Path analysis system with client and server-side applications

• US 20060020430A1
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Trimble Planning Solutions Pty Ltd. (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Planning Solutions Pty Ltd. (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Nixon, Robert, Gipps, Peter, Griffiths, Alan
• Application Number:
  US11/123,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20060020430A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to a client-based application and server-based application for providing optimized corridors and alignments, routes, and or paths subject to a plurality of constraints. In embodiments, methods and systems are provided for identifying alternative paths and determining optimized paths for projects. The methods and systems may involve providing a client-based application having a GUI that presents a plurality of constraints that relate to a project, and a server-based application for calculating the costs of a plurality of potential paths for presenting a subset of paths with associated cost data.

Claims

1. A method for identifying alternative paths and determining optimized paths for projects, comprising:

providing a client-based application having a GUI that presents a plurality of constraints that relate to a project; and

a server-based application for calculating the costs of a plurality of potential paths for presenting a subset of paths with associated cost data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a path is at least one of a road, a railway, a canal, a hydro-electric project, a pipeline, a harbor channel, a telecommunications project, and a multipurpose utility pipe project.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a project database is created from terrain data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a project database for storing project data for access by the server-based application and client-based application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the client-based application stores project data locally and wherein the server-based application communicates incremental updates to the client-based application.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein the client based GUI and server based application are combined in a stand-alone capability that can be loaded onto and operated independently on a computer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a product key, a password, dongle, or other access limiting device being required to access data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a sensitivity analysis is undertaken by iteratively varying factors in multiple scenarios and comparing results in a consistent format.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a simultaneous consideration of environmental and community constraints, engineering parameters, unit costs, and land acquisition costs is undertaken.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein selection of a corridor or path is achieved through an iterative process of avoiding constraints based on a priority/importance basis.

4. (canceled)

9-10. -10. (canceled)

13-15. -15. (canceled)

17-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A system for identifying alternative paths and determining optimized paths for projects, comprising:

a client-based application having a GUI that presents a plurality of constraints that relate to a project; and

a server-based application for calculating the costs of a plurality of potential paths for the projects and presenting a subset of paths with associated cost data.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the path is at least one of a road, a railway, a canal, a hydroelectric project, a pipeline, a harbor dredging project, a telecommunications project, and a multipurpose utility pipe project.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein a project database is created from terrain data.

39. The system of claim 35, further comprising a project database for storing project data for access by the server-based application and client-based application.

40. The system of claim 35, wherein the client-based application stores project data locally and wherein the server-based application communicates incremental updates to the client-based application.

42. The system of claim 35, wherein the client based GUI and server based application are combined in a stand-alone capability that can be loaded on to and operated independently on a computer.

43. The system of claim 35, further comprising at least one of a product key, a password, or a dongle, or other access limiting device being required to access data.

46. The system of claim 35, wherein a sensitivity analysis is undertaken by iteratively varying factors in multiple scenarios and comparing results in a consistent format.

47. The system of claim 35, wherein a simultaneous consideration of environmental and community constraints, engineering parameters, unit costs, and land acquisition costs is undertaken.

51. The system of claim 35, wherein selection of a corridor or path is achieved through an iterative process of avoiding constraints based on a priority/importance basis.

38. (canceled)

41. (canceled)

44-45. -45. (canceled)

48-50. -50. (canceled)

52-69. -69. (canceled)