US 5,602,739 A · Vehicle tracking system incorporating traffic signal preemption

Abstract

An embedded system controller-based vehicle tracking system using vehicle positioning. An embedded system controller controls a traffic intersection using an optical system. The embedded system controller receives a vehicle location and a vehicle schedule. The embedded system controller calculates whether the vehicle is on time and reports the on-time status to the driver interface. The driver may -request that the system report a panic or emergency situation to the dispatch center through an external data communications network. The external data communications network may also send vehicle status, such as vehicle position and vehicle condition. A transit company using the system may provide vehicles equipped with the vehicle tracking system with schedules on a daily basis, using a portable data transfer device. The embedded system controller also communicates to the vehicle data network for the communication of vehicle position. A global positioning system receiver may be used to provide the position of the vehicle to the embedded system controller.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A vehicle tracking system comprising:

vehicle position identifying means for determining a position of a tracked vehicle and for producing therefrom vehicle position information;
vehicle schedule means for providing vehicle schedule information, wherein the vehicle schedule information includes a vehicle route comprised of a plurality of vehicle stops and a corresponding plurality of scheduled arrival times;
controller means for receiving the vehicle schedule information and for receiving the vehicle position information, and further for comparing the vehicle position information with the vehicle schedule information and for producing therefrom vehicle status information regarding whether the tracked vehicle is on schedule, whether the tracked vehicle is off the vehicle route, and whether the tracked vehicle skipped any of the vehicle stops;
and
traffic signal preemption means, connected to receive the vehicle status information, for requesting preemption of traffic signals based on the vehicle status information.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vehicle tracking system incorporating traffic signal preemption

Life of this patent

Vehicle tracking system incorporating traffic signal preemption

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12