Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators – Internal alarm or indicator responsive to a condition of the...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-21
2004-06-01
Weaver, Scott L. (Department: 2645)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
Internal alarm or indicator responsive to a condition of the...
C340S433000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06744358
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to messaging systems for public vehicles, and more particularly, to a system for providing audible indication through a public address system in public vehicle in response to rider action.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, chimes have been used to permit a passenger in a public vehicle, such as a bus, to communicate with the vehicle operator a desire to exit the vehicle at the next scheduled stop. In addition, known chime arrangements for buses, because of their size, the passengers throughout the bus have not been able to hear them clearly, even though chime arrangements are disposed near the vehicle operator and in the rear of the vehicle. Thus, passengers in the vehicle who desire to exit same at the next stop, but are disposed within the vehicle at a distance from the conventional signaling arrangement, will repeatedly signal the operator because they have not heard the prior signals of other passengers.
In addition to the foregoing, conventional public vehicle stop request arrangements have not distinguished able riders from handicapped riders. Thus, physically challenged riders who require assistance from the vehicle operator in leaving the vehicle typically have no way of signaling their need to the vehicle operator.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a public vehicle signaling arrangement that readily can be heard by passengers throughout the public vehicle.
It is another object of this invention to provide a public vehicle signaling arrangement that permits multiple type of signals to be issued whereby the vehicle operator can identify the needs of the passenger(s) desiring to exit the public vehicle.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a public vehicle signaling arrangement that provides a verbal confirmation to the passenger(s) of the acceptance of the request to exit the public vehicle at the next stop.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing and other objects are achieved by this invention, which provides a chime-like announcement unit that plays a chime-like sound and/or a message by way of the public address system on a public vehicle, such as a bus. By using the public address system, the passengers throughout the bus readily can hear the chime-like sound.
In accordance with a method aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of enabling communication between one of a plurality of riders of a vehicle and an operator of the vehicle, each rider having associated therewith at least one of a plurality of predetermined conditions. The method includes the steps of:
recording in a first memory a first message, the first message being associated with a first one of the predetermined conditions;
recording in a second memory a second message, the second message being associated with a second one of the predetermined conditions;
coupling the first and second memories to an announcement system that can be perceived by the operator of the vehicle and the plurality of the riders of the vehicle;
first providing a first actuation arrangement manipulable by the riders of the vehicle having associated therewith the first predetermined condition; and
second providing a second actuation arrangement manipulable by the riders of the vehicle having associated therewith the second predetermined condition,
whereby when the first actuation arrangement is actuated by a rider of the vehicle, the first message is announced by the announcement system, and when the second actuation arrangement is actuated by a rider of the vehicle, the second message is announced by the announcement system.
In one embodiment of this method aspect of the invention, the first and second memories are respective electronic digital memories, and the respective first and second messages are stored in respective ones of the electronic digital memories as .wav files. In other embodiments, the respective first and second messages are stored in respective ones of the electronic digital memories as MP3 files.
In a highly advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least one of the first and second messages stored in a respective one of the electronic digital memories is a data file, and the announcement system is operated in response to the information in the data file. The stored data is not limited to audio files, but may include text that will be presented in a visual announcement system, or flashing visual indicators, or the like. As such, therefore the announcement system includes in this embodiment a visual indicator responsive to the information in the data file.
In some embodiments of the invention, the respective electronic digital memories consist of respective memory areas of a unitary electronic digital memory. The unitary electronic digital memory may be integrated in a single-chip record/playback device.
When the method of the present invention is used in the context of a large vehicle, such as where the vehicle is a public bus, the first condition corresponds to a normal rider of the vehicle, and the second condition corresponds to a handicapped rider of the vehicle.
In accordance with an apparatus aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for enabling communication between one of a plurality of riders of a vehicle and an operator of the vehicle, each rider having associated therewith at least one of a plurality of predetermined conditions. In accordance with the apparatus aspect of the invention, there is provided a first memory for storing a first message, the first message being associated with a first one of the predetermined conditions, and a second memory for storing a second message, the second message being associated with a second one of the predetermined conditions. An announcement system is provided for issuing an indication perceptible to the operator of the vehicle and the plurality of riders of the vehicle. A coupling arrangement couples the first and second memories to an announcement system that can be perceived by the operator of the vehicle and the plurality of the riders of the vehicle. First and second actuation arrangements manipulable by the riders of the vehicle having associated therewith the respective first and second predetermined conditions are provided, whereby when the first actuation arrangement is actuated by a rider of the vehicle, the first message is announced by the announcement system, and when the second actuation arrangement is actuated by a rider of the vehicle, the second message is announced by the announcement system.
In one embodiment of this system aspect of the invention, the first and second memories are respective electronic digital memories, and the respective first and second messages are stored in respective ones of the electronic digital memories as .wav files. In other embodiments, the respective first and second messages are stored in respective ones of the electronic digital memories as MP3 files.
In a highly advantageous embodiment of the system aspect of the invention, at least one of the first and second messages stored in a respective one of the electronic digital memories is a data file, and the announcement system is operated in response to the information in the data file. The stored data is not limited to audio files, but may include text data that will be presented in a visual announcement system, or flashing visual indicators, or the like. As such, therefore the announcement system includes in this embodiment a visual indicator responsive to the information in the data file.
In some embodiments of the invention, the respective electronic digital memories consist of respective memory areas of a unitary electronic digital memory. The unitary electronic digital memory may be integrated in a single-chip record/playback device.
When the system of the present invention is used in the context of a large vehicle, such as a public bus, the first condition corresponds to a normal rider of the vehicle, and the second condition corresponds to a handicapped rider of the vehicle.
In a specific il
Rohm & Monsanto, P.L.C.
Weaver Scott L.
LandOfFree
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