate a positioning system for automatic location. ~ 3 ~ Solution to Problem and Advantageous Effects of Invention This invention’s advantage is that it allows a passenger to use application software on their smart phone (or any similar device) to scan a Code or use a taxi license number / code, operator license code / number and / or vehicle registration of a taxi or any vehicle and thus perform both the above tasks.

The way in which information is transmitted allows the taxi company or vehicle company or vehicle operator an opportunity to advertise in a manner which was previously not possible.

The following explains the invention in more detail.

A detail or details may be sent relating to the user (a passenger and / or license verifier), their journey, the vehicle in which they are travelling in, the vehicle operator, the company to which the vehicle and / or vehicle operator are a part of to a contact and / or contacts of the user’s choice and / or to a social media website or social media websites of the user’s choice through the scanning of a Quick Response code, aka QR code, using any mobile device, such as a smartphone, which has suitable application software downloaded from the relevant provider, and / or by inputting the taxi license number and / or vehicle license number and / or vehicle or taxi registration number and / or any other code or number relating to the vehicle or vehicle operator into the application software on the mobile device or by using Bluetooth technology .

Below are further details related to the invention and the way in which it operates.

A Quick Response code or codes must be located anywhere inside or outside a vehicle in such a way that it can be scanned from inside or outside the vehicle.

Encoding the QR code or codes with any detail or details relating to the particular vehicle, to the company which the vehicle and / or driver is a part of, to the operator of the vehicle and / or to the licensing and / or registration details of the vehicle and / or to the licensing details of the operator of the vehicle.

A user downloading application software from the relevant application provider onto the user’s smartphone or any other mobile device which can use the software.

A user setting up the application software on their scanning device, such as their smartphone, by inputting their details and the details of the contact or contacts that they wish to send said details to.

A user, where they so wish, linking their social media site page or site pages to the application software so that said details can be posted on their page or pages.

A user scanning the QR code using the application software on their mobile device.

A user selecting on the application software which contact or contacts they wish to send said details to, if any, and / or selecting which social media site or sites they wish to post said details onto, if any.

Alternatively a user initiating the process by entering the vehicle license details, such as a taxi license number / code, operator license code / number and / or vehicle registration number into the application software on their mobile device instead of scanning the QR code, and then proceeding to take the same steps as a user who scanned the QR code.

Alternatively a user simply scanning the QR code or inputting details as outlined just above and opting not to send on any details however simply logging the details onto the application software on their device.

At the end of transmittance or non transmittance of details a user decides whether or not they wish to view the available license and / or registration details of the vehicle and / or the available license details of the operator of the vehicle and / or any other details available relating to the vehicle company, vehicle operator and / or the vehicle itself which are available.

Alternatively the above process can function through Bluetooth technology whereby a bluetooth receiver is in the vehicle, having the above mentioned details stored, and the application software on the mobile device is paired with it, and the user follows the steps as outlined above.

Details are sent to a contact or contacts of their choice via email and / or sms and / or Bluetooth technology through the application software.

The user can post the information using the said application software on said mobile device to a social media site or social media sites of their choice via the internet.

The journey details include, but are not limited to, the location where the user scanned the vehicle QR code and / or vehicle operator QR code and / or entered the taxi license number or vehicle registration number and / or linked the device application software with the vehicle Bluetooth receiver.

The location of the beginning of the journey end of the journey and / or route of the entire journey is obtained by using all or any available positioning systems such as, but not limited to, GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, Beidou, COMPASS, IRNSS, QZSS, which is operational on the said mobile device and / or application software.

The end of the journey and / or route of the entire journey end may be obtained by using all or any available positioning systems such as, but not limited to, GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, Beidou, COMPASS, IRNSS, QZSS, which is operational on the said mobile device and / or application software The journey details include the date and time that the user scanned the vehicle QR code and / or vehicle operator qr code / entered the taxi license number or vehicle registration number I linked the device application software with the vehicle Bluetooth receiver. ~ 7 ~ The journey details include the date and time that the user ended their journey.

Marketing details of the company to which the vehicle and / or vehicle operator belong to, where either vehicle and / or vehicle operator do in fact belong to a company, are automatically sent and / or posted to each recipient along with said information if that is so desired.

The said mobile device can use a camera, where a camera is available, as part of the process to scan the QR code.

There can be a unified QR code combining vehicle and vehicle operator details.

There can be a separate QR code for the details of the vehicle and for the vehicle operator.

QR code or codes can be stored in a headrest cover for the benefit of passengers not travelling in the front passenger seat or seats.

The QR code or codes may located in such a way that although they can be scanned, they are fitted securely.

The QR code or codes may be displayed on led screens within and / or outside the vehicle and / or any other type of screen. ~ 8 ~ All the information which is sent may be stored on a database and / or databases.

Each time the system or process is used in anyway, the details of the usage can be stored on a database and / or databases.

Details logged can be accessed through a user website.

Details logged can also be accessed through the database.

Vehicle operator details which may be sent if legally permissible and / or posted by the user include, but are not limited to, face recognition and / or fingerprints and / or photographic identification These ID methods can also be used to verify vehicle operator details and / or license details where legally permissible by using application software to verify.

If details are sent by the user, a delivery notification message and/ or alert will notify the user that the information has been successfully sent.

Other technology including, but not limited to pattern recognition technology, is available on the application software and can be used in place of scanning the QR code to initialise the above process and / or verify license / registration details of the vehicle and / or vehicle operator.

Pictures may be taken of the registration number / license number of the vehicle and / or vehicle operator as part of the process of using the above technology

Claims

1. A system for information retrieval concerning passenger travel providers comprising: a database contain information regarding the travel provider such as driver details, vehicle details and company details; a Unique Identifier such as a QR code positioned inside or outside the travel providers vehicles which when scanned allow passengers to upload the travel details relevant to the vehicle they are travelling in using a device such as a smartphone; software downloadable to the smartphone through an app to allow correct retrieval of this information, possible storage of this information if required and rerouting of this information to chosen passenger contacts, wherein this infonnation may be sent by email, text message or directed to a social network site.

2. A system for information retrieval concerning passenger travel providers as claimed in claim 1 wherein the travel details relevant to the vehicle they are using may include: driver details, license details, vehicle company details, vehicle registration number and the date, time and location of when and where the passenger’s journey begins and ends. - 105

3. A system for information retrieval concerning passenger travel providers as claimed in claim 2 wherein the scanning of the Unique Identifier, such as a QR code, by the software enabled smartphone will trigger retrieval ofthe GPS position of the vehicle the passenger is travelling in, this information will be updated at regular time 10 intervals and may also be sent to the chosen passenger contacts.

4. A system for information retrieval concerning passenger travel providers as claimed in claim 1 wherein optionally the Unique Identifier may be an alphanumeric code that can be input to the 15 smartphone by the User.

5. A method of retrieving information concerning passenger travel providers and the redirecting of this information to a contact list on the User’s smartphone via email, text message or to a social network 20 site using the system as described herein.