TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention is related to a system to be used in the passenger transportation field that provides tracking the passenger existence and the location information.

The invention is particularly related to the passenger safety system giving information in terms of the empty/full seats, whether there are any passengers inside when the vehicle is closed and locked, sending visual and audial signal to the external environment by working integrally with the vehicle, sending messages to the required points, presenting instant sitting element via remote access, providing advanced safety via proximity sensors that perceives only the human body.

PRIOR ART

Today, the passenger service vehicles are used generally in the transfer of employees and students to their working places or schools. Particularly the student service vehicles include passengers at smaller ages, their getting out and getting in the vehicle is performed by the driver or the auxiliary staff. When there is no auxiliary staff, whether the students stand up or whether there is a student left in the vehicle is controlled by the driver. This situation creates accident risks because it may cause the driver’s losing his/her attention. Recently, there are cases in which the students are forgotten within the vehicles. The student/students forgotten within the vehicles could not be able to make themselves heard especially the smaller ones and their security of life are put in jeopardy due to airlessness, fear etc. In the Patent Application No TR2017/14632 that is found as a result of the studies made in the prior art, the sensors that are sensitive to the weights are located in the interior parts of the passenger seat cushions. These sensors reflect the empty/full information to the LED panel within the vehicle and the number of persons to the LED panel outside the vehicle. In order to assemble these sensors, each seat must be disassembled and after the sensors are placed inside the cushion then it must be assembled again. In this case a labor cost is encountered and due to long assembly period, the service is out of use. In case the sensors fail, because the seat cushions must be disassembled and assembled again, it is required a significant maintenance period. Also, because said sensor is digital, it does not have a capability of measuring the weight of the load in itself and it is lack of adequate sensitivity. If any weight is left on the seat, then it perceives this weight.

Consequently due to the abovementioned problems that could not be solved under the light of the prior art, it is required to make improvements in the relevant technical field.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to eliminate the abovementioned disadvantages and to bring novel advantages to the relevant technical field, the present invention is related to a tracking system and a method.

The main aim of the invention is to present a system and a method that follows sitting element in all areas where there are passenger seats, sending information messages to both the driver and the relevant entities, providing functional usage by showing the sitting element configuration and status, is mountable easily and quickly and thus decreases the need for assembly labor significantly, is used with cable or wireless and particularly preventing the cases in which the passengers are forgotten within the vehicle.

Another aim of the invention is to develop a system and a method that provides tracking of the sitting element by means of a proximity sensor that could be adhered to or that could be screwed easily under the sitting element; that does not require disassembling the seat cushions of the sitting element during assembly process.

Another aim of the invention is to develop a system and a method that could determine the weight applied on the sitting element within the service vehicles, as a human body. In order to realize all aims mentioned above and emerged from the below detailed description, the present invention is a tracking system that follows the fullness information of the sitting element for determining the persons forgotten within the vehicle and that shares this information for performing the required warning and actions in all vehicles having a sitting element or in all service vehicles used in passenger transportation. Thus the system includes the following:

• an information unit that presents the user; sitting element arrangement configurations, fullness status information of the sitting element and various setting and info displays,

• at least one sensor that perceives a human body that is on the sitting element/approaches to the sitting element,

• at least one sitting element module that could process the data from said sensors and forwards these processed data through the relevant protocols,

• at least one mainboard that forwards and evaluates the signal from the sitting element to the processor located on itself within a determined format, provides internet access, SMS sending, image transfer via the peripheral units located on itself, provides to take necessary actions for the person within the vehicle/forgotten in the vehicle by providing instant time information and/or informs the user in terms of the current situation though the information unit/mobile device.

This invention also involves a tracking method that follows the fullness of the sitting element in order to detect the persons forgotten within the vehicle and provides the necessary actions and warnings to be made by sharing this information. Thus the method comprises the following procedure steps:

• perceiving the person/passenger on the sitting element by a sensor that could perceive the human body,

• providing the data created by the sensor to be transferred and processed by a sitting element module and forwarding this to the mainboard that provides to take the necessary actions,

• providing the mainboard to take the necessary actions for warning the user by operating together with the vehicle systems and/or to present the data transferred to itself to the user through an information unit/mobile device. The present invention shall be taken into consideration together with the figures defined below in order to understand the embodiment and the advantages with additional elements fully.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 gives a general block scheme of the system.

Figure 2 gives a block diagram of the proximity sensor.

Figure 3 gives a schematic exterior view of proximity sensor.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

1. Mainboard

2. Sitting element module

3. Sensor

4. Control panel

5. Video output module

6. Communication cable

7. Sitting element module communication cable

8. Mainboard feeder cable

9. Exterior monitor

10. Mobile application

M: Mobile device

RCD: Resonant Circuit Driver

CS: Cap Sensor

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this detailed description of the invention, the novelty of the invention is described with examples only in order to better explain the subject such that they shall not have any limiting effect on the invention. The invention is a tracking system that follows the fullness of the sitting element and provides the warning and the necessary actions to be taken in order to detect the persons forgotten within the vehicle, in all service vehicles used in the passenger transportation and all vehicles that has a sitting element. In Figure 1 , a schematic view of the system of the invention is given. Thus the system comprises; an information unit that presents the user; sitting element arrangement configurations, fullness status information of the sitting element and various setting and info displays, at least one sensor (3) that perceives a human body that is on the sitting element/approaches to the seating element, at least one sitting element module (2) that could process the data from said sensors (3) and forwards these processed data through the relevant protocols, at least one mainboard (1 ) that forwards and evaluates the signal from the sitting element module (2) to the processor located on itself within a determined format, provides internet access, SMS sending, image transfer via the peripheral units located on itself, provides to take necessary actions for the person within the vehicle/forgotten in the vehicle by providing instant time information and/or informs the user in terms of the current situation though the information unit/mobile device (M).

In a preferred embodiment of the system, the present invention is used on the vehicles such as services etc. that are used for passenger transportation. Mobile application (10) operates on mobile devices (M) such as tablet, telephone etc. that belong to the user. The mobile application (10) provides to inform the user in terms of the situation within the vehicle and/or provides to trigger the user to take necessary actions for the person forgotten within the vehicle.

Said information unit is characterized in that in a preferred embodiment of the system it may be a touch-operated control panel (4) and/or exterior monitors (9) as the vehicle monitor etc. In a preferred embodiment of the system, the present invention comprises at least one video output module (5) that provides to perform image transfer to the exterior monitors (9) such as the vehicle monitor used in vehicle such as the school vehicles.

The sitting element module (2) used in the invention comprises high-speed processor, sensor (3), heat control module, RF module. Sitting element module (2), in case the sensor (3) within any sitting element/sitting element module (2) fails, detects the sensor (3)/ sitting element module (2) that fails and informs the information unit, provides to detect the failure and facilitates to respond to the failure without disassemble the whole system. Also calibration is performed periodically by providing the perception of the heat within the vehicle continuously.

The control panel (4) to be used as an information unit in the present invention is an information display consists of high-speed processor, touch-operated module capable of bidirectional communication. The control panel (4) exhibits a system that comprises the vehicle sitting element arrangement configurations within the field of vision of the driver, settings and an information display. This control panel could be an LCD panel between 3.2” - 9”, also by integrating into the current monitor of the vehicle via designed video output module (5), the information display image could be reflected to the vehicle monitor as an exterior monitor (9).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the sensor (3) of the invention is a proximity sensor. The sensor (3) (proximity sensor) could detect the entity forgotten on the sitting element whether it is a human or not. Therefore it is avoided to encounter mistakes in cases where weights such as bags etc. are left on the sitting element.

The mainboard (1 ) of the present invention comprises high-speed processor, GPS/GPRS module, Wi-Fi module, RF module, RTC module, low power module and a module that includes USB/UART output. Also, there is the required CAN-BUS protocol unit on the processor located on the mainboard (1 ). The mainboard (1 ) provides to eliminate the risks in terms of life safety by warning the external environment visually and audibly by working with the vehicle integrally in case there is left a passenger/student inside the vehicle after the vehicle is switched off, also gives many critical information including the situation of the sitting elements, messages, mail and time information to the required entities through a mobile device (M) after the vehicle is switched off, in case there is left a passenger inside. The mainboard (1 ) of the present invention detects very quickly the location of the vehicle by giving location information via the GPS module located on it and provides to eliminate the possible disasters to be experienced. Similarly, it is provided to send e- mail and message (SMS) via the GPRS module located on the mainboard (1 ). The mainboard (1 ) could provide to ventilate the interior of the vehicle by working integrally with the vehicle, if the vehicle is left, forgotten or left over on purpose in a distant region while it is switched off when there is a passenger/student left within the vehicle.

The system of the present invention consists of four main parts and three cables. The developed system is based on the release section induced on one electrode. The capacity is measured periodically by the proximity sensor according to the approach of a human. The system mainboard (1 ) comprises the sitting element module (2), the video output module (5), the control panel. The sitting element module (2) also comprises a proximity sensor (3). The connection problem between the sitting element module (2) - sensor (3) is eliminated by designing as such. Sitting element module (2) could be assembled easily under each sitting element within the vehicle. Assembly process is easily performed by adhering or screwing under the sitting element. In this way the assembly could be completed in a short time without the disassembly of any element from the vehicle, damaging original part of the vehicle. The assembly step is performed as follows: after fixing the mainboard (1 ) to an appropriate region that is electrically connected to the vehicle where the system will be used, the sitting element module communication cable (7) connected to this mainboard (1 ) is plugged in the input of the sitting element module (2) adhered to or screwed under the sitting element. This step is repeated with the other sitting element module communication cable (7) plugged into the output of the sitting element module (2) unless it is reached the last sitting element. If required, RF wireless feature could be activated and it is provided to send the signals to the mainboard (1 ) wirelessly by pressing the buttons on the sitting element modules (2) screwed under the sitting elements. There is a video output module (5) at the end of the communication cable (6) connected to the mainboard (1 ). This module, in cases characterized in that the communication module is an exterior monitor (9), provides to reflect the data received from the mainboard (1 ) to the exterior monitor (9). If the information data created by the system will be reflected to an exterior monitor (9) characterized as the vehicle monitor, then the assembly is completed by connecting this module to the video-in input of the vehicle monitor. If a touch-operated control panel (4) will be used as an information unit, the assembly is completed by plugging the other end of the communication cable (6) into the LCD touch screen used as a control panel (4).

The system operates as the following: The approach of the human body to the sitting element located within the vehicle in which the system is used, is perceived by the proximity sensor (3). The sensor (3) could perceive the human body on the sitting element cushion by creating a signal area. If there is no element within this field then the sensor (3) produces no signs. When a human body enters into the signal area, the capacity of the capacitor in the sensor (3) increases and the oscillator starts to produce exit sign. The oscillator is designed very well in order to perform this process. At this time the exit layer activates and produces exit sign. This sign is sent to the mainboard (1 ) in accordance with the required purpose. After the signal that reaches the mainboard (1 ) is evaluated by the software of the mainboard (1 ), information is sent to the control panel (4) / exterior monitor (9). The system is operated based on the ignition switch. The scenarios vary according to the cases where the motor of the vehicle is switched on or switched off. When the motor of the vehicle is switched on; the system presents the driver the information in terms of the sitting element arrangement and sitting element status through the vehicle monitor used as a control panel (4) or exterior monitor (9). The critical case here is the case when the vehicle is switched off (in other words the case when the driver lefts the vehicle). If a human body is perceived in the vehicle when it is switched off, this situation is considered as an emergency situation. In this cases first of all the mainboard (1 ) by operating integrally with the systems of the vehicle gives audible and /or visual warning to the interior of the vehicle. After the first warning, the motor is expected to be switched on after waiting a predetermined time. In case the motor does not switched on during the predetermined time, then the mainboard (1 ) activates the flashers of the vehicle and again the motor is expected to be switched on during a predetermined time. If during this period the driver does not switched on the motor of the vehicle, the car horn is activated and start to give warning (s.o.s) signal. Together with this signal, the information such that in which hour the seat is full and there is a passenger left within the vehicle, is sent to the required points through a message (SMS) and e-mail. Besides, the location of the vehicle is transferred to the required point. The ventilation of the vehicle could be provided through the mobile application (10) developed for mobile devices (M) from the relevant points until someone reach to the vehicle. A full passenger safety could be provided with this system. In addition to this the user could monitor the date/hour of the start/finish of the service, sitting element/belt, fullness and speed information through the mobile application (10). This information could be reported and saved. Since the mainboard (1 ) could send data to the cloud environment, it provides the obtained data to be monitored by the relevant entities during the whole service by sharing this information with the relevant entities.

The present invention could be used in many alternative fields. For example, the information in terms of the students when they are in the classrooms, when they are sitting at their desks, how long they stay in the classroom, could be presented to the users with different applications of the present invention.