Method and system for combining localized weather forecasting and itinerary planning

• US 10,509,143 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2017
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sky Motion Research, ULC
• Original Assignee: Sky Motion Research, ULC
• Inventors: Leblanc, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Yi, Roy Y
• Application Number:
  US15/817,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20180074225A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09

Abstract

Provided are methods, devices, and non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums to generate an itinerary with a weather forecast. The itinerary may comprise a departure location, a destination location and a first time. Based on the itinerary, an intermediary location and an intermediary time associated with the intermediary location may be identified. A weather forecast associated with the identified intermediary location and the intermediary time may be predicted. A weather risk associated with the identified route may be assessed and based on the assessed risk, an alternative route may be additionally identified.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for generating itineraries comprising:

identifying a departure location and a destination location;

identifying a first probability of a particular type of precipitation occurring at a particular rate at a first intermediary location between the departure location and the destination location;

identifying a second probability of the particular type of precipitation occurring at the particular rate at a second intermediary location between the departure location and the destination location; and

generating an itinerary that includes the first intermediary location or the second intermediary location based on a comparison of the first probability and the second probability.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising estimating an arrival time at the first intermediary location, wherein the first probability is associated with the particular type of precipitation occurring at the particular rate at the first intermediary location at the estimated arrival time.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

identifying a modified arrival time associated with the first intermediary location based on the first probability;

identifying a modified probability of the particular type of precipitation occurring at the particular rate at the first intermediary location at the modified arrival time; and

generating the itinerary based further on the modified probability.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a first distribution of probabilities indicating likelihoods of each of a plurality of precipitation types occurring at the first intermediary location;

identifying a second distribution of probabilities indicating likelihoods of each of a plurality of precipitation rates occurring at the first intermediary location; and

determining, based on the first distribution and the second distribution, a third distribution of probabilities indicating likelihoods of each of the plurality of precipitation types occurring at each of the plurality of precipitation rates at the first intermediary location, the third distribution including the first probability.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the third distribution includes multiplying the first distribution by the second distribution.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of precipitation types includes a snow type, a rain type, a freezing rain type, a hail type, and an ice pellet type.

7. The method claim 4, wherein the plurality of precipitation rates includes a zero rate, a light rate, a moderate rate, a heavy rate, and a very heavy rate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular type of precipitation corresponds to snow.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the departure location and the destination location are received from a remote device; and

at least one of the departure location and the destination location is associated with a current location of the remote device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the particular type of precipitation based on weather reports associated with the first intermediary location.

11. A device for generating itineraries comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

identifying a departure location and a destination location;

identifying a first probability of a particular type of precipitation occurring at a particular rate at a first intermediary location between the departure location and the destination location;

identifying a second probability of the particular type of precipitation occurring at the particular rate at a second intermediary location between the departure location and the destination location; and

generating an itinerary including the first intermediary location or the second intermediary location based on a comparison of the first probability and the second probability.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the operations further include estimating an arrival time at the first intermediary location, wherein the first probability is associated with the particular type of precipitation occurring at the particular rate at the first intermediary location at the estimated arrival time.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the operations further include:

identifying a modified arrival time associated with the first intermediary location based on the first probability;

identifying a modified probability of the particular type of precipitation occurring at the particular rate at the first intermediary location at the modified arrival time; and

generating the itinerary based further on the modified probability.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the operations further include:

identifying a first distribution of probabilities indicating likelihoods of each of a plurality of precipitation types occurring at the first intermediary location;

identifying a second distribution of probabilities indicating likelihoods of each of a plurality of precipitation rates occurring at the first intermediary location; and

determining, based on the first distribution and the second distribution, a third distribution of probabilities indicating likelihoods of each of the plurality of precipitation types occurring at each of the plurality of precipitation rates at the first intermediary location, the third distribution including the first probability.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein determining the third distribution includes multiplying the first distribution by the second distribution.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of precipitation types includes a snow type, a rain type, a freezing rain type, a hail type, and an ice pellet type.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of precipitation rates includes a zero rate, a light rate, a moderate rate, a heavy rate, and a very heavy rate.

18. The device of claim 11, further comprising a communication module configured to receive the departure location and the destination location from a remote device, wherein the departure location is associated with a current location of the remote device.

19. A system comprising:

a server comprising a computer and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions comprising a program executable by the computer to perform an itinerary generation process, the itinerary generation process including;

identifying a departure location and a destination location;

identifying a first probability of a particular type of precipitation occurring at a particular rate at a first intermediary location between the departure location and the destination location;

identifying a second probability of the particular type of precipitation occurring at the particular rate at a second intermediary location between the departure location and the destination location; and

generating an itinerary including the first intermediary location or the second intermediary location based on a comparison of the first probability and the second probability; and

a remote device comprising one or more processors, a display device, and a memory storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to;

receive the itinerary from the server; and

initiate presentation of at least part of the itinerary via the display device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the itinerary generation process further includes:

identifying a first distribution of probabilities indicating likelihoods of each of a plurality of precipitation types occurring at the first intermediary location;

identifying a second distribution of probabilities indicating likelihoods of each of a plurality of precipitation rates occurring at the first intermediary location; and

determining, based on the first distribution and the second distribution, a third distribution of probabilities indicating likelihoods of each of the plurality of precipitation types occurring at each of the plurality of precipitation rates at the first intermediary location, the third distribution including the first probability.