Use of a situational network for navigation and travel

• US 8,000,893 B1
• Filed: 03/25/2010
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SitNet LLC
• Original Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited
• Inventors: Cona, Thomas, Ehrlacher, Edward A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US12/731,413
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/35, 701/36, 701/202, 701/209, 701/210, 701/211, 701/212, 340/995.19, 340/995.27
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method of obtaining navigation information includes creating a first itinerary for a navigation route corresponding to a travel event for a first individual. Navigation information is searched for related to at least one location along the first itinerary via a situational network established with a plurality of devices corresponding to other individuals searching for navigation information. The navigation information found in the searching is received. The first itinerary is altered based on the received navigation information.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining navigation information via a situational network, the method comprising:

(a) establishing, by a first navigation device, an event node corresponding to a first route itinerary including one or more locations;

(b) searching, by the first navigation device, for other navigation devices with route itineraries that include at least one common location with the first route itinerary;

(c) initiating, by the first navigation device, formation of a situational network with a subset of the other navigation devices, the first navigation device and the subset of the other navigation devices being coupled via the situational network;

(d) receiving, by the first navigation device, navigation information related to the at least one common location from at least one of the other navigation devices in the subset; and

(e) altering, by the first navigation device, the first route itinerary based on the received navigation information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) providing, by the first navigation device, additional navigation information related to the at least one common location to the subset of the other navigation devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the navigation information is related to an event occurring in a close proximity to a location along the first route itinerary during a time when an individual associated with the first navigation device is within a pre-determined distance of the event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the navigation information is related to an event expected to occur in a close proximity to a location along the first navigation route itinerary during a time when an individual is expected to be within a pre-determined distance of the expected event.

5. The method of claim 1, step (d) further comprising:

collecting the navigation information from sensors associated with at least one vehicle traveling on the other route itineraries, the sensors providing data related to at least one of speed of the vehicle, ambient conditions outside the vehicle, and location of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, step (c) further comprising:

(i) transmitting, by the first navigation device to each of the other navigation devices, an invitation to join the situational network;

(ii) receiving, by the first navigation device from each of the other navigation devices in the subset, an acceptance of the invitation to join the situational network; and

(iii) establishing a connection with each of the other navigation devices in the subset.

7. A method of obtaining information regarding a transportation route via a situational network, the method comprising:

(a) establishing an event node corresponding to the transportation route traversed by a vehicle;

(b) initiating formation of a situational network corresponding to the event node, the situational network comprising a set of devices coupled to an event node host;

(c) receiving an indication of a delay time related to a scheduled arrival of the vehicle at one or more locations along the transportation route; and

(d) providing an alert including the delay time to the set of devices of the situational network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein step (a) includes establishing, by a traveler travelling in the vehicle along the transportation route, the event node, the method further comprising:

coupling, by a traveler device acting as the event node host, the set of devices to the traveler device via the situational network.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein step (a) includes establishing, by a situation authority responsible for at least one of operation and maintenance of the transportation route, the event node, the method further comprising:

coupling, by a situation authority server acting as the event node host, the set of devices to the situation authority server via the situational network.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the transportation route is a scheduled airline flight and the vehicle is an aircraft.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the transportation route is a scheduled train run and the vehicle is a commuter train.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the transportation route is a scheduled bus route and the vehicle is a bus.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the time delay is predicted based on an occurrence of a weather phenomenon along the transportation route.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the time delay is predicted based on an occurrence of an incident affecting a flow of traffic along the transportation route.

15. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

coupling at least one of the set of devices into the situational network based on the respective device discovering the event node host while searching for information about the transportation route.

16. A system for obtaining information regarding a transportation route via a situational network, the system comprising:

a central server, corresponding to a situation authority, configured to establish an event node corresponding to the transportation route traversed by a vehicle, initiate formation of a situational network corresponding to the event node, receive an indication of a delay time related to a scheduled arrival of the vehicle at one or more locations along the transportation route, and provide an alert including the time delay to the set of devices of the situational network; and

a set of devices coupled to an event node host, the set of devices and the event node host forming the situational network, each device in the set corresponding to an individual of the situational network, configured to couple the individuals via the situational network, and receive the alert including the delay time.

17. An article of manufacture using a situational network to obtain navigation information, the article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable storage medium holding computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

(a) establishing, by a first navigation device, an event node corresponding to a first route itinerary including one or more locations;

(b) searching, by the first navigation device, for other navigation devices with route itineraries that include at least one common location with the first route itinerary;

(c) initiating, by the first navigation device, formation of a situational network with a subset of the other navigation devices, the first navigation device and the subset of the other navigation devices being coupled via the situational network;

(d) receiving, by the first navigation device, navigation information related to the at least one common location from at least one of the other navigation devices in the subset; and

(e) altering, by the first navigation device, the first route itinerary based on the received navigation information.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17, the method further comprising:

(f) providing, by the first navigation device, additional navigation information related to the at least one common location to the subset of the other navigation devices.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 17, step (c) further comprising:

(i) transmitting, by the first navigation device to each of the other navigation devices, an invitation to join the situational network;

(ii) receiving, by the first navigation device from each of the other navigation devices in the subset, an acceptance of the invitation to join the situational network; and

(iii) establishing a connection with each of the other navigation devices in the subset.