Method and Application for Batch-Based Queue Management System

• US 20130204656A1
• Filed: 01/25/2013
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Weeels, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Weeels, Inc.
• Inventors: MAHFOUDA, David Drew, BLUM, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US13/750,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20130204656A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work

Abstract

A queue management method and system that is designed to decrease queue times and to more efficiently allocate the queue-resource among queue-members, particularly in cases where multiple independent queue-members can effectively share resources that each member would otherwise consume independently. Users may be batched according to some complementary consumption-characteristic and a segmented queue may be utilized that contains a batched-queue that includes the batches of users and users that have not been assigned to a batch. Priority may be awarded to those in the batched-queues, which may decrease queue times and more efficiently allocate the queue-resource. The system for facilitating batched queue management may contain a series of terminals that acquire user characteristics, a server that batches users according to their characteristics and maintains a queue consisting of batched and non-batched queue-members, and terminals for broadcasting queue information to the users.

Claims

1. A queue management system comprising:

at least one input terminal configured to receive a characteristic from a user;

a server configured to receive the characteristic from the at least one input terminal, and wherein the server is further configured to allocate users into a segmented queue comprised of at least one batched-queue containing batches of users assigned to a batch at least in part based on a complementary user characteristic and a non-batched queue comprised of users that have not been assigned to a batch;

a broadcast terminal configured to broadcast information about the segmented queue to the user.

2. The queue management system according to claim 1, wherein the server is configured to determine an order of the users within the segmented queue.

3. The queue management system according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic is comprised of a user destination.

4. The queue management system according to claim 3, wherein the broadcast terminal is comprised of a departures board for facilitating ride sharing.

5. The queue management system according to claim 4, wherein at least one batch of users is comprised of users departing to a complimentary destination.

6. The queue management system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one input terminal comprises a stationary kiosk.

7. The queue management system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one input terminal comprises a wireless device.

8. The queue management system according to claim 7, wherein the broadcast terminal also comprises the wireless device.

9. A computer implemented method for allocating resources comprising:

receiving, by a server from one or more input terminals, a characteristic entered by a user;

allocating, by the server, users with complementary characteristics into batches; and

compiling, by the server, a segmented queue comprised of the batched users and non-batched users.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein priority in the segmented queue is provided to the batched users over the non-batched users.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the priority comprises a shorter wait time for the batched users compared to the non-batched users.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

assigning a vehicle to the user,

wherein the complementary characteristic may comprise at least one of;

a destination location, a pick up time, or a drop off time.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the allocation of batches is based at least in part on a minimization of a sum of preference functions for the users, with weighted terms comprised of at least one of the following factors:

a shared trip length versus a solo trip length, a deviation from preferred pick up time, a deviation from preferred drop off time, and a trip cost.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the minimization of the sum of preference functions is based at least in part on a rough geographic estimate of a trip length.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the minimization of the sum of preference functions is based at least in part on a turn-by-turn estimate of a trip length.

16. The method, according to claim 9, wherein the users are selected from pick up zones determined at least in part by applying kernelized k-means clustering with a driving distance metric, and subsequently establishing pick up hubs at the centroids of the zones.

17. A computer implemented method for allocating resources comprising:

receiving, by a server from one or more input terminals, characteristics entered by users;

allocating, by the server, users with complementary characteristics into a batched-queue and users without complementary characteristics into a non-batched queue;

determining, by the server, an overall order comprised of the batched-queue and the non-batched queue; and

transmitting the queue order, from the server, to the user.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the transmitting occurs through a broadcast terminal.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the one or more input terminals comprises a wireless device.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the transmitting occurs through the wireless device.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the one or more input terminals comprises a stationary kiosk.

22. The method according to claim 17, wherein the overall order is determined based on awarding priority to users in the batched-queue over users in the non-batched queue.