WO2010133808A1

WO2010133808A1 - Method and system enabling an individual to access information sources via a mobile peripheral device

Info

Publication number: WO2010133808A1
Application number: PCT/FR2010/050972
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sébastien MEYNIER; Jean-Marie Freche
Original assignee: Lumiplan Transport
Priority date: 2009-05-19
Filing date: 2010-05-19
Publication date: 2010-11-25
Also published as: FR2945901A1; FR2945901B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a system enabling users to access digital information data sources, in particular when traveling by public transport. Said system includes: a plurality of communicating devices (1a), each of which can broadcast at least one of said digital information data sources (3); and at least one piece of peripheral mobile user equipment (2). The peripheral equipment (2) particularly includes application/software means comprising: means for searching for and collecting the communicating device(s) (1) located within the perimeter of the radioelectric radiocommunication means of the peripheral equipment (2); means for identifying and filtering the communicating devices (1) transmitting said digital information data sources (3); means for generating the list of the digital information data sources (3); means for displaying said list on the screen of said peripheral equipment (2); means for selecting one of said digital information data sources (3); and means for establishing a radioelectric connection via the radiocommunication means of said equipment (2) and of said corresponding communicating device (1a) in order to enable the user to access said selected digital information data source (3).

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INDIVIDUAL ACCESS TO SOURCES

INFORMATION THROUGH A MOBILE DEVICE

The present invention relates to a system and method for providing an individual with access to a set of information sources by means of a mobile device, particularly when traveling by public transport.

In certain situations, and in particular during a trip by public transport, the user is usually supported by the provision of information in bulk, through the various media or information media in the network. public transport: posts or terminals at stops, scrolling strips embedded in vehicles, paper time sheets, line signs, arrival and departure billboards, etc.

The present invention aims to unify the support and access to this information at the user level, while maintaining a strong proximity and accessibility to the general public. In the context of the transport networks, the invention also aims to inform the user in a localized and individualized way, during his journey.

In order to respond appropriately to the requirements relating to the provision of information in an individualized, localized and user-accessible form, the method and system according to the invention are based on the generalization of the consumption modes intended for mobile devices. and the generalization of non-operated means of communication on this type of device.

The system according to the invention, for access to digital data sources of information for users, particularly when traveling by public transport, includes for this purpose - several communicating devices which are each able to broadcast the information. at least one of said sources of digital information data, and at least one user mobile peripheral equipment. The communicating devices each comprise: - a central processing unit, - local radio radiocommunication means, - memory means, containing at least one of said sources of digital information data to be transmitted; and the peripheral equipment comprises: - a central processing unit, - local radio radiocommunication means, - a display screen, and - memory means, containing at least application / software means.

The corresponding application / software means comprise: means for searching for and collecting the communicating device or devices present in the perimeter of the radioelectric radiocommunication means of said peripheral equipment; means for identifying and filtering, among said communicating devices collected, those transmitting said sources of digital information data, - means for generating the list of available digital information data sources, - means for displaying said list on the screen of said information peripheral equipment, - means for selecting one of said sources of digital information data, and - means for establishing a radio connection via the radiocommunication means of said equipment and said corresponding communicating device, for access by the user of said selected digital data source.

The system according to the invention makes it possible to configure a personal medium in a particular use environment (for example during a transport), to benefit from real-time and personalized information, without using an operated network. In addition, this system preferably allows access to information without providing personal information to the network, while optimizing the power consumption and thus the autonomy of the peripheral equipment by the use that results.

Other features of the invention, which can be taken in combination or independently of one another, are detailed below:

at least some of the communicating devices comprise memory means containing several sources of digital information data transmitted simultaneously by the local radio radiocommunication means of said communicating devices;

- the sources of digital information data are of the textual information type;

the sources of digital information data are of the kind located geographically, according to the geographical location of the communicating device; this makes it possible to benefit from information according to a geolocation criterion, without using positioning means such as GPS;

the sources of digital information data have a dedicated identifier range;

- the communicating devices are distributed on the entry points (stops, bus shelters, etc.) and in the vehicles making up a public transport network; the communicating devices each comprise own identification means, in particular ensuring a visual cue for the location and identification of the data source of the system.

The present invention also relates to peripheral equipment for access by users to digital data sources of information broadcast by communicating devices, which equipment comprises: - a central processing unit, - local radio radiocommunication means a display screen, memory means containing at least application / software means. These application / software means comprise: means for searching for and collecting the communicating device or devices present in the perimeter of the radioelectric radiocommunication means of said peripheral equipment; means for identifying and filtering, among said communicating devices collected, those transmitting said sources of digital information data, - means for generating the list of available digital information data sources, - means for displaying said list on the screen of said equipment peripheral, - means for selecting one of said sources of digital data information, and - means for establishing a radio connection via the radiocommunication means of said equipment and said corresponding communicating device, for access by the user to said selected digital data source.

The invention also relates to a software application for peripheral equipment, aimed at authorizing access by users to digital data sources of information broadcast by communicating devices, which equipment comprises: a central processing unit, - Local radio radiocommunication means, - a display screen, - memory means for containing said software application. This software application is characterized by the fact that it includes:

means for searching for and collecting the communicating device or devices present in the perimeter of the radioelectric radiocommunication means of said peripheral equipment; means for identifying and filtering, among said collected communicating devices, those transmitting said digital data sources; information,

means for generating the list of available digital data sources of information,

means for displaying said list on the screen of said peripheral equipment; means for selecting one of said sources of digital information data, and

means for establishing a radio connection via the radiocommunication means of said equipment and of said corresponding communicating device, for access by the user to said selected digital data source of information. The present invention also relates to a method for accessing digital information data sources by users, in particular when they are transported by public transport, by means of a system comprising: a plurality of communicating devices which are each capable of broadcasting at least one of said digital information data sources, and - at least one user mobile peripheral equipment, which method comprises the following succession of operations:

the search and collection of the communicating device or devices present in the perimeter of the radiocommunication means of said peripheral equipment,

identification and filtration, among said collected communicating devices, of those transmitting said sources of digital information data, the generation of a list of available digital information data sources,

displaying said list on the screen of said peripheral equipment,

the selection by the user of one of said sources of digital data data, and the establishment of a radio connection via radio communication means equipping said peripheral equipment and said corresponding communicating device, for accessing the digital data source of selected information.

The invention will be further illustrated, without being limited in any way, by the following description of a particular embodiment, applied to a public transport network, in relation to the appended FIGS. 1 to 3 schematically showing the main steps of the method. for access to information.

In order to accompany the user when traveling or traveling on a transport network, the method and the system according to the invention rely on the provision of a set of data sources at the strategic locations of this network. digital information providing individualized access to localized information. This local information is advantageously related to the information needs expressed by the user; it is also a function of the location of the source within the network and the organization of flows. Preferably, it is considered as the strategic location of the network, any entry point of the network (stop, wharf, interchange, station, bus shelter, etc.) and vehicles component (bus, bus, train, tram, taxi , boat, etc.).

Each of these strategic locations is therefore equipped with a communicating device 1a comprising at least (not shown): - a central processing unit (microprocessor type),

local radio radiocommunication means (Wifi, Bluetooth, etc.),

memory means (for example RAM), containing at least one of the digital information data sources to be transmitted,

- Own identification means, ensuring in particular a visual cue of the location and identification of the data source of the system.

Each of these communicating devices thus forms a point or an access terminal, allowing a connection via a wireless link; these communicating devices together form, from the point of view of the user, a wireless information network.

The information conveyed by each of these sources is advantageously textual. This type of information has the particularity of being able to adapt to the users having a visual handicap, being by its nature possibly recoverable without difficulties in sound form, via a conventional software of vocalization of screen.

The information conveyed by each digital data source is moreover advantageously of the contextual type, and its purpose is to enable the user to find and orient himself from a temporal and spatial point of view within the network.

In practice, the information includes, for example, the following:

- vehicle transit or waiting times at a fixed point in the network, - business messaging (general and disturbance messages), - connections, - the next stops of a line, - the arrival time of a vehicle at its next stop, - the timetable of the lines, etc.

Access to sources of information is made through any mobile electronic equipment 2 belonging to the user, which is conventional in itself (mobile phone, personal assistant commonly referred to as a PDA, etc.).

This equipment 2 has for this at least (not shown) - a central processing unit, - radio local radio communication means (Bluetooth, Wifi, etc.), - a display screen, - memory means, hosting at least one software application described in more detail below. The discovery and access to information sources are driven by the application present on the mobile device of the user and on the initiative of the latter (in particular to provide an appropriate response to issues of particularly high power consumption of this type of device).

This software application (or application software or computer program), suitably designed and programmed, comprises in particular the following functional means:

means for generating the list of available digital data sources of information,

means for establishing a radio connection via the radiocommunication means of said equipment and of said corresponding communicating device, for access by the user to said selected digital data source of information. In practice and initially, the application will seek and collect the communicating devices 1 present in the radio perimeter (preferably in transmission) of the user's device 2, by means of these activated radiocommunication means ( figure 1 ). This detection is also a function of the coverage area (in particular in transmission) of the communicating devices 1.

This scanning operation completed and from the result of this scanning, the application will identify and filter, among the detected communicating devices 1, those 1 having one or more sources of information 3 specific to the use sought by the user (Figure 2). This identification step is advantageously made possible by the use of a range of identifiers dedicated to the wireless network of interest, which will allow the application to distinguish the communicating devices 1a of this network from the set communicating devices 1 detected within the radio perimeter of the device 2 of the user. For example, this identifier range is of the GUID type numerical identifier or "Globally Unique IDentifier".

More precisely, each local information source 3 is advantageously characterized by an identifier belonging to a specific identification range as well as by a label enabling the user to quickly identify its nature: for example, a fixed element (stop, etc. .) or mobile (Bus, etc.) of the public transport network, as well as its location in the organization of the transport network flows through the line and the destination to which it is attached (eg City Center Line 2 City Hall "or" Bus Line 2 Town Hall ").

Once this discovery and filtering finalized, the application provides the user, through the screen of his device 2, the list of local information sources 3 available and accessible, which he can access at this location and at this moment. This list contains for this the wording of each of the sources 3, as described above. This mode of designation will allow the user to simply identify the available sources 3 and choose the one that best corresponds to the current stage of its path on the network.

The user selects the source of information that interests him; then through the radio communication means of the device 2, the application allows the reception of information transmitted by the connection / radio link with this source 3 (Figure 3). As represented in FIG. 3, the user here selects one of the two sources 3 of a communicating device 1 a.

The dialogue set up between the two entities 1 a and 2 (represented diagrammatically in FIG. 3) is of the client / server type: the information source 3 serving as a server, and the user through its peripheral 2 serving as the customer.

The exchanges are organized dynamically around two methods: the method called "push" (the server sends the information to the customer) and the method called "pull" (the client will look for the information on the server). These methods make it possible to adapt to the nature and the importance of the information, the speed of the radio communication channels, as well as the load of use of the same source by a set of users.

The architecture as well as the organization of the exchanges between the two entities 1 a and 2 offer a fluidity, a flexibility and a robustness in the transmission and the update of the information, whose particularity is its strong dimension real-time, all this by guaranteeing a quality of service. In practice and as an example, in "pull" mode, a simple request is sent by the device of the user 2 towards the communicating device 1a, without sending information from the client to the server. This makes it possible in particular to avoid the sending of personal information, and also to limit the power consumption by the device of the user 2. From the point of view of the user, the communication is thus of the unidirectional type, that is to say server to client.

The user, through the application and its navigation interface function, accesses the information made available by the source 3 to which it is attached. Information, as such, is advantageously structured in an organized and hierarchical sequence of screens structuring the textual information and promoting its accessibility by the user according to different levels of requirements such as its nature, its importance, its time dimension real or its supposed frequency of consultation.

The user has the ability to navigate within this sequence and tree of screens through the interaction mechanism offered by its device 2 (keyboard, keys, stylus ...).

The connection between these two entities 1a and 2, and therefore the communication, is maintained during the period when each entity detects the presence of the other in its radio proximity zone. The user can also interrupt at any time its connection with the source 3, in order to be able to adapt the information it needs to move it via another source.

In general, the method and the system according to the invention make it possible to inform users in a localized and individualized manner, for example during their travels on a transport network whatever the size, nature and type. . The invention also allows individuals to quickly and simply access information that is geographically and individually located among a multiplicity of digital information data sources.

Claims

- CLAIMS -

1. -System for access to digital data sources of information by users, especially when they are traveling by public transport, which system comprises - several communicating devices (1 a) which are each able to broadcast one to least of said sources of digital information data (3), and - at least one user mobile peripheral equipment (2), which communicating devices (1 a) each comprise:

- a central processing unit,

- Local radio radiocommunication means, - memory means, containing at least one of said sources of digital information data (3) to be transmitted, and which peripheral equipment (2) comprises:

- a central processing unit,

local radio radiocommunication means, a display screen,

memory means, containing at least application / software means, characterized in that said application / software means comprise:

means for searching for and collecting the communicating device or devices (1) present in the perimeter of the radio-frequency radiocommunication means of said peripheral equipment (2),

means for identifying and filtering, among said collected communicating devices (1), those (1a) transmitting said sources of digital information data (3),

means for generating the list of available digital information data sources (3), means for displaying said list on the screen of said peripheral equipment (2),

means for selecting one of said sources of digital information data (3), and

means for establishing a radio connection via the radiocommunication means of said equipment (2) and said corresponding communicating device (1 a), for access by the user to said source of digital information data (3) selected.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that at least some of the communicating devices (1 a) comprise memory means containing several sources of digital information data (3) transmitted simultaneously by the local radio radiocommunication means of said devices. communicating (1 a).

3. System according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the sources of digital information data (3) are of the textual information type.

4. System according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the digital data sources of information (3) are of the geographically located genus, depending on the geographical location of the communicating device (1 a) broadcasting said source (3).

5. System according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the digital data sources of information (3) have a dedicated identifier range.

6. System according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the communicating devices (1 a) are distributed on the entry points and on the vehicles making up a public transport network.

7.- System according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the communicating devices (1a) each comprise specific means of identification, intended for users.

8. Peripheral equipment for access by users to digital data sources of information broadcast by communicating devices (1 a), which equipment (2) comprises: - a central processing unit, - radio radiocommunication means local, - a display screen, - memory means, containing at least application / software means, characterized in that the application / software means comprise:

means for selecting one of said sources of digital information data (3), and

means for establishing a radio connection via the radiocommunication means of said equipment (2) and of said corresponding communicating device (1a), for access by the user to said source of selected digital information data (3); .

9.- Software application for peripheral equipment, allowing access by users to digital data sources of information broadcast by communicating devices (1a), which equipment (2) comprises: - a central processing unit, - local radio radiocommunication means, - a display screen, - memory means for containing said software application, characterized in that said software application comprises: means for searching for and collecting the communicating device or devices (1) present in the perimeter of the radio-frequency radiocommunication means of said peripheral equipment (2),

means for generating the list of available digital data sources (3),

means for displaying said list on the screen of said peripheral equipment (2),

means for selecting one of said sources of digital information data (3), and

10. A method for accessing digital data sources of information by users, in particular when they are transported by public transport, by means of a system comprising: a plurality of communicating devices (1 a) which are each capable of broadcasting at least one of said sources of digital information data (3), and - at least one user mobile peripheral equipment (2), which method comprises the following succession of operations: - the search and the collection of the communicating device or devices (1) present in the perimeter of the radiocommunication means of said peripheral equipment (2),

identification and filtration, among said collected communicating devices (1), of those (1 a) transmitting said sources of digital information data (3), the generation of a list of digital data sources of information (3) available,

displaying said list on the screen of said peripheral equipment (2),

- the selection by the user of one of said sources of digital information data (3), and - the establishment of a radio connection via radiocommunication means equipping said peripheral equipment (2) and said device communicating correspondent (1 a), for access to the selected digital information data source (3).