Utilizing Gross Vehicle Weight to Determine Passenger Numbers

• US 20090192756A1
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bodin, William K., Thorson, Derral C., Jaramillo, David, Redmond, Calista J., Whaples, Thomas S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,063 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/129
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/12 having electrical weight-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/42 for counting by weighing G01G19/387 takes precedence

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program for determining the number of passengers riding on a vehicle in real time is presented. A total weight of passengers on the vehicle is divided by an estimated weight of each of the passengers to estimate how many passengers are on the vehicle in real time.

Claims

1. A method of determining passenger headcounts in vehicles, the method comprising:

measuring a total weight of passengers on a vehicle;

estimating an average weight for each of the passengers, wherein the average weight is estimated according to a current season, a time of day, a day of week, a location of the vehicle and an average weight of carry on baggage; and

dividing the total weight of the passengers by the average weight of the passengers to determine, in real time, a total number of passengers on the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a bus, the method further comprising:

dynamically adjusting vehicle routes by adjusting a total number of vehicles on a route, lengths of the vehicle routes, and vehicle sizes and types deployed on the vehicle routes based on the total number of passengers on the bus.

3. A system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor;

a memory coupled to the data bus; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for determining passenger headcounts in vehicles by;

measuring a total weight of passengers on a vehicle;

estimating an average weight for each of the passengers, wherein the average weight is estimated according to a current season, a time of day, a day of week, a location of the vehicle and an average weight of carry on baggage; and

dividing the total weight of the passengers by the average weight of the passengers to determine, in real time, a total number of passengers on the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the vehicle is a bus, and wherein the instructions are further configured for:

dynamically adjusting vehicle routes by adjusting a total number of vehicles on a route, lengths of the vehicle routes, and vehicle sizes and types deployed on the vehicle routes based on the total number of passengers on the bus.

5. A computer-readable medium having a plurality of instructions processable by a machine embodied therein, wherein the plurality of instructions, when processed by the machine, cause the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

measuring a total weight of passengers on a vehicle;

estimating an average weight for each of the passengers, wherein the average weight is estimated according to a current season, a time of day, a day of week, a location of the vehicle and an average weight of carry on baggage; and

dividing the total weight of the passengers by the average weight of the passengers to determine, in real time, a total number of passengers on the vehicle.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured for:

dynamically adjusting vehicle routes by adjusting a total number of vehicles on a route, lengths of the vehicle routes, and vehicle sizes and types deployed on the vehicle routes based on the total number of passengers on the bus.