Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
~9~6~ 9 . 8.1983
oily pa Ray
Ate 1789
Electronic Taxi meter with a Daytime Store
Electronic taxi meters as a rule now comprise at least an electronic
calculating part, a data store, an operating part, a programmer
store as well as a time pulse generator. Within -the data store it
is possible within a daytime store to store the actual time of the
day which is calculated with the assistance of the time pulse goner-
atop and which ma be indicated especially when the taxi meter is
not in function, i e. when the indicating means are not required for
indicating the current fare.
the daytime store however can also be used for diverse other swim-
eking purposes. For instance it is possible to effect a switching
over in the tariff structure of the taxi meter in dependence on the
daytime, for instance to switch over from a daytime tariff to a night
tariff. Naturally, it is also desirable that the indication of the
daytime is correct as well as the switching over of the taxi meter
from one tariff to another at exactly the right time. On the other
hand it cannot be excluded that also with a very exact time pulse
generator over a longer time period the contents of the daytime store
may deviate from the actual daytime so that a correction of the con-
tents of the daytime store is desirable.
Since, on the other hand, taxi meters may not be tampered with the
operation of the time pulse generator in connection with the daytime
store must normally be sealed so that an adjustment of the daytime
store cannot be carried through when the taxi meter is sealed. Such a
strict rule, however, prevents any ever so small correction of the
daytime store in order to make up for time deviations.
It is the object of the invention to indicate a method by means of
which the adjustment of the daytime store may be possible in spite
of its sealing which, however, makes impossible an intentional manic
pollution
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The invention is therefore concerned with a taxi meter having an
electronic calculating part, a data store, an operating part, a
programmer store as well as a time pulse generator in which taxi-
meter the actual daytime is stored in a daytime store and is made
available for indicating and switching purposes. It is character-
iced in that for adjusting the daytime store in predetermined
functional positions of the taxi meter, a first key allows for an
advancement of the daytime store within the limits of a predator-
mined time by means of a -first auxiliary time store, in that a
second key allows for a backward adjustment of the daytime store
within the same limits provided that a second auxiliary store which
upon actuation of the first or the second key is loaded and which
is continuously reset by the time pulse generator until it has
reached its zero position.
The possibility to correct the daytime store in accordance with the
invention can be dependent upon the sealing of the device, i.e. when
a seal is not applied any forward and backward adjustment of the day-
time store can be made possible which is required for making opera-
live the apparatus
Apart from that the adjustment of the daytime is only possible when
the taxi meter is in its "For Hire" position. Alternately it can be
additionally made dependent upon the operation of a key switch or
of another key which is not accessible to everybody, a key which is
for instance provided for the taxi owner to read out the contents of
stores so that in connection with the reading of the contents of
stores by a specifically authorized person also the correction of
the daytime store may be admissible.
The invention shall now be explained in connection with the enclosed
drawings in detail. The drawings show in
FIG. 1 a front view of the device,
FIG. 2 is a principle circuit diagram of the electronic
devices of the taximeterl
FIG. 3 is the correcting method according to the
invention for the daytime store
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As may be recognized from the front view according to FIG. 1 of
the taxi meter, this taxi meter is provided with a housing G which
at its lower end has a key band TO. In this key band there are a
number of operating keys such as for instance the keys To to To.
Additionally in this key band TO there may be a key switch SK which
by means of a key is only accessible to a specially authorized per-
son in order to execute certain readings of for instance the con-
trot stores etc. Naturally, also this key store can be arranged at
any other place of the housing, it can also be in the form of a
special key to be blocked.
Below the key band TO housing G is provided with 3 projections LO,
MY and REV. The medium projection TV serves to apply the name plate,
the 2 other left and right projections LO and REV serve to seal on
the one hand the housing of the apparatus by means of a seal OK,
whilst especially the tariff is secured by a seal PK.
Above the key band TO the housing is provided with a transparent in-
dilating field A which covers a face plate US. In the indicating
field there are provided several indicating windows AFT to AFT. The
bigger indicating windows AFT to AFT serve to indicate the fare and
the extras whilst the smaller indicating windows AFT to AFT serve to
indicate the tariff conditions.
In the indicating windows AFT and AFT during the operation of the
apparatus as already mentioned on the one hand the fare and on the
other hand the extras are indicated. When the apparatus is in opera-
live, i.e. when it is for instance functionally in the so-called "For
Hire" position, then other data may be indicated within the two in-
dilating windows AFT and AFT, for instance the contents of the con-
trot stores but also the actual daytime and a date or such like.
The indicating windows AFT to AFT are individually surrounded by
light emitting diodes LED by means of which it is possible to in
dilate the varying functional positions of the apparatus which are
made visible by means of a corresponding lettering in the indicating
fields AFT to AFT.
FIG. 2 essentially shows the main hardware components of the taxi-
meter. A microprocessor MY is the electronic calculating part.
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The microprocessor MY by means of amplifying and multiplexing means
VIM is connected to the indicating means AZ. The indicating means
AZ consist as it is known, of individual 7-segment- indicating eye-
mints which are visible behind the indicating windows AFT to AFT
according to FIG. 1.
Part of the essential hardware components of the electronics are
also the data store RAM, a tariff store PROM and one or two pro-
Grimm stores EPROM1 and EPROM2. The programmer stores EPROM1 and
EPROM2 take up the whole programmer of the taxi meter, for a simple
apparatus selectively naturally also a single programmer store EPROM1
may be completely sufficient. The data store RAM takes over all inter-
mediate values which have been calculated during the composition
of the fares and also any necessary testing and control values which
are secured by means of a battery By 1. The tariff store PRO con-
twins the varying tariff data which are determined by the tariff
regulations in the individual comma mites and countries. As concerns
the daytime store TO this can be part of the microprocessor or eel-
quilting part MY as well as part of a time pulse generator Z1. This,
however, has the consequence that when the taxi meter is not switched
in the microprocessor MY must be constantly supplied with voltage
so that the vehicle battery is permanently in use. It is, therefore,
more convenient to provide a special clock module CAL such as it is
in use for clocks, wireless alarm clocks, etc., in which the daytime
store TO is provided. The clock module CAL is provided with another
battery By 2 for securing the data therein and is also provided with
a time pulse generator Z2.
As the operating part of the device the key band TO is provided with
its keys To to To which each cooperate with contacts K1 to K4. Of
these keys for instance the key To serves to advance the taxi meter
to its functional positions from "For Hire" to "Tariff 1" "Tariff 2"
etc. whilst the key To serves to reverse the functional position of
the taxi meter for instance from "Cash" to "Tariff 1" or such like.
The keys To and To can have any desired function much the same as To
and To, the function being attributed by the programmer so that when
To is operated when the taxi meter is in operation, the extras are
switched on. Especially in the "For Hire" position the keys To and
To may have any desired special function such as for instance the
indication of the control stores, etc.
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The sealing screw PI actuates the contact K5 which is closed or oxen
when the device is readily sealed. In this way simultaneously -the
time pulse generators Z1 and Z2 are switched in which produce time
pulses. The key switch SK actuates a contact K6 when the key is in-
sorted and turned round. All contacts R1 to K6 together are connected
to a coding matrix C, in which the key signals are coded and deli-
eyed via input gates Go also to the bus lines By and By as this is
required by the programmer
Within the clock module CAL or the calculating part MY there is a
store used as daytime store TO which under control of the time pulse
generators Z1 or Z2 after a corresponding pulse reduction stores the
actual daytime and holds it readily available for indication by means
of the indicating means AZ. Two additional stores are the auxiliary
stores A and B which are required -for the correction of the daytime
store TO and which may also be either a part of the calculating part
MY or of the clock CAL as required. The auxiliary store B when it is
loaded is set in backward direction to zero by the time pulse goner-
atoms Z1 or Z2 when the daytime store TO is advanced.
The possibilities of correcting the time pulse store TO shall now
be explained especially in connection with FIG. 3 in more detail.
Within the taxi meter programmer 20 which is stored in the programmer
stores EPROM1 rest. EPROM2 there is a specially programmed part
attributed to the daytime adjustment 22. This programmer routine
will, however, only be called up when the taxi meter is in its "For
Hire" position 21, when the sealing contact PK/K5 23 is closed and
when the contact K6 has been actuated by means of the key switch
SK., i.e. only when the key switch SK 24 has been operated any ad-
justments in the switching on process of the daytime store TO by
MY or AL may be effected. Naturally, one can do also without the
additional security measure of providing the key switch SK when
this form of security is undesired. As a rule, however, it will be
advisable to carry through the testing routine daytime adjustment
2 2 in dependence on the operation of the key switch SK.
If within the testing routine "daytime adjustment" 22 the sealing con-
tact PK/K5 is found to be open, i.e. the seal is not set then the
daytime store TO can be adjusted at liberty in forward or backward
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direction 25. This is additionally dependent on the operation of
either the key To or To. In this case the key To has been attribu-
ted to the advancement and the key To to the reverse adjustment.
That means when the sealing contact PI 23 has not been set, and
the key To or the key To is operated then a forward and backward
adjustment of the daytime store TO can be carried through. This
measure is of a special importance when a new apparatus is to be
made ready to by operated or when any repairs or tariff adjustments
or such like have to be carried through.
When the key contact SQUEAK is not operated then at first the key To
(26) is interrogated whether the contact K4 is closed. If the con-
tact K4 is closed, i.e. To operated then at first the auxiliary store
B (27) is interrogated whether the time given therein has run out.
The auxiliary store B has the function that within a predetermined
time period of for instance 5 or 6 days, the time correction shall
be excluded so -that the adjustment of the daytime can only be effect
ted in certain time intervals in which also for instance the control
stores are interrogated or such like. The time period which is pro-
determined by this auxiliary store s depends, of course, on the
organizational uses of the individual taxi enterprise.
If the auxiliary time store s is not at zero position then also
no adjustment of the daytime is possible. Only when the auxiliary
time store B is reset/ a certain limited time period may be loaded
into the auxiliary time store A (28). This time may for instance
be maximally 5 minutes since a higher time difference between the
actual time and -the time stored in the daytime store TO under the
control of a quartz time pulse generator Z1 or Z2 is not possible.
Thereafter the forward adjustment may be effected by a correspond
dingy long actuation of the key To (29) so that the daytime store
TO is switched on by putting in additional pulses until by releasing
the key To it is demonstrated that the correct daytime has been
reached. After the adjustment again the auxiliary time store B is
loaded (30) so that within the time period of for instance 5 or 6
days, within this time store no new time adjustment can be effected
when the seal PI is set.
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In analog manner this will be carried through it instead of -the key
To for the forward setting adjustment the key To for the reverse
adjustments closed with the only difference that there is no ad-
van cement of the daytime store TO but a reverse adjustment as long
as the key To is depressed and within the limits of time given by
the auxiliary time store A (31 two 34).
In order to avoid that when adjusting the daytime store in forward
or backward direction its correct position is overrun by keeping the
keys To and To depressed for too long a time, the device can nature
ally also be programmed so that for each advancement or reversing
of the daytime store by one unit the key To or To has to be operated
once. In that case, of course, care must be taken that the time pulse
stores A and B are always loaded only once.
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