ROUTING METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20080015774A1
• Filed: 07/09/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Martino, Marco, Trinchini, Patrizio, Gargaro, Gianluca, Donatelli, Alessandro
• Granted Patent: US 7,869,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/210
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments

Abstract

A method of route determination for mobile elements in a network comprising a plurality of paths each having a predetermined path capacity. The method comprises the steps of registering centrally a plurality of route requests from a corresponding plurality of mobile elements each of said requests defining a journey between an origin and a destination and registering centrally for each route request a journey start time. Routing instructions are centrally determined so as to optimise use of path capacity across all synchronous journeys requests in said network with reference to said registered information, and issued to corresponding mobile elements. The mobile elements adapt their route to comply with the routing instruction. There may be provided further steps of monitoring and rerouting the mobile element whenever new journeys requests can impact its remaining trip.

Claims

1. A method of route determination for mobile elements in a network comprising a plurality of paths each having a predetermined path capacity, said method comprising the steps of:

registering centrally a plurality of route requests from a corresponding plurality of mobile elements each of said requests defining a journey between an origin and a destination;

registering centrally for each route request a journey start time; and

for at least one of said journeys performing the further steps of

centrally determining a routing instruction,

issuing said routing instruction to a corresponding mobile element, and

said mobile element adapting its route to comply with said routing instruction;

wherein said step of determining is carried out so as to optimise use of path capacity across all synchronous journeys in said network with reference to said registered information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, repeating said steps of registering, determining and issuing on receiving successive further route requests so as to reroute said mobile element and thereby maintain optimal use of path capacity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining further takes into account a record of situations when a journey had been modified disadvantageously for a particular vehicle or user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining further takes into account the urgency of a journey as asserted by a particular vehicle or user.

5. The method claim 1, wherein said step of determining further takes into account how far in advance a vehicle or user notified the system of a proposed journey, how regularly they use the system, or on payment of a premium for special treatment.

6. A computer program product comprising instructions for carrying out the steps of a method when said computer program is executed on a computer, the method comprising:

registering centrally a plurality of route requests from a corresponding plurality of mobile elements each of said requests defining a journey between an origin and a destination;

registering centrally for each route request a journey start time; and

for at least one of said journeys performing the further steps of

centrally determining a routing instruction,

issuing said routing instruction to a corresponding mobile element, and

said mobile element adapting its route to comply with said routing instruction;

wherein said step of determining is carried out so as to optimise use of path capacity across all synchronous journeys in said network with reference to said registered information.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 stored on a computer readable storage medium.

8. A system for route determination for mobile elements in a network comprising a plurality of paths each having a predetermined path capacity, comprising:

means for registering centrally a plurality of route requests from a corresponding plurality of mobile elements each of said requests defining a journey between an origin and a destination;

means for registering centrally for each route request a journey start time;

means for centrally determining a routing instruction of a first journey

means for issuing said routing instruction to a corresponding mobile element for the first journey and;

said mobile element adapting its route to comply with said routing instruction;

wherein the of determining means optimizes use of Path capacity across all synchronous journeys in said network with reference to said registered information.