Method And System For Secure Wheelchair Use In Demand Response Transportation Systems

Abstract

There is a system for secure use of a wheelchair in demand response transportation systems comprising a wheelchair restraint comprising a central housing, and a wheelchair strap, extending from the central housing, to secure the wheelchair restraint to the wheelchair, and a wheelchair strap sensor configured to provide a wheelchair strap sensor signal indicating whether the wheelchair strap is securely connected to a wheelchair via the wheelchair strap.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wheelchair restraint for use in a demand response vehicle, for securing a wheelchair to the demand response vehicle, the wheelchair restraint comprising:
 a central housing connected to the demand response vehicle;   a wheelchair strap, extending from the central housing, to secure the wheelchair restraint to the wheelchair;   a wheelchair strap sensor configured to provide a wheelchair strap sensor signal indicating whether the wheelchair strap is securely connected to the wheelchair; and   a tag configured to:
 receive the wheelchair strap sensor signal; and 
 communicate the wheelchair strap sensor signal via radio frequency identification to a processing tag. 
   
     
     
         2 . The wheelchair restraint of  claim 1  wherein the wheelchair strap sensor further comprises a first magnet disposed with the central housing proximate to where the wheelchair strap connects to the central housing, and a second magnet disposed on the wheelchair strap and remote from the central housing when the wheelchair strap is in a fully extended position. 
     
     
         3 . The wheelchair restraint of  claim 1  further comprising a mobile data terminal, located on the demand response vehicle and comprising the processing tag, wherein the mobile data terminal is further configured to:
 instruct a driver of the demand response vehicle to perform a pickup of a client; 
 determine if the client has a wheelchair; and 
 allow the driver to indicate the driver has performed the pickup, wherein, if the client has a wheelchair the allowing further comprises looking for the wheelchair strap sensor signal to indicate the wheelchair strap is securely connected to a wheelchair via the wheelchair strap and the vehicle strap sensor electrical signal to indicate the vehicle strap is securely affixed to the wheelchair anchor of the demand response vehicle. 
 
     
     
         4 . A system for secure use of a wheelchair in demand response transportation systems comprising:
 a wheelchair restraint comprising a central housing;   a wheelchair strap to secure the wheelchair restraint to the wheelchair, further comprising a wheelchair strap sensor configured to provide a wheelchair strap sensor signal indicating whether the wheelchair strap is securely connected to the wheelchair and a tag configured to:
 receive the wheelchair strap sensor signal; and 
 communicate the wheelchair strap sensor signal via radio frequency identification to a processing tag; and 
   a mobile data terminal further comprising a processing tag and a status indicator, the mobile data terminal configured to:
 receive the wheelchair strap sensor signal from the tag; 
 determine whether the wheelchair is in a secure state; and 
 indicate whether the wheelchair is in a secure state. 
   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the mobile data terminal is further configured to prevent operation of the demand response vehicle if the indication is the wheelchair is not in a secure state. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the indicating is further to a central management system that confirms the wheelchair is properly loaded. 
     
     
         7 . A method for secure use of a wheelchair in demand response transportation systems comprising:
 placing a wheelchair in a demand response vehicle;   connecting a wheelchair strap of the wheelchair restraint to the wheelchair;   learning whether the connecting was successful; and   indicating the results of the determining and learning.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the learning is based on a wheelchair strap sensor signal indicating the wheelchair strap is securely connected to the wheelchair via the wheelchair strap. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the connecting is based on connecting rules. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising disabling the demand response vehicle if the learning was not successful. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 instructing a driver of the demand response vehicle to perform a pickup of a client; 
 determining if the client has a wheelchair; and 
 allowing the driver to indicate the driver has performed the pickup. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the allowing is based on the learning.