AU666379B2 - Arrangement of several locally separate service vending machines to be utilized in the traffic route system of an area - Google Patents

Description

f.

j

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 4440 .4 $4 04 q 4 04 4*4#0* 44 0 00 0004 00 0 40 4* 0 'Os, 040 4 04 0 04 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): ASCOM AUTELCA AG Invent ion Title: ARRANGEMENT OF SEVERAL LOCALLY SEPARATE SERVICE VENDING MACHINES TO BE UTILIZED IN THE TRAFFIC ROUTE SYSTEM OF AN AREA The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: rI 1A1 r I A ARRANGEMENT OF SEVERAL LOCALLY SEPARATE SERVICE VENDING MACHINES TO BE UTILIZED IN THE TRAFFIC ROUTE SYSTEM OF AN AREA The invention relates to an arrangement of service vending machines to be utilized in the traffic route system of an area.

In public transit systems, (public) conveyances buses, streetcars, subways, etc. travel along the routes for transporting, in particular, passengers within a congested area as well as its marginal areas. A ticket, i.e. a riding permit for the respective conveyance or conveyances to be used, is obtainabl-, from the driver of such conveyance, from a conductor who rides along, or from a service vending machine. The fare to be paid for a 15 transit route depends normally on the distance between starting point and destination. For control purposes, Sseveral data are printed on the ticket, either in encoded form or in plain text, such as, for example, issuing rstaticin, issue date and time, or time and date of departure, and, respectively, the end of the validity period, as well as the route direction.

However, in spite of modern conveyances and the C use of conventional service vending machines for obtaining tickets, the individual traffic in the inner cities is constantly on the increase, i.e. there is no adequate acceptance of the public conveyances.

The invention attempts to provide a remedy here in that the arrangement of several locally separate service vending machines in accordance with this invention is to increase the attractiveness of the transit system.

According to the present irwention there is s: provided an arrangement of several locally separated service vending machines 2, 3, 4; 31, 39, 43) to be utilised in the traffic route system of an area, characterised by at least one first service vending machine 3, 4; 43) for granting and/or for checking an authorisation to park in at least one parking facility Sat least one second service vending machine 39) for i- 2issuing an authorisation to obtain a service, especially a right to travel (21; 41) for the use of at least one conveyance (25) in the traffic route system and a card 35) that can be issued by one of the service vending machines, with a data carrier (11; 33), the data of which, applied during issuance, is processed and/or altered by the other service vending machines 3, 4; 31, 39, 43) in order to obtain a combined charge amount, calculable in automated fashion, of parking fees with other fees of services obtained, especially fare prices.

The attractiveness of public conveyances is enhanced by the vending machine arrangement according to this invention in that the passenger now obtains advantages unavailable when using a private automobile, and avoids 15 drawbacks that wouLd otherwise have to be tolerated. One of the advantages resides in the use of a parking facility S, accessible to a public conveyance whereby a parking fee to Sbe paid is no longer due, or is reduced, due to a subsequent use of public transit. A price reduction can also furthermore be achieved by combining the parking lot C: fees with the admission prices for events, expositions, C etc. Also mixed pri.ces can be formed between fares and parking fees.

~Besides the feature of a combined charging of parking fees, transit ticket prices, etc., which can be 11C conducted in automated form, it is also possible, interalia, to obtain discounts for multiple-route riding, special offers for particular events of an athletic kind, cultural type, etc. Ey virtue of the automated price determination, one avoids, inter alia, unpleasant waiting times as well as possibilities of errors in charging the discount.

Examples of the arrangement of service vending machines according to this invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to the drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of an Sarrangement of service vending machines, L _rI -3- Figure 2 is a modification of the arrangement of the service vending machines illustrated in Figure 1 with a further service vending machine operating as an information-dispensing machine, Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of a data-processing section of the automatic information machine of Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of a service vending machine operating in Figure 1 as a ticket-issuing machine.

ro *44* C, tJ11 The schematic block diagram shown in Figure 1 of an arrangement of service vending machines 1-4 in a traffic route system 5 of an area depicts a schematic representation of a parking facility 7 parking lot, 15 parking garage, etc. with an entrance and exit control 4 machine 1 and 3 for issuance and checking of a card 9 with a data carrier 11 as an authorization for the use of the parking facility 7. At the entrance to the parking facility 7, an automobile 14a standing in front of an entrance gate 13 is illustrated, along with an automobile 14b standing before an exit gate 15 and, respectively, 14c standing behind an exit gate 15. The parking facility area 7 and the area of the traffic route system 5 are illustrated so that they are separated from each other by broken lines. Furthermore, another automatic vending machine 4 to pay the parking fee and possibly additional fees is located in the parking r

I

4 facility 7. Entrance and exit control machines 1 and 3, as well as the automatic machine 4 pertain to the group of the first service vending machines to grant and regulate the authority to park in the parking facility 7.

All automatic vending machines i, 3 and 4 operate independently and do not need any interconnecting data lines for fulfilling the function according to this invention. They operate as autonomous automatic machines deriving the data necessary for their functioning from the data stored on the data carrier 11 of the card 9.

The entrance as well as exit control machines 1 and 3, however, can be connected to a central station for ,a task not in accordance with this invention, such as, for example, a comparison of the number of vehicles that S 15 enter and exit. Such a connection serves for determining the degree of occupancy of the parking facility and for indicating th'i value. Such connection has nothing to do with the problem underlying the present invention and its solution.

The likewise schematically illustrated traffic c route system 5 comprises several fare ticket vending machines 2 as the second service vending machines, only one of which is illustrated. Each fare ticket vending machine 2 has an upper inlet slot 17 with a reading and storage m 25 unit 12a for reading the data on the data carrier ll*nd optionally for applying or: transcribing the data on the data carrier 11, and a lower issue opening 19 for the issuance of a fare ticket 21. With this fare ticket 21, a (schematically illustrated) passenger 23 can utilize a public transit conveyance 25 for a riding distance in correspondence with the obtained fare ticket 21.

If a vehicle operator wishes to travel to a specific location in the area made available by the traffic route system 5, then he drives his automobile 14a i AM I i 3 VIUI~-rnn to one of the parking facilities 7. The entrance gate 13 permits driving into the parking facility 7 as soon as the driver has taken a card 9 from the entrance control machine 1; by a storage unit, not shown, of the automatic entrance control machine 1, the data carrier 11 of this card 9 has had stored therein data, such as day, time of entrance, location of the parking facility 7, etc., shortly before issuance of the card 9. These stored data are indicated symbolically by a shading of thile data carrier 11 on the card 9 in Figure 1, extending from the bottom on the left hand toward the top on the right hand. The driver parks his car 14a in a vacant spot and leaves the parking facil- "1 ity 7 by foot as a potential passenger 23, indicat. as a stick person, for using a public transit conveyance 44 4 15 by going to a fare ticket vending machine 2 set up at the r nearest stop of the traffic route system 5. Here he slides his card 9 into the top slot 17 of the fare ticket In vending machine 2! during insertion, the data on the data carrier 11 are read by the reading and storage unit 12a illustrated in Figure 4 and are transmitted to a processing t, .unit 12b. By means of an input board 16a as the input unit, ri ,he selects his destination and pays by insertinc coins or other means of payment into an insert slot, not shown, of a monetary counter 16b in the fare ticket vending machine 2 in accordance with the price indicated on a display 18a, and then receives a valid fare ticket 21 from the lower issue opening 19. At the same time, new data information confirming the purchase of the fare ticket 21 is stored on the data carrier 11 of the card 9 still sitting in the reading and storage unit 12a. The thus-altered information on the data carrier 11 is indicated schematically by cross hatching.

The passenger 23 subsequently boards, with his valid fare ticket 21, a conveyance 25 traveling to his destination.

Lb! r r: 6 ii Obtaining additional fare tickets 21 for. further destinations takes place analogously. Per issued fare ticket 21, the passenger 23 receives credit for a fixed parking time in the parking facility 7 by changing the data on the data carrier 11.

After his return to the parking facility 7, the "has-been" passenger 23 goes to the automatic vending machine 4, inserts his card 9, and now may have to pay an additional amount in dependence on the elapsed parking time, with the bonus time gained by using public transportation 25 beirg counted in his favor. Subsequently, he S:So has his card 9 returned to him with a newly programmed data carrier 11, here indicated by horizontal shading, and can leave the parking facility 7 within a predetermined 15 time period without additional payment, by driving his car, now indicated by 14b, to the exit control machine 3, inserting the card 9 in a slot therein, not shown, whereupon the exit gat6 15 will opeh. o The card 9 is intended to mean all portable items of approximately palm size exhibiting an alterable data carrier 11, such as a magnetic strip, a programmable chip, etc.

The use of the vending machine 4 can be omitted if, for example, the use of the parking facility 7 is 25 gratis, insofar as the automobile operator has obtained, for example, only a single return ticket for a public conveyance 25. If the automobile operator has parked without using public conveyance 25, he will have to obtain, by necessity, a return ticket in order to reclaim his vehicle from the parking facility 7.

In place of an accumulated bonus for each route traveled, it is also possible to grant only a single bonus.

I -e d~:)i Since public conveyances frequently involve interconnected systems with varying fares for various travel routes or areas to be traveled, an "automatic information-dispensing machine" can advantageously be utilized as the third service vending machine 31.

The data-processing section 26 of the information vending machine 31, illustrated in a block diagram in Figure 3, has a first data storage unit 27a containing in its memory questions regarding specific selection criteria of the traffic route system 5 as well as the appropriate answers thereto. Furthermore, a second memory 27b is provided containing the stops and driving distances with rates. In order to operate the information vending machine 31, the passenger, denoted by ref- S 15 erence numeral 37, places his card 35, designed analogously to the card 9, into the slot, not shown, of a reading and storage unit 29a. By means of an input unit 32 connected with a selection unit 30a, the passenger 37 can S: then call up on a display (screen) 28 the travel route, stops, rates, etc. and then receives the answers cor- 0responding to his questions. In accordance with the answers, the selection unit 30a compiles the selection criteria as travel route information I of his desired travel route or routes and/or optimizes them with an S 25 optimizing unit 30b; by means of the storage and reading unit 29a, these criteria are stored on the data carrier 33 of his card 35 and, if desired, issued in plain text by means of a printer 29b on a sheet of paper or printed as 4 brief information on the card This travel route information I, concerning a route to be utilized with public conveyances 25, etc., is stored additionally to the parking information P of the i'

P'

t 4.

~i I '1 1:6 -8 entrance control machine 1 as the driving route informa- tion I on the data carrier 33 of the card 35. With this card 35, the passenger 37 goes to a fare ticket vending machine 39 which latter processes the selection criteria 3 p7'aced on the data carrier 33 'in addition to the parking information P. The travel route information.I is evalu-.

ated, and the passenger 37 receives an appropriate ticket 41. Analogously to the above remarks, data F are applied to the data carrier 33 of the card 35 which can later on be read by an automatic machine, not shown but designed analogously to the machine 4, or by an exit control machine 43, as an authorization to leave, for opening an exit gate Instead of using the information-dispensing 15 machine 31 together with the devices of a parking facility 7, it is also possible to utilize this informationdispensing machine only together with fare ticket vending machirnes, ei pecially in i- der to facilitate issuance of a fare ticket to, in particular, passengers not familiar with the locality. The information vending machine can also be integrated into parking ticket vending machines or into fare ticket vending machines. However, it is advantageous to set up this machine separately from other automatic machines since the selection of routes by 25 a person not familiar with the locality will usuallytake a longer period of time. Local passengers waiting for a longer period of time in front of this fare ticket vending machine equipped with a dual function are usually liable to become restive while the machine is .used by a stranger to the area.

The information vending machine can be used not only for- route determination between a starting point and a destination, but can also be employed on account 4.4.44.

4 .9 44.

1 9 9 -1 of its optimizing unit 30b for optimizing time and price of the route to be traveled. Furthermore, an optimized fare ticket can also be had with regard to time requirement and price by putting in any intermediate stops to be made.

Instead of issuing a fare ticket 21 or 41 with the fare ticket vending machines 2 or 39, it is also possible to apply information to the data carrier 11 or 33, respectively, revealing the authorization for usage of a public conveyance in case of a possible control in flone of the public conveyances 25. In place of applying these data to the data carrier 11 or 33, a clearly ,t legible print-out can also be printed on the card 9 or 35 by the fare ticket vending machine 2 or 39. Over- 15 loading of the card 9 or 35 with imprinted data need not 4. be fez ed since the card is normally intended merely for use within one day.

Instead' of always issuing a card 9 or 35 at the °°•entrance control machine 1, it is also possible to insert a card-like subscription in a slot of a reading device, not shown, of the entrance control machine 1, particularly .in case of week-long, month-long, and year-long users.

The subscription recipient thIn buys, together with his et rides, also the right for usage of the parking facility 7.

25 The entrance control machine 1 can be omitted insofar as the parking facility is so large that there is no overcrowding problem, or the,parking facility serves only special parking purposes. In this case, the driver/ passenger receives, as an incentive, only a bonus when he buys the fare ticket.

There are no legal problems with respect to data protection since storage of data always takes place only on the data carrier of the card which always remains with the driver/passenger.

LI

10 The travel route information to be obtained with the information vending machine is understood to mean, inter alia, information regarding the conveyance, transfer possibilities, tourist data, such as sightseeing locations, shopping facilities, public buildings, offices, opening times, etc.

9 *o S a r A ri i f l r 1. ;i

I

.44 I *A i 't ft oa is i 0*

Claims (6)

1. Arrangement of several locally separated service vending machines 2, 3, 4; 31, 39, 43) to be utilised in the traffic route system of an area, characterised by at least one first service vending machine 3, 4; 43) for granting and/or for checking an authorisation to park in at least one parking facility at least one second service vending machine 39) for issuing an authorisation to obtain a service, especially a right to travel (21; 41) for the use of at least one conveyance (25) in the traffic route system and a card 35) that can be issued by one of the service vending trit machines, with a data carrier (11; 33), the data of which, ,',applied during issuance, is processed and/or altered by the r 15 other service vending machines 3, 4; 31, 39, 43) in order to obtain a combined charge amount, calculable in automated fashion, of parking fees with other fees of "services obtained, especially fare prices. t 2 2. Arrangement according to claim 1i, 20 characterised in that one of the service vending machines, it I especially the second service vending machine or at least i: one of the second service vending machines 39), is or are designed for performing the combined automated charging as well as especially for payment of the charged amount.

3. Arrangement ;ccording to claim 2, characterised in that the, or at least one of the first service vending machines is or are designed for checking the charge and/or its payment. /4v% i. f 1 P. 12

4. Arrangement according to one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the service vending machines 2, 3, 4, 31, 39, 43) are fashioned to be autonomous of one another and thus do not require any data line intercon- nections for mutual data exchange for their operation. Arrangement according to one of claims 1-4, characterized by at least one third service vending machine (31) with at least one data storage unit (27a) containing selection criteria for the traffic route sys- tem particularly as travel route information a selection unit (30a) operable by the machine user (23, 37) by means of an input unit for selecting the selection criteria; a data output unit (29a, 29b) for the issuance and storage of at least the identifying data of the selection criteria on the data carrier (33) tr

6. Arrangement according to claim characterized by a printer (29b), by means of which the t °°selection criteria selected with the input unit (32) can be printed out in clearly legible fashion on the card (35) or a piece of paper to be issued. t *4 4 *41* it i (r tI 13 9 99 994

9. 0 S., I I 7. Arrangement according to claim 4 or 5 for a traffic route system with several differently long transit paths with several mutually distanced stops for the conveyances characterized in that the course of the individual traffic paths and the location of their stops are stored in a second storage unit (27b) of the third service vending machine (31) exhibiting an optimiz- ing unit (30b), wherein it is possible, with the optimiz- ing unit (30b), to optimize the connection, especially with regard to travel time and/or fare price, from a starting point to a destination that can be fed with the input unit with the data of the second sto:age unit (27b), and the characteristic data of the optimized connection can be stored on the data carrier (33) by means of the data output device (29a). 8. Arrangement according to one of claims 5-7, characterized in: that the second service vending machine (39) has a data reading (12a) and a processing unit (12b) so that the data applied to the data carrier (33) by the third service vending machine can be read and processed. 9. Arrangement according to one of claims 1-8, characterized by a reading unit (12a) accommodated in the second service vending machine an input unit (16a) for a desired destination or region, and a processing unit (12b) by means of which the selection and the data read by the data carrier (11, 33) can be processed for determination of the amount O6 the charge to be paid. 11 1rr 4 i j: L_ i I r 14 Arrangement according to one of claims 1-9, characterised in that the second service vending machine 39) exhibits a storage unit, by means of which at least information concerning the selected ride authorisation can be stored on the data carrier.

11. Arrangement of several locally separated service vending machines substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Dated this 6th day of December 1995. ASCOM AUTELCA AG By its Patent Attorneys: GRIFFITH HACK CO. Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia. I t i I i. i ABSTRACT An arrangement of several locally mutually separated service vending machines 2, 3, 4) is utilized in the area of a traffic route system At least one first service vending machine 4, 3) is provided, for granting and/or checking an authoriza- tion to park in a parking facility Several second service vending machines serve for the issuance of ride authorizations (21) for the use of conveyances of the traffice route system One of the service vending machines issues a card with a data carrier the data of which can be processed and altered by the other service vending machines 3, 4) Sin order to obtain a combined charge amount, calculable o in automatic fashion, of parking fees with other fees of service vending machines, especially fare prices. The arrangement according to this invention especially is to promote the acceptance and attractive- ness of public conveyances and to reduce the individual traffic in the inner cities. tI t itt Iii iti it a a c