WO2006114527A1

WO2006114527A1 - System and method for transporting within a delimited perimeter, particularly urban, interface site and generic vehicles adapted to such a system

Info

Publication number: WO2006114527A1
Application number: PCT/FR2006/000948
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pierre-Yves Gillot
Original assignee: Pierre-Yves Gillot
Priority date: 2005-04-27
Filing date: 2006-04-27
Publication date: 2006-11-02
Also published as: FR2885151A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a system (S) for transporting within a delimited perimeter (P), comprising: a fleet of generic vehicles (V1,...,Vi,...,VN) made available to users wanting to move within this perimeter (P); a number of parking and provision locations (SP1,..,SPj) for these generic vehicles, and; on this perimeter (P), at least one interface site (SI1, SI2) provided for receiving, on the one hand, vehicles traveling on a road network outside of the perimeter and, on the other, generic vehicles traveling inside said perimeter. The interface sites comprise transfer units for realizing a close proximity between a vehicle from the outside road network used by an individual wanting to travel within the perimeter (VP) and an available generic vehicle (V). The invention is used for solving transportation problems within environmentally sensitive contexts such as urban centers or protected zones.

Description

"Transport system and method in a defined area, including urban, interface site and generic vehicles adapted for such a system"

The present invention relates to a transport system in a defined area, including urban. It also relates to a method implemented in this system, as well as an interface site implemented in such a system, and adapted generic vehicles.

The field of the invention extends to any urban or peri-urban entity concerned with pollution and nuisance problems, traffic difficulties, traffic density, congestion, parking problems, the safety of motorists. , those of pedestrians, regulations, compliance with the Highway Code, speeds and maneuvers that may present risks. More generally, the disadvantages presented by the current organization of transport (goods) and movements (individuals) in urban areas, the cohabitation of these different activities and the multitude of users, their characteristics and their different abilities to the good use of the proposed systems (young drivers, elderly or disabled people, etc.)

Issues of nuisance generated by increasing car traffic in cities now come to the forefront of the concerns of residents, users, pedestrians and officials, especially as by 2015 - 2020, the world's population will be 75%, grouped in the cities, that the energy used today will no longer be available, or will wait for a price level such that barely 5% of the population will be able to access it and that the visible effects of our current system are already very worrying, and that the effects induced and difficult to measure at present are presumed to be particularly dangerous for living species and for the entire planet.

There are already attempts to address these issues, aiming to offer so-called clean vehicles.

EP 0325550 B1 thus discloses an urban automated charging transport system comprising a plurality of motor vehicles with an electric motor and equipped with an air turbine. Each vehicle is accessible by means of a personal card and a confidential code. An invoice for the cost of using the vehicles can be made using this card.

US 6,859,009 B2 discloses an urban transport system using a fleet of small and uniform vehicles, including a computer recording various information. The system includes vehicle maintenance means and a computer network for managing the information gathered by the onboard computers. The vehicles are notably powered by electric motors, or even internal combustion or hybrid. The user can access and leave the vehicle anywhere in the system.

However, the known proposals to date have the disadvantage of coexisting systems "low pollution" with traditional modes of fossil fuel propulsion. This has the consequence of not regulating, if it is the case (which is still to be verified) that a tiny part of the problems, difficulties and nuisances provoked. Moreover, this coexistence remains the main disadvantage of a system in which what matters is not the upward elevation of the characteristics of the vehicles used but rather their similarities and overall homogeneity. The purpose of the present invention is to overcome this drawback by proposing a transport system in a defined boundary, which immediately has a global character by completely replacing conventional vehicle traffic, a circulation of generic vehicles low pollution, put at the permanent disposal of the greatest number, current and future collective transport systems not being questioned and having to coexist with the proposed system.

This objective is achieved with a transport system within a demarcated perimeter, comprising:

a fleet of generic vehicles made available to users wishing to move within said perimeter,

a plurality of parking and provision sites for said generic vehicles, and

on said perimeter, at least one interface site arranged to receive, on the one hand, vehicles traveling on a road network outside the perimeter, and secondly, generic vehicles circulating within said perimeter, this interface site comprising transfer means for achieving a close proximity between a vehicle of the external road network used by a person wishing to travel to the site. interior of said perimeter and a generic vehicle available.

With the transport system according to the invention, we can now radically solve the problems currently posed by the coexistence and compatibility of conventional transport systems causing nuisance and a non-polluting transport system, since this question of Compatibility is now reported on the periphery of the enclosure through interface sites.

It is to be expected from the implementation of a transport system according to the invention a significant reduction of the nuisances related to the pollution of the air, the grounds, the waters, the noise nuisances and the stress of the drivers, of the other users. (bicycles) and pedestrians, a significant decrease in spaces dedicated to means of transport and travel, and a reduction in parking difficulties.

The transport system according to the invention should also contribute to an optimization of the overall energy consumed for traveling by limiting the "useless" journeys made today (from the parking point to the destination, from the starting point , instead of parking, ...)

A decrease in average travel time can also be expected, because the traffic density generated by the transport system according to the invention is lower, due to the homogeneity of the fleet of generic vehicles, and their technical characteristics and their characteristics. jigs. It would also be possible to enumerate numerous other advantages induced by the implementation of a transport system according to the invention, such as better accessibility to all the neighborhoods, all the streets and lanes of a city, a limitation of (individual and collective) transport and travel costs, or limiting accident risks and improving the overall safety of the sites.

The transport system according to the invention may advantageously comprise means for spatially managing the vehicle fleet generic. These space management means may for example comprise means for managing electric vehicle stocks in predetermined parking sites within the perimeter and in the interface site (s), and generic vehicle flows between the sites of the vehicle. parking and the interface site (s).

It is also possible that the transport system according to the invention further comprises means for temporally managing the use of generic vehicles. These time management means are for example provided for optimizing the use of each generic vehicle, according to a plurality of sequences among sequences of person transport, delivery of goods, energy transfer, or maintenance.

Another feature of a transport system according to the invention can also reside in the management of the energy consumed by the fleet of generic vehicles. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of transport within a defined boundary, implemented in the transport system according to the invention, this method comprising: - a supply of a fleet generic vehicles made available to users wishing to move within said perimeter, - transfer, in at least one interface site disposed on said perimeter, between vehicles traveling on a road network outside the perimeter, and on the other hand, generic vehicles circulating inside said perimeter, this transfer being intended to provide a close proximity between a vehicle of the external road network used by a person wishing to move within said perimeter and a generic vehicle available .

It should be noted that the transport method according to the invention can furthermore integrate an automated management of a displacement of a generic vehicle on a predetermined path within the perimeter, implementing means of hardware or software guidance. . This automated management can be used in particular for the transfer of generic vehicles between parking sites, interface or maintenance, for the purpose of inventory management of vehicles available.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided an interface site implemented in a transport system according to the invention, this transport system comprising a fleet of generic vehicles set to the disposition of users wishing to move within a delimited perimeter.

This interface site is characterized in that it is located on said perimeter and is arranged to receive, on the one hand, vehicles traveling on a road network outside the perimeter, and on the other hand, generic vehicles traveling on inside said perimeter, and in that it comprises transfer means arranged to achieve close proximity between a vehicle of the external road network used by a person wishing to move within said perimeter and an available generic vehicle. In a first possible embodiment, the transfer means comprise a first set of locations provided for vehicles traveling on the external road network and a second set of locations provided for generic vehicles, and these first and second sets of locations are located substantially on the same plane and alternate.

In a second possible embodiment, the first and second sets of locations are respectively located on substantially superposed first and second planes between which access means are provided. The locations provided for generic vehicles can be advantageously equipped with energy transfer means, as well as maintenance means, predictive or curative.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a generic vehicle designed for a transport system according to the invention, comprising:

- a modular base,

- propulsion means,

means for managing the energy exchanged with the propulsion means,

means for controlling and controlling the propulsion means and the energy management means,

driving means cooperating with the control and control means, and

means of communication, in particular with a monitoring center of the transport system. The modular base of a generic vehicle according to the invention can be provided for a configuration of this vehicle in the delivery mode of goods.

The means of communication of the generic vehicle can be arranged to communicate with other generic vehicles so as to provide a cooperative road behavior. A generic vehicle according to the invention may comprise driving assistance means and anti-collision assistance means.

The generic vehicles used in the system according to the invention are preferably non-polluting vehicles, for example electrical vehicles. Technological solutions including fuel cells fueled with hydrogen can be envisaged, or any other technological solution with little or no pollution.

The invention will be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a transport system according to the invention;

FIG. 2 diagrammatically illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of an interface system implemented in a transport system according to the invention;

- Figure 3 schematically illustrates a second embodiment of an interface system implemented in a transport system according to the invention;

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates an example of a generic vehicle implemented in a transport system according to the invention;

FIG. 5 schematically represents an example of a functional structure of a generic vehicle implemented in a transport system according to the invention; FIG. 6 illustrates interactions between a supervision center of a transport system according to the invention and a generic vehicle; and

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of cycles of use of a genetic vehicle in a transport system according to the invention. A transport system S according to the invention, implemented inside a perimeter P, comprises, with reference to FIG. 1, a fleet of generic vehicles Vl, ..., Vi, ... VN set available to people moving within this perimeter. Interface sites SI1, SI2, ... SIi between the outside circulation network and the perimeter P and the internal traffic network are provided on this perimeter which includes parking and provisioning sites SP1, ... SPj for generic vehicles, SMl maintenance sites, and SL sites dedicated to delivery operations. An SC supervision center of the transport system S provides control and management of the fleet of generic vehicles.

The interface sites SI1, SI2,... SIi are designed to receive, on the one hand, VP private vehicles of conventional or hybrid technology, traveling on tracks VE1, VE2,... VE1 of the external road network, and on the other hand, generic vehicles V. These interface systems have the function of ensuring an easy and fast transfer between the open network of external traffic and the closed network of internal circulation.

In a first exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, an interface system SI1, installed on the perimeter P built on the same plane, consists of a set of interface cells C each comprising a parking space of a conventional vehicle VP traveling on an external VE interface track and a parking place and providing a generic vehicle V traveling on an inner channel VI interface.

In a second exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, an interface system SI2 is designed on two levels and consists of a set of transfer cells T comprising an upper compartment TS intended to receive a conventional or hybrid vehicle VP and a lower compartment TI adapted to receive a generic vehicle V.

In the embodiments which have just been described, the parking spaces and the provision of the generic vehicles are equipped with energy transfer systems designed to provide the parked generic vehicles with energy in various forms which depend on the energy technology adopted for these generic vehicles. A generic vehicle V implemented in a transport system according to the invention has the main characteristics of being equipped with a propulsion mode with very low pollution and nuisances, to provide a spacious cabin for its users, and to present a high level of modularity. With reference to FIG. 4, this generic vehicle V comprises for example five seats, a height of approximately 2 m and a length of approximately 2.5 to 3 m. It is equipped with MR wheel motors powered electrically from an ME energy module and controlled from a control and control module MC, and an MP cockpit equipped with all the equipment necessary to piloting and travel assistance.

Various energy modes can currently be envisaged for a fleet of generic vehicles, including: "all-electric" generic vehicles, with energy storage embedded in accumulators and energy supply

(charge) wired or non-wired (induction);

- generic vehicles equipped with fuel cells with energy storage in the form of a hydrogen tank;

- generic vehicles equipped with a compressed air turbine with energy storage in a cylinder and possibly energy recovery;

hybrid generic vehicles comprising an electrical energy module and a module of another form of energy.

The internal structure of a generic vehicle includes, with reference to FIG. 5, a communication module CO, an AC sensor module. The energy module ME comprises an energy storage unit SE and an energy conversion unit CE.

The generic vehicles have a high level of modularity from a common base, which allows the following configurations: - transport of people, with the possibility of receiving a wheelchair for a disabled person and a stroller for children,

- transport and delivery of goods.

The supervision center SC provides, with reference to FIG. 6:

- the spatial management of the fleet of generic vehicles within the perimeter P, - the time management of these generic vehicles, by measuring in particular their utilization rate and by managing their predictive maintenance, the management of the energy consumed by the fleet of generic vehicles.

The SC supervision center is in relation with each generic vehicle via a communication network and via an energy network. It should be noted that the communication network can very well use as a material support the energy network, using now well-known techniques of communication by power lines on power lines.

Each generic vehicle V is arranged to communicate with the monitoring center SC and in particular to provide it with information on its spatial location determined by conventional satellite positioning means, according to GPS or Gallileo technology, and ST state information including, for example its stored energy level, its predictive maintenance status, its availability and its current type of use (TP: transport of persons, LM: delivery of goods).

Spatial management of the generic vehicle fleet includes vehicle inventory management at SP1, SP2 and SI1, SI2, SI3 interface sites, and vehicle flow management within the perimeter. P. An optimization of the availability of generic vehicles is ensured by the SC supervision center.

The time management of generic vehicles may include optimizing their TU utilization rate, predictive maintenance of fleet vehicles, and optionally selective access control to generic vehicles.

An example of a cycle of use of a generic vehicle in a transport system according to the invention will now be described with reference to FIG. A generic vehicle V located in an interface site SI of the transport system is thus considered. During this parking phase, the vehicle V, which is available, benefits from a sequence of energy transfer, for example in the form of an inductive transfer of electrical energy. During this sequence, the vehicle V can communicate with the monitoring center SC on its state. When a potential user Ul arrives in a conventional vehicle from the external traffic network and parks in the location adjacent to the location on which the generic vehicle available is located, detection equipment orders the stopping of the transfer sequence. energy. The user Ul is installed in the generic vehicle V and starts it, with the aim of moving inside the perimeter P. during this transport sequence, the vehicle V communicates with the control center SC on its location instant. A conventional or dedicated travel assistance system is provided in the generic vehicle to allow the user to navigate within the perimeter.

When the user has reached the parking or parking site SP closest to his goal, he then releases the generic vehicle V which informs the supervisory center SC. In this example, then starts a parking sequence during which the generic vehicle V has a load of electrical energy. This vehicle is then taken in hand by a second U2 user who during his trip receives, on the MP cockpit of the vehicle, an invitation to join a SM maintenance site. At the end of a maintenance sequence, the vehicle V is configured in the goods delivery mode, to reach an SL delivery site.

Generic vehicles may be equipped with means of access control, in particular to identify users, for example to restrict their use by young people below a predetermined age threshold. These means of access control can be made from any currently available technology and integrate any individual or collective strategy.

The generic vehicles according to the invention may also be provided with means for controlling use within the defined boundary, and means for automating a route, taking into account a starting point and a destination point transmitted by the user of the vehicle.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the example just described. One can imagine many other embodiments and implementation of a management system according to the invention, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, a transport system according to the invention can be installed in the following sites:

- A company located on a large site,

- An amusement park covering a large area, - A protected national park offering the possibility of surveillance or visit does not disturb the fauna and flora A resort offering a structure without nuisance ...

- An island on which the population and / or those responsible decide to limit the use of polluting vehicles, - A mountain range,

A state, a principality, a kingdom,

- A university campus, A hospital zone,

- A health center, for retired, rehabilitation, - A holiday center.

Claims

1. Transport system (S) within a delimited perimeter (P), comprising: - a fleet of generic vehicles Vl, ..., Vi, VN made available to users wishing to travel to the inside said perimeter (P),

a plurality of sites (SP1,..., SPj) for parking and making available for said generic vehicles, and

on said perimeter (P), at least one interface site (SI1, SI2) arranged to receive, on the one hand, vehicles (VP) traveling on a road network outside the perimeter (P), and on the other hand on the other hand, generic vehicles circulating inside said perimeter (P), this interface site (SI1, SI2) comprising transfer means (C, T) for achieving close proximity between a vehicle (VP) of the road network exterior used by a person wishing to move within said perimeter (P) and an available generic vehicle (V), the transfer means comprising a set of cells (C, T), each cell comprising a parking space for a a vehicle traveling on the external road network and a parking and parking space for a generic vehicle.

2. System (S) according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises means for spatially managing the fleet of generic vehicles.

3. System (S) according to claim 2, characterized in that the space management means comprise means for managing stocks of electric vehicles or non-polluting in predetermined parking sites (SPl, ..., SPj) to within the perimeter and in the interface site or sites (SI1, SI2), and generic vehicle flows between said parking sites and said interface site (s).

4, System (S) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it further comprises means for temporally managing the use of generic vehicles.

5. System (S) according to claim 4, characterized in that the time management means are provided to optimize the use of each generic vehicle, according to a plurality of sequences among sequences of transport of person, delivery of goods, energy transfer, or maintenance.

6. System (S) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises means for managing the energy consumed by the fleet of generic vehicles.

7. System (S) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one of the generic vehicles comprises:

- a modular base,

- propulsion means (MR),

means (ME) for managing the energy exchanged with the propulsion means,

control and control means (MC) of the propulsion means and energy management means,

control means (MP) cooperating with the control and control means (MC), and - communication means (CO), in particular with a supervision center (SC) of the transport system (S).

8. System (S) according to claim 7, characterized in that the adjustable base is provided for a configuration of said vehicle in the delivery mode of goods.

9. System (S) according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the communication means (CO) are arranged to communicate with other generic vehicles to provide co-operative road behavior.

10. A method of transport within a delimited perimeter (P), implemented in the transport system (S) according to any one of the preceding claims, this method comprising: - a supply of a fleet of generic vehicles (Vl, ..., Vi, .., VN) made available to users wishing to move within said perimeter (P), - a transfer, in at least one interface site (SIl , SI2) disposed on said perimeter (P), between vehicles (VP) circulating on a road network outside the perimeter (P), and secondly, generic vehicles (V) circulating inside said perimeter, this transfer being provided to provide close proximity between a vehicle (VP) of the external road network used by a person wishing to move within said perimeter and an available generic vehicle (V), and being realized by means of a set of cells (C, T), each cell comprising u n parking space for a vehicle traveling on the external road network and a parking and parking space for a generic vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, characterized in that it further comprises a spatial management of the fleet of generic vehicles.

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that the spatial management comprises an inventory management of electric or non-polluting vehicles in predetermined parking sites within the perimeter and in the interface site or sites, and a managing generic vehicle flows between said parking sites and said one or more interface sites.

13. Method according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that it further comprises a time management of the use of generic vehicles.

14. Method according to claim 13, characterized in that the time management comprises an optimization of the use of each generic vehicle, according to a plurality of sequences among sequences of transport of person, of delivery of goods, of energy transfer. , or maintenance.

15. Method according to one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that it further comprises a management of the energy consumed by the fleet of generic vehicles.

16. Method according to one of claims 10 to 15, characterized in that it further comprises an automated management of a displacement of a generic vehicle on a predetermined path within the perimeter, implementing means guidance.

17. Interface site (SI1, SI2) implemented in a transport system (S) according to one of claims 1 to 9, this transport system (S) comprising a fleet of generic vehicles made available to users wishing to move within a perimeter (P), the interface site being located on said perimeter (P) and being arranged to receive, on the one hand, vehicles (VP) circulating on a network outside the perimeter, and secondly, generic vehicles (V) circulating within said perimeter, and comprising transfer means (C, T) arranged to achieve close proximity between a vehicle (VP) of the network road vehicle used by a person wishing to move within said perimeter and an available generic vehicle (V), the transfer means comprising a set of cells (C, T), each cell comprising a location parking for a vehicle traveling on the external road network and a parking place and provision for a generic vehicle.

18. interface site (SIl) according to claim 17, characterized in that the locations provided for vehicles traveling on the external road network and the locations provided for generic vehicles are located substantially on the same plane and alternate.

19. Interface site (SI2) according to claim 17, characterized in that for at least one cell the location for a vehicle traveling on the external road network and the location for a generic vehicle are located respectively on first and second substantially superimposed planes between which access means are provided.

20. Interface site according to one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that the locations provided for the generic vehicles are equipped with energy transfer means.

21. Interface site according to one of claims 17 to 20, characterized in that the locations provided for the generic vehicles are equipped with maintenance means.