Method For Guiding Passengers

Abstract

A method in conjunction with a passenger guidance system guides a passenger to a passenger seat disposed in a vehicle. In order to guide a passenger quickly and reliably to a passenger seat which corresponds to his needs and is disposed in a vehicle, and to improve the flow of passengers, it is proposed to determine occupation states of passenger seats of the vehicle and to guide the passenger to an unoccupied passenger seat. For carrying out the method, a passenger guidance system is proposed which has at least one device for determining the occupation state of passenger seats arranged in a vehicle, at least one evaluation device which is configured to determine a destination to which a passenger is to be guided, and a transmission device by which data which are suitable for indicating a path to the destination can be transmitted to at least one display device.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A method for guiding a passenger to a passenger seat disposed in a vehicle, which comprises the steps of: coupling a near-field communication device disposed in the vehicle to a mobile device of the passenger; transmitting passenger-specific journey data from the mobile device to the near-field communication device; synchronizing the passenger-specific journey data with data of a passenger seat management system and most suitable unoccupied passenger seats are determined for the passenger; and guiding the passenger to at least one of the most suitable unoccupied passenger seats.

17. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises determining occupation states of passenger seats of the vehicle.

18. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises: calculating an occupancy level in each case for different vehicle areas; and guiding the passenger into one of cited different vehicle areas in which a lower occupancy level has been calculated in comparison with at least one other of the cited different vehicle areas.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein in the calculating of occupancy levels, occupancy levels of the passenger seats are calculated which fulfill seat specifications.

20. The method according to claim 18, which further comprises calculating occupancy levels before a next stop is reached and at a same time passenger movements to be expected at the next stop are taken into account.

21. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises: displaying unoccupied, unblocked and unreserved passenger seats to the passenger and offered for blocking by the passenger; guiding the passenger to the at least one passenger seat that he or she has blocked.

22. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises taking into account preferences of the passenger that are stored in the passenger seat management system in a determination of the most suitable passenger seats for the passenger.

23. The method according to claim 16, wherein after the coupling of the near-field communication device to the mobile device by means of the near-field communication device, performing the further steps of: transmitting position data of the near-field communication device to the mobile device; and guiding the passenger by the mobile device on a basis of transmitted position data of the near-field communication device to at least one of determined passenger seats.

24. A passenger guidance system, comprising: at least one evaluation device configured to determine a destination to which a passenger is to be directed; at least one display device; a transmission device by means of which data that is suitable for indicating a path to the destination may be transmitted to said at least one display device; and at least one near-field communication device connected to said at least one evaluation device and may be coupled to a mobile device of the passenger and is disposed in a vehicle for data transmission.

25. The passenger guidance system according to claim 24, further comprising at least one device for determining occupation states of passenger seats disposed in the vehicle.

26. The passenger guidance system according to claim 25, wherein said device for determining the occupation states has at least one element selected from the group consisting of a device for determining a mass of the vehicle or vehicle area, at least one camera at least partially covering a vehicle interior, and at least one seat occupancy sensor.

27. The passenger guidance system according to claim 24, further comprising at least one further display and input device connected at least temporarily to at least one of said at least one evaluation device and may be accessed by the passenger and which is disposed in the vehicle and/or at a stop of the vehicle.

28. The passenger guidance system according to claim 24, wherein said near-field communication device is one of a plurality of near-field communication devices and each of a plurality of seats of the vehicle has one of said near-field communication devices which may be coupled to the passenger's mobile device.

29. The passenger guidance system according to claim 28, further comprising: sensors for environmental parameters of a respective seat; a separate evaluation device for each of said near-field communication devices and said separate evaluation device is connected to said sensors.

30. The passenger guidance system according to claim 27, further comprising a radio link; and wherein said further display and input device is disposed in a stationary manner outside the vehicle and may be connected to the vehicle by means of said radio link.

Description

[0040] In the figures:

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a first exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention,

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a second exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention,

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a third exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention,

[0044] FIG. 4 shows a first exemplary embodiment of the passenger guidance system according to the invention in a schematic view,

[0045] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a second exemplary embodiment of the passenger guidance system according to the invention,

[0046] FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a seat from FIG. 5.

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a first exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention. This provides for determining occupation states of passenger seats of a vehicle 1. Advantageously, the occupation states of all passenger seats are determined in this case. Thereafter, the occupancy level of those passenger seats corresponding to certain seat specifications is calculated 3 for different vehicle areas. As explained hereinabove, among other criteria, the travel class booked, the suitability of a passenger seat for passengers with disabilities, etc. may be used as seat specifications. The calculation 3 of the occupancy levels for different vehicle areas is carried out before a next stop is reached. The passenger movements to be expected at the next stop are taken into account in this calculation 3. As explained in more detail hereinabove, the expected passenger movements can be determined inter alia on the basis of the evaluation of historical disembarkation movements in different vehicle areas or on the basis of images captured by exterior-facing cameras, by means of which the number of boarding passengers is estimated.

[0048] The passenger is then guided 5 into a vehicle area that has a lower occupancy level in comparison with other different vehicle areas. As has been explained hereinabove, the passenger can be directed by means of announcements of displays provided at a stop and/or in the vehicle and/or on a mobile device of the passenger.

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention. According to the schematic diagram of FIG. 2, the occupation states of passenger seats arranged in the vehicle are once again determined 7 in the first instance. Next, passenger seats that are neither occupied nor reserved nor blocked are displayed to the passenger and offered for blocking 9. Passenger seats may be displayed and offered for blocking 9 for example by means of touch-sensitive screens, often referred to as touch panels or touch displays, which are arranged in the vehicle or at a stop, or by means of the passenger's mobile device. The passenger is then guided 11 to the passenger seat that he or she has blocked.

[0050] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3, the occupation states of the passenger seats are once again determined 13 in the first instance. Next, a near-field communication device arranged in the vehicle is coupled 15 to the passenger's mobile device. As a result of said coupling 15, passenger-specific journey data can subsequently be transmitted 17 to the near-field communication device. In the reverse direction, position data of the near-field communication device is transmitted 19 to the passenger's mobile device.

[0051] Following transmission 17 of the passenger-specific journey data to the near-field communication device, said journey data is synchronized with data of a passenger seat management system and then, taking the preferences of the passenger that are stored in the passenger seat management system into account, those unoccupied passenger seats are determined 21 that are most suitable against the background of the passenger-specific journey data and the preferences stored for that passenger. The passenger-specific journey data may consist of the above-explained seat specifications or other journey data described hereinabove, for example the travel destination or reservation data of the passenger.

[0052] The determined passenger seats are subsequently displayed to the passenger and offered for blocking 23. This may essentially be accomplished, analogously to the case shown in FIG. 2, by means of display and input devices arranged in the vehicle or at the stop. However, as the passenger's mobile device is in any case coupled, or at least may be coupled, to the near-field communication device, the determined passenger seats are preferably displayed and offered for blocking 23 to the passenger on his or her mobile device.

[0053] The passenger is then guided 25 to the passenger seat that he or she has blocked. This is carried out on the basis of the position data transmitted by the near-field communication device. With the aid of said position data, and if necessary further data previously transmitted to the mobile device, such as an available vehicle configuration, the mobile device is able for example to determine its position inside the vehicle or its position relative to the blocked passenger seat and to guide 25 the passenger to the blocked passenger seat.

[0054] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a passenger guidance system according to the invention. This is illustrated based on the example of a rail vehicle 30. In the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, two cameras 33, 34, each of which is connected to a respective computing device 35 and 38, are provided as a device for determining the occupation state of passenger seats 32 arranged in the rail vehicle 30. Said computing devices 35, 38 are configured to determine the occupation state of passenger seats 32 covered by the respective camera 33, 34 from the images recorded by the cameras 33, 34. For greater clarity of illustration, not all of the passenger seats 32 depicted in FIG. 4 are labeled with reference signs. These are nonetheless readily recognizable as such to the viewer. The camera 33 covers those passenger seats 32 that are arranged to the left of the dividing line A-A in the schematic view of FIG. 4. The camera 35, on the other hand, covers the passenger seats 32 that are arranged to the right of the dividing line A-A in FIG. 4. The dividing line A-A accordingly separates two vehicle areas. The cameras 33, 34 can be utilized in addition for safety and security monitoring purposes.

[0055] The computing devices 35, 38 are connected to a transceiver unit 44 via an onboard network or, as in the case shown in FIG. 4, may be connected wirelessly at least temporarily to the transceiver unit 44 by radio link. In this way, the occupation state determined by the computing devices 35, 38 can be transmitted from the transceiver unit 44 over a radio link 42 to a stationary evaluation device 40 arranged outside the rail vehicle 30. Occupancy levels for the different vehicle areas may now be calculated by means of said evaluation device 40, where appropriate taking into account seat specifications and passenger movements to be expected at a next stop 48. A passenger already present onboard the vehicle or a passenger boarding at the next stop 48 can be guided, where appropriate taking into account seat specifications, on the basis of the results of said calculations into that vehicle area having the lower occupancy level. In order to enable the passenger movements that are to be expected at the next stop 48 into account, the rail vehicle 30 is provided with an exterior-facing camera 58. The number of passengers boarding at the stop 48 can be estimated with the help thereof.

[0056] In order to direct the passenger into the vehicle area having the lower occupancy level, said vehicle area is determined as the destination by the evaluation device 40. Data suitable for indicating a path to said destination is subsequently transmitted over the radio link 42 to the transceiver unit 44, which for its part transmits said data to a touch-sensitive screen 46 and to mobile devices 54 of the passengers. In this case the data is transmitted to the mobile devices 54 by means of a near-field communication device 52. In the present exemplary embodiment, the touch-sensitive screen 46 and the mobile devices 54 of the passengers accordingly represent display devices. The transceiver unit 44 and the near-field communication device 52 serve as transmission devices by means of which the data is transmitted to said display device. The data can be transmitted to the touch-sensitive screen 46 via the onboard network or, as in the case shown, wirelessly via radio link.

[0057] A touch-sensitive screen 50, which is likewise connected wirelessly via radio link to the evaluation device 40, is also provided at the next stop 48. Alternatively, a fixed landline connection may exist. Passengers can accordingly be guided already at the stop by means of the touch-sensitive screen 50 in the direction of the vehicle area having a lower occupancy level.

[0058] The evaluation device 40 is connected to a passenger seat management system 56 in order, when performing calculations, to be able to have access to historical boarding or occupancy data, vehicle configurations, in particular the passenger seat arrangement, or other data.

[0059] The touch-sensitive screens 46 and 50 constitute not only display devices, but combined display and input devices. Furthermore, they are indirectly connected wirelessly, at least temporarily, by radio link to the evaluation device 40, via the transceiver unit 44 in the case of the touch-sensitive screen 46. Both touch-sensitive screens 46, 50 are furthermore accessible to the passenger, thus enabling the latter to enter inputs on them. The passenger guidance system illustrated in FIG. 4 is consequently suitable not only for performing the method according to FIG. 1, but also for performing the method according to FIG. 2. Thus, after the occupation states have been transmitted to the evaluation device 40, those passenger seats that are unoccupied, unblocked and unreserved can be determined by the evaluation device 40 taking into account reservation data received from the passenger seat management system 56 and any faulty passenger seats as well as data relating to blocked passenger seats. In this case faulty passenger seats are rated as occupied. The passenger seats determined in the manner described are then transmitted to the touch-sensitive screens 46 and 50, displayed and offered for blocking. If the passenger blocks one of the offered passenger seats, he or she can then be guided to said passenger seat that he or she has blocked. In this case, as described hereinabove, the touch-sensitive screens 46, 50 and/or the passenger's mobile device 54 may be used as display devices.

[0060] In addition to the near-field communication device 52, a further near-field communication device 60 is provided in the rail vehicle 30 and is arranged in a seat 62. In FIG. 4, said further near-field communication device 60 is represented schematically outside of the seat 62 simply to make it more easily recognizable. Said near-field communication device 60, like the near-field communication device 52, is connected to the transceiver unit 44. For greater clarity of illustration reasons, said connection has not been depicted in FIG. 4. The passenger's mobile device 54 may be coupled to said near-field communication devices 54, 60 so that passenger-specific journey data as well as position data of the near-field communication device can be transferred in the manner presented in FIG. 3. The passenger-specific journey data can then be synchronized with data of the passenger seat management system 56 and the most suitable unoccupied passenger seats can be determined 21 in the evaluation device 40. The data required for this purpose can be transferred by means of the transceiver unit 44 and the radio link 42. In an analogous manner, the passenger seats determined by the evaluation device can be transmitted back to the transceiver unit. Passenger seats that have been determined can subsequently be displayed and offered for blocking by means of the touch-sensitive screen 46, though preferably the passenger's mobile device 54 is used. Said mobile device 54 is preferably also used for guiding 25 the passenger to the passenger seat that he or she has blocked. The passenger guidance system illustrated in FIG. 4 is therefore also suitable for performing the method according to FIG. 3.

[0061] The rail vehicle shown in FIG. 4 has an electronic pneumatic spring suspension controller 36 which may be used as a device for determining the occupation state. A further car of the rail vehicle shown in FIG. 4 is beneficially likewise equipped with an electronic pneumatic spring suspension controller of said type. The occupation states of the different cars may then be determined on the basis of the data acquired from the electronic pneumatic spring suspension controllers of the different cars and passengers can be directed into that car that has a lower occupancy level.

[0062] FIG. 5 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a passenger guidance system. This differs from that shown in FIG. 4 in that no stationary evaluation device 40 is provided. Instead, every seat 72 of the rail vehicle 30 is provided with a near-field communication device 60 as well as an associated evaluation device 76. Passenger guidance requests can therefore be processed locally by each of the seats 72. The data transfer over the radio link 42 is limited to the data exchange with the passenger seat management system 56, which is connected to a transceiver unit 74 for this purpose. In this way the above-cited advantages of decentralized evaluation devices can be used.

[0063] A schematic illustration of the seats 72 from FIG. 5 can be found in FIG. 6. As well as the near-field communication device 60, the evaluation device 76 is recognizable herein. Additionally provided as sensors for environmental parameters of the seat 72 are a microphone and a temperature sensor 82. The ambient temperature and the ambient noise level of each individual seat 72 can be determined by means of said sensors and be taken into account when determining the passenger seat best suited to the passenger. The microphone 78 and the temperature sensor 82 are connected to the evaluation device 76, as also is a seat occupancy sensor 80. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the occupation states of the seats 72 can be determined by means of the seat occupancy sensor 80 present in every seat 72. The occupation states determined by the cameras 33, 34 and the associated computing devices 35, 38 can be established with greater precision with the aid of the seat occupancy sensors 80. Depending on vehicle type, it can be considered whether to determine the occupation states of the passenger seats solely with reference to the seat occupancy sensors.

[0064] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in greater detail on the basis of the preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations may be derived herefrom by the person skilled in the art without leaving the scope of protection of the invention.