TRANSPORTATION PLAN CREATION SUPPORT APPARATUS AND TRANSPORTATION PLAN CREATION SUPPORT METHOD

• US 20160042639A1
• Filed: 11/14/2013
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: SHIMAZAKI, Keiko, YOSHIOKA, Akira, KUSAJIMA, Takayuki, ONISHI, Ryokichi
• Application Number:
  US14/442,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20160042639A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0125 Traffic data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968

Abstract

In order to obtain a traffic flow when a specific condition is given to a target transportation network, transportation condition data which is data representing time constraints of traveling by first transportation means whose operation is not scheduled, a transportation parameter which is a parameter related to an operation of second transportation means whose operation is scheduled, and a travel demand which is data representing the number of traveling users for each desired arrival time and destination are respectively acquired. In addition, a template for generating a mathematical model representing travel of users between nodes is stored. By applying the transportation condition data, the transportation parameter, and the travel demand to the template, a mathematical model representing travel of users between nodes is generated. A traffic flow is obtained by solving an optimization problem that is formulated by the mathematical model.

Claims

1. A transportation plan creation support apparatus for obtaining a traffic flow of users traveling from a point of origin to a destination in a transportation network which is made up of a plurality of nodes, first transportation means, and second transportation means, with the first transportation means the users being able to start travelling at any timing, and operation of the second transportation means being scheduled,

the transportation plan creation support apparatus comprising:

a transportation condition acquiring unit configured to acquire transportation condition data which is data representing time constraints regarding travelling of the users between nodes using the first transportation means;

a transportation parameter acquiring unit configured to acquire a transportation parameter which is a parameter associated with an operation of the second transportation means;

a travel demand acquiring unit configured to acquire a travel demand which is data representing the number of users traveling the transportation network for each desired arrival time and destination;

a model template storage unit configured to store a model template which is a template for generating a mathematical model representing travel of the users between nodes and which is a set of constraints regarding travelling of the users between nodes;

a model generating unit configured to generate a mathematical model representing travel of the users between nodes by applying the transportation condition data, the transportation parameter, and the travel demand to the model template; and

a data calculating unit configured to solve an optimization problem that is formulated by the generated mathematical model and obtaining a traffic flow that constitutes an optimum solution.

2. The transportation plan creation support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the transportation network comprises at least two routes including a first route enabling a travel from a point of origin to a destination using only the first transportation means and a second route enabling a travel from the point of origin to the destination using at least the second transportation means,

the model template stored in the model template storage unit includes constraints representing a relationship between a presence or absence of the second transportation means departing from a predetermined node on the second route at a predetermined time and the number of users departing from the predetermined node at the predetermined time, and

the model generating unit generates a mathematical model representing the number of users traveling by the second transportation means, using the constraints.

3. The transportation plan creation support apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the model template stored in the model template storage unit includes a constraint representing a sum of the number of operations of the second transportation means which departs from a predetermined node on the second route within a predetermined time range, and

the model generating unit generates a mathematical model representing an operation of the second transportation means by using the constraint.

4. The transportation plan creation support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the transportation parameter acquiring unit acquires a plurality of transportation parameters,

the model generating unit generates a plurality of mathematical models by using the plurality of transportation parameters, and

the data calculating unit performs computations with respect to the plurality of mathematical models to obtain a plurality of traffic flows.

5. The transportation plan creation support apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the data calculating unit calculates an evaluation value for evaluating the transportation parameter from the obtained traffic flow and determines an optimum transportation parameter based on the evaluation value.

6. The transportation plan creation support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the model template includes a constraint that all users arrive at a destination by a desired arrival time.

7. The transportation plan creation support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the transportation parameter acquired by the transportation parameter acquiring unit is data representing an operation condition of public transportation means and includes at least any of the number of operations in the public transportation means, operation intervals of the public transportation means, and riding capacity of the public transportation means.

8. The transportation plan creation support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the data calculating unit obtains a traffic flow under an optimum solution condition that a sum values obtained based on a ratio of an actual travel time to a minimum travel time of respective users takes a minimum value.

9. A transportation plan creation support method of obtaining a traffic flow of users traveling from a point of origin to a destination in a transportation network which is made up of a plurality of nodes, first transportation means, and second transportation means, with the first transportation means the users being able to start travelling at any timing, and operation of the second transportation means being scheduled, wherein

a computer implements:

a step of acquiring transportation condition data which is data representing time constraints regarding travelling of the users between nodes by using the first transportation means;

a step of acquiring a transportation parameter which is a parameter associated with an operation of the second transportation means;

a step of acquiring a travel demand which is data representing the number of users traveling the transportation network for each desired arrival time and destination;

a step of acquiring a model template which is a template for generating a mathematical model representing travel of users between nodes and which is a set of constraints regarding travelling of the users between nodes;

a step of generating a mathematical model representing travel of users between nodes by applying the transportation condition data, the transportation parameter, and the travel demand to the model template; and

a step of solving an optimization problem that is formulated by the generated mathematical model and obtaining a traffic flow that constitutes an optimum solution.

10. A non transitory computer readable storing medium recording a transportation plan creation support program for obtaining a traffic flow of users traveling from a point of origin to a destination in a transportation network which is made up of a plurality of nodes, first transportation means, and second transportation means, with the first transportation means the users being able to start travelling at any timing, and operation of the second transportation means being scheduled, wherein

the transportation plan creation support program causes a computer to implement:

a step of acquiring transportation condition data which is data representing time constraints regarding travelling of the users between nodes by using the first transportation means;

a step of acquiring a transportation parameter which is a parameter associated with an operation of the second transportation means;

a step of acquiring a travel demand which is data representing the number of users traveling the transportation network for each desired arrival time and destination;

a step of acquiring a model template which is a template for generating a mathematical model representing travel of users between nodes and which is a set of constraints regarding travelling of the users between nodes;

a step of generating a mathematical model representing travel of users between nodes by applying the transportation condition data, the transportation parameter, and the travel demand to the model template; and

a step of solving an optimization problem that is formulated by the generated mathematical model and obtaining a traffic flow that constitutes an optimum solution.