Search and retrieval system of transportation-related flexibly defined paths

• US 7,363,319 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2002
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pablo Dario Cappellini
• Original Assignee: Pablo Dario Cappellini
• Inventors: Cappellini, Pablo Dario
• Primary Examiner(s): AL HASHEMI, SANA A
• Application Number:
  US10/192,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20030014286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,112 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/102, 707/104.1, 701/209, 701/29, 701/3, 701/202
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• 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

Abstract

A search engine of flexibly-defined paths applicable to the search of transportation-related routes.

A location system within a spatial subsystem (059) is used to define nodes or waypoint locations (031), and flexible nodes by defining loci (030) in the proximity of the nodes (031), which represent operational spaces.

Flexible paths (FIG. 4B) are defined by elements comprising these nodes or waypoints (031) and loci or associated spaces (030), as well as with other constraints. These are structured and organized into spatially-related database and indexes (5106, 5102, 5102) with the aid of a spatial subsystem (059), typically a G.I.S.

The system can search for paths or combinations of paths (300 to 310) representing service providers, capable of fulfilling requirements specified by a service user.

Reservations are enabled through a central reservation system managing three-dimensional space and constraints comprising a dimensional subsystem (061).

The flexible path concept is extendible to networks with flexible nodes where similar analysis for connections or routing can be made.

Claims

1. A computer implemented process for the search and retrieval of transportation-related capabilities comprising the steps of:

a) providing first means for data processing

b) providing second means for data storage compatible with said first means

c) providing third means for management and detection of locations comprising a location system

d) providing fourth means for the definition of one or more paths, said one or more paths comprising flexible paths with predefined degrees of flexibility, said one or more paths having attributes identifiable in said location system and said one or more paths representing one or more available transportation-related capabilities in modes of one or more trajectory-related sections or legs

e) providing fifth means for entering structured data representing one or more paths defined by said fourth means

f) storing via said second means, said structured data to a structured data set

g) providing sixth means for the definition of a required transportation-related capability between a first location and at least a second location, said required transportation capability of a type of transportation compatible with at least one of the types of transportation represented in said structured data set, said required transportation capability comprising at least said first location having a position identifiable directly or by simple cross-reference in said location system

h) providing seventh means for retrieving from a service user structured data representing at least a request for a required transportation-related capability between a first location and at least a second location, said request defined by said sixth means

i) providing eighth means for detecting among said structured data set, a structured data subset regarding paths representing available transportation-related capabilities that can provide one or more possible solutions for fulfilling said request, said one or more possible solutions comprising at least a possible solution constructed with a plurality of paths or path sections, said plurality of path or path sections, representing a logically-linked sequence of a plurality of available transportation-related capabilities or independent trajectory-related sections of available transportation-related capabilities and which in combination are capable of performing the required transportation-related task

j) providing ninth means for conveying information on said one or more possible solutions.

2. The process of claim 1 further including a step of permitting identification of a selection among said one or more possible solutions conveyed by said ninth means.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said step of conveying information comprises:

a) permitting identification of an organization criteria for presenting the information on said one or more possible solutions.

b) organizing and presenting said information according to said organization criteria.

4. The process of claim 2 further including the step of providing means for enabling reservation of said required transportation-related capability on said selection.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein the step of providing means for enabling reservation of said required transportation-related capability on said selection, comprises providing means for capacity management on said selection, said means comprising a mathematically simulated multidimensional model that represents the cargo capacity environment on each of the capabilities within said selection.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein the step of providing means for enabling reservation of said required transportation-related capabilities on said selection, comprises accounting for capacity in a substantially-simulated three dimensional environment.

7. The process of claim 2 further including the step of enabling communication between a service user of said required transportation-related capability and at least one service provider providing the selected available transportation-related capabilities associated with said selection.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein said step of enabling communication, comprises means for enabling concealed-identity communication between the service user and the service provider.

9. A computer implemented method for the search and retrieval of paths representing available transportation capabilities

a) providing first means for retrieving from service providers selected information associated with available transportation capabilities, said available transportation capabilities representable by paths having predefined time frames, said available transportation capabilities comprising spatially flexible available transportation capabilities representable by said paths further having a service-provider-defined degree of spatial flexibility respect to a route described by waypoints or nodes

b) retrieving and organizing said selected information associated with available transportation capabilities

c) storing said selected information associated with available transportation capabilities in a first group

d) providing second means for retrieving from a service user, selected information associated with at least one required transportation capability comprising at least a first location and a time frame

e) retrieving from said user said selected information associated with at least one required transportation capability

f) Providing third means for matching said selected information associated with at least one required transportation capability, to a second group of selected information associated with one or more available transportation capabilities within said first group, said third means comprising the detection of a plurality of logically-linked sequences of available transportation capabilities among said first group, which when linked in sequence can match said required transportation capability, said plurality of logically-linked sequences of available transportation capabilities, comprising at least one flexible transportation capability

g) Providing fourth means for conveying information to the service user or an entity having the role of a service user, on the available transportation capabilities associated with said second group.

10. The process of claim 9 further comprising the step of enabling communication means between the said service user and the at least one service provider associated with at least one selection of available transportation capabilities among said second group.

11. The process of claim 9 further comprising the step of enabling reservation of at least one selection of available transportation capabilities among said second group.

12. A computer implemented search and reservation process for transportation capabilities comprising the steps of:

a) providing a location system

b) providing first means for representing one or more available transportation capabilities comprising;

i. providing spatially-locatable elements identifiable in said location system

ii. providing at least a parameter for identifying an original available transport capacity corresponding to each of said one or more available transportation capabilities in terms which are convertible to representative multi-dimensional models of said available transport capacity

c) retrieving from a supply entity having the role of a service provider one or more data-groups and storing said one or more data-groups to a data-group set representing a plurality of available transportation capabilities, said available transportation capabilities defined by said supply entity having the role of a service provider through said first means

d) receiving a request representing a transportation requirement comprising the connection of a first location with a second location, said first location and said second location defined by a demand entity having the role of a service user through second means for identifying locations, said locations identifiable directly or via cross-reference in said location system, said transportation requirement further defined through at least a parameter identifying a required transport capacity at least in terms convertible to substantially representative mathematical three-dimensional models of said required transport capacity

e) detecting among said data-group set, a first data-group subset representing available transportation capabilities that can be used in said connection corresponding to said transportation requirement.

13. The process of claim 12 further including the step of enabling communication between said supply entity and a selected demand entity among the represented in said second data-group subset.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein said step of enabling communication comprises enabling concealed-identity communication.

15. The process of claim 13 wherein said step of enabling said communication comprises steps selected from the group consisting of communication forwarding, communication redirecting and identity masking.

16. The process of claim 12 wherein said supply entity and said demand entity are the same entity assuming different roles.

17. The process of claim 12 wherein said step of detecting among said data-group set, a first data-group subset representing available transportation capabilities that can be used in said connection corresponding to said transportation requirement, comprises detecting a plurality of sequentially-combinable data-groups that when arranged in sequential combination represent sequentially-combinable available transportation capabilities that when arranged in sequential combination can produce said connection corresponding to said transportation requirement.

45. The system of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

a) permitting a selection of a second data-group subset within said first data-group subset, said second data-group subset representing one or more selected available transportation capabilities that can be used in said connection corresponding to said transportation requirement;

b) enabling reservation of said transportation capabilities corresponding to said second data-group subset, at least by

i. confirming availability on said second data-group subset by third means for capacity management comprising deterimining capacity availability as a result of mathematically-modelling in a multi- dimensional environment the interaction of the said required transport capacity within the original or updated available transport capacity, on each of the corresponding said one or more selected available transportation capabilities that can be used in said connection corresponding to said transportation requirement,

ii. accepting a reservation of the said transportation requirement if said availability is confirmed on said second data-group subset

iii. updating the capacity availability on said second data-group subset by said third means

iv. by communication of reservation-related information corresponding to said reservation, to the said at least one supply entity represented in said second data-group subset.

47. The process of claim 45 wherein said third means for capacity management comprises management of shaped spatial capacity having position and orientation in a mathematically-simulated three-dimensional environment.

48. The process of claim 45 further including the step of providing means for confirmation of delivery based on password correlation, comprising

a) automatically forwarding of an outgoing password to a predefined delivery receptor, upon a predefined event, said predefined receptor defined by said demand entity and said predefined receptor instructed to communicate the password to a delivery agent upon predefined delivery reception conditions

b) retrieving an incoming password from said supply entity or said delivery agent, said delivery agent associated with said supply entity, said incoming password supposedly the same as said outgoing password

c) correlating said outgoing password with said incoming password to determine if they match,

whereby the predefined receptor of the delivery can communicate the password to the delivery agent upon the delivery reception, who then can communicate said password as a confirmation of delivery providing therefore a proof based on a positive password correlation.

18. A computer implemented process for the reservation of transportation capabilities comprising the steps of:

a) providing first means for retrieving and storing information on a plurality of available transportation capabilities corresponding to at least a service provider, said available transportation capabilities comprising

i. trajectory-related information and

ii. spatial capacity information in terms convertible to substantially representative mathematical multi-dimensional models of said available capacity

b) providing second means for retrieving from a service user information regarding at least a required transportation capability, comprising capacity-related data convertible to at least to a substantially representative mathematical multi-dimensional model of the required capacity, corresponding to said required transportation capability

c) providing third means for conveying information on a group of said plurality of available transportation capabilities

d) providing fourth means for permitting said service user to make a selection of at least an available transportation capability among said group

e) providing fifth means for capacity management for said plurality of available transportation capabilities, said fifth means comprising a space management subsystem that manages capacity using a mathematically simulated multidimensional environment, said environment at least three-dimensional

f) providing sixth means, comprising the use of said fifth means, for determining the availability of said selection for fulfilling said at least one required transportation capability

g) accepting a reservation of said at least one required transportation capability on said selection if on said selection, said required transportation capability is available and declining the reservation if said required transportation capability is unavailable

h) providing means for conveying information regarding the reservation arrangements to the at least one service provider providing said one or more available transportation capabilities corresponding to said selection.

46. The process of claim 18 further comprising means for delivery confirmation comprising:

a) means for generating and storing an outgoing password cross- referenced to a reservation file

b) means for communication at a predefined event, of said outgoing password to a predefined receptor defined in said reservation the

c) means for retrieving an incoming password from a service provider, said service provider supposedly having obtained the password from the said predefined receptor upon predefined delivery-related conditions

d) means for comparing the said outgoing password with said incoming password

Whereby upon a password match, a confirmation of the compliance of the said predefined delivery-related conditions can be established without the resource s required in written-signature graphological comparison and with a level of system security equal to the level of system security of the least secure among the said means for generating the generationg, the said means for communication, the said means for retrieving and the said means for comparing.

19. A network analysis process for a network defined by transportation-related paths, comprising:

(a) providing a location system

(b) providing data processing means

(c) providing data storage means compatible with said data processing means

(d) providing at least a database executable by said data processing means and operatively connected to said data storage means, said database at least containing cross-references of terms describing locations with spatially-corresponding coded data representing the spatial locus of said locations in said location system

(e) providing a component selected from the group consisting of;

e1) a first input, and

e2) first means

for entering data corresponding to a phurality of transportation-related entities selected from the group consisting of;

i) required transportation-related capabilities, and

ii) available transportation-related capabilities,

said transportation-related capabilities comprising at least one spatially flexible transportation-related capability, said data comprising for each said transportation-related capability at least one element selected from the group consisting of;

waypoints, waypoint attributes and vectors, and said data comprising for each said spatially flexible transportation-related capability, at least one element selected from the group consisting of;

waypoints, waypoint attributes and vectors, and further comprising at least one associated space related to the said at least one element, said elements and said associated-space being identifiable through coded data corresponding to locations in said location system by a location analysis system comprising said at least one database

(f) retrieving a plurality of data entries corresponding to a phurality of said transportation-related capabilities

(g) storing in said data storage means, said plurality of data entries as a structured data set

(h) providing a component selected from the group consisting of;

(h1) said input

(h2) a second input

(h3) said first means and

(h4) a second means

arranged to permit the entering of at least a data request for performing a transportation-related task based on said plurality of transportation-related capabilitie, said transportation-related task requiring a connection, with said transportation-related capabilities, between a first place and at least a second place, said first place and said at least one second place being identifiable through logically-coded elements representing the location of said first place and said at least one second place, respectively, in said location system, by said location analysis system comprising said database, said data request comprising at least an element selected from the group of;

waypoints, waypoint attributes and vectors,

(i) retrieving said at least one structured data request

(j) providing a software algorithm interacting with said processing means, said data storage means and said at least one database, arranged to detect among said set stored in step (g), an existing structured data subset representing at least one possible solution to said transport-related task, said solution coprising a combination of transportation-related capabilities comprising at least a spatially flexible transportation-related capabilities, said combination being one that can fulfil said task

(k) providing data output means for conveying data on the said structed data subset, whereby a service user or a service provider can provider can find among a universe of available transportation-related capabilities defined in said set, a subset of capabilities comprising those that when arranged in a relay combination can provide a solution to the requested transportation-related capability between a first place and at least a second place.

20. A process as claimed in claim 19, wherein the software algorithm comprises the step of matching the said logically-coded elements representing the location of said first place with logically-coded elements selected from the group consisting of those that represent:

a. a part of a first transportation-related capability and

b. a part of a first spatially flexible transportation-related capability.

21. A process as claimed in claim 20, wherein the software algorithm further comprises the step of matching at least another logically-coded element selected from the group consisting of those that represent:

c. a second part of said matched first transportation-related capability, and,

d. a second part of said matched first spatially flexible transportation-related capability,

with logically-coded elements that represent one entity selected from the group consisting of;

e. a second location,

f. part of a second transportation-related capability, and,

g. part of a second spatially-flexible transportation-related capability.

22. A process as claimed in claim 19, wherein the data entered in step (e) further comprises a link ability condition in relation to other transportation-related capabilities.

23. A process as claimed in claim 19, wherein a plurality of said elements of said data in step (e) further comprise starting and finishing attributes.

24. A process as claimed in claim 22, wherein the said link ability condition further comprises starting and finishing attributes.

25. A process as claimed in claim 19, wherein the software algorithm comprises the step of matching the said logically-coded elements corresponding to said transportation-related capabilities and wherein said step of matching comprises matching logically-coded elements that have attributes selected from the group consisting of starting and finishing attributes, and wherein only predefined attribute pairs are searched for matching.

26. A process as claimed in claimed in claim 19, further comprising the step of providing transducer means comprising at least one selected from the group of:

transducers, adaptors, physical signal converters, scanners, sensors or detectors.

27. A process as claimed in claim 19, further comprising the step of providing a capacity management system capable of modelling a multidimensional space in the fashion of prior art loading programs that model at least a three dimension space.

28. The process of claim 19 further including the step of permitting arrangement of a plurality of solutions in said structured data subset, according to at least one predefined criteria.

29. The process of claim 19 wherein the set of said path elements represent transportation routes or partial sections of transportation routes, whereby a transport service user can find among a universe of transportation routes, those that in combination can connect the origin and the destination of a transport requirement.

30. The process of claim 19 wherein said location system is selected from the group consisting of spatial coordinates systems, Euclidcan coordinate systems, geographical coordinate systems, postcode systems, administrative area division systems and geographic-feature division systems.

31. The process of claim 19 wherein said at least one associated-space has boundaries definable through functions selected from the group consisting of spheres of user-defined radii, shapes of user-defined radii, circles of user-defined radii, shapes of user-defined dimensions, user-defined isochrones, user-defined isodistances and interactive user-designed shapes.

32. The process of claim 19 further comprising the step selected from the group consisting of enabling reservation of transport capabilities and enabling reservation with means for transaction settlement of transport capabilities.

33. The process of claim 19 where the said available transportation-related capabilities are individually further defined by

a) an available transport capcity spacified at least in terms of data convertible to a first substantially simulated multi-dimensional model, said first substantially simulated multi-dimensional model comprising a mathematical model of the available transport capacity that is at least three-dimensional and wherein

b) said data request for performing a task is further defined by a required transport capacity specified in terms of data convertible at least to a second substantially simulated multi-dimensional model, said second substantially simulated multi-dimensional model comprising a mathematical models of the required transport capacity that is at least three-dimensional.

34. The process of claim 28 further comprising the step of providing means for determining the availability of the available transport capabilities corresponding to said structured data selection, for fulfilling the said transportation related task, comprising the management of the required transport capacities within the available transport capacities using a substantially simulated multi-dimensional model or environment, comprising the first model and the at least one second model.

35. The process of claim 34 further including the step selected from the group consisting of enabling reservation of said capacity and enabling reservation with means for transaction settlement, of said capacity.

36. The process of claim 19 wherein the said location system is a geographical coordinate system, the said database is a geographical database and said at least one associated-space is an associated-area.

37. The process of claim 19 wherein said solution, constructed with a combinable sequence of a plurality of total or partial sets of path elements corresponding to at least two available transportation capabilities, comprieses total or partial sets of path elements corresponding to at least one spatially-flexible available transportation capability.

38. A transport-related system comprising:

a) spatial information and location means capable of discrete storage, retrieval, manipulation and correlation of spatial or geographic data related to spatial or geographic logically-coded elements, capable of identifying a location in said location means,

b) an electronic path database having stored therein a plurality of transport-related paths representing available, or required, transportation-related capabilities, said paths each defined by at least one element selected from the group consisting of;

b1) a waypoint,

b2) a node,

b3) a vector, and,

b4) a waypoint parameter and

c) at least one path defined by having at least one of said elements further related to an associated spatial entity selected from the group consisting of;

d) an associated area and

e) an associated space,

f) means to retrieve data relating to a transport-related connection task between a first location and at least a second location,

g) a computer-implemented algorithm interacting with said spatial information means, said electronic database and said data retrieved via said means to retrieve, said computer-implemented algorithm arranged to find and assemble combinations of said paths or partial parts of said paths, which when combined through said associated spatial entities related to said at least one path, can perform the said connection task,

h) means to convey data related to said combinations,

whereby a service user, or a service provider, of transportation-related capabilities, can find among a universe of available, or required, respectively, transportation-related capabilities defined in database, a set of capabilities comprising those that when arranged in a combination can provide a solution to the transportation-related connection task between a first place and at least a second place.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein said at least one element corresponding to a path comprises a predefined linkability condition regarding linking possibilities in relation to elements corresponding to other paths.

40. The system of claim 38 wherein the said at least one element is identifiable directly or via cross-reference in said location means.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein said at least one element comprises at least one first functional order attribute defining a sequence-related role of the said at least one element with respect to another adjacent element of the same path.

42. The system of claim 40 wherein said at least one element comprises a second functional order attribute defining at least one specific associated spatial entity according to the sequence-related role of the said at least one element with respect to another adjacent element of the same path.

43. The system of claim 38 wherein said electronic path database has stored therein transport-related paths representing available transportation-related capabilities, and wherein said system further comprises means for management of capacities on each of said plurality of transport-related paths, said means for management comprising the use of a substantially simulated enviroment of said capacities, said simulated environment comprising a multi-dimensional mathematical model of said capacities.

44. The system of claim 38, wherein the said computer-implemented algorithm comprises an algorithm for searching paths, or path portions, selected from the group consisting of:

a. a tree algorithm, arranged to start at said first location and finish at a second location,

b. a double tree algorithm wherein the first tree is arranged to start at said first location and the second tree is arranged to start at said second located, the algorithm arranged to finish at meeting points between both trees, and,

c. a catchment-area tree type algorithm, arranged to start at said first location and finish at least at a second location wherein a predefined parameter function calculated along the said paths or path portions reaches a predefined value.