Taxi trip meter system with indication of fare and distance violations

Abstract

A taxi trip meter system includes a taximeter and a location sensor connected to a computer loaded with street information and driver evaluation software. In a first embodiment, the estimated shortest route and distance between the starting and ending points of a trip are determined. If the estimated shortest trip distance is exceeded by an actual trip distance by a permissible margin, a distance violation is indicated. An actual average speed is calculated based on an actual trip duration and the actually traveled distance. If an estimated average speed limit for the actual route is exceeded by the actual average speed, a speed violation is indicated. In a second embodiment, an estimated taxi fare is calculated based on the estimated shortest route. If the estimated taxi fare is exceeded by an actual taxi fare calculated by the taximeter by a permissible margin, a fare violation is indicated.

I claim: 
     
       1. A taxi trip meter system for a taxi, comprising:
 a computer; 
 a trip meter connected to said computer, said trip meter for measuring an actual trip distance traveled by said taxi between a starting point and a destination point; 
 a location sensor providing geographical location information about said taxi to said computer; and 
 instructions loaded in said computer instructing said computer to calculate an estimated shortest trip distance between said starting point and said destination point, to compare said estimated shortest trip distance with said actual trip distance, and to indicate a distance violation when said estimated shortest trip distance is exceeded by said actual trip distance by a predetermined distance margin. 
 
     
     
       2. The taxi trip meter system of  claim 1 , wherein said location sensor comprises a GPS receiver. 
     
     
       3. The taxi trip meter system of  claim 1 , further including a transmitter connected to said computer for transmitting violation information. 
     
     
       4. The taxi trip meter system of  claim 1 , further including a display connected to said computer for displaying violation information. 
     
     
       5. The taxi trip meter system of  claim 1 , further including a printer connected to said computer for printing violation information. 
     
     
       6. The taxi trip meter system of  claim 1 , further including a taximeter connected to said computer, and instructions instructing said computer to calculate an estimated taxi fare for said estimated shortest trip distance, and to compare said estimated taxi fare to an actual taxi fare calculated by said taximeter for said actual trip distance, and to indicate a fare violation when said estimated taxi fare is exceeded by said actual taxi fare by a predetermined fare margin. 
     
     
       7. A taxi trip distance violation detection method, comprising:
 determining a starting point for a trip; 
 determining a destination point for said trip; 
 determining an estimated shortest trip distance between said starting point and said destination point; 
 determining an actual trip distance traveled by a vehicle after said trip is completed; 
 comparing said estimated shortest trip distance with said actual trip distance; and 
 indicating a distance violation when said estimated shortest trip distance is exceeded by said actual trip distance by a predetermined distance margin. 
 
     
     
       8. The taxi trip distance violation detection method of  claim 7 , wherein said estimated shortest trip distance comprises a driving distance through known roads. 
     
     
       9. The taxi trip distance violation detection method of  claim 7 , wherein said estimated shortest trip distance comprises a straight line distance between said starting point and said destination point. 
     
     
       10. The taxi trip distance violation detection method of  claim 7 , further including determining an actual trip duration after said trip is completed, determining an actual average speed, determining an estimated average speed limit for an actual route traveled during said trip, and indicating a speed violation when said estimated average speed limit is exceeded by said actual average speed. 
     
     
       11. The taxi trip distance violation detection method of  claim 7 , further including recording an actual route traveled during said trip for subsequent review for excusable causes for said distance violation. 
     
     
       12. A An automated taxi fare estimating method, comprising:
 using a computer including street information accessible thereon, the computer including program instructions to receive geographical location information from at least one network connected location sensor and to access the street information based on the received geographical location information, the computer program instructions comprising:
 receiving geographical location information from the at least one location sensor;   determining a starting point for a trip based on the received geographical location information;   determining a destination point for said trip;   determining an estimated shortest trip distance between said starting point and said destination point based on the street information or on a straight-line distance determined between the starting point and destination point;   determining an estimated waiting time encountered in traffic during said trip based on the geographical location information and the street information; and   determining an estimated taxi fare based on said estimated shortest trip distance and said estimated waiting time.   
 
     
     
       13. The taxi fare estimating method of  claim 12 , wherein said estimated shortest trip distance comprises a driving distance through known roads. 
     
     
       14. The taxi fare estimating method of  claim 12 , wherein said estimated shortest trip distance comprises a straight line distance between said starting point and said destination point. 
     
     
       15. The taxi fare estimating method of  claim 12 , further including determining an actual taxi fare with a taximeter for an actual trip distance traveled during said trip, comparing said estimated taxi fare to said actual taxi fare, and indicating a fare violation when said estimated taxi fare is exceeded by said actual taxi fare by a predetermined fare margin. 
     
     
       16. The taxi fare estimating method of  claim 12 , further including determining an actual trip duration after said trip is completed, determining an actual average speed, determining an estimated average speed limit for an actual route traveled during said trip, and indicating a speed violation when said estimated average speed limit is exceeded by said actual average speed. 
     
     
       17. The taxi fare estimating method of  claim 12 , further including recording an actual route traveled during said trip for subsequent review for excusable causes for said fare violation. 
     
     
       18. The taxi trip meter system of claim 1 wherein the computer is in network communication with the trip meter. 
     
     
       19. The taxi fare estimating method of claim 12 wherein the estimated taxi fare is determined on a remote computer in network communication with a taxi trip meter. 
     
     
       20. The taxi fare estimating method of claim 12 wherein the estimated shortest trip distance is determined using the geographical location information. 
     
     
       21. The taxi fare estimating method of claim 12, the method steps further comprising:
 determining an estimated vehicle speed using the geographical location information; and   wherein the estimated taxi fare determination is based on the estimated shortest trip distance, the estimated waiting time, and the estimated vehicle speed.   
     
     
       22. The taxi fare estimating method of claim 12, the method steps further comprising:
 determining an estimated vehicle speed using the geographical location information;   determining the estimated shortest trip distance and the estimated waiting time using the geographical location information; and   wherein the estimated taxi fare determination is based on the estimated shortest trip distance, the estimated waiting time, and the estimated vehicle speed.   
     
     
       23. The taxi fare estimating method of claim 12, the method steps further comprising:
 determining an estimated vehicle speed using the geographical location information; and   wherein the fare is based on the estimated shortest trip distance, the estimated waiting time, and the estimated vehicle speed.   
     
     
       24. The taxi fare estimating method of claim 12, the method steps further comprising:
 determining an estimated vehicle speed using the geographical location information; and   wherein the fare is based on the estimated distance traveled when the estimated vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined speed and on the estimated waiting time when the estimated vehicle speed does not exceed the predetermined speed.   
     
     
       25. The taxi fare estimating method of claim 12, the method steps further comprising:
 determining an estimated vehicle speed using the geographical location information;   determining an estimated driving distance using the geographical location information; and   wherein the fare is based on the estimated shortest trip distance, the estimated waiting time, the estimated driving distance, and the estimated vehicle speed.   
     
     
       26. The taxi fare estimating method of claim 12, wherein the estimated waiting time is determined using route information available on a computer, wherein the route information includes traffic light or traffic congestion information. 
     
     
       27. The taxi fare estimating method of claim 12, wherein a computer determines the fare from a remote location and communicates the fare over a network connection. 
     
     
       28. The taxi fare estimating method of claim 12, the method steps further comprising:
 communicating the estimated fare to a rider upon or after completion of the trip.   
     
     
       29. The taxi fare estimating method of claim 12, the method steps further comprising:
 determining an actual fare based upon an actual trip distance or an actual trip duration; and   indicating a fare violation if the actual fare exceeds the estimated fare by a predetermined permissible margin.   
     
     
       30. An automated taxi trip meter system, the system comprising:
 a computer in network communication with at least one location sensor, the computer including street information accessible thereon and program instructions for performing the program steps comprising:
 receiving geographical location information from the at least one location sensor; 
 determining a starting point for a trip based on the geographical location information; 
 determining a destination point for the trip; 
 accessing the street information using the geographical location information; 
 determining an estimated shortest trip distance between the starting point and the destination point based on the street information or on a straight-line distance determined between the starting point and destination point; 
 determining an estimated waiting time in traffic during the trip based on the street information; and 
 determining an estimated fare based on the estimated shortest trip distance and the estimated waiting time. 
   
     
     
       31. The taxi trip meter system of claim 30 wherein the estimated waiting time is determined using the geographical location information. 
     
     
       32. The taxi trip meter system of claim 30, the program steps further comprising:
 determining an estimated vehicle speed using the geographical location information; and   wherein the estimated taxi fare determination is based on the estimated shortest trip distance, the estimated waiting time, and the estimated vehicle speed.   
     
     
       33. The taxi trip meter system of claim 30, the program steps further comprising:
 determining an estimated vehicle speed using the geographical location information;   determining the estimated waiting time using the geographical location information; and   wherein the estimated taxi fare determination is based on the estimated shortest trip distance, the estimated waiting time, and the estimated vehicle speed.   
     
     
       34. The taxi trip meter system of claim 30, the program steps further comprising:
 determining an estimated vehicle speed using the geographical location information; and   wherein the fare is based on the estimated shortest trip distance, the estimated waiting time, and the estimated vehicle speed.   
     
     
       35. The taxi trip meter system of claim 30, the program steps further comprising:
 determining an estimated vehicle speed using the geographical location information; and   wherein the fare is based on the estimated distance traveled when the estimated vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined speed and on the estimated waiting time when the estimated vehicle speed does not exceed the predetermined speed.   
     
     
       36. The taxi trip meter system of claim 30, the program steps further comprising:
 determining an estimated vehicle speed using the geographical location information;   determining an estimated driving distance using the geographical location information; and   wherein the fare is based on the estimated shortest trip distance, the estimated waiting time, the estimated driving distance, and the estimated vehicle speed.   
     
     
       37. The taxi trip meter system of claim 30, wherein the estimated shortest trip distance is determined using actual street route information available on the computer. 
     
     
       38. The taxi trip meter system of claim 30, wherein the estimated waiting time is determined using route information available on the computer, wherein the route information includes at least one of traffic light or traffic congestion information. 
     
     
       39. The taxi trip meter system of claim 30, wherein the computer determines the fare from a remote location and communicates the fare over a network connection. 
     
     
       40. The taxi trip meter system of claim 30, the program steps further comprising:
 communicating the estimated fare to a rider upon or after completion of the trip.   
     
     
       41. The taxi trip meter system of claim 30, the program steps further comprising:
 determining an actual fare based upon an actual trip distance or an actual trip duration; and   indicating a fare violation if the actual fare exceeds the estimated fare by a predetermined permissible margin.