JP2003187374A - System for notifying arrival of operating vehicle in advance - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inexpensively and accurately notify the arrival time of an operating vehicle such as a courtesy bus, a bus on a regular route or the like in advance. <P>SOLUTION: A radio telephone system and a transmission controller for controlling the line connection destination of the radio telephone system are mounted on the operating vehicle. The transmission controller is provided with a transmission data part storing a stop place of the operated vehicle and the number of a telephone system installed at the stop place or a telephone system of a person waiting at the stop place, and connects a radio telephone line to the telephone system arranged at the next bus stop or the telephone system of the person waiting at the next bus stop with a switch operation by the driver when the traveling vehicle approaches the next stop place to notify a message that the vehicle is approaching. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a mobile phone and a PHS.
The present invention relates to a system for notifying arrival of a shuttle bus, a taxi taxi, or a route bus (operating vehicle) using a wireless telephone such as a device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a system for giving advance notice of arrival of a vehicle whose operating time is predetermined, for example, a route bus, there is conventionally known Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-334796. This is because the approaching signal is transmitted from the running bus at a predetermined timing, and the wireless receiver arranged at the stop of the route bus receives the approaching signal. Then, when the received approach signal coincides with the approach signal data stored in advance in the storage circuit, the notice display provided at the stop is turned on.

[0003]

However, such a conventional arrival notification system for a bus has a problem that the cost for constructing a dedicated system is high. This is because the operating vehicle (bus) requires a dedicated device for transmitting an approach signal at a predetermined interval, and each stop requires a dedicated device for receiving the approach signal. These wireless devices require a dedicated circuit for identifying and collating an approach signal, which is a unique signal, and a dedicated signal transmission / reception system for turning off the warning indicator that has been turned on when the bus arrives.

In addition to the advance notice of arrival of such a route bus, there is a strong demand for knowing the arrival time of the shuttle bus (including taxi) accurately in advance. For example, there is a shuttle bus for employees of kindergartens, nursing facilities, inns and golf courses, or a taxi that picks up and drops at a time determined by a contract (hereinafter, simply called a shuttle bus).

In such a shuttle bus, the traveling route and the stopping point are fixed. Therefore, it has been operated that the user should wait at the bus stop including the home. However, due to traffic conditions and road conditions such as snowfall, shuttle buses often arrive late or arrive earlier than planned.

When the arrival of the bus is delayed, a user waiting for the shuttle bus at a predetermined stop (standby place) may be exposed to rain or snow. In addition, there are many cases where the bus arrives early, so many users wait for the bus a little earlier than the scheduled time. Although the route of travel and the points of departure are fixed, the arrival time of the shuttle bus is expected to be about 3 to 10 minutes before and after the scheduled time, as with the route bus. The user usually waits according to the error. But sometimes the weather is bad,
Even though the bus service is delayed, there are times when it is necessary to hurry and make preparations, thinking that there is no time.

As described above, in the operation method of the shuttle bus whose arrival time is predetermined, the user blindly waits at a stop (stop) in consideration of the scheduled arrival time, traffic conditions, weather, etc. There is a reason to go to. Of course, there are times when the user's predictions are accurate and sometimes inaccurate.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to propose a system capable of accurately predicting the arrival time of an operating vehicle at low cost. In particular, regarding a shuttle bus for which the user is fixed, we propose a system that can inform the user (the person or family) of the arrival of the shuttle vehicle directly and almost accurately within a range with less error.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an arrival advance notice system for an operating vehicle according to the present invention comprises:
It is provided with a wireless telephone device and a transmission controller that controls a line connection destination from the wireless telephone device, and this transmission controller is used for a stop location of a running vehicle and a telephone device installed at the stop location or a person waiting at the stop location. Based on the transmission data section that stores the telephone device number in correspondence and the information stored in the transmission data, the transmission that selects the line connection destination from the wireless telephone device by human operation or by a weak radio wave from an external device. When the call switch means and the operating vehicle approach the next stop, the call switch means is turned on to connect to the telephone device arranged at the next stop or the telephone device of the person waiting at the next stop. And a line controller that transmits a message indicating that an operating vehicle is approaching.

The calling switch means is a signal transmission arranged at an artificial operation (for example, pressing operation) of a person (for example, a driver) on the running vehicle or at a fixed point (not necessarily at a stop point) outside the vehicle. It is activated by a weak radio signal (including infrared light) from the device (claim 2).

The line controller may include a message generation unit for sending a predetermined signal tone or voice message after the line is connected. The line controller may include a connection cutoff unit that cuts off the line after counting a predetermined number of outgoing calls.

[0012]

In the system according to the present invention, a dispatching controller that records a stop location and a telephone number related to the stop location is arranged on an operating vehicle such as a route bus or a shuttle bus, and the operating vehicle approaches the next stop. By activating the switch at a stage, a telephone device related to the next stop is notified of the approach of the operating vehicle through a wireless telephone device such as a mobile phone or PHS and a database of the call controller.

[0013] The telephone number related to the stop point here is the number of the telephone device installed at the stop point in the case of a route bus, and the person who should gather at the stop point in the case of a shuttle bus (the person or a close relative of a family member, etc.). Person; the same shall apply hereinafter). The wireless telephone device mounted on the running vehicle starts communication via the call switch means. The call switch means may be directly turned on artificially, or may be indirectly activated via a weak radio wave signal generator arranged at a predetermined fixed point (which may be a stop). This is because the wireless telephone device mounted on the running vehicle has the same result in that it starts communication connection to a necessary contact. However, the manual operation is superior in that the device cost can be reduced.

The system need only have a radio telephone and a simple database (calling controller for controlling a mobile telephone) which records the telephone number of the connection destination for each stop. This is because the calling switch means of the wireless telephone mounted on the operating vehicle may be activated, and a call to the related telephone (data exchange by line connection may be used) based on the database.

In the case of a route bus, the approach display device at the stop may be activated (for example, lit) at the time when the telephone device at the stop receives the connection request signal of the line or after the data exchange by the line connection. In the case of a shuttle bus, the telephone of the person who should wait at the next stop is called a predetermined number of times, or a message is sent out by connecting the line. In any case, a simple device configuration can surely notify that a moving vehicle will arrive soon.

According to this system, a time error can be almost eliminated. The timing of signal transmission to the next stop differs slightly depending on the distance traveled to the next stop, the congestion situation, and road conditions such as an accident and snowfall. Normally,
The switch may be operated when leaving the previous stop, but it is desirable to leave the specific operation timing to the judgment of the driver of the operating vehicle.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an arrival advance notice system for an operating vehicle according to the present invention. Take a shuttle bus as an example.

10 is a mobile phone mounted on the shuttle bus, 2
Reference numeral 0 is a transmission controller mounted on the shuttle bus. The call origination controller 20 controls the message contents of the advance notice after the line connection to the line connection destination of the mobile phone 10. Thirty
Is a mobile phone (including PHS) of the other party who connects the telephone line by the mobile phone 10.

The mobile phone 10 mounted on the shuttle bus has a calling switch 11 and a calling switch that are pressed by the driver at least when the vehicle approaches the next stop, for example, when leaving the last stop. And a cancel switch 12 for stopping the post-stage processing based on 11. The calling switch 11 is a switch for issuing a notice signal to a person waiting at the next stop, but the cancel switch 12
Is a switch for immediately canceling a series of processes of line connection → message notification when the calling switch 11 is pressed by mistake.

These switches (11, 12) do not require new buttons on the mobile phone 10. Using the existing button switch, use an appropriate character string such as "*"
"1" is assigned to the calling switch, "# 1" is assigned to the cancel switch, and so on.

The transmission controller 20 is a database 2 in which telephone numbers of contacts are recorded for each stop location of the shuttle bus.
1 is provided. Further, it is provided with a call destination control unit 23 that controls the connection order of the lines, and a connection request control unit 25 that controls the notice notification message.

The storage format of the database 21 is not limited. However, it is desirable to store the contact information collectively (as a group) such as telephone number book 1, telephone number book 2 ... In accordance with the traveling route of the shuttle bus and the number of stop points. This is for simplifying the program of the subsequent notification processing by pressing the calling switch 11.

Further, in the present embodiment, the transmission controller 2
0 is provided with a call destination control unit 23 that determines to which telephone number book (1 to N) group in the database 21 the line is connected by pressing the call originating switch 11. This is because, based on the ON signal from the calling switch 11, a specific group of the telephone number books (1 to N) in the database is caused to execute line connection and notification processing as a group.

The term "one lump" as used herein includes time division processing of signals, and the line is connected to the other party's mobile phone 30 at the same time by the time division processing or with some time lag due to time series processing. It means to do. If the message content of the arrival notice of the shuttle bus is short (for example, within 5 seconds), time-series processing (call the telephone to immediately shut off after notification of the message and connect the line to the next contact and process the same content in order Method).
From the viewpoint of immediacy and equality of notification, the time division processing is desirable, but the device cost may increase. If the number of people registered in the telephone number list is 3 to 5 or less, there will be very few operational problems even if the sequential contact method is adopted.

Depending on how the database 21 is created,
It can be said that the call destination control unit 23 is not always necessary.
Normally, according to the travel route of the shuttle bus, the telephone number book (1
~ N) are created, and the arrival notice may be given via the mobile phone 10 in that order. In this case, the function of the calling switch 11 may be changed by, for example, *
If you assign 1, * 2, * 3 ..., you can wait at the first departure point by pressing the call switch (* 1) assigned to the next stop (first stop). You can make phone calls to those who do. When you go from the first stop to the second stop, you can press * 2 to make an intimate contact. In such a device configuration, it is not necessary to provide the callee controller 23.

However, in some cases, the route of the shuttle bus must be changed, and in some cases it may be necessary to increase or decrease the number of stops. In such a case, it is not always necessary to make changes to the database 21, and it may be easier to simply change the contact sequence for the telephone number books (1 to N). Therefore, as far as this embodiment is concerned,
The modification of the telephone number books (1 to N) in the database is kept to a minimum, and it is possible to entrust the callee controller 23 to change the order of the contacts based on operational circumstances.

The calling destination control unit 23 drives the mobile phone 10, and based on the ON operation of the call switch 11, each mobile phone registered in the telephone number list (1 to N) in a predetermined order. Connect the line to 30.

On the other hand, the content of the arrival notice message during or after the line connection is controlled by the connection request control unit 25. The arrival notice of the shuttle bus often does not necessarily require a voice message. Because there is an error of a few minutes, but if there are several calling calls at almost a fixed time, it is natural that the call destination is a shuttle bus without operating the switch to start the call. Because. Therefore, the arrival notification message sent from the connection request control unit 25 to each of the mobile phones 30 is, first of all, sufficient to make a couple of calling calls, and no further calling calls are necessary. , You can automatically disconnect the line and request the next contact to connect the line.

There is a problem in using such a telephone line. This is a point that the line is used free of charge on a daily basis even though the call has not been established, and there is a case in which the user is mistaken for the calling party and thinks that the notice is not the notice but the notice. The line usage fee can only be entrusted to future discussions,
In the case where the caller is mistaken and the call is not accepted, it may be disadvantageous to the user of the mobile phone 30.

Therefore, the message sent from the connection request control unit 25 to the user's mobile phone 30 can be changed individually, and the connection request control unit 25 registers the message for a desired user. A message to make sure that it is a message from the shuttle bus after the call is established,
For example, a voice message or a music message may be transmitted.

Therefore, according to the arrival notice system, the driver pushes the call switch 11 when the shuttle bus approaches the next stop, so that the driver should wait at the next stop. It is possible to reliably notify the arrival of the shuttle bus within a time range with little error. Since it is a simple device system, there is almost no economic burden on the user, and the financial burden on the operation side is also very small.

When the bus stop is away from the user's home, the grouping of the contact for the user is shifted (notification from the bus stop two before, etc.) Database 2
The system may be constructed so that it is in the interest of the user side in consideration of the time lag from the advance notice, such as storing it in 1.

In the case of a route bus, each bus that stops at each stop is equipped with a device according to the present system, and each stop is provided with a corresponding number of mobile phones (including PHS). As a result, even when a route bus of a different system arrives and departs, the driver of each route bus can give an advance notice to the next stop. The device on the stop side that has received the signal of the approach notice via the mobile phone drives the lighting of the display board based on the received signal of the corresponding mobile phone.
The approach of the corresponding bus can be displayed / expressed to the user by various methods. The notification of the approach notice to the user may be illumination display, character drive display, or voice display as long as the user can understand the fact.

The arrival notice of the route bus is due to the fact that there are few route changes and the number of mobile phones that should be distributed at the stop (it is only necessary to install a common mobile phone for each route bus traveling on the same route). Compared with the conventional arrival notice system for route buses, it has the advantage of being able to greatly simplify the system.

In order to ensure the operation by the calling switch (11), the calling switch is a device different from the mobile phone (10), for example, a touch panel system in which a transparent piezoelectric film is arranged on a liquid crystal display screen. It may be used as a switch device. By graphically displaying route routes, the next stop and other details can be clearly seen, and operation mistakes can be reduced. The psychological burden on the driver can also be reduced.

The mobile phone (10) mounted on the operating vehicle is
The number is not necessarily limited to one. Needless to say, two or more wireless telephone devices for contact may be used when the number of people waiting is large. In this case, the call destination control unit 23 (or the connection request control unit 25) may control the allocation of the contacts of a plurality of telephones.

[0037]

As described above, according to the arrival announcement system according to the present invention, it is possible to accurately announce the arrival time of a running vehicle at low cost. With a shuttle bus that has a fixed number of users, it is possible to notify the user (the person or family) of the arrival of the shuttle vehicle directly and almost accurately within a range with less error.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an arrival notification system according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

Mobile phone 11 Call switch 12 Cancel switch 20 Sending controller 21 Database 23 Call destination controller 25 Connection request control unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A radiotelephone device and a transmission controller for controlling a line connection destination from the radiotelephone device. The transmission controller includes a stop point of a running vehicle and a telephone device or a stop point installed at the stop point. The outgoing call data section that stores the telephone device number of the person waiting in correspondence with the number, the call switch means that controls the connection start timing from the wireless telephone device to the line connection destination, and the operating vehicle When the vehicle approaches the stop, the call switch means is activated to connect the line to the telephone device arranged at the next stop or the telephone device of the person waiting at the next stop, and the operating vehicle approaches. An arrival notification system for an operating vehicle, comprising: a line controller that transmits a message indicating that there is a message. 2. The calling switch means activates by artificially operating the switch or by receiving a weak radio signal from a starting signal generator provided outside the running vehicle. Arrival notice system for vehicles in operation. 3. The arrival advance notice system for an operating vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the line controller comprises a message generation unit for transmitting a predetermined signal tone or voice message after the line is connected. 4. The arrival advance notice system for an operating vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the line controller comprises a connection cutoff unit for cutting off the line after counting a predetermined number of calling times. .