GENERATING OPTIMAL ITINERARIES BASED ON NETWORK CONNECTIVITY

• US 20100153001A1
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Drouet, Francois-Xavier, Marmigere, Gerard, Bauchot, Frederic, Dispensa, Jean-Claude
• Granted Patent: US 8,352,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• 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 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3867 Geometry of map features, e.g. shape points, polygons or for simplified maps

Abstract

A method and system for generating optimal itineraries based on network connectivity. A computer receives a first message from which a current position of a vehicle on a trip, destination, service(s) being provided to mobile device(s) in the vehicle, service provider(s) and network(s) are extracted. Optimal itineraries are generated by generating sets of optimal parameters that include paths for which connectivity measures satisfy predefined criteria and hops that indicate positions associated with connectivity changes. A response to the first message indicates the optimal itineraries and the associated sets of optimal parameters and is sent to a vehicle-based device. Sending the response results in the mobile device(s) making the connectivity changes when the vehicle is detected at the hops.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of generating optimal itineraries, said method comprising:

a computer system receiving a first message from a global positioning device that determines a geographic position of a vehicle on a trip, wherein said computer system is remote from said vehicle, and wherein said first message indicates said geographic position of said vehicle, a destination of said trip, one or more services requested for one or more mobile devices being transported by said vehicle, one or more preferred service providers of a plurality of service providers that provide said one or more services, and one or more preferred networks of a plurality of networks via which said one or more preferred service providers provide said one or more services to said one or more mobile devices;

said computer system generating a plurality of optimal itineraries for said trip, wherein said generating said plurality of optimal itineraries includes generating a set of optimal parameters for an optimal itinerary of said plurality of optimal itineraries, wherein said set of optimal parameters includes a plurality of paths in said optimal itinerary for which a plurality of measures of a network connectivity to said one or more preferred service providers satisfies one or more predefined criteria, wherein said set of optimal parameters further includes a hop indicating a position on a path of said plurality of paths, and wherein said hop is associated with a connectivity change; and

said computer system sending a second message as a response to said first message, wherein said second message indicates said plurality of optimal itineraries, wherein a result of said sending said second message and said vehicle reaching said position indicated by said hop is a mobile device of said one or more mobile devices making said connectivity change, wherein said connectivity change is selected from a group consisting of a first change from a first preferred service provider providing a service of said one or more services to a mobile device of said one or more mobile devices to a second preferred service provider providing said service to said mobile device, a second change from a first preferred network via which said service is provided to said mobile device to a second preferred network of said one or more preferred networks via which said service is provided to said mobile device, and a combination thereof, wherein said first preferred service provider and said second preferred service provider are included in said one or more preferred service providers, and wherein said first preferred network and said second preferred network are included in said one or more preferred networks.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving said first message includes receiving one or more time windows during which said one or more services are requested to be provided to said one or more mobile devices, wherein said one or more time windows are associated with said one or more services in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein said result of said sending said second message and said vehicle reaching said position indicated by said hop is said mobile device making said connectivity change based on a time window of said one or more time windows, and wherein said time window indicates a period of time during which said service is required by said mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving said first message includes receiving one or more cost requirements of said one or more services, wherein said one or more cost requirements are associated with said one or more services in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein said result of said sending said second message and said vehicle reaching said position indicated by said hop is said mobile device making said connectivity change based on a cost requirement of said one or more cost requirements, and wherein said cost requirement indicates a maximum cost of providing said service to said mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a further result of said sending said second message and said vehicle reaching said position indicated by said hop is a display of said plurality of optimal itineraries on a display device being transported by said vehicle and a selection of one optimal itinerary of said plurality of optimal itineraries.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said vehicle is a mode of conveyance by which a person travels, and wherein said mode of conveyance is selected from the group consisting of a motor-driven conveyance, a rail transport conveyance, a watercraft, an aircraft, an animal-powered mode of transportation, and a human-powered mode of transportation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first message conforms to a communications protocol, wherein said computer system is configured with a connection stack that defines said communications protocol, and wherein said method further comprises said computer system extracting from said first message said geographic position of said vehicle, said destination of said trip, said one or more services, said one or more preferred service providers, and said one or more preferred networks by applying said communications protocol to said first message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating said set of optimal parameters for said optimal itinerary includes determining said path based on a quality of a signal providing said service via a preferred network of said one or more preferred networks and received by said mobile device from a first preferred service provider of said one or more preferred service providers, wherein said quality of said signal equals or exceeds any quality of any other signal providing said service and received by said mobile device via any other preferred network of said one or more preferred networks, and wherein said quality of said signal equals or exceeds any quality of any other signal providing said service and received by said mobile device from any other preferred service provider of said one or more preferred service providers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating said set of optimal parameters for said optimal itinerary includes determining said plurality of paths based on a shortest distance constraint that selects a shortest distance for said plurality of paths or based on maximizing a number of cells through which said plurality of paths pass, wherein said cells are configured to receive a signal that provides said service to said mobile device, and wherein a quality of said signal exceeds a predefined threshold value or is greater than or equal to any quality of any other signal providing said service and received by said mobile device.

9. A computer system comprising a processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising a software application, said software application comprising instructions that when executed by said processor implement the method of claim 1.

10. A computer program product, comprising a computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program code stored therein, said computer-readable program code containing instructions configured to be executed by a processor of a computer system to implement the method of claim 1.

11. A process for supporting computing infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in a computer system, wherein the code in combination with the computer system is capable of performing a method of generating optimal itineraries, said method comprising:

said computer system receiving a first message from a global positioning device that determines a geographic position of a vehicle on a trip, wherein said computer system is remote from said vehicle, and wherein said first message indicates said geographic position of said vehicle, a destination of said trip, one or more services requested for one or more mobile devices being transported by said vehicle, one or more preferred service providers of a plurality of service providers that provide said one or more services, and one or more preferred networks of a plurality of networks via which said one or more preferred service providers provide said one or more services to said one or more mobile devices;

said computer system generating a plurality of optimal itineraries for said trip, wherein said generating said plurality of optimal itineraries includes generating a set of optimal parameters for an optimal itinerary of said plurality of optimal itineraries, wherein said set of optimal parameters includes a plurality of paths in said optimal itinerary for which a plurality of measures of a network connectivity to said one or more preferred service providers satisfies one or more predefined criteria, wherein said set of optimal parameters further includes a hop indicating a position on a path of said plurality of paths, and wherein said hop is associated with a connectivity change; and

said computer system sending a second message as a response to said first message, wherein said second message indicates said plurality of optimal itineraries, wherein a result of said sending said second message and said vehicle reaching said position indicated by said hop is a mobile device of said one or more mobile devices making said connectivity change, wherein said connectivity change is selected from a group consisting of a first change from a first preferred service provider providing a service of said one or more services to a mobile device of said one or more mobile devices to a second preferred service provider providing said service to said mobile device, a second change from a first preferred network via which said service is provided to said mobile device to a second preferred network of said one or more preferred networks via which said service is provided to said mobile device, and a combination thereof, wherein said first preferred service provider and said second preferred service provider are included in said one or more preferred service providers, and wherein said first preferred network and said second preferred network are included in said one or more preferred networks.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein said receiving said first message includes receiving one or more time windows during which said one or more services are requested to be provided to said one or more mobile devices, wherein said one or more time windows are associated with said one or more services in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein said result of said sending said second message and said vehicle reaching said position indicated by said hop is said mobile device making said connectivity change based on a time window of said one or more time windows, and wherein said time window indicates a period of time during which said service is required by said mobile device.

13. The process of claim 11, wherein said receiving said first message includes receiving one or more cost requirements of said one or more services, wherein said one or more cost requirements are associated with said one or more services in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein said result of said sending said second message and said vehicle reaching said position indicated by said hop is said mobile device making said connectivity change based on a cost requirement of said one or more cost requirements, and wherein said cost requirement indicates a maximum cost of providing said service to said mobile device.

14. The process of claim 11, wherein a further result of said sending said second message and said vehicle reaching said position indicated by said hop is a display of said plurality of optimal itineraries on a display device being transported by said vehicle and a selection of one optimal itinerary of said plurality of optimal itineraries.

15. The process of claim 11, wherein said vehicle is a mode of conveyance by which a person travels, and wherein said mode of conveyance is selected from the group consisting of a motor-driven conveyance, a rail transport conveyance, a watercraft, an aircraft, an animal-powered mode of transportation, and a human-powered mode of transportation.

16. A computer-implemented method of generating optimal itineraries, said method comprising:

a global positioning device receiving a destination of said trip, one or more services requested for one or more mobile devices being transported by said vehicle, one or more preferred service providers of a plurality of service providers that provide said one or more services, and one or more preferred networks of a plurality of networks via which said one or more preferred service providers provide said one or more services to said one or more mobile devices;

said global positioning device determining a geographic position of said vehicle;

subsequent to said receiving said destination and determining said position, said global positioning device sending a first message to a computer system that is remote from said vehicle, wherein said first message indicates said geographic position of said vehicle, said destination of said trip, said one or more services, said one or more preferred service providers, and said one or more preferred networks;

said global positioning device receiving a second message as a response to said first message, wherein said second message indicates a plurality of optimal itineraries generated by said computer system;

said global positioning device extracting said plurality of optimal itineraries from said second message;

subsequent to said extracting said plurality of optimal itineraries, said global positioning device generating and displaying a plurality of choices identifying said plurality of optimal itineraries on a display device;

subsequent to said displaying said plurality of choices, said global positioning device receiving a selection of a choice of said plurality of choices, wherein said selection identifies an optimal itinerary of said plurality of optimal itineraries, wherein said optimal itinerary includes a set of optimal parameters that indicate a path, a hop, an updated preferred service provider of said one or more preferred service providers, and an updated preferred network of said one or more preferred networks;

in response to said receiving said selection, said global positioning device storing said optimal itinerary in a computer memory;

said global positioning device detecting that said vehicle is located at a position indicated by said hop;

in response to said detecting that said vehicle is located at said position indicated by said hop, said global positioning device generating a third message indicating said updated preferred service provider and said updated preferred network;

said global positioning device sending said third message to a mobile device of said one or more mobile devices, wherein a result of said sending said third message is said mobile device making a connectivity change, wherein said connectivity change is selected from a group consisting of a first change from an initial preferred service provider providing a service of said one or more services to said mobile device to said updated preferred service provider providing said service to said mobile device, a second change from an initial preferred network via which said service is provided to said mobile device to said updated preferred network via which said service is provided to said mobile device, and a combination thereof, wherein said initial preferred service provider is included in said one or more preferred service providers, and wherein said initial preferred network is included in said one or more preferred networks.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said sending said first message includes sending said first message that further indicates one or more time windows during which said one or more services are requested to be provided to said one or more mobile devices, wherein said one or more time windows are associated with said one or more services in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein said result of said sending said third message is said mobile device making said connectivity change based on a time window of said one or more time windows, and wherein said time window indicates a period of time during which said service is required by said mobile device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said sending said first message includes sending said first message that indicates one or more cost requirements of said one or more services, wherein said one or more cost requirements are associated with said one or more services in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein said result of said sending said third message is said mobile device making said connectivity change based on a cost requirement of said one or more cost requirements, and wherein said cost requirement indicates a maximum cost of providing said service to said mobile device.

19. A computer system comprising a processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising a software application, said software application comprising instructions that when executed by said processor implement the method of claim 16.

20. A computer program product, comprising a computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program code stored therein, said computer-readable program code containing instructions configured to be executed by a processor of a computer system to implement the method of claim 16.