Claims
- 1. A demand responsive, automatically dispatched transit system for a fleet of transit vehicles serving urban and suburban regions in which local transit vehicles are dispatched in real time in response to individual requests for the system to provide transportation service from any location within the local service area to any location within the local service area, comprising:
- central dispatch controller means, said controller means including a telecommunication channel for receiving destination requests from prospective passengers and a telecommunication channel for communicating assigned dispatches to transit vehicles and receiving occupancy and vehicle location data from said vehicles, and a computer means programmed to process the received information together with stored request means in order to determine which of said vehicles can service a received destination request with minimum added travel distance, by the steps of:
- (a) determining which dispatches previously assigned to each vehicle are closest to the origin and destination locations of the new service request;
- (b) determining the distance from the closest previously assigned dispatches to the origin and destination locations of the new service request;
- (c) calculating the total added distance for each vehicle to service the new request;
- (d) determining which vehicle would have the minimum total added distance to service the new request;
- (e) determining whether the vehicle with minimum added distance would have a seat available for the requesting passenger;
- (f) if no, determining which of the other vehicles would have the next least total added distance to service the request;
- (g) if yes, transmit the dispatch to the terminal in that vehicle,
- service request terminal means placed at frequent intervals and convenient locations linked by a telecommunication channel with said computer means, said service request terminal means including a data entry device operable by prospective passengers for communicating desired destinations to the central dispatch controller means, and a display means for indicating the identity of vehicles that have been assigned to provide service to said requested destinations, and;
- dispatch terminal means aboard each vehicle in communication with said central dispatch controller means, said dispatch terminal means including an interactive display means to indicate the location of service requests assigned to the vehicle by said central dispatch controller means and for communicating the location of the vehicle to said central dispatch controller, and means for sensing and communicating the occupancy of the vehicle to the central dispatch controller means.
- 2. The transit system of claim 1 wherein the transit system is able to interface with regional transit vehicles at relay stations for providing rapid service throughout the regional area.
- 3. The transit system of claim 1 wherein the service request terminal means include keypad means for entering service request information, first transmitter means for transmitting information to the central dispatch controller, first receiver means for receiving information from the central dispatch controller, first computer means for processing the fare to the requested destination and for controlling the operation of the service request terminal means.
- 4. The transit system of claim 3 wherein the first transmitter means is a radio signal transmitter and the first receiver means is a radio signal receiver and wherein the information transmitted and received by the service request terminal means is in the form of digital radio signals.
- 5. The transit system of claim 3 wherein the request terminal means are mounted in freestanding enclosures.
- 6. The transit system of claim 5 wherein the power for the service request terminal means is provided by a solar cell array and a storage battery mounted in each enclosure.
- 7. The transit system of claim 6 further including a lighting means for illuminating the terminal for nighttime operation.
- 8. The transit system of claim 7 wherein the lighting means includes a fluorescent lamp, a photoswitch that allows the lamp to operate only in the darkness, and a switch means for providing electric power to the lamp and photoswitch only when a user stands in position to use the terminal.
- 9. The transit system of claim 3 wherein the service request terminal means further includes an abuse sensing means for sensing abuse of the terminal and for initiating a signal indicating such abuse and for causing the terminal means to transmit said signal to the central dispatch controller means and wherein the central dispatch controller means includes means for notifying authorities on receipt of said signal.
- 10. The transit system of claim 1 wherein the central dispatch controller means includes second receiver means for receiving signals from the service request terminal means and the vehicle terminal means, second transmitter means for transmitting signals to the vehicle terminal means, and second computer means for searching through data concerning transit vehicles operating in the area of the request, for selecting the local transit vehicle that can most effectively respond to each service request, and for generating a dispatch signal that is transmitted by the second transmitter means to the selected vehicle.
- 11. The transit system of claim 10 wherein the second transmitter means is a radio transmitter and the second receiver is a radio receiver and wherein the signals received by the second receiver means and the signals transmitted by the second transmitter means are in the form of digital radio signals.
- 12. The transit system of claim 10 wherein the central dispatch controller means includes input data means for storing and supplying data relating to the locations of service request terminals and streets in the local area to the second computer means in the central dispatch controller means.
- 13. The transit system of claim 10 wherein the central dispatch controller means includes data output means for receiving data relating to system operations from the second computer means in the central dispatch controller means.
- 14. The transit system of claim 13 wherein the second computer means in the central dispatch controller means includes means for generating accounting reports, traffic flow reports, system performance reports, passenger billing reports, and driver remuneration reports which are output to the data output means.
- 15. The transit system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle terminal means includes third receiver means for receiving signals from the central dispatch controller, third transmitter means for transmitting signals to the central dispatch controller means and service request terminal means, third computer means for controlling the operation of the vehicle terminal means, occupancy sensing means for sensing seat availability on the vehicle and causing said seat availability information to be transmitted by third transmitter means to the central dispatch controller, and interactive display means for displaying the dispatch commands received from the central dispatch controller means and for allowing the vehicle operator to communicate with the central dispatch controller means.
- 16. The transit system of claim 15 wherein the interactive display means includes a surface having a map central dispatch controller of the vehicle's service area imprinted thereon and indicator switch means located on the map to correspond with the locations of service request terminal means and major destinations in the vehicle's operating area for indicating the location of the service request terminal means to be serviced in response to a dispatch command sent by the central dispatch controller means and for allowing the operator to communicate with the central dispatch controller means when the command has been serviced.
- 17. The transit system of claim 16 wherein the interactive display means is a CRT display with a light pen for allowing the operator to communicate with the central dispatch controller means.
- 18. The transit system of claim 16 wherein the vehicle occupancy sensing means includes pressure sensitive switches located in each passenger seat in the vehicle.
- 19. The transit system of claim 15 wherein the interactive display means is an electronic display with a touch sensitive screen for allowing the operator to communicate with the central dispatch controller means.
- 20. The transit system of claim 1 wherein the regional transit vehicles are equipped with vehicle terminal means and are automatically dispatched by the central dispatch controller means to service relay stations in response to service requests.
- 21. The transit system of claim 1 wherein the relay stations include a station transmitter means for transmitting destination information concerning passengers waiting for regional transit vehicles at the relay station and wherein the regional vehicles are equipped with destination receiver means for receiving and for displaying the destination information transmitted by the station transmitter means so that the vehicle operator can stop to pick up passengers at appropriate relay stations.
- 22. A method for automatically dispatching transit vehicles in real time in response to individual service requests in which local transit vehicles operate in local service areas for providing transportation service from any location to any location within the local service area and can interface with regional transit vehicles at relay stations for providing transportation service throughout the regional area, comprising the steps of:
- transmitting a service request signal from a service request terminal;
- receiving the signal transmitted from the service request terminal by a central dispatch controller;
- searching through data concerning transit vehicles operating in the area of the service request with the central dispatch controller;
- selecting, with the central dispatch controller, the local transit vehicle which can most effectively service the request, as determined by the minimum added distance of travel to accomplish the service request;
- transmitting a dispatch command signal to the selected vehicle from the central dispatch controller;
- receiving the dispatch command signal at a vehicle terminal in the selected vehicle and displaying the dispatch command to the operator of the vehicle so that the operator can service the request.
- 23. The method of claim 22 wherein the transmitted signals are in the form of digital radio signals.
- 24. The method of claim 22 wherein service request terminals are located at frequent placement intervals throughout the area serviced by the transit system.
- 25. The method of claim 22 including the steps of manually entering the service request at the service request terminal by the requesting passenger and converting the tendered request to a digital signal for transmission to the central dispatch controller.
- 26. The method of claim 25 including the steps of reading an I.D. code from an I.D. card with a card reader at the terminal and verifying whether the requesting passenger is a bona fide passenger using the I.D. code.
- 27. The method of claim 25 wherein the request is manually entered by entering a destination code with a digital keypad at the service request terminal.
- 28. The method of claim 27 including the step of printing the requested destination code and the trip origin on a ticket issued for the requesting passenger.
- 29. The method of claim 27 including the step of processing the fare to the requested destination by a service request computer in the service request terminal.
- 30. The method of claim 29 including the steps of entering an account number at the service request terminal, transmitting the account number and the processed fare to the central dispatch controller, and billing the processed fare to the account number with the central dispatch controller.
- 31. The method of claim 29 wherein the fare is processed by reading the initial value of a farecard with a card reader, calculating the fare and subtracting the fare from the initial card value to find the new card value, and replacing the initial card value with the new card value.
- 32. The method of claim 22 including the steps of transmitting a vehicle dispatched signal from dispatch controller to the service request terminal once the central controller has selected a vehicle and transmitted a dispatch command, receiving the vehicle dispatched signal by the service request terminal, and indicating that a vehicle has been dispatched with an indicator at the service request terminals.
- 33. The method of claim 22 including the step of outputting data concerning system operation to a data output device of the central dispatch controller.
- 34. The method of claim 22 including periodically transmitting vehicle location data to the central dispatch controller from the vehicle terminal.
- 35. The method of claim 22 including the steps of sensing seat availability with the vehicle terminal and transmitting seat availability to the central dispatch controller from the vehicle terminal upon every change in seat availability.
- 36. The method of claim 22 including the step of transmitting a refusal signal to the central dispatch controller from the vehicle terminal in response to a dispatch command which the vehicle operator cannot service.
- 37. The method of claim 22 including the steps of transmitting an out-of-service status signal to the central dispatch controller from the vehicle terminal when the vehicle is out of service and transmitting an in-service status signal when the vehicle is back in service.
- 38. The method of claim 22 including the steps of providing said vehicle terminal with blinking indicator lights and causing said light to blink in response to a signal indicating a newly received dispatch command.
- 39. The method of claim 22 including providing a bright indicator light and activating it in response to a signal from the central dispatch controller to identify the next stop location.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/425,819 now abandoned filed on Oct. 23, 1989 which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/111,037 now abandoned, filed on Oct. 21, 1987.
The present invention relates to demand responsive transit systems and in particular to apparatus and methods for providing inexpensive, rapid service to and from random locations throughout urban/suburban regions. Current public transit technologies are unable to provide the type and quality of service required to attract customers out of their single occupant vehicles, and current demand responsive technologies, such as dial-a-ride and taxi services, which use manual data entry and vehicle dispatching, cannot provide the productivity per vehicle, speed and convenience that is provided by the present invention.
This invention makes possible operational flexibility, speed of response, and cost effectiveness that is far better than can be achieved with any current transit technology. Because of its flexibility and efficiency, this invention will meet its operating expenses from fares, and will thus not require operating subsidies, unlike any currently available transit technology. This invention further provides the user with the ability to travel expeditiously between his residence and his workplace anywhere within the urban/suburban region. The transit system employs an automated computer dispatching method to provide transportation to any place within local operating areas. The vehicles in this transit system do not follow predetermined routes and do not operate in regard to predetermined schedules. The vehicles begin their shifts without any assigned stops and without basic routes; the vehicles' movements are determined solely by service requests from passengers which are assigned to them by the computer dispatching method. The computer dispatching method provides dispatching of vehicles to service requests in real time.
There is widespread concern over the increasing inadequacy of transportation facilities in and around the major metropolitan areas in the United States. The crisis in transportation in urban/suburban regions is directly attributable to the relentless increase in the number of private automobiles. Freeways are jammed with traffic and are getting progressively worse, while there are no rational alternatives to the use of the private automobile for the vast majority of people. The transportation crisis cannot be solved unless a transit system is developed that can rival the private automobile in terms of speed, cost effectiveness, and convenience.
The present invention is a demand responsive transit system that can provide service of the quality and cost to be competitive with the private automobile, and as such can make a major contribution to solving the transportation crisis in the U.S. or other countries with a similar dependence on the private automobile. In order to accomplish this, the present invention provides fast, comprehensive service throughout local areas such as residential communities, industrial areas, and retail centers and efficiently connects that service with a matrix of destinations throughout the area, including longer transit links.
There are many existing demand responsive systems such as taxi, police, and pickup/delivery services that are dispatched by computer, but these systems rely on voice communications and manual keyboard entry into a central computer This method is much too slow and costly to adapt to the requirements of a comprehensive demand responsive transit system.
Similarly, any transit system based on predetermined routes, even with automated entry and computerized stop selection along the route, would be unable to respond to requests quickly and efficiently enough to provide service quality competitive with private automobiles. The improvements afforded by the present invention can be clearly appreciated by comparing it to a system that has been proposed that is said to improve operating efficiency by skipping stops at unoccupied stations, and by regulating traffic signals along its predetermined route. This system starts with a predetermined, "basic", route, along which are some number of stops. The stops are recognized by the central computer as a numerical series defined by present stop, present stop plus 1, etc. The central computer in this system queries the next predetermined stop along the route, i.e. present stop plus 1, to determine if there is a reason, such as a waiting passenger or a disembarking passenger, to stop at the next stop. If the determination is no, the vehicle is instructed to "skip" the stop, and continue travelling towards the next predetermined stop, at which time the central computer performs the same series of queries regarding the next predetermined stop.
Unless the vehicles are instructed otherwise by the central computer, the vehicles will stop at each predetermined stop in their predetermined order while traveling along their predetermined route. Assuming there were no passengers on a vehicle, and no passengers at any of the vehicle's assigned stops, the vehicle would continue to travel along its route without ever stopping. The central computer would query each upcoming stop in turn and instruct the vehicle to skip each stop in turn, until the vehicle had traveled a complete run, at which time the vehicle would begin travelling its route over again without having provided any useful service to passengers, i.e. its efficiency would be zero.
In essence this system starts with an upper limit of number of stops to service along its route, and the central computer eliminates some of those stops along the way, using logic based on a predetermined, linear progression of stops.
The present invention starts with no predetermined series of stops and no predetermined route, and the central computer logic never concerns itself with service request terminals that are not the pickup or destination location of a current user of the system. The vehicles in this system do not travel unless/until a service request is dispatched to them by the central computer, at which time they travel to the dispatched request and destination along the path determined by the vehicle operator. In essence, the present invention starts with zero stops and the central computer continually adds stops in response to service requests, which are received in random order from random locations. Thus, if there were no passengers aboard a vehicle, and no service requests at any terminal, the vehicle would remain stationary, i.e. its efficiency would be essentially 100%.
Pursuant to the present invention, a demand responsive transportation system is provided in automated local service areas, i.e. cells. Cells are geographically identifiable areas such as entire communities, individual neighborhoods, industrial parks, or shopping areas. The transportation system service to a comprehensive matrix of possible origins and destinations within the cell, and can also be linked with either freeway vehicles or with corridor transit systems to provide a comprehensive matrix of possible origins and destinations throughout the region.
The invention provides that a number of relatively small vehicles, such as vans, operate in the cell at any one time. When a vehicle begins operations for the day, it signals the central computer that it is available for service and informs the central computer of its location, which can be anywhere within the cell. At that time, and until the central computer dispatches a service request to it, the vehicle does not have any assigned or anticipated stops, nor does it have any anticipated route, and so does not travel from its initial location.
The invention further provides that service request terminals are installed at frequent intervals throughout the cell and at convenient locations, such as office complexes, apartment complexes, shopping centers, etc.
In response to each individual service request made by passengers at the service request terminals, a central dispatch controller for each cell automatically searches through its file of vehicles in service, their locations, and previously dispatched service requests, and determines which vehicle could serve the requested origin and destination most efficiently. The central dispatch controller then sends a dispatch command with digital radio signals to that vehicle.
The central dispatch controller has the primary function of determining the vehicle which could service each service request, both pickup location and destination, most efficiently. The logic of the central dispatch controller determines efficiency in terms of minimum added distance the vehicle must travel to service the request. In order to accomplish this, the computer in the central control facility maintains a current file of all vehicles in service in the cell, the locations of the vehicles, previously dispatched service request pickup and destination locations, and the projected occupancy of all of the vehicles operating in the cell it controls. When a service request is received, the computer uses this information in its memory and could service the new requested origin and destination among its previously assigned dispatches with minimum added distance, and then transmits the dispatch to the selected vehicle.
The vehicle does not service its dispatches in the order in which they are received; it services the dispatches in the order and on the path which, in the opinion of the vehicle operator, would allow the most expeditious operation of the vehicle. For example, this flexibility allows the vehicle to wait to service an out of the way destination required by a current passenger until a second passenger who has the same or similar out the way destination, is picked up, so that the vehicle does not have to travel to the out of the way location twice. Similarly the central controller can assign a dispatch to a vehicle which would require the vehicle to double back to pick up a passenger recently arrived at a previously serviced service request terminal if the other vehicles in the cell would have to travel farther to service the request.
The service request terminals are small freestanding structures that house a keypad into which the service requests are entered, a computer that manages the operations of the terminal, a radio transmitter and receiver that communicate with the central controller, a farecard processor, and a ticket printer. The terminal is powered by solar energy that is stored in a battery so that the terminals can be easily and quickly installed in the typical outlying sidewalk locations where it would be too costly to run underground utility power to them. The battery power system also eliminates a potential electrical hazard in the event of an accident, forced entry, or servicing in wet weather, and allows the terminal's location to be easily changed in the process of optimizing the system's operations.
The service request terminals can include sensors that detect abuse to the terminals, such as impacts, theft, or arson, in which case the terminal is programmed to automatically signal the central controller of the abuse. The central controller can be programmed to automatically alert either a nearby vehicle or the police of the abuse.
Illumination is provided for use of the terminal during dark operating hours by a fluorescent light that is turned on by a mat switch whenever a passenger stands in front of the terminal. Alternatively, if the continuous electrical drain of the sensor can be accommodated by the solar/battery system, the light may be turned on by an infrared presence sensor of the type that is widely used to control water flow in rest rooms.
Relatively small vehicles such as vans are used to provide the service in the cells. This choice of vehicles is significant for two reasons. First, these vehicles are small and quiet enough to be readily accepted in residential neighborhoods, and do not face limitations regarding the size and quality of the roads to be traversed. Thus, service can be provided throughout the cell, close to homes and other likely destination requests, making the transit system very convenient to use. Second, the operating cost per vehicle mile is modest, because they do not require the services of expensive heavy equipment operators as is the case with buses, and their maintenance cost is a small fraction of that for buses. Thus, the operating cost of the system is reduced to the point that the present invention is calculated to meet its operating expenses from farebox revenues, unlike any other form of public transit.
There are further advantages of the present invention which reduce operating cost and increase service quality. The average speed of the vehicles is high because the small number of passengers on the vehicle requires relatively few stops compared to the large number on a conventional or railcar. The vehicle operators are free to choose the order in which they service dispatches and to choose the path they will follow between service request locations so that maximum advantage can be taken of the flexibility presented by not having predetermined routes and the drivers' knowledge and experience with local roads and prevailing traffic conditions. The vehicles are never required to travel past unoccupied service request terminals or on non-optimum routes as is the case with systems with predetermined series of stops or routes.
The vehicles are equipped with terminals that include a radio transmitter and receiver, an interactive display of the vehicle's dispatched stops, and a computer that manages the functions of the terminal. When a dispatch is received from the central controller, the associated pickup and dropoff locations are displayed as blinking illuminated spots on a map of the cell. The dispatch is automatically accepted after a predetermined time interval, which causes the stop indications to cease blinking. If he cannot service the dispatch for any reason, the vehicle operator may press a reject switch in order to transmit a rejection signal to the central dispatch controller. The controller would then select the next most efficient vehicle for the dispatch. Acceptances are automatically transmitted to the controller and to the service request terminal so that the passenger at the service request terminal is advised of the dispatch with an indicator light or a display of the dispatched vehicle's identification number.
When a dispatched service request has been accomplished, the vehicle operator presses the illuminated spot representing it on the terminal display, activating a switch to advise the vehicle terminal of the completion of the service request. The terminal causes a signal to be transmitted to the central dispatch controller that includes the vehicle's identity, the stop's location, and the occupancy of the vehicle so that the vehicle's position stored in the dispatch control computer's memory is updated and its occupancy confirmed.
Passengers originating in a cell may travel to any place within the cell by requesting the code number of any location within the cell. The vehicle dispatched to service that request will take the passenger to his requested destination while servicing the other dispatches assigned to the vehicle.
Passengers originating in a cell may also travel to any place in the region by making use of a ridesharing vehicle or corridor transit system. This is accomplished by the passenger requesting the destination code of either a relay station near a freeway that passes through the cell or to a transit station.
The relay stations are staging areas in which passengers find ridesharing vehicles, private or public, that are travelling to their destination. Passengers disembarking from a local service vehicle at a relay station seek out the curbside areas that are designated with signs for use by vehicles travelling to their particular destination. If a vehicle is not waiting for a passenger at the area, the passenger enters the number of his destination in one of the ridesharing service request terminals that are located at curbside, and the number is electronically converted to a spoken signal. The signal is then transmitted in numerical sequence among other passengers' requests as a short range signal on a frequency designated for the purpose on the broadcast band. Ridesharing vehicles enter the relay station either routinely or in response to the radio broadcast listing the destination of the waiting passengers. Passengers use the tickets that are issued by the service request terminals to remunerate the ridesharing drivers in simple, cashless transactions.
It is a broad objective of the present invention to provide demand responsive, automatically dispatched transportation systems that will transport passengers to any and all points within local areas in response to service requests occurring at random intervals from random locations. It is a further broad objective of the invention to provide transportation service quality, economy, and convenience of use that are competitive with the private automobile.
It is a further objective of the invention to use the coordinated capabilities of radio linked computers in service request terminals, in transit vehicles, and in a central control facility to manage the operation of fleets of transit vehicles in local service areas and to link those local service areas together by coordinating with freeway vehicles or corridor transit systems to provide comprehensive transportation service throughout an urban/suburban region. It is another objective of the invention to provide a means by which to make use of unused transportation capacity in freeway vehicles as a means of reducing traffic congestion and vehicle emissions.
These and other objectives, advantages, and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments, considered along with the accompanying drawings.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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425819 |
Oct 1989 |
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| Parent |
111037 |
Oct 1987 |
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Patent Grant
5168451
