AUTOMATED DISPENSING OF TRAVEL PATH APPLICANTS

• US 20130110285A1
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: KADABA, NAGESH
• Granted Patent: US 10,072,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/240
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 39/02 Vehicle fittings for scattering or dispensing material in front of its wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/10 Road Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 10/007 Mobile apparatus specially adapted for preparing or applying liquid or semi-liquid thawing material or spreading granular material on wintry roads

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for dispensing a travel path applicant. For example, a computing entity can monitor the location of a maintenance vehicle and/or its travel path to dispense travel path applicants accordingly.

Claims

1. A method for dispensing a travel path applicant, the method comprising:

electronically monitoring the location of a vehicle to determine whether the vehicle has entered a geofenced area; and

after determining that the vehicle has entered the geofenced area, automatically adjusting the dispensing of a travel path applicant.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

electronically monitoring the location of the vehicle to determine whether the vehicle has exited the geofenced area; and

after determining that the vehicle has exited the geofenced area, automatically adjusting the dispensing of the travel path applicant.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the dispensing of the travel path applicant comprises adjusting a dispense rate of the travel path applicant.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the dispense rate of the travel path applicant is increased based on an increased grade of the travel path.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the dispensing of the travel path applicant comprises adjusting the dispense pattern of the travel path applicant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more thresholds is selected from the group consisting of (a) a grade of the travel path, (b) a curve of the travel path, and (b) a speed of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the travel path applicant is selected from the group consisting of sand, liquid chemicals, and salt.

8. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

monitor the location of a vehicle to determine whether the vehicle has entered a geofenced area; and

after determining that the vehicle has entered the geofenced area, automatically adjust the dispensing of a travel path applicant.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to

monitor the location of the vehicle to determine whether the vehicle has exited the geofenced area;

and

after determining that the vehicle has exited the geofenced area, automatically adjust the dispensing of the travel path applicant.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein adjusting the dispensing of the travel path applicant comprises adjusting a dispense rate of the travel path applicant.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the dispense rate of the travel path applicant is increased based on an increased grade of the travel path.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein adjusting the dispensing of the travel path applicant comprises adjusting the dispense pattern of the travel path applicant.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of the one or more thresholds is selected from the group consisting of (a) a grade of the travel path, (b) a curve of the travel path, and (b) a speed of the vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the travel path applicant is selected from the group consisting of sand, liquid chemicals, and salt.

15. A computer program product for dispensing a travel path applicant, the computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to monitor the location of a vehicle to determine whether the vehicle has entered a geofenced area; and

an executable portion configured to after determining that the vehicle has entered the geofenced area, automatically adjust the dispensing of a travel path applicant.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

an executable portion configured to monitor the location of the vehicle to determine whether the vehicle has exited the geofenced area; and

an executable portion configured to, after determining that the vehicle has exited the geofenced area, automatically adjust the dispensing of the travel path applicant.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein adjusting the dispensing of the travel path applicant comprises adjusting a dispense rate of the travel path applicant.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the dispense rate of the travel path applicant is increased based on an increased grade of the travel path.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein adjusting the dispensing of the travel path applicant comprises adjusting the dispense pattern of the travel path applicant.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein each of the one or more thresholds is selected from the group consisting of (a) a grade of the travel path, (b) a curve of the travel path, and (b) a speed of the vehicle.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the travel path applicant is selected from the group consisting of sand, liquid chemicals, and salt.