Method to schedule a vehicle in real-time to transport freight and passengers

• US 6,411,897 B1
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kestrel Transportation, LLC
• Original Assignee: IAP Intermodal LLC
• Inventors: Gaspard, James G. II
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/029,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20020055818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 187 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/210, 701/201, 701/211, 701/214, 701/202, 701/204, 340/988, 340/995, 340/996, 705/5
• US Class Current: 701/209
• 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: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

A method of scheduling a vehicle in real-time to transport freight and passengers. A host receives transportation requests (e.g., to deliver freight, transport passengers, reschedule, cancel, etc.) over a network from a freight terminal and/or a passenger terminal. A route is created at the host with destinations based on the received transportation requests. The host predicts an arrival time and a departure time for each destination along the route and generates a route schedule. As the vehicle travels to each destination, the host receives actual arrival and departure times and uses these actual times to update the route schedule. The route schedule is also updated when new destinations are added or a scheduled destination is cancelled. In another embodiment, the predicted arrival and departure times are updated based on vehicle positioning data received from a global positioning system. In each embodiment, the generated and updated route schedules are posted at the host and are accessible from any remote terminal over the network.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling a vehicle transporting freight and passengers while traveling on a route using a host connected to a plurality of freight terminals and a plurality of passenger terminals, said method comprising:

receiving new freight transportation requests containing pickup times, pickup locations, destination times, destination locations, and freight requirements at the host from said plurality of freight terminals;

receiving new passenger transportation requests containing pickup times, pickup locations, destination times, destination locations, and the number of passengers at the host from said plurality of passenger terminals;

receiving vehicle positioning data from a global positioning system from the vehicle at said host,

creating a new route schedule at the host for the vehicle traveling on the route, the new route based on the received vehicle positioning data and the new freight and new passenger transportation requests that can be transported by said vehicle so as not to exceed a predetermined number of passengers and a predetermined freight requirement;

delivering the new route schedule from the host to the vehicle for the vehicle to travel on a new route in the new route schedule.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the:

posting the new route schedule at the host, said posted new route schedule accessible from any remote terminal including at least said passenger terminal, said freight terminal, and said vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of creating the new route schedule further includes:

adding one or a plurality of destinations to the route;

adjusting the predicted arrival and departure times of the route in response to the aforesaid step.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein creating the new route schedule further includes:

canceling one or a plurality of destinations from the route;

adjusting said predicted arrival and departure times in response to the aforesaid step.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said transportation requests are selected from the group consisting of requests to deliver freight, requests to transport passengers, requests to cancel passengers, and requests to cancel scheduled freight deliveries.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle has a freight area for transporting intermodal containers.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is an airplane.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is a boat.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is a ship.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is a train.

11. A method for scheduling vehicles transporting freight and passengers while traveling on routes using a host connected to a plurality of freight terminals and a plurality of passenger terminals, said method comprising:

receiving new freight transportation requests containing pickup times, pickup locations, destination times, and destination locations at the host from said plurality of freight terminals;

receiving new passenger transportation requests containing pickup times, pickup locations, destination times, and destination locations at the host from said plurality of passenger terminals;

creating new route schedules at the host for the vehicles traveling on the routes, the new routes based on the received new freight and new passenger transportation requests.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving vehicle positioning data from a global positioning system from the vehicles at the host, wherein creating the new route schedules are based on the received vehicle positioning data.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein receiving new freight transportation requests includes freight requirements, wherein new passenger transportation requests include a number of passengers, and wherein the new route schedules do not exceed a predetermined number of passengers and a predetermined freight requirement per vehicle.