System and method for disseminating information at least on one platform of a public transport vehicle

Abstract

System and method for broadcasting information at at least one platform of a public transport vehicle The invention mainly relates to a system for broadcasting information at at least one platform of a public transport vehicle, which platform is a passenger circulation area arranged in said vehicle opposite at least one access door, which system comprises sound broadcasting means arranged at the platform and means for controlling said sound broadcasting means, characterized in that the control means are configured to: • Determine (E1) at least one state data item representative of a state of the public transport vehicle; • Compare (E2) this state data item with a threshold data item representative of a threshold state of the vehicle, and • Broadcast (E4) at least one sound information item at the platform in question when the state data item reaches (E3) the threshold data item.Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig.1.

Description

Title of the invention: System and method for broadcasting information at at least one platform of a public transport vehicle Technical field

[0001] The invention falls within the field of information dissemination systems installed in public transport, particularly in the railway sector. PRIOR ART AND DISADVANTAGES OF PRIOR ART

[0002] To assist people with disabilities, and in particular the visually impaired, means are provided for disseminating specific information to facilitate the orientation of these people wishing to board public transport vehicles.

[0003] For example, publication FR2971353 discloses a device for locating a train access door, installed above the door of a passenger train and which conventionally comprises a loudspeaker, wireless communication means with a remote control type transmitter and control means. Users of the device are provided with a remote control to interact with the locating device, which provides feedback to the user on the state of the vehicle - moving or stopped - and on the open or closed state of the vehicle access door.

[0004] A disadvantage of these prior art devices lies in their restriction of use. Firstly, it is necessary to install an additional device at the level of the public transport vehicle. Furthermore, users must necessarily be equipped with a transmitter to be able to communicate with the device. Finally, the information transmitted by the device is general. OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The invention therefore aims to propose an information broadcasting system for a public transport vehicle which is more universal and more ergonomic. Presentation of the invention

[0006] To this end, the invention relates to a system for broadcasting information at the level of at least one platform of a public transport vehicle, which platform is a passenger circulation zone arranged in said vehicle opposite at least one access door, which system comprises sound broadcasting means arranged at the level of the platform and means for controlling said sound broadcasting means, characterized in that the control means are configured to: • Determine at least one state datum representative of a state of the public transport vehicle; • Compare this state data with a threshold data representative of a threshold state of the vehicle, and • Broadcast at least one audio information at the platform level considered when the status data reaches the threshold data.

[0007] The information dissemination system may also include the following optional features considered in isolation or in all possible technical combinations: • The control means are configured to: • Determine the vehicle speed, which speed forms the state data, • Compare the said vehicle speed with an acceptable speed threshold forming the threshold data, and • Broadcast the audio information if the determined speed is less than or equal to the acceptable threshold. • The control means are configured to: • Look for an authorization signal to open the access door, and terminate a data indication the presence or absence of said signal, which indication data forms the status data, • Compare the status data with data indicating the presence of said authorization signal and forming the threshold data, and • Broadcast audio information when the access door opening authorization signal is present. • The control means are configured to: • Determine the speed of the vehicle and search for an authorization signal to open the access door, the status data including the speed of the vehicle and data indicating the presence or absence of said signal, • Compare the status data with a threshold data including an acceptable speed threshold and a data indicating the presence of said authorization signal, and • Broadcast the audio information if the access door opening authorization signal is present and if the determined speed is less than or equal to the acceptable threshold. • The control means are configured to stop the dissemination of information if the status data becomes different from the threshold data. • The vehicle comprises a plurality of platforms and a plurality of access doors, and the control means are configured to broadcast sound information specific to each platform. • The control means are configured to broadcast each sound information periodically.

[0008] The invention also relates to a method for broadcasting information at the level of at least one platform of a public transport vehicle, which platform is a passenger circulation zone arranged in said vehicle opposite at least one access door, which method is implemented by an information broadcasting system comprising sound broadcasting means arranged at the level of the platform and means for controlling said sound broadcasting means, according to the following steps: • Determination of at least one state data representative of a state of the public transport vehicle; • Comparison of this state data with a threshold data representative of a threshold state of the vehicle, and • Broadcasting of at least one sound information at the level of the platform considered when the status data reaches the threshold data.

[0009] The information dissemination method may also include the following optional features considered in isolation or in all possible technical combinations: • The process includes the steps of: • Determination of the vehicle speed, which speed forms the status data, • Comparison of said vehicle speed with an acceptable speed threshold forming the threshold data, and • Broadcast of sound information if the determined speed is less than or equal to the acceptable threshold. • The process includes the steps of: • Search for an authorization signal to open the access door, and determination of data indicating the presence or absence of said signal, which indication data forms the status data, • Comparison of the status data with data indicating the presence of said authorization signal and forming the threshold data, and • Broadcast of sound information in the presence of the access door opening authorization signal. • The process includes the steps of: • Determination of the vehicle speed and search for an authorization signal to open the access door, the status data including the vehicle speed and an indication of the presence or absence of said signal, • Comparison of the status data with a threshold data including an acceptable speed threshold and a data indicating the presence of said authorization signal, and • Broadcasting of audio information if the access door opening authorization signal is present and if the determined speed is less than or equal to the acceptable threshold. • The method includes a step of stopping the dissemination of the information if the state data becomes different from the threshold data. • The vehicle comprises a plurality of platforms and a plurality of access doors, and the sound information broadcast during the broadcasting step is specific to each platform. • Each audio information is broadcast periodically. • Each piece of audio information includes at least the vehicle number, the stopped or running status of the vehicle, the number of the access door opposite the platform in question and the open or closed status of said access door.

[0010] The invention finally relates to a public transport rail vehicle comprising an information broadcasting system as described previously capable of implementing an information broadcasting method as described previously. PRESENTATION OF THE FIGURES

[0011] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the description given below, for information purposes only and in no way limiting, with reference to the appended figure:

[0012] [Fig.l] [Fig.l] represents a flowchart illustrating the steps of the method of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] It is first of all specified that in the figures, the same references designate the same elements regardless of the figure in which they appear and regardless of the form of representation of these elements. Similarly, if elements are not specifically referenced in one of the figures, their references can be easily found by referring to another figure.

[0014] It is also specified that the figures essentially represent an embodiment of the subject of the invention but that there may be other embodiments which meet the definition of the invention.

[0015] The invention relates to a system for broadcasting information at the platforms of a public transport vehicle, and in particular of a passenger transport rail vehicle.

[0016] Such a railway vehicle conventionally comprises several cars, each comprising a space with seating for passengers, and at least one access platform to said car, each platform of the car in question being located near at least one access door to the vehicle. Each access platform is thus a circulation area for passengers who transit between the space provided with seats and the access door(s) facing the platform. Conventionally, each car of the railway vehicle comprises a plurality of platforms, each platform being facing one or two access doors opposite each other.

[0017] The information broadcasting system is arranged in the railway vehicle and comprises, for each car of the vehicle, sound broadcasting means arranged at each platform, these sound broadcasting means conventionally comprising at least one loudspeaker installed inside the vehicle for the purpose of broadcasting sound information at the platform in question.

[0018] Advantageously, the system comprises - for each car of the railway vehicle - at least one loudspeaker per platform.

[0019] Optionally, the sound diffusion means also comprise one or more loudspeakers installed outside the railway vehicle, at the access door in question, or even at each access door of the vehicle.

[0020] The information dissemination system further comprises means for controlling the information dissemination means, configured to implement an information dissemination method.

[0021] The information dissemination system finally comprises wireless communication means - for example Bluetooth beacons - installed at each platform of the vehicle and connected to the control means. These wireless communication means are configured to send to a remote computer device information generated by the control means of the information dissemination system.

[0022] With reference to [Fig. 1], the information dissemination method implemented by the information dissemination system will now be described.

[0023] During a first step E1, the control means determine at least one state datum representative of a state of the vehicle. Preferably, this state datum is a datum indicating the presence or absence of an automatic door opening signal generated by the control means of the railway vehicle, and determined by the control means of the system of the invention. Alternatively, this state datum is the speed of the train. Advantageously, the state datum comprises both the datum indicating the presence or absence of an automatic door opening signal and the speed of the train.

[0024] During a second step E2, the status data is compared to a threshold data item recorded in the control means of the system. Depending on the nature of the status data item, this threshold data item is either a maximum acceptable speed of the train - for example between 0 and 5 km / h - or a data item indicating the presence of the door opening authorization signal. Advantageously, when the data item status includes both the data indicating the presence or absence of an automatic door opening signal and the train speed, then the threshold data includes both the maximum acceptable speed and the data indicating the presence of the door opening authorization signal.

[0025] If the state data reaches the threshold data E3, that is to say: • if the determined speed is less than or equal to the threshold speed when the status data is only the speed of the railway vehicle, or • in the event of the presence of the door opening authorization signal when the status data is the data indicating the presence or absence of said opening signal, or • if the determined speed is less than or equal to the threshold speed and in the case of presence of the door opening authorization signal when the status data includes the threshold speed and the data indicating the presence or absence of said opening signal, Then the control means broadcasts E4 at least one piece of audio information at the platform in question. This information is specific to each platform of each car of the railway vehicle, and includes in particular the number of the railway vehicle, the number of the car, the stopped or slow running state of the railway vehicle and the open or closed state of the access door(s) opposite the platform in question. In other words, the message broadcast is specific to each platform of the railway vehicle.

[0026] Furthermore, during the broadcasting step E4, the information is broadcast periodically while the railway vehicle is at the platform, for example every five minutes if the departure of the train is not expected before a time which is greater than a determined threshold time, or every two minutes if the departure of the train is expected more imminently, i.e. before a time which is less than the determined threshold time.

[0027] Finally, during a last step E5 of the method, as soon as the state data becomes different from the threshold data (for example determined speed greater than or equal to the threshold speed and / or absence of the signal to open the access doors), then the control means control the stopping of the broadcasting of information.

[0028] In a particularly advantageous manner, the method of the invention is directly implemented by the information broadcasting system permanently installed in each railway vehicle. To implement the method of the invention, it is therefore not necessary to make structural modifications to the railway vehicles, and the programming of the control means of said broadcasting system is sufficient for implementing the method of the invention.

Claims

Claims

1. System for broadcasting information at at least one platform of a public transport vehicle, which platform is a passenger circulation area arranged in said vehicle opposite at least one access door, which system comprises sound broadcasting means arranged at the platform and means for controlling said sound broadcasting means, characterized in that the control means are configured to: • Determine (El) at least one state data item representative of a state of the public transport vehicle; • Compare (E2) this state data item with a threshold data item representative of a threshold state of the vehicle, and • Broadcast (E4) at least one sound information item at the platform in question when the state data item reaches (E3) the threshold data item.

2. Broadcasting system according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the control means are configured to: • Determine (El) the speed of the vehicle, which speed forms the status data, • Compare (E2) said speed of the vehicle with an acceptable speed threshold forming the threshold data, and • Broadcast (E4) the sound information if the determined speed is less than or equal to the acceptable threshold (E3).

3. Broadcasting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means are configured to: • Search for an authorization signal for opening the access door, and determine (El) a data item indicating the presence or absence of said signal, which indication data item forms the status data item; • Compare (E2) the status data item with a data item indicating the presence of said authorization signal and forming the threshold data item, and • Broadcast (E4) the sound information in the event of the presence of the authorization signal for opening the access door (E3).

4. Broadcasting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means are configured to: • Determine (El) the speed of the vehicle and search for an authorization signal for opening the access door, the status data comprising the speed of the vehicle and data indicating the presence or absence of said signal; • Compare (E2) the status data with a threshold data comprising an acceptable speed threshold and data indicating the presence of said authorization signal; • Broadcast (E4) the sound information in the event of the presence of the authorization signal for opening the access door and if the determined speed is less than or equal to the acceptable threshold (E3).

5. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control means are configured to stop the broadcasting of the information (E5) if the status data becomes different from the threshold data.

6. Broadcasting system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle comprises a plurality of platforms and a plurality of access doors, and in that the control means are configured to broadcast sound information specific to each platform.

7. Broadcasting system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control means are configured to broadcast each piece of sound information periodically.

8. Method for broadcasting information at at least one platform of a public transport vehicle, which platform is a passenger circulation area arranged in said vehicle opposite at least one access door, which method is implemented by an information broadcasting system comprising sound broadcasting means arranged at the platform and means for controlling said sound broadcasting means, according to the following steps: • Determination (El) of at least one state data item representative of a state of the public transport vehicle; • Comparison (E2) of this state data item with a threshold data item representative of a threshold state of the vehicle, and • Diffusion (E4) of at least one sound information item at the platform considered when the state data item reaches the threshold data item (E3).

9. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: • Determination (El) of the speed of the vehicle, which speed forms the status data, • Comparison (E2) of said speed of the vehicle with an acceptable speed threshold forming the threshold data, and • Broadcasting (E4) of the sound information if the determined speed is less than or equal to the acceptable threshold (E3).

10. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: • Searching for an authorization signal for opening the access door, and determining (El) a data item indicating the presence or absence of said signal, which indication data item forms the status data; • Comparison (E2) of the status data item with a data item indicating the presence of said authorization signal and forming the threshold data item, and • Broadcasting (E4) the sound information in the event of the presence of the authorization signal for opening the access door (E3).

11. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: • Determining (El) the speed of the vehicle and searching for a signal authorizing opening of the access door, the status data comprising the speed of the vehicle and an indication of the presence or absence of said signal; • Comparison (E2) of the status data with a threshold data item comprising an acceptable speed threshold and data indicating the presence of said authorization signal, and • Diffusion (E4) of the sound information in the event of the presence of the access door opening authorization signal and if the determined speed is less than or equal to the acceptable threshold (E3).

12. Method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that it comprises a step of stopping the broadcasting of the information (E5) if the state data becomes different from the threshold data.

13. Method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the vehicle comprises a plurality of platforms and a plurality of access doors, and in that the sound information broadcast during the broadcasting step is specific to each platform.

14. Method according to any one of claims 8 to 13, characterized in that each sound information is broadcast periodically.

15. Method according to any one of claims 8 to 14, characterized in that each piece of sound information comprises at least the vehicle number, the stopped or running state of the vehicle, the number of the access door opposite the platform in question and the open or closed state of said access door.

16. A public transport rail vehicle comprising an information broadcasting system according to any one of claims 1 to 7 capable of implementing an information broadcasting method according to any one of claims 8 to 15.

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