METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE DIFFUSION OF INFORMATION ON BOARD VEHICLES IN TRANSIT

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the diffusion of information on board vehicles in transit. Apparatus are known which are able to automatically sense the passage of vehicles through portals, and to implement predetermined operations when such passage is sensed.

One such apparatus, used in the well known "Telepass" system, is installed in motorway toll stations to sense the passage of determined vehicles, to identify them to the entry station of the motorway network, and to determine at the exit station the amount which the driver is to be debited.

The Telepass system generally comprises a passive transponder installed on the vehicle, a continually active source installed on each portal pertaining to the system, and a control unit installed in a fixed control centre, with which the various sources are able to communicate by radio.

When a vehicle passes through the portal of the entry station, the signal emitted by the source installed therein activates the transponder, which communicates its identification code to the source for its local processing and its subsequent retransmission to the control unit in the control centre. On termination of motorway travel, when the vehicle passes through the portal of the exit station, it communicates its identification code in a similar manner to the source installed in that station, for its local processing and its subsequent retransmission to the control unit. In the control centre a comparison is made between the data received by the entry station and the data received by the exit station, and the amount to be debited to the user is determined.

The correct implementation of the aforedeschbed operating sequence and in particular the correct sensing of the vehicle identification code on its passage through each portal is confirmed by the transponder to the driver by a sound and light signal via the equipment on board. However this known Telepass system implies a cost to the user and this has limited its use, in particular by drivers who only occasionally use the motorway network.

Moreover the Telepass system was conceived exclusively to reduce collection costs and to accelerate the relative operations. Consequently it pursues only this purpose, and is not concerned with using the potential of the system for uses other than those involved in automated collection.

Finally, the Telepass system provides the user with only a single piece of information, consisting of the correct sensing of passage through the portal in which the source is installed, but does not interact with the user. An object of the invention is to overcome these limitations by proposing a system able both to sense the passage of vehicles through predetermined transit points and to diffuse promotional, service or public utility or enquiry messages on passage of the vehicle, and to respond to these latter.

Another object of the invention is to propose a system able to personalize these messages on the basis of the type of driver or of particular situations in which the driver is concerned.

Another object of the invention is to propose a system which in addition to performing these functions can also provide the Telepass service.

A further object of the invention is to propose a system in which the information to be transmitted to vehicles in transit can be continuously updated without any intervention on the equipment on board the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to send enquiry messages, to which it can respond via the apparatus on board the vehicle.

All these and other objects which will be apparent from the ensuing description are attained, according to the invention, by a method for the diffusion of information on board vehicles in transit as described in claim 1.

The invention also comprises an apparatus for the diffusion of information on board vehicles as described in claim 14.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is further clarified hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of the method of operation of the apparatus of the invention on passage of a vehicle through a predefined station, Figure 2 is a block diagram of that part of the apparatus of the invention installed on board a vehicle, and Figure 3 is a block diagram of that part of the apparatus of the invention installed in the fixed station.

As can be seen from the figures, the apparatus of the invention can ideally be divided into units of two different types, which can be defined as the mobile unit and the fixed station.

The mobile unit is installed on the vehicle 2, while the fixed station is installed in each predetermined zone of the system, in proximity to the transit area for the vehicles to be controlled.

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The mobile unit comprises a power supply 4, a processor unit 8, a memory 10, a transponder 12, an audio decoder 14, a sound reproducer 16, an antenna 18 (four-band GSM and Telepass frequency) and a keypad 19. The term "four-band" means that system composed of four different frequency bands, of which three are the traditional bands used in the GSM system (900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 1900 MHz) and the fourth is generally intended for Telepass use and can differ from country to country.

The various functional blocks are connected together such as to carry out the required functions in a coordinated manner. The fixed unit comprises a vehicle passage detector 6, and a message source 20 comprising a memory in which messages are stored. This memory can be installed in the same fixed station or in a remote centre common to several fixed stations, or partly in the fixed station and partly in the remote centre.

The power supply 4 for the mobile unit can be the actual battery on board the vehicle or be an independent battery or a photovoltaic cell or even a wire-less connection to an external power supply.

The purpose of the processor unit 8 is to correctly control the operation of the apparatus on the basis of programmes residing in the memory 10, in which identification data for the vehicle 2 are also stored. The purpose of the transponder 12 is to receive, from the fixed station, programme activation signals on passage of the vehicle 2 through the zone in which it is installed, to transmit vehicle identification data to the fixed station and to control programme execution.

The decoder 14 can be of the audio type or audio and video type, depending on the type of apparatus and the nature of the services to be performed. Its purpose is both to decode messages contained in the memory 10, and to decode messages transmitted by the fixed source 20 and received by a receiver on board the vehicle 2, via the antenna 18.

The reproducer 16 can also be of the audio type or audio and video type, as in the case of the decoder 14.

The fixed unit is also provided with a processor unit 24, to oversee the operation of the entire apparatus, in combination with the processor unit 8 installed on the vehicle 2.

The fixed detector 6, associated with the message source 20, can be of various types; in particular it can consist of a sensor, for example infrared, a laser sensor, a contact sensor, a radio transmitter installed on the vehicle and a fixed external antenna. The apparatus of the invention operates in the following manner: when the vehicle 2 transits within the area of influence of the fixed detector

6, the message source 20 associated with it, which is always active, transmits an activation signal which is received by the transponder 12, which activates the apparatus on board the vehicle and transmits the identification code of the vehicle 2 for its detection by the fixed detector 6.

The processor unit 24 associated with the message source 20 recognizes the type of user from the identification code received in this manner and, depending on the situation provided by the programme and possibly on the type of user, causes a message to be withdrawn from the memory associated with the

message source 20 or from the memory 10 installed on the vehicle, and controls its execution, i.e. its decoding by the decoder 14 and its reproduction on the vehicle 2 by the reproducer 16.

If the programme provides for transmitting a message by the message source 20, but for any reason this transmission is not possible or should the transponder not receive it, the programme installed on the vehicle 2 withdraws a message from the memory 10 on the vehicle, decodes it and reproduces it.

Instead of transmitting messages stored in its own memory, the message source 20 can also transmit messages received from the remote centre. The messages stored in the memory 10 can relate to any information of interest to the user on board the vehicle 2, whereas the messages stored in the memory associated with the fixed source 20 can relate not only to information of any nature (of social, promotional, service or other use), but also of any updating of programmes stored in the vehicle memory 10. The invention also enables the message source 20 to send, at the moment of activating the on-board system, enquiry messages to which the user can respond via the keypad 19. This is advantageously of functional type in accordance with binary logic and comprises a pair of keys which, based on their manner of operation, provide one of the two possible alternative replies. From the aforegoing it is apparent that the method of the invention and its implementing apparatus are particularly advantageous, and in particular: - they enable the user to automatically receive audio information on passage through a predefined area, preferably at the moment in which the user's attention threshold is particularly high,

- they enable the audio information to be personalized based on user type,

- they enable said information to be obtained both from messages previously memorized on board the vehicle, and from messages transmitted by a fixed station, - they enable the system to be used commercially for diffusing information, and to set the operating costs against the income deriving from said diffusion of information,

- they enable current Telepass equipment to be replaced or integrated to obtain further services as yet unobtainable, - they enable the software stored on board the vehicle to be updated continuously during its passage through predetermined zones.

- they enable enquiry messages to be diffused, to which the user can respond.