1.

INTRODUCTION

A real time passenger information system is an electronic information system which provides real-time passenger information (a real time system responds to events or signals as fast as possible, or as they happen). It may include both predictions about arrival and departure times, as well as information about the nature and causes of disruptions. It may be used both physically within a transportation hub and remotely using a web browser or mobile device.

The passenger often has a choice of methods to reach a specific destination, but there is rarely a single source which can provide information of the times and costs of all the options. One type of system likely to become more common is the automated telephonebased information system which incorporates speech recognition. This allows a blind person to obtain information in audio form in an interactive way. These systems can work well if the caller has a reasonably standard query; however they need to be well designed to avoid confusion.

There is likely to be an increasing amount of information on the web but it may not be in the most accessible or usable format. Timetables are often shown in a complex tabular presentation which is difficult to access with speech output. Another method of accessing such information may be interactive television; as yet, these systems are largely inaccessible to blind and partially sighted people.

Figure 1(a). Real time passenger information system in bus. In some towns, bus stops are fitted with a visual display giving the destination and expected arrival time of the next bus. It would be possible to have speech output from this display; this could be activated by a button or a contactless smart card.

Infra-red systems have been developed which involve a transmitter mounted on the bus stop and the blind person carries a hand-held device which gives out the audible message; the disadvantage of such systems is that they are expensive to install and maintain. Another method of obtaining speech output from a visual display would be by a short-range radio link, such as Bluetooth, to a mobile phone handset. This use of the mobile phone handset could also apply to screens on platforms at railway stations and transmitters could also be mounted on buses giving their route numbers and destination.

Figure 1(b). Real time PIS in train.

Some trains have a visual display of the name of the next stop and a few have an audible announcement. This is less common in buses, even though the technology is available. In circumstances where public audible announcements may be unsuitable, wireless systems could be employed to make the announcements available to the passengers who want them. LEDs are used on the front of buses to display the bus number and route. The technology works by using a series of dot matrix arrangement. The appropriate dot is lit up to display the required text message. The led outputs light which is much brighter than normal daylight or light bulbs. This makes it viewable in most conditions and locations.

The Real Time Passenger Information System provides public transport operators with greater flexibility when extending or updating passenger information systems and is thus highly cost-effective.

2. BLOCK DIAGRAM

Figure 2. Block diagram

2.1 DESCRIPTION
The Real time passenger information system uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to determine real-time information (location and time) of the bus and taking into account the current position of the buses, speed and scheduled stops predicts the expected time of arrival of the bus at any stop on the selected route. The GPS module is interfaced to the micro controller. The microcontroller then sends the information to be displayed to the led display. 2.1.1 GPS MODULE The Global Positioning System (GPS) is global navigation satellite system which uses a constellation of between 24 and 32 Medium Earth Orbit satellites that transmit precise microwave signals that enable GPS receivers to determine their location, speed, direction, and time. GPS has become a widely used aid to navigation worldwide, and a useful tool for map-making, land surveying, commerce, scientific uses, tracking and surveillance, and hobbies such as geo-caching and way marking. Also, the precise time reference is used in many applications including the scientific study of earthquakes and as a time synchronization source for cellular network protocols. GPS has become a mainstay of transportation systems worldwide, providing navigation for aviation, ground, and maritime operations. Disaster relief and emergency
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services depend upon GPS for location and timing capabilities in their life-saving missions. The accurate timing that GPS provides facilitates everyday activities such as banking, mobile phone operations, and even the control of power grids. Farmers, surveyors, geologists and countless others perform their work more efficiently, safely, economically, and accurately using the free and open GPS signals. 2.1.2 MICROCONTROLLER A microcontroller is a small computer on a single integrated circuit containing a processor core, memory, and programmable input/output peripherals. Microcontrollers are designed for embedded applications, in contrast to the microprocessors used in personal computers or other general purpose applications.

Microcontrollers are used in automatically controlled products and devices, such as automobile engine control systems, implantable medical devices, remote controls, office machines, appliances, power tools, and toys. By reducing the size and cost compared to a design that uses a separate microprocessor, memory, and input/output devices, microcontrollers make it economical to digitally control even more devices and processes. Mixed signal microcontrollers are common, integrating analog components needed to control non-digital electronic systems.

Some microcontrollers may use Four-bit words and operate at clock rate frequencies as low as 4 kHz, for low power consumption (milliwatts or microwatts). They will generally have the ability to retain functionality while waiting for an event such as a button press or other interrupt; power consumption while sleeping (CPU clock and most peripherals off) may be just nanowatts, making many of them well suited for long lasting battery applications. Other microcontrollers may serve performance-critical roles, where they may need to act more like a digital signal processor (DSP), with higher clock speeds and power consumption.

2.1.3 LED DOT MATRIX An LED display is a video display which uses light-emitting diodes. A LED panel is a small display, or a component of a larger display. They are typically used outdoors in store signs and billboards, and in recent years have also become commonly used in destination signs on public transport vehicles. LED panels are sometimes used as form of lighting, for the purpose of general illumination, task lighting, or even stage lighting rather than display.

A dot matrix display is a display device used to display information on machines, clocks, railway departure indicators and many and other devices requiring a simple display device of limited resolution. The display consists of a matrix of lights or mechanical indicators arranged in a rectangular configuration (other shapes are also possible, although not common) such that by switching on or off selected lights, text or graphics can be displayed. A dot matrix controller converts instructions from a processor into signals which turns on or off lights in the matrix so that the required display is produced.

3. CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

The circuit consists of

GPS module Microcontroller Serial in serial/parallel out shift registers Darlington transistor array LED dot matrix display

3.1 GPS MODULE 3.1.1 METHOD OF OPERATION A GPS receiver calculates its position by carefully timing the signals sent by the constellation of GPS satellites high above the Earth. Each satellite continually transmits messages containing the time the message was sent, a precise orbit for the satellite sending the message (the ephemeris), and the general system health and rough orbits of all GPS satellites (the almanac). These signals travel at the speed of light through outer space, and slightly slower through the atmosphere. The receiver uses the arrival time of each message to measure the distance to each satellite thereby establishing that the GPS receiver is approximately on the surfaces of spheres centered at each satellite. The GPS receiver also uses, when appropriate, the knowledge that the GPS receiver is on (if vehicle altitude is known) or near the surface of a sphere centered at the earth center. This information is then used to estimate the position of the GPS receiver as the intersection of sphere surfaces. The resulting coordinates are converted to a more convenient form for the user such as latitude and longitude, or location on a map, and then displayed. It might seem that three sphere surfaces would be enough to solve for position, since space has three dimensions. However a fourth condition is needed for two reasons. One has to do with position and the other is to correct the GPS receiver clock. It turns out that three sphere surfaces usually intersect in two points. Thus a fourth sphere surface is needed to determine which intersection is the GPS receiver position. For near earth vehicles, this knowledge that it is near earth is sufficient to determine the GPS receiver position since for this case there is only one intersection which is near earth.
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A fourth sphere surface is also needed to correct the GPS receiver clock. More precise information is needed for this task. An estimate of the radius of the sphere is required. Therefore an approximation of the earth altitude or radius of the sphere centered at the satellite must be known.

Figure 3.1.1(a). Block diagram of GPS The GPS Receiver consists of two units, first is active antenna which receives RF signals and amplifies it. The antenna is active in the sense it takes power from the module and amplifies the signal for high sensitivity. The RF signal is filtered and processed to generate NMEA format serial data output. The GPS receiver can acquire GPS signals from 65 channels of satellites and output position data with high accuracy in extremely challenging environments and under poor signal conditions due to its active antenna and high sensitivity. The GPS receivers 160dBm tracking sensitivity allows continuous position coverage in nearly all application environments. The output is serial data of 9600 baud rate which is standard NMEA 0183 v3.0 protocol offering industry standard data messages and a command set for easy interface to mapping software and embedded devices. 3.1.2 FEATURES High sensitivity -160dBm Searching up to 65 Channel of satellites LED indicating data output Low power consumption
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GPS L1 C/A Code Supports NMEA0183 V 3.01 data protocol Real time navigation for location based services Works from +5V DC signal and outputs 9600 bps serial data Magnetic base active antenna with 3 meter wire length for vehicle rooftop installation.

Figure 3.1.1(b) GPS receiver with active antenna It has got various applications such as car navigation and marine navigation, fleet management, automotive navigator tracking, vehicle tracking, AVL and location-based Services, auto pilot, personal navigation or touring devices, tracking devices/systems and mapping devices application emergency locator, geographic surveying, personal positioning, sporting and recreation, embedded applications which needs to be aware of its location on earth. 3.2 MICROCONTROLLER Heart of the circuit is a microcontroller. The microcontroller used here is the PIC 16F877A. PIC is a family of Harvard architecture microcontroller made by Microchip Technology, derived from the PIC1640 originally developed by general instruments Microelectronics Division. The name PIC initially referred to Peripheral Interface Controller. PICs are popular with developers and hobbyists alike due to their low cost, wide availability, large user base, extensive collection of application notes, availability of
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low cost or free development tools, and serial programming (and re-programming with flash memory) capability.

Figure 3.2. PIC microcontroller 3.2.1 FEATURES High-Performance RISC CPU: Only 35 single-word instructions to learn All single-cycle instructions except for program branches, which are two-cycle Operating speed: DC 20 MHz clock input DC 200 ns instruction cycle Universal Synchronous Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (USART/SCI) with 9 bit address detection Analog Features: 10-bit, up to 8-channel Analog-to-Digital Converter (A/D) Brown-out Reset (BOR) Analog Comparator module with: - Two analog comparators - Comparator outputs are externally accessible Special Microcontroller Features: 100,000 erase/write cycle Enhanced Flash program memory typical 1,000,000 erase/write cycle Data EEPROM memory typical Data EEPROM Retention > 40 years Self-reprogrammable under software control In-Circuit Serial Programming (ICSP) via two pins
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 Single-supply 5V In-Circuit Serial Programming Watchdog Timer (WDT) with its own on-chip RC oscillator for reliable operation CMOS Technology: Low-power, high-speed Flash/EEPROM technology Fully static design Wide operating voltage range (2.0V to 5.5V) Commercial and Industrial temperature ranges Low-power consumption There are three memory blocks in each of the PIC16F87XA devices. The program memory and data memory have separate buses so that concurrent access can occur. The PIC16F87XA devices have a 13-bit program counter capable of addressing an 8K word x 14 bit program memory space. The PIC16F876A/877A devices have 8K words x 14 bits of Flash program memory, while PIC16F873A/874A devices have 4K words x 14 bits. Accessing a location above the physically implemented address will cause a wraparound. The data memory is partitioned into multiple banks which contain the General Purpose Registers and the Special Function Registers. Bits RP1 (Status<6>) and RP0 (Status<5>) are the bank select bits. Each bank extends up to 7Fh (128 bytes). The lower locations of each bank are reserved for the Special Function Registers. Above the Special Function Registers are General Purpose Registers, implemented as static RAM. All implemented banks contain Special Function Registers. Some frequently used Special Function Registers from one bank may be mirrored in another bank for code reduction and quicker access. The register file can be accessed either directly, or indirectly, through the File Select Register (FSR).

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Figure 3.2.1. Block diagram of PIC 16f877a

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3.3

8-BIT SERIAL-IN, SERIAL OR PARALLEL-OUT SHIFT REGISTER WITHOUTPUT LATCHES The 74HC/HCT595 are high-speed Si-gate CMOS devices and are pin compatible

with low power Schottky TTL (LSTTL). They are specified in compliance with JEDEC standard no. 7A. The 74HC/HCT595 is an 8-stage serial shift register with a storage register and 3state outputs. The shift register and storage register have separate clocks. Data is shifted on the positive-going transitions of the SH_CP input. The data in each register is transferred to the storage register on a positive-going transition of the ST_CP input. If both clocks are connected together, the shift register will always be one clock pulse ahead of the storage register. The shift register has a serial input (DS) and a serial standard output (Q7) for cascading. It is also provided with asynchronous reset (active LOW) for all 8 shift register stages. The storage register has 8 parallel 3-state bus driver outputs. Data in the storage register appears at the output whenever the output enable input (OE) is LOW. 3.3.1 FEATURES 8-bit serial input 8-bit serial or parallel output Storage register with 3-state outputs Shift register with direct clear 100 MHz (typical) shift out frequency

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Figure 3.3.1 Functional diagram The applications of the 595 IC are that it can be used for serial-to-parallel data conversion and remote control holding register.

3.4 DARLINGTON TRANSISTOR ARRAY The ULN2803A is a high-voltage, high-current Darlington transistor array. The device consists of eight NPN Darlington pairs that feature high-voltage outputs with common-cathode clamp diodes for switching inductive loads. The collector-current rating of each Darlington pair is 500 mA. The Darlington pairs may be connected in parallel for higher current capability.

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Applications include relay drivers, hammer drivers, lamp drivers, display drivers (LED and gas discharge), line drivers, and logic buffers. The ULN2803A has a 2.7-k series base resistor for each Darlington pair for operation directly with TTL or 5-V CMOS devices.

Figure 3.4 Logic diagram 3.4.1 FEATURES

500-mA Rated Collector Current (Single Output) High-Voltage Outputs 50 V Output Clamp Diodes Inputs Compatible With Various Types of Logic Relay Driver Applications Compatible with ULN2800A Series
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3.5 LED DOT MATRIX DISPLAY An LED Matrix consists of an array of LED s which are interconnected such that the positive terminal (anode) of each LED in the same column are connected together and the negative terminal (cathode) of each LED in the same row are connected together. Note that this could be the other way around as well, with the positive terminals connected to the rows and the negative terminals connected to the columns. Fig.4.2b shows a schematic for a typical 8 x 8 matrix with single color LEDs.

Figure 3.5(a) LED dot matrix display An LED dot matrix display (dot refers to the circular lenses in front of the LEDs) can also come with multiple LEDs of varying colors behind each dot in the matrix. For example, the matrix used in this project has a Red, Green and Blue LED behind each dot in the 8x8 grid. A configuration with multiple LEDs behind each dot adds another control pin to every column (positive terminal) for each additional color of LED, while the rows (negative terminals) are still all connected together. Therefore an RGB matrix has 32 control pins compared to the 16 pins seen in figure 3.5(b).

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Figure 3.5(b) 8x8 LED Matrix Schematic The display must have the following properties High segment intensity Wide viewing angle Industry standard size Continuous uniform dot matrix. Excellent characters appearance

CONTROLLING THE LED MATRIX Since all of the individual LEDs in a matrix share their negative and positive terminals in each row and column, it is not possible to control each individual LED at the same time. Instead, the matrix is controlled by cycling through each row very quickly while triggering the correct column pins to light the desired LEDs for that particular row. If the switching is done at a quick enough rate, there will be no visible flicker and the LED matrix display will appear to have each LED turned on at the same time. This works because of the principle known as Persistence of Vision, which is the theory that the retina of the human eye retains an image for about a tenth of a second. Thus an LED matrix must be very precisely controlled, with the Rows being scanned through
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sequentially at a rate greater than about 40Hz (to be safe) while sending out the column data at the exact same rate. This kind of control is most easily accomplished with the aid of a microcontroller, plus some additional components. When choosing a microcontroller that will meet the requirements necessary for controlling an LED matrix, the specifications that must be met are those of the number of I/O pins available, the amount of current that each pin can source and sink and the speed at which the microcontroller can send out control signals. Another option that one might desire is that of an onboard Analog to Digital Converter for sampling an input signal (such as an audio waveform) which can then influence the control signals being sent to the LEDs.

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4. PCB LAYOUT

Figure 4. PCB Layout

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5. SOFTWARE DETAILS

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6. APPLICATONS

Useful for passengers of buses for information of incoming station to passenger. Provides bus stopping information to passengers. Helps passengers to know the approximate distance of next station and hence estimation of the time to reach to the approaching station. Helps passenger to get punctuality status of the bus.

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7. CONCLUSION

In the foreseeable future there are going to be significant changes in real-time passenger information systems, not all of which will be to the advantage of blind and partially sighted passengers. At the same time new technological methods for accessing information could be implemented if the transport providers are convinced about the demand for such facilities. The PSI Real Time Passenger Information System provides public transport with greater flexibility and is thus highly cost-effective.

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8. REFERENCE
[Link] ; Sunrom technologies [Link] Wikipedia

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