Device for controlling the running of urban transport vehicles

Claim 1

A system for monitoring the travel of urban public transport vehicles over a route having several stops, said system comprising data transmission units disposed on each vehicle and a plurality of recording and signalling ground beacons spaced out along the route of the vehicles for receiving and processing data transmitted by said transmission units, each of said transmission units comprising: first display means for storing the identification of the vehicle, its route and the optimum time for the next vehicle to pass, a first clock for measuring the real travel time of the vehicle since its departure from the terminus of the route, and encoding and transmitting means connected to said display means and said first clock for transmitting an encoded data signal representing the identification of the vehicle, its route, the optimum time for the next vehicle to pass and the real travel time of the vehicle, each of said recording and signalling ground beacons comprising: receiving and decoding means for receiving said encoded data signal and providing output signals representative of the identification of the vehicle, its route, the optimum time for the next vehicle to pass and the real travel time of the vehicle, recording means for storing data representing the theoretical travel time for the identified vehicle and its route, a second clock for supplying clock pulses, a first counter connected to said recording means and preset to said theoretical travel time, a second counter connected to said receiving and decoding means and preset to said optimum time for the next vehicle to pass, a third counter connected to said receiving and decoding means and preset to said real travel time, gating means connected to said second clock for supplying clock pulses to said first, second and third counters so that said first counter counts up while said second counter counts down to zero and then counts down while said third counter counts down to zero, the count remaining on said first counter when said third counter counts to zero indicating the waiting time for the next bus, and second display means connected to said first counter for displaying the waiting time for the next vehicle.

Claim 2

A system for monitoring the travel of urban public transport vehicles over a route having several stops, said system comprising data transmission units disposed on each vehicle and a plurality of recording and signalling ground beacons spaced out along the route of the vehicles for receiving and processing data transmitted by said transmission units, each of said transmission units comprising: first display means for storing the identification of the vehicle, its route and the optimum time for the next vehicle to pass, a first clock for measuring the real travel time of the vehicle since its departure from the terminus of the route, and encoding and transmitting means connected to said display means and said first clock for transmitting an encoded data signal representing the identification of the vehicle, its route, the optimum time for the next vehicle to pass and the real travel time of the vehicle, each of said recording and signalling ground beacons comprising: receiving and decoding means for receiving said encoded data signal and providing output signals representative of the identification of the vehicle, its route, the optimum time for the next vehicle to pass and the real travel time of the vehicle, recording means for storing data representing the theoretical travel time for the identified vehicle and its route, a second clock for supplying clock pulses, a first counter connected to said recording means and preset to said theoretical travel time, a second counter connected to said receiving and decoding means and preset to said optimum time for the next vehicle to pass, a third counter connected to said receiving and decoding means and preset to said real travel time, gating means connected to said second clock for supplying clock pulses to said first, second and third counters so that said first counter counts up while said second counter counts down to zero and then counts down while said third counter counts down to zero, the count remaining on said first counter when said third counter counts to zero indicating the waiting time for the next bus, and second display means connected to said first counter for displaying the waiting time for the next vehicle.