Route evaluation system

• US 8,214,141 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2009
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rand McNally & Company
• Original Assignee: RM Acquisition LLC (Rand McNally & Company)
• Inventors: Froeberg, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US12/546,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20090312942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/202, 701207-211, 701/400, 701408-414, 731/78.R, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/400
• 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

Abstract

A route evaluation system includes a processor, a computer readable memory and a database that stores roadway data pertaining to a route. A first routine is arranged to obtain selected roadway data from the database. A second routine is arranged to determine a route from an origin to a destination based at least in part on the roadway data. A third routine is arranged to compute a set of navigation parameters for the route. A fourth routine is arranged to compare the set of navigation parameters to at least one vehicle maneuverability parameter of a vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of evaluating a route, comprising, on a computing device:

receiving an indication of an origin;

receiving, from a user, an indication of a destination;

receiving, from the user, a vehicle maneuverability parameter of a vehicle corresponding to an attribute of the vehicle that affects an ability of the vehicle to successfully traverse pre-existing roads;

determining a route from the origin to the destination based on roadway data from a database defining pre-existing roads for a geographical area including the origin and the destination;

obtaining a navigation parameter of the route based on the roadway data;

comparing the navigation parameter of the route to the vehicle maneuverability parameter; and

assigning a route suitability score to the route based at least in part on the comparison between the navigation parameter and the vehicle maneuverability parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

obtaining the navigation parameter comprises obtaining at least one navigation parameter selected from a group consisting of;

a road width parameter, a curvature parameter, a road grade parameter, a weight bearing capacity parameter, an overpass indicator parameter, and at least one parameter corresponding to a local ordinance; and

receiving the vehicle maneuverability parameter comprises receiving at least one of;

a length of the vehicle, a width of the vehicle, a height of the vehicle, a weight of the vehicle, a turning radius of the vehicle, a maximum road grade navigable by the vehicle, and a braking ability of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the user, an operator parameter indicating at least one of a skill level or an experience level of an operator of the vehicle; and

assigning the route suitability score further based on the operator parameter.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determine, based on one or more corresponding navigation parameters, a margin of error for successful navigation of at least one portion of the route; and

assigning the route suitability score based on the operator parameter and the margin of error.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the route suitability score to a threshold value; and

presenting the route on a display when the route suitability score indicates a suitability equal to or exceeding a suitability indicated by the threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a portion of the route that has a corresponding route portion suitability score indicating the portion is more difficult for the vehicle to navigate than other portions of the route, and

at least one of graphically or textually distinguishing the portion on a display.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the user, a weighting of the navigation parameter as compared to other navigation parameters, and assigning the route suitability score further based on the weighting.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining multiple routes from the origin to the destination;

assigning a route suitability score to each of the multiple routes;

displaying an indication of each of the multiple routes in conjunction with an indication of a corresponding route suitability score.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user preference including at least one of;

a minimization of a total number of turns,

a priority of a highway over an arterial,

a priority of the arterial over a collector,

a road class preference,

a lane count preference,

a minimization of a number of turns from one low-level road to another low-level road,

a time of travel,

a distance of travel,

a heading change per distance traveled threshold,

a heading change per area threshold, or

a turn radius threshold; and

assigning the route suitability score further based on the user preference.

10. A dispatch system comprising:

a processor operatively coupled to a memory;

a database accessible by the processor and including roadway data defining pre-existing roads;

a display communicatively coupled to the processor;

one or more routines stored in the memory and executable by the processor to;

receive an indication of an origin and an indication of a destination;

obtain selected roadway data from the database;

determine a route from the origin to the destination based at least in part on the roadway data;

compute a set of navigation parameters for the route based at least in part on the roadway data;

obtain at least one vehicle maneuverability parameter for each of a plurality of vehicles, the at least one vehicle maneuverability parameter corresponding to an attribute of the each of the plurality of vehicles that affects an ability of the each of the plurality of vehicles to successfully traverse the pre-existing roads;

compare the set of navigation parameters to the at least one vehicle maneuverability parameter; and

assign a route difficulty score corresponding to the route for the each of the plurality of vehicles based at least in part on the comparison between the set of navigation parameters and the at least one vehicle maneuverability parameter.

11. The dispatch system of claim 10, wherein the one or more routines are further executable by the processor to present, on the display, an indication of the route, an indication of the each of the plurality of vehicles and an indication of a corresponding route difficulty score.

12. The dispatch system of claim 11, wherein the indication of the corresponding route difficulty score is color-coded.

13. The dispatch system of claim 10, wherein the at least one vehicle maneuverability parameter is selected from:

a length, a width, a height, a weight, a turning radius, a maximum navigable road grade, and a braking ability.

14. The dispatch system of claim 10, wherein the one or more routines are further executable by the processor to present, on the display, an indication of an availability of the each of the plurality of vehicles.

15. The dispatch system of claim 10, wherein the one or more routines are further executable by the processor to determine a plurality of routes and to assign a route difficulty score corresponding to each of the plurality of routes for at least one of the plurality of vehicles.

16. The dispatch system of claim 10, wherein the one or more routines are further executable by the processor to present, on the display, an indication of an availability of an operator having at least one of a particular skill level or a particular experience level.

17. The dispatch system of claim 10, wherein the one or more routines are further executable by the processor to present, on the display, an indication of an additional dispatch factor, the additional dispatch factor selected from a group of additional dispatch factors including a cargo capacity of the each of the plurality of vehicles and a total cargo to be delivered.

18. The dispatch system of claim 10, wherein the set of navigation parameters includes at least one parameter selected from a group consisting of:

a road width parameter, a curvature parameter, a road grade parameter,

a weight bearing capacity parameter, an overpass indicator parameter,

and a local ordinance parameter.

19. A method of evaluating a route, comprising, on a computing device:

receiving an indication of an origin and an indication of a destination;

determining a route from the origin to the destination based on roadway data from a database defining pre-existing roads for a geographical area including the origin and the destination and based on a first route optimization parameter;

receiving a second route optimization parameter;

analyzing the determined route with respect to the second route optimization parameter based on at least a portion of the roadway data associated with the determined route; and

assigning a route suitability score to the route based at least in part on the analysis of the determined route with respect to the second route optimization parameter.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first route optimization parameter comprises either a time of travel or a distance of travel.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving the second route optimization parameter comprises obtaining a navigation parameter selected from a group consisting of:

a road width, a curvature, a road grade, a weight bearing capacity, an overpass presence indicator, a railroad presence indicator, and at least one parameter corresponding to a local ordinance.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving the second route optimization parameter comprises receiving a second route optimization parameter selected from:

a minimization of a total number of turns,

a priority of a first type of road over a second type of road,

a road class preference,

a lane count preference,

a minimization of a number of turns from one low-level road to another low-level road,

a heading change per distance traveled threshold,

a heading change per area threshold, or

a turn radius threshold.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving the second route optimization parameter comprises receiving an indication of a user preference with respect to a route feature.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein analyzing the route based on the at least the portion of the roadway data comprises analyzing at least a portion of the route based on at least one of:

a geodetic street coordinate, a shape geometry, a lane count, a lane width, a road width, a curvature, a road grade, a weight bearing capacity, an overpass presence indicator, a railroad presence indicator, a local ordinance, or an elevation.