Search and retrieval system of transportation-related flexibly defined paths

• US 20030014286A1
• Filed: 07/11/2002
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pablo Dario Cappellini
• Original Assignee: Pablo Dario Cappellini
• Inventors: Cappellini, Pablo Dario
• Granted Patent: US 7,363,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A search engine of flexibly-defined paths applicable to the search of transportation-related routes.

A location system within a spatial subsystem (059) is used to define nodes or waypoint locations (031), and flexible nodes by defining loci (030) in the proximity of the nodes (031), which represent operational spaces.

Flexible paths (FIG. 4B) are defined by elements comprising these nodes or waypoints (031) and loci or associated spaces (030), as well as with other constraints. These are structured and organized into spatially-related database and indexes (5106, 5102, 5102) with the aid of a spatial subsystem (059), typically a G.I.S.

The system can search for paths or combinations of paths (300 to 310) representing service providers, capable of fulfilling requirements specified by a service user.

Reservations are enabled through a central reservation system managing three-dimensional space and constraints comprising a dimensional subsystem (061).

The flexible path concept is extendible to networks with flexible nodes where similar analysis for connections or routing can be made.

Claims

1. A transportation-related path search and retrieval process, comprising:

(a) providing a location system

(b) providing data processing means

(c) providing data storage means compatible with said data processing means

(d) providing at least a database, executable by said data processing means and operatively connected to said data storage means, said database at least containing cross-references of terms describing locations with spatially corresponding coded data representing the spatial locus of said locations in said location system

(e) providing first means for entering structured data of a one or more available transportation-related capabilities, said one or more available transportation-related capabilities comprising at least a spatially flexible available transportation-related capability, said available transportation-related capabilities each defined by a set of path elements comprising

(e.1) a plurality of elements selected from the group consisting of waypoints, waypoint attributes and both, said elements having each a predefined linkability condition regarding linking possibilities with path elements corresponding to other available transportation-related capabilities and

(e.2) at least an associated space related to at least one of said plurality of elements, said associated-space defining the degree of flexibility of said at least one flexible available transportation-related capability respect to a trajectory defined by said plurality of elements

(f) said plurality of elements and said at least one associated-space identifiable through logically-coded data corresponding to locations in said location system by a second means for location analysis comprising said at least one database

(g) retrieving a plurality of structured data entries corresponding to a plurality of available transportation-related capabilities

(h) storing in said data storage means, said plurality of structured data entries as a structured data set

(i) providing third means to permit the entering of at least a structured data request for performing a transportation-related task based on the use of said plurality of available transportation-related capabilities, said transportation-related task comprising a connection between a first place and at least a second place, said first place and said at least one second place identifiable through logically-coded elements representing the location of said first place and said at, least one second place, respectively, in said location system, by said second means for location analysis comprising said database

(j) retrieving said at least one structured data request

(k) providing fourth means, comprising said at least one database, for detecting among said plurality of structured data entries in said structured data set, a structured data subset representing at least a possible solution to said transportation-related task, said at least one possible solution comprising a solution constructed with a logically-combinable sequence of a plurality of said set of path elements corresponding to at least two available transportation-related capabilities, said logically-combinable sequence representing the corresponding available transportation-related capabilities comprising spatially flexible available transportation-related capabilities, which when arranged in a sequential combination in agreement with the predefined linkability conditions, are able to perform said task corresponding to said structured data request

(l) providing data output means for conveying information on said structured data subset,

whereby an information seeker can find among a universe of available transportation-related capabilities, capabilities comprising those that when arranged in a sequential combination can provide a solution to the requested transportation-related capability between a first place and at least a second place.

2. The process of claim 1 further including the step of permitting arrangement of a plurality of solutions in said structured data subset, according to at least one predefined criteria.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the set of said path elements represent transportation routes or partial sections of transportation routes.

Whereby a transport service user can find among a universe of transportation routes, those that in combination can logically connect the origin and the destination of a transport requirement

4. The process described in claim 3 with said set of path elements further comprising attributes or parameters representing transport capabilities, said structured data request is also defined with further attributes or parameters representing transport capability requirements.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein said location system is selected from the group consisting of spatial coordinate systems, euclidean coordinate systems, geographical coordinate systems, postcode systems, administrative-area division systems and geographic-feature division systems.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein said at least one associated-space has boundaries definable through functions selected from the group consisting of spheres of user-defined radii, shapes of user-defined radii, circles of user-defined radii, shapes of user-defined dimensions, user-defined isochrones, user-defined isodistances and interactive user-designed shapes.

7. The process of claim 6 further comprising the step selected from the group consisting of enabling reservation of transport capabilities and enabling reservation with means for transaction settlement of transport capabilities.

8. The process of claim 2 wherein

(a) said available transportation-related capabilities are individually further defined by an available transport capacity specified at least in terms of data convertible to a first substantially simulated multi-dimensional model, said first substantially simulated multi-dimensional model comprising a mathematical model of the available transport capacity that is at least three-dimensional and

(b) said structured data request for performing a task is further defined by a required transport capacity specified in terms of data convertible at least to a second substantially simulated multi-dimensional model, said second substantially simulated multi-dimensional model comprising a mathematical model of the required transport capacity that is at least three-dimensional.

9. The process of claim 8 further including the step of permitting and retrieving a structured data selection within said structured data subset.

10. The process of claim 9 further comprising the step of providing fifth means for determining the availability of the available transport capabilities corresponding to said structured data selection, for fulfilling said transportation related task, comprising the management of the required transport capacities within the available transport capacities using a substantially simulated multi-dimensional model or environment, comprising the first model and the at least one second model.

11. The process of claim 10 further including the step selected from the group consisting of enabling reservation of said capacity and enabling reservation with means for transaction settlement, of said capacity.

12. The process of claim 5 wherein said location system is a geographical coordinate system, said database is a geographical database and said at least one associated-space is an associated-area.

13. The process of claim 1 wherein said solution constructed with a logically-combinable sequence of a plurality of total or partial sets of path elements corresponding to at least two available transportation capabilities, comprises total or partial sets of path elements corresponding to at least one spatially-flexible available transportation capabilities.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said spatial coordinate system is a geographical coordinate system.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the spatial subsystem is selected from the group consisting of geographical information system, spatial information system and geographical database systems.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein said first software component is constructed to enable the entering, organization and storage of path data groups further defined by one or more waypoint-attributes directly or via cross-reference identifiable in said coordinate system.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said one or more waypoint-attributes comprise a first functional-order waypoint-attribute that defines a waypoint parameter'"'"'s sequence-related role in respect to another adjacent waypoint parameter of the same path data group.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said at least one first functional-order waypoint-attribute is related to its own associated-space.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein said one or more waypoint-attributes comprise a second functional-order waypoint-attribute that defines specific associated-spaces according to the sequence-related role of the waypoint-parameter in respect to another adjacent waypoint parameter of the same path data group.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein said first software component is further constructed to enable the entering and organization of path data groups representing a plurality of transportation capabilities and wherein said second software component is further constructed accept requests representing transportation requirements.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein said first software component is further constructed to enable the entering and organization of a plurality of path data groups representing a plurality of transportation capabilities and said second software component constructed to enable one or more requests representing transportation requirements.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein said third software component is further constructed to determine the availability of said plurality of transportation capabilities for fulfilling said one or more requests representing transportation requirements, said third software component comprising fifth means for management of capacities on each of said plurality of transportation capabilities, said fifth means comprising the use of a substantially simulated environment of said capacities, said substantially simulated environment comprising a multi-dimensional mathematical model of said capacities.

25. The system of claim 24 further comprising means for reservation of said capacities.

26. The system of claim 22 further including means for delivery confirmation comprising:

a) means for generating and storing an outgoing password cross-referenced to a reservation file

b) means for communication at a predefined event, of said outgoing password to a predefined receptor defined in said reservation file

c) means for retrieving an incoming password from a service provider, said service provider supposedly having obtained the password from said predefined receptor upon predefined delivery-related conditions

d) means for comparing said outgoing password with said incoming password,

whereby upon a password match, a confirmation of the compliance of said predefined delivery-related conditions can be established without the resources required in written-signature graphological comparison and with a level of system security equal to the level of system security of the least secure among said means for generating, said means for communication, said means for retrieving and said means for comparing.

27. The system of claim 22 further including means for communication selected from the group consisting of known identity communication, substantially concealed identity communication and both, between transportation service users and transportation service providers.

29. The process of claim 28 further including a step of permitting identification of a selection among said one or more possible solutions conveyed by said ninth means.

30. The process of claim 28 wherein said step of conveying information comprises:

(a) permitting identification of an organization criteria for presenting the information on said one or more possible solutions.

(b) organizing and presenting said information according to said organization criteria.

31. The process of claim 29 further including the step of providing means for enabling reservation of said required transportation-related capability on said selection.

32. The process of claim 31 wherein the step of providing means for enabling reservation of said required transportation-related capability on said selection, comprises providing means for capacity management on said selection, said means comprising a mathematically simulated multidimensional model that represents the cargo capacity environment on each of the capabilities within said selection.

33. The process of claim 32 wherein the step of providing means for enabling reservation of said required transportation-related capabilities on said selection, comprises accounting for capacity in a substantially-simulated three dimensional environment.

34. The process of claim 29 further including the step of enabling communication between a service user of said required transportation-related capability and at least one service provider providing the selected available transportation-related capabilities associated with said selection.

35. The process of claim 34 wherein said step of enabling communication, comprises means for enabling concealed-identity communication between the service user and the service provider.

37. The process of claim 36 further comprising the step of enabling concealed identity communication between said service user and the at least one service provider associated with at least one selection of available transportation capabilities among said second group.

38. The process of claim 36 further comprising the step of enabling reservation of at least one selection of available transportation capabilities among said second group.

40. The process of claim 39 wherein said third means for capacity management comprises management of shaped spatial capacity having position and orientation in a mathematically-simulated three-dimensional environment.

41. The process of claim 39 further including the step of enabling communication between said supply entity and a selected demand entity among the represented in said second data-group subset.

42. The process of claim 41 wherein said step of enabling communication comprises enabling concealed-identity communication.

43. The process of claim 41 wherein said step of enabling said communication comprises steps selected from the group consisting of communication forwarding, communication redirecting and identity masking.

44. The process of claim 39 wherein said supply entity and said demand entity are the same entity assuming different roles.

45. The process of claim 39 wherein said step of detecting among said data-group set, a first data-group subset representing available transportation capabilities that can be used in said connection corresponding to said transportation requirement, comprises detecting a plurality of sequentially-combinable data-groups that when arranged in sequential combination represent sequentially-combinable available transportation capabilities that when arranged in sequential combination can produce said connection corresponding to said transportation requirement.

46. The process of claim 39 further including the step of providing means for confirmation of delivery based on password correlation, comprising

(a) automatically forwarding of an outgoing password to a predefined delivery receptor, upon a predefined event, said predefined receptor defined by said demand entity and said predefined receptor instructed to communicate the password to a delivery agent upon predefined delivery reception conditions

(b) retrieving an incoming password from said supply entity or said delivery agent, said delivery agent associated with said supply entity, said incoming password supposedly the same as said outgoing password

(c) correlating said outgoing password with said incoming password to determine if they match,

whereby the predefined receptor of the delivery can communicate the password to the delivery agent upon the delivery reception, who then can communicate said password as a confirmation of delivery providing therefore a proof based on a positive password correlation.

14. A computer implemented search and retrieval system for trajectory-related capabilities comprising:

(a) data processing means

(b) data storage means compatible with said data processing device

(c) first means for the input of information to said data processing means

(d) second means for the output of information from said data processing means

(e) a spatial subsystem, interacting with said data processing means and with said data storage means, enabling management of spatial information, said spatial subsystem based on a spatial coordinate system, said management comprising the break-up of spatial information into groups and the construction of spaces that are within a proximity of a location identifiable by spatial coordinates, said proximity determined by a user-defined functions respect to said location, said spaces identifiable by loci comprising coordinates in said spatial coordinate system.

(f) a first software component, interacting with said data processing means and with said data storage means, to enable the entering via said first means, organizing, and storing on said data storage means, of a plurality of path data groups representing a plurality of capabilities for an activity selected from the group consisting of transport, travel, repositioning, transfer, flow and transmission, along a path in space defined with a plurality of path elements comprising at least one waypoint parameter and at least one associated-space related to said at least one waypoint parameter, said at least one waypoint parameter identifiable by spatial coordinates in said spatial coordinate system and said at least one associated-space individually identifiable by at least a locus comprising spatial coordinates in said spatial coordinate system

(g) a second software component, interacting with said data processing means and with said data storage means, to enable via said second means, the entering of a request for the analysis of capabilities for the same activity as that represented by said plurality of path data groups, said request comprising the analysis of capabilities for producing a connection between a first location and at least a second location, said second software component comprising third means for defining said first location and said at least one second location, said request comprising at least said first location, said first location having a location parameter identifiable directly or via cross-reference in said spatial coordinate system

(h) a third software component, interacting with said data processing means and with said data storage means, to enable the detection among said plurality of path data groups, of a subset of path data groups capable of fulfilling said request, comprising a plurality of sequentially-combinable path data groups representing a plurality of sequentially-combinable capabilities which in when arranged in sequential combination are capable of fulfilling said request

(i) fourth means to convey information on said subset of path data groups detected by said third software component,

whereby an information seeker con obtain information on individual capabilities or a plurality of sequentially-combinable capabilities defined with flexible nodes, which in when arranged in sequential combination through their flexible nodes are capable of providing a solution to a request related the analysis of capabilities for activities selected from the group consisting of transport, travel, repositioning, transfer, flow and transmission.

28. A computer implemented process for the search and retrieval of transportation-related capabilities comprising the steps of:

(a) providing first means for data processing

(b) providing second means for data storage compatible with said first means

(c) providing third means for management and detection of locations comprising a location system

(d) providing fourth means for the definition of one or more paths, said one or more paths comprising flexible paths with predefined degrees of flexibility, said one or more paths having attributes identifiable in said location system and said one or more paths representing one or more available transportation-related capabilities in modes of one or more trajectory-related sections or legs

(e) providing fifth means for entering structured data representing one or more paths defined by said fourth means

(f) storing via said second means, said structured data to a structured data set

(g) providing sixth means for the definition of a required transportation-related capability between a first location and at least a second location, said required transportation capability of a type of transportation compatible with at least one of the types of transportation represented in said structured data set, said required transportation capability comprising at least said first location having a position identifiable directly or by simple cross-reference in said location system

(h) providing seventh means for retrieving from a service user structured data representing at least a request for a required transportation-related capability between a first location and at least a second location, said request defined by said sixth means

(i) providing eighth means for detecting among said structured data set, a structured data subset regarding paths representing available transportation-related capabilities that can provide one or more possible solutions for fulfilling said request, said one or more possible solutions comprising at least a possible solution constructed with a plurality of paths or path sections, said plurality of path or path sections, representing a logically-linked sequence of a plurality of available transportation-related capabilities or independent trajectory-related sections of available transportation-related capabilities and which in combination are capable of performing the required transportation-related task

(j) providing ninth means for conveying information on said one or more possible solutions

36. A computer implemented method for the search and retrieval of paths representing available transportation capabilities

(a) providing first means for retrieving from service providers selected information associated with available transportation capabilities, said available transportation capabilities representable by paths having predefined time frames, said available transportation capabilities comprising spatially flexible available transportation capabilities representable by said paths further having a service-provider-defined degree of spatial flexibility respect to a route described by waypoints or nodes

(b) retrieving and organizing said selected information associated with available transportation capabilities

(c) storing said selected information associated with available transportation capabilities in a first group

(d) providing second means for retrieving from a service user, selected information associated with at least one required transportation capability comprising at least a first location and a time frame

(e) retrieving from said user said selected information associated with at least one required transportation capability

(f) Providing third means for matching said selected information associated with at least one required transportation capability, to a second group of selected information associated with one or more available transportation capabilities within said first group, said third means comprising the detection of a plurality of logically-linked sequences of available transportation capabilities among said first group, which when linked in sequence can match said required transportation capability, said plurality of logically-linked sequences of available transportation capabilities, comprising at least one flexible transportation capability

(g) Providing fourth means for conveying information to the service user or an entity having the role of a service user, on the available transportation capabilities associated with said second group.

39. A computer implemented search and reservation process for transportation capabilities comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a location system

(b) providing first means for representing one or more available transportation capabilities comprising

(b.1) providing spatially-locatable elements identifiable in said location system

(b.2) providing at least a parameter for identifying an original available transport capacity corresponding to each of said one or more available transportation capabilities in terms which are convertible to representative multi-dimensional models of said available transport capacity

(c) retrieving from a supply entity having the role of a service provider one or more data-groups and storing said one or more data-groups to a data-group set representing a plurality of available transportation capabilities, said available transportation capabilities defined by said supply entity having the role of a service provider through said first means

(d) receiving a request representing a transportation requirement comprising the connection of a first location with a second location, said first location and said second location defined by a demand entity having the role of a service user through second means for identifying locations, said locations identifiable directly or via cross-reference in said location system, said transportation requirement further defined through at least a parameter identifying a required transport capacity at least in terms convertible to substantially representative mathematical three-dimensional models of said required transport capacity

(e) detecting among said data-group set, a first data-group subset representing available transportation capabilities that can be used in said connection corresponding to said transportation requirement

(f) conveying information on said first data-group subset

(g) permitting a selection of a second data-group subset within said first data-group subset, said second data-group subset representing one or more selected available transportation capabilities that can be used in said connection corresponding to said transportation requirement.

(h) enabling reservation of said transportation requirement on said one or more selected available transportation capabilities corresponding to said second data-group subset, at least by

(h.1) confirming availability on said second data-group subset by third means for capacity management comprising determining capacity availability as a result of mathematically-modelling in a multi-dimensional environment the interaction of said required transport capacity within the original or updated available transport capacity, on each of the corresponding said one or more selected available transportation capabilities that can be used in said connection corresponding to said transportation requirement and

(h.2) accepting a reservation of said transportation requirement if said availability is confirmed on said second data-group subset

(h.3) updating the capacity availability on said second data-group subset by said third means

(h.4) by communication of reservation-related information corresponding to said reservation, to said demand entity as well as to the at least one supply entity represented in said second data-group subset.

47. A computer implemented process for the reservation of transportation capabilities comprising the steps of:

(a) providing first means for retrieving and storing information on a plurality of available transportation capabilities corresponding to at least a service provider, said available transportation capabilities comprising

(a.1) trajectory-related information and

(a.2) spatial capacity information in terms convertible to substantially representative mathematical multi-dimensional models of said available capacity

(b) providing second means for retrieving from a service user information regarding at least a required transportation capability, comprising capacity-related data convertible to at least to a substantially representative mathematical multi-dimensional model of the required capacity, corresponding to said required transportation capability

(c) providing third means for conveying information on a group of said plurality of available transportation capabilities

(e) providing fourth means for permitting said service user to make a selection of at least an available transportation capability among said group

(f) providing fifth means for capacity management for said plurality of available transportation capabilities, said fifth means comprising a space management subsystem that manages capacity using a mathematically simulated multidimensional environment, said environment at least three-dimensional

(g) providing sixth means, comprising the use of said fifth means, for determining the availability of said selection for fulfilling said at least one required transportation capability

(h) accepting a reservation of said at least one required transportation capability on said selection if on said selection, said required transportation capability is available and declining the reservation if said required transportation capability is unavailable

(i) providing means for conveying information regarding the reservation arrangements to the at least one service provider providing said one or more available transportation capabilities corresponding to said selection and to said service user reserving said at least one transportation capability.