Design and improvement of an intelligent passenger information system for passenger service vehicles

Abstract

This project proposes the design and construction of an Intelligent Bus Stage Name Display and voice Announcement System for public vehicles on Kampala-Northern bypass route. The research seeks to create awareness to public transport users about their instant and forth coming stop points (stages) irrespective of time and weather conditions. It is also aimed at increasing confidence in the public transportation system as this can help reduce on the traffic jam in the City. We were engaged in physical discussions with various technical people like programmers, circuit or electronic designers, road engineers etc. and non-technical people like drivers, PSV users, etc. as a means of gathering information using questionnaires. Lecturers and technicians in the engineering field were also be very resourceful. The general public was also involved in identifying the significance of the problem under study and being able to establish requirements necessary for the development of an ideal system to provide adequate solution. Two communicating devices have been developed, one being a stage transmitter and the other being a universal display and voice announcing system for PSVs. The project uses RF technology to communicate between the transmitter and receiver. Each transmitter is programmed with its corresponding stage name that is transmitted continuously in a particular range. This signal will be captured by the receiver on the PSV when it reaches the stage transmitter range. The binary code will be processed to give out the stage name display and audio feedback corresponding to the binary code at the receiver. An LCD unit will be used for displaying the stage name and a speaker for the announcement. This system is recommended for use in taxis and pioneer buses that use semi-automated stop indicators that are limited to some areas within the automobile industry