Routing method and system
First Claim
1. A method of route determination for mobile elements in a network comprising a plurality of paths each path having a predetermined path capacity, said method comprising:
- registering centrally a plurality of route requests from a corresponding plurality of mobile elements each of said requests defining a journey between an origin and a destination;
registering centrally for each route request a journey start time; and
performing, for a first journey in said journeys, further steps ofcentrally determining a routing instruction for a first part of the first journey, the routing instruction being sufficient to enable a corresponding mobile element to begin the first part of the first journey,issuing said routing instruction to the corresponding first mobile element, andsaid first mobile element adapting its route to comply with said routing instruction;
computing a second routing instruction for a second part of the first journey such that the second routing instruction causes the first mobile element to use a path in the network,transmitting the second routing instruction to the first mobile element,computing whether a second journey by a corresponding second mobile element coincides with the second part of the first journey over the path during a time period common to the first and second journeys,evaluating, responsive to the computing being affirmative, that the coincidence of the first and the second journeys causes the times for traversing the path to increase for the first and the second mobile elements,selecting the first journey for rerouting by comparing an effects of rerouting on the first and second journeys,recomputing the second routing instruction to cause the first mobile element to utilize a second path,issuing the recomputed second routing instruction to the first mobile element while the first mobile element is in transit on the first part of the first journey, andthe first mobile element adapting its route to comply with the recomputed second routing instruction, thereby allowing optimal use of the path to the second mobile element.
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Abstract
A method of route determination for mobile elements in a network comprising a plurality of paths each having a predetermined path capacity. The method comprises the steps of registering centrally a plurality of route requests from a corresponding plurality of mobile elements each of said requests defining a journey between an origin and a destination and registering centrally for each route request a journey start time. Routing instructions are centrally determined so as to optimise use of path capacity across all synchronous journeys requests in said network with reference to said registered information, and issued to corresponding mobile elements. The mobile elements adapt their route to comply with the routing instruction. There may be provided further steps of monitoring and rerouting the mobile element whenever new journeys requests can impact its remaining trip.
18 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of route determination for mobile elements in a network comprising a plurality of paths each path having a predetermined path capacity, said method comprising:
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registering centrally a plurality of route requests from a corresponding plurality of mobile elements each of said requests defining a journey between an origin and a destination; registering centrally for each route request a journey start time; and performing, for a first journey in said journeys, further steps of centrally determining a routing instruction for a first part of the first journey, the routing instruction being sufficient to enable a corresponding mobile element to begin the first part of the first journey, issuing said routing instruction to the corresponding first mobile element, and said first mobile element adapting its route to comply with said routing instruction; computing a second routing instruction for a second part of the first journey such that the second routing instruction causes the first mobile element to use a path in the network, transmitting the second routing instruction to the first mobile element, computing whether a second journey by a corresponding second mobile element coincides with the second part of the first journey over the path during a time period common to the first and second journeys, evaluating, responsive to the computing being affirmative, that the coincidence of the first and the second journeys causes the times for traversing the path to increase for the first and the second mobile elements, selecting the first journey for rerouting by comparing an effects of rerouting on the first and second journeys, recomputing the second routing instruction to cause the first mobile element to utilize a second path, issuing the recomputed second routing instruction to the first mobile element while the first mobile element is in transit on the first part of the first journey, and the first mobile element adapting its route to comply with the recomputed second routing instruction, thereby allowing optimal use of the path to the second mobile element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer readable storage medium including a computer program product comprising instructions for carrying out the steps of a method of route determination for mobile elements in a network comprising a plurality of paths each path having a predetermined path capacity when said computer program is executed on a computer, the method comprising:
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registering centrally a plurality of route requests from a corresponding plurality of mobile elements each of said requests defining a journey between an origin and a destination; registering centrally for each route request a journey start time; and performing, for a first journey in said journeys, further steps of centrally determining a routing instruction for a first part of the first journey, the routing instruction being sufficient to enable a corresponding mobile element to begin the first part of the first journey, issuing said routing instruction to the corresponding first mobile element, and said first mobile element adapting its route to comply with said routing instruction; computing a second routing instruction for a second part of the first journey such that the second routing instruction causes the first mobile element to use a path in the network, transmitting the second routing instruction to the first mobile element, computing whether a second journey by a corresponding second mobile element coincides with the second part of the first journey over the path during a time period common to the first and second journeys, evaluating, responsive to the computing being affirmative, that the coincidence of the first and the second journeys causes the times for traversing the path to increase for the first and the second mobile elements, selecting the first journey for rerouting by comparing an effects of rerouting on the first and second journeys, recomputing the second routing instruction to cause the first mobile element to utilize a second path, issuing the recomputed second routing instruction to the first mobile element while the first mobile element is in transit on the first part of the first journey, and the first mobile element adapting its route to comply with the recomputed second routing instruction, thereby allowing optimal use of the path to the second mobile element. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for route determination for mobile elements in a network comprising a plurality of paths each path having a predetermined path capacity, comprising:
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a storage device including a storage medium, wherein the storage device stores computer usable program code; and a processor, wherein the processor executes the computer usable program code, and wherein the computer usable program code comprises; computer usable code for registering centrally a plurality of route requests from a corresponding plurality of mobile elements each of said requests defining a journey between an origin and a destination; computer usable code for registering centrally for each route request a journey start time; and computer usable code for performing, for a first journey in said journeys, further including computer usable code for centrally determining a routing instruction for a first part of the first journey, the routing instruction being sufficient to enable a corresponding mobile element to begin the first part of the first journey, computer usable code for issuing said routing instruction to the corresponding first mobile element, and said first mobile element adapting its route to comply with said routing instruction; computer usable code for computing a second routing instruction for a second part of the first journey such that the second routing instruction causes the first mobile element to use a path in the network, computer usable code for transmitting the second routing instruction to the first mobile element, computer usable code for computing whether a second journey by a corresponding second mobile element coincides with the second part of the first journey over the path during a time period common to the first and second journeys, computer usable code for evaluating, responsive to the computing being affirmative, that the coincidence of the first and the second journeys causes the times for traversing the path to increase for the first and the second mobile elements, computer usable code for selecting the first journey for rerouting by comparing an effects of rerouting on the first and second journeys, computer usable code for recomputing the second routing instruction to cause the first mobile element to utilize a second path, computer usable code for issuing the recomputed second routing instruction to the first mobile element while the first mobile element is in transit on the first part of the first journey, and the first mobile element adapting its route to comply with the recomputed second routing instruction, thereby allowing optimal use of the path to the second mobile element. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification