Travel Timer

• US 20090030715A1
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Simms, Richard K., Kneller, Heidi J., Robb, Calsee N., Giuntoli, Domenic S.
• Application Number:
  US12/042,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20090030715A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for improved schedule keeping for travelers. In one embodiment, a method including includes providing one or more travel milestones; providing travel plan information; formulating a travel plan based on the one or more travel milestones and the travel plan information; receiving one or more travel-related inputs; analyzing the one or more travel-related inputs to determine a travel status based on the one or more travel-related inputs and the travel plan; and outputting the travel status to the

Claims

1. A method of providing a travel schedule for a traveler, comprising:

providing one or more travel milestones;

providing travel plan information;

formulating a travel plan based on the one or more travel milestones and the travel plan information;

receiving one or more travel-related inputs;

analyzing the one or more travel-related inputs to determine a travel status based on the one or more travel-related inputs and the travel plan; and

outputting the travel status to the traveler.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing travel plan information includes providing at least one of:

stored personal information regarding the traveler, a road map, a traffic condition, a public transportation schedule, a weather condition, a parking availability, a queue length, a walking distance, an airline status information, an airport congestion information, and an amenity-related information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing travel plan information includes providing traveler-specific information including at least one of a likes-to-walk preference, a wants-to-avoid lines preference, a likes-to-be-early preference, and a current state of being information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving one or more travel related inputs includes receiving at least one of:

a traffic report, a parking availability, an airline schedule information, a weather condition, a queue length, and a congestion detail.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving one or more travel related inputs includes receiving traveler-specific state of being information including at least one of a hunger condition, a nervousness condition, and a familiarity condition.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the travel status to the traveler includes outputting an on-schedule status, an ahead-of-schedule status, or a behind-schedule status.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the travel status comprises a behind-schedule status, formulating a revised travel plan based on the travel-related inputs and at least one of the travel plan information and the travel milestones; and

outputting to the traveler a proposed remedial action in accordance with the revised travel plan.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the proposed remedial action includes at least one of a revised route, a revised transportation system reservation, and a revised transportation system type.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the travel status comprises a behind-schedule status, attempting to formulate a revised travel plan based on the travel-related inputs and at least one of the travel plan information and the travel milestones;

if attempting to formulate a revised travel plan is unsuccessful, identifying at least one of a revised travel milestone and a revised travel plan information; and

outputting to the traveler the at least one of the revised travel milestone an the revised travel plan information.

10. A method of providing a travel schedule for a traveler, comprising:

providing a plurality of travel milestones and travel plan information;

formulating a travel plan based on the plurality of travel milestones and travel plan information;

receiving a plurality of travel-related inputs;

analyzing the plurality of travel-related inputs to determine a travel status based on the plurality of travel-related inputs and the travel plan;

if the travel status comprises a behind-schedule status, formulating a revised travel plan based on the plurality of travel-related inputs and the plurality of travel milestones and travel plan information; and

outputting to the traveler a proposed remedial action in accordance with the revised travel plan.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing a plurality of travel milestones and travel plan information includes providing traveler-specific information including at least one of a likes-to-walk preference, a wants-to-avoid lines preference, a likes-to-be-early preference, and a current state of being information.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving a plurality of travel-related inputs includes receiving traveler-specific state of being information including at least one of a hunger condition, a nervousness condition, and a familiarity condition.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising outputting the travel status to the traveler.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the proposed remedial action includes at least one of a revised route, a revised transportation system reservation, and a revised transportation system type.

15. A schedule-keeping device, comprising:

a processor;

at least one input/output component coupled to the processor and configured to communicate with one or more sources of information via a network, and to provide output to the traveler;

a memory operatively coupled to the processor and to the at least one input/output component, the memory being configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform a method including;

receiving a plurality of travel milestones and travel plan information;

providing travel plan information;

formulating a travel plan based on the one or more travel milestones and the travel plan information;

receiving one or more travel-related inputs;

analyzing the one or more travel-related inputs to determine a travel status based on the one or more travel-related inputs and the travel plan; and

outputting the travel status to the traveler.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further configured such that receiving a plurality of travel milestones and travel plan information includes receiving at least one of:

stored personal information regarding the traveler, a road map, a traffic condition, a public transportation schedule, a weather condition, a parking availability, a queue length, a walking distance, an airline status information, an airport congestion information, and an amenity-related information.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further configured such that receiving one or more travel-related inputs includes receiving at least one of:

a traffic report, a parking availability, an airline schedule information, a weather condition, a queue length, and a congestion detail.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further configured such that outputing the travel status to the traveler includes outputting an on-schedule status, an ahead-of-schedule status, or a behind-schedule status.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further configured such that the method further includes:

if the travel status includes a behind-schedule status, formulating a revised travel plan based on the travel-related inputs and at least one of the travel plan information and the travel milestones; and

outputting to the traveler a proposed remedial action in accordance with the revised travel plan.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further configured such that the method further includes:

if the travel status comprises a behind-schedule status, attempting to formulate a revised travel plan based on the travel-related inputs and at least one of the travel plan information and the travel milestones;

if attempting to formulate a revised travel plan is unsuccessful, identifying at least one of a revised travel milestone and a revised travel plan information; and

outputting to the traveler the at least one of the revised travel milestone an the revised travel plan information.