Patent Abstract:
A device for reducing-stress during travel is provided, namely a motor vehicle having an entertainment system controlled by the passenger. Also, a method of providing hired transport services is provided where a motor vehicle, such as a taxi cab, is provided having a passenger controlled entertainment system.

Full Description:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to the fields of transportation and tourism and specifically to a motor vehicle having a passenger controlled entertainment system.  
           [0002]    Taxi cabs are well-known features of modern urban settings. People who hire taxi cabs, the passengers, often find themselves in a cab for an extended period of time whether because a specific trip is very long or due to traffic jams. The long period of time in which a passenger is found in a taxi cab is a source of irritation.  
           [0003]    A variety of devices have been installed in motor vehicles to allow the driver to make these extended periods of time more enjoyable. Such devices include radio receivers and audio players such as cassette tape players, 8-track tape players and compact disk players. These devices are under control of the driver, the person invariably found in a motor vehicle. However, the fact that the driver controls the choice of music rarely assuages the irritation of a passenger.  
           [0004]    It would be highly advantageous to have a device that provides added-value to a taxi-cab passenger in the form of a passenger-controlled entertainment system.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The above and other objectives are achieved by the present invention.  
           [0006]    According to the teachings of the present invention there is provided a device exceptionally useful for use as a taxi-cab comprising a motor vehicle having an entertainment system, a driver position and at least one passenger position and a control system to control the entertainment system, wherein the control system is operable by a person (the passenger) located at the at least one passenger position.  
           [0007]    According to a feature of the present invention, the entertainment system includes at least one of the devices from a group consisting of audio playback devices, audiovisual playback devices, two-way wireless communication devices, geographical location indication devices and goods/services information devices.  
           [0008]    According to a further feature of the present invention, the device also includes an activation switch for the entertainment system, the activation switch having at least two states, a first state where said entertainment system is activated for operation by the passenger; and a second state where the entertainment system is inactivated for operation by the passenger and a payment collection device, configured to toggle the activation switch from the second state (inactivated) to the first state (activated) upon collection of a payment. In such a way, a passenger can use the entertainment system only upon payment of a fee.  
           [0009]    According to a still further feature of the present invention, the device also includes a passenger door switch, configured to toggle the switch device from the first state (activated) to the second state (inactivated) when a passenger door is opened. In such a way, the entertainment system is reset every time a passenger leaves and every succeeding passenger must pay in order to use the entertainment system.  
           [0010]    There is also provided according to the teachings of the present invention a method of providing transport services comprising offereing for hire a device as described above (a motor vehicle with passenger-operated entertainment system) together with a driver, in the manner of a taxi cab. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a partially cut-out top view of a device of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]    The present invention is of a device that includes a motor vehicle wherein a entertainment system operable by a passenger, as opposed to a driver, is installed in the motor vehicle. Such a motor vehicle is exceptionally suited for use as a taxi-cab. The present invention is also of a method for operating a business of supplying motor vehicles for hire. Since the added value provided by a device of the present invention is so high, a typical customer of taxi cabs will be interested in paying a premium for a business operating according to the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0014]    In FIG. 1 a device  10  of the present invention is depicted, a motor vehicle  12  having a driver position  14 , a passenger position  16  and a passenger door  18 . Device  10  is depicted from a top-view where the roof and trunk cover of motor vehicle  12  have been removed to allow a view into the internal volume of motor vehicle  12 . Device  10  is equipped with a entertainment system  20  (in FIG. 1, a compact disc player having a magazine of twelve compact discs) an entertainment system controller  22 , an activation switch  24 , a payment collection device  26  and a passenger door switch  28 .  
         [0015]    Activation switch  24  has at least two states: a first state where entertainment system  20  and entertainment system controller  22  are activated for operation by the passenger and a second state where entertainment system  20  and entertainment system controller  22  are inactivated for operation by the passenger.  
         [0016]    Payment collection device  26  is similar to prior art payment collection devices as often implemented in pay phones, parking payment devices and the like. Payment collection device  26  is configured to accept payment according to some method. Payment methods known in the art and which are exceptionally suitable for implementation in the present invention include but are not limited to coins, bills, debit cards, credit cards, punch cards and tokens. Payment collection device  26  is configured, upon receipt of sufficient payment, to toggle activation switch  24  from the second state where entertainment system  20  and entertainment system controller  22  are inactivated for operation by the passenger to the first state where entertainment system  20  and entertainment system controller  22  are activated for operation by the passenger.  
         [0017]    In some embodiments of the present invention payment collection device  26  is equipped with a timer  27 . Timer  27  acts as a prior-art time meter and causes collection device  26  to toggle activation switch  24  from the first (activated) state to the second (inactivated) state after a certain period of time, where the period of time is determined by the amount of payment.  
         [0018]    Passenger door switch  28  is connected to payment collection device  26 . Passenger door switch  28  is configured so as to detect if passenger door  18  is opened. If passenger door  18  is opened, passenger door switch  28  sends a signal to payment collection device  26  indicating that payment is insufficient. As a consequence, when passenger door  18  is opened, payment collection device  26  causes activation switch  24  to toggle to the second state where entertainment system  20  and entertainment system controller  22  is activated for operation.  
         [0019]    Operation of device  10  is as follows. A person  30  interested in hiring a taxi cab, hails device  10 . A taxi cab driver  32  sitting in driver position  14  stops device  10  and allows person  30  to board through passenger door  18  and to sit in passenger position  16 . While riding in device  10 , person  30  notices entertainment system controller  22 . Person  30  pays a required sum using payment collection device  26 , causing activation switch  24  to toggle to the first state where entertainment system  20  and entertainment system controller  22  are activated for operation. Person  30  proceeds to use entertainment system controller  22  to select music to be played by entertainment system  20  listen to while riding in device  10 . In such a way person  30  is entertained while riding and the travel with device  10  is a positive and calming experience.  
         [0020]    It is clear to one skilled in the art that entertainment system  20  can be implemented as any one of the devices known in the art and is not limited to a compact device player as depicted in FIG. 1. A partial non-limiting list of devices that can be used to implement the entertainment system of the present invention include audio playback devices such as tape players, compact disk players, mini-disk players and MP3 players. Also useful in implementing the entertainment system of the present invention are audiovisual playback devices such as television receivers, video players, DVD players or interactive audiovisual playback devices (“video games”). Also useful in implementing the entertainment system of the present invention are two-way wireless communication devices such as internet communication devices and electronic mail communication devices. Also useful in implementing the entertainment system of the present invention are geographical location indication devices such as global-positioning system satellite receivers. Also useful in implementing the entertainment system of the present invention are goods/services information devices such as tour guides, telephone/address directories and events directories.  
         [0021]    The use of the device of the present invention allows for an improved method of running a transport service hiring business. In general, transport service hiring businesses are based on providing a motor vehicle and driver for hire. The added value of the entertainment system makes it so that potential passengers prefer to be clients of a taxi cab business providing a device of the present invention for hire instead of a prior art motor vehicle. In addition, such a transport service hiring business has an added source of income when providing a device of the present invention for hire.  
         [0022]    The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described herein but also relates to all kinds of modifications thereof, insofar as they are within the scope of the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1