METHOD FOR DIRECTING PASSENGERS OF PUBLIC MEANS OF TRANSPORT

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for guiding passengers of public transport, in particular of trams or trains respectively, at stations or in station areas and/or inside the transportation unit. The passengers embark and disembark in the embark-/disembark area via at least two doors, and the embark-/disembark area extends to the length of the vehicle. The method includes: generating a prediction of the occupancy level of the vehicle with regard to the resulting situation in the vehicle after disembarking at each stop; distributing of the passengers which are moving to the entry area and/or waiting in the entry area ready for embarking corresponding to the prediction to the area of the doors for an approximately uniform distribution of the passengers inside the vehicle; and if applicable, distribution of the passengers inside the vehicle under consideration of the predicted, preferably section-wise occupancy level and of the passengers actually ready for embarking.

Claims

1. Method for guiding passengers of public transport, in particular of trams or trains (1) respectively, at stations (2) or in station areas and/or inside the transportation means, wherein the passengers (5) embark and disembark in the embark-/disembark area via at least two doors, mostly via a plurality of doors, wherein the embark-/disembark area extends to the length of the vehicle (1), the method comprising: Generating a prediction of the occupancy level of the vehicle (1) with regard to the resulting situation in the vehicle (1) after disembarking at each stop (2), distributing of the passengers (5) which are moving to the entry area (3) and/or waiting in the entry area (3) ready for embarking corresponding to the prediction to the area of the doors for an approximately uniform distribution of the passengers (5) inside the vehicle (1) and if applicable, distribution of the passengers (5) inside the vehicle (1) under consideration of the predicted occupancy level and of the passengers (5) actually ready for embarking.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein for generating the prediction a prediction model is used.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the prediction model uses the following data: current occupancy level per carriage/compartment/area (4) inside the vehicle; prediction of the number of disembarking persons at the next stop, in particular based on determined statistical data (8) of the past; if applicable considering passenger appearance due to one or more events; current filling level of the entry areas (3).

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the filling level in the entry areas (3) and if applicable the local occupancy level inside the vehicles (1) is determined by passenger counting systems in the entry areas and inside or on the vehicle (1) respectively.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the distribution of the passengers (5), corresponding to the prediction, is performed by transmission of acoustic and/or optical information to the passengers (5) in front of or in the entry area (3) and/or inside the vehicle (1).

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the information is provided as visualized information.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein the visualization comprises the indication of preferred entry areas (3) in the feeder areas and/or in the entry areas (3).

8. Method according to claim 6, wherein the visualized information are at least partially provided in form of pictograms.

9. Method according to claim 5, wherein the information is provided as announcements in feeder areas and/or in the entry area (3) and/or inside the vehicle (1).

10. Method according to claim 5, wherein the information is provided via portable terminals.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein weather specific parameters (10), if applicable a prediction model is used for the passenger behavior during the course of the day/week/and/or year based on it for including the passenger appearance based on one or more events.

12. Method according to one of the claim 5, wherein the information is prepared and provided directly out of vehicles (1) in a decentralized manner or via the control center (6).

13. The method of claim 1, wherein in the distribution step, the occupancy level considered is the section-wise occupancy level.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the information provided by portable terminals is provided by push messages via organizer (11) and loaded apps thereon.

15. Method according to claim 2, wherein the distribution of the passengers (5), corresponding to the prediction, is performed by transmission of acoustic and/or optical information to the passengers (5) in front of or in the entry area (3) and/or inside the vehicle (1).

16. Method according to claim 3, wherein the distribution of the passengers (5), corresponding to the prediction, is performed by transmission of acoustic and/or optical information to the passengers (5) in front of or in the entry area (3) and/or inside the vehicle (1).

17. Method according to claim 4, wherein the distribution of the passengers (5), corresponding to the prediction, is performed by transmission of acoustic and/or optical information to the passengers (5) in front of or in the entry area (3) and/or inside the vehicle (1).

18. The Method according to claim 6, wherein the visualized information is provided on fixed displays (14) in front of or in the entry areas (3) respectively and/or inside the vehicles (1).

19. Method according to claim 7, wherein the visualized information are at least partially provided in form of pictograms.

20. Method according to claim 6, wherein the information is provided as announcements in feeder areas and/or in the entry area (3) and/or inside the vehicle (1).

Description

[0030] There are several ways to design and further develop the teaching of the present invention. To this end it is to be referred to the patent claims subordinate to claim 1 on the one hand and on the other hand to the following explanation of a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrated by the figure. In connection with the explanation of the preferred embodiment of the invention by aid of the figure, generally preferred embodiments and further developments of the teaching will also be explained. In the drawings

[0031] FIG. 1 shows in a schematic view the principle application of the method of the invention by means of example of a train comprising a plurality of carriages/compartments and;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows in a schematic view the method according to the invention by using of different information, wherein information is provided to the passengers for fast embarking by different display means.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a train 1, which has stopped at an indicated stop 2 respectively a platform. The platform comprises a plurality of platform areas 3.

[0034] The train 1 comprises a plurality of carriages 4, wherein they can also be provided as integral compartments.

[0035] Inside the train 1, i.e. the carriages 4 or the compartments respectively, there are passengers 5, which are recognizably non-uniformly distributed onto the carriages 4 or compartments respectively. This is a result of the embarking behavior of the passengers 5 at the respective stops 2.

[0036] The method is based on a prediction of the occupancy level of the train 1, whereby it is determined how many passengers 5 at the next stop 2 are leaving the train 1 or the carriages/compartments 4 respectively. Knowledge of the current occupancy level per carriage/compartment 4 is beneficial. Based on statistical data 8 of the past a distribution instruction is computed by a central computer 7 assigned to the train 1 or assigned to a control center 6 and provided to the passengers 5. The central computer 7, which can also be assigned to the train 1, comprises the passenger guiding system, wherein the respective data of individual trains 1 can also be linked together, for example in the regard, that in the local traffic, passengers 5 is recommended, to wait for some minutes and to embark the next train 1.

[0037] In any way relevant for the method according to the invention is that a distribution of the passengers 5 is performed, in the simplest case at the respective stop 2 across the platform areas 3 prior to the compartments 4 of the train 1 to stop.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows in detail the function of the method according to the invention, namely the passenger guiding system defined in this way.

[0039] On the right side of the drawing in FIG. 2 a train 1 at a stop 2 is shown, wherein sideways of the train 1 the platform areas 3 are indicated with the waiting passengers 5. A situation is shown wherein the passengers 5 stand in their platform areas 3 non-uniformly under consideration of the prediction and due to transmitted information. The non-uniform distribution of the passengers 5 considers the occupancy level of the train 1 and in particular the predicted disembarking of passengers 5 of the respective carriages 4 or compartments respectively.

[0040] On the left side of the drawing of FIG. 2 a control center 6 is shown with the central computer 7. The central computer 7 receives different data to generate a prediction and finally to generate instructions for the passengers 5. The central computer 7 uses statistical data 8, which is generated from the passenger behavior of the past. The statistical data 8 can be continuously revised or adapted respectively.

[0041] Further the central computer 7 obtains information 9 from the train 1, wherein primarily it is information 9 concerning the local occupancy level of the train 1.

[0042] Further information can be transmitted to the central computer 7 concerning one or more events, for example weather data 10, wherein it is known that passenger a behavior is strongly weather—dependent.

[0043] All the data 8, 9 and/or 10 is provided to the central computer 7, wherein the control center 6 comprising the central computer 7 can be assigned to the train 1 or a central office.

[0044] The central computer 7 forms the passenger guiding system and computes under consideration of the prediction the expected occupancy level in the respective carriages/compartments 4, for providing information and if applicable instructions to the passengers 5 moving to the platform areas 3 or waiting there, in which areas they should preferably embark, namely to reduce the embarking times and to increase the comfort during embarking and disembarking for the passengers 5. This information can be provided audio-visually, for example via a smart phone 11 respectively an organizer, via speakers 12 and a respective speaker announcement, via personnel 13, which works on-site in the respective platform areas 3 or via display means 14 located on the way to the platform areas 3 or in the platform areas 3, which are already present for train display. The provision of special display means 14 is possible.

[0045] With regard to further preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention it is referred here to the general part of the description as well as to the appended claims to avoid repetition.

[0046] Finally it has to be explicitly noted that the foregoing embodiment of the method according to the invention is only used to explain the claimed teaching but does not limit the teaching to the embodiment.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0047] 1 train (vehicle)

[0048] 2 stop/platform

[0049] 3 Platform area/entry area

[0050] 4 carriage/compartment

[0051] 5 passenger

[0052] 6 control center (in the train or in a central office)

[0053] 7 central computer (in the control center)

[0054] 8 statistical data

[0055] 9 information from the train

[0056] 10 weather data, weather specific parameter

[0057] 11 smart phone, organizer

[0058] 12 speakers

[0059] 13 personnel

[0060] 14 displaying device, display