Method and apparatus for generating routes using real-time public transportation information

• US 8,467,957 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clever Devices, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Clever Devices, Ltd.
• Inventors: Brandis, Edward H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US12/482,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20090312947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/202, 701/204, 701206-209, 701/213, 701/400, 701/408, 701/409, 701/410, 701/414, 701/418, 701/420, 701/423, 701/425, 701/454, 701/465, 701/532, 701/533, 701/537, 701/538, 340/988, 340/994, 340/995.12, 340/995.19, 340/989, 340/990, 340/995.1, 340/995.13
• US Class Current: 701/410
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968

Abstract

A method and system are provided for providing a transportation route to a user terminal. Travel information is received at a route-generating unit from the user terminal. Public transportation information, including real-time public transportation information, is received at the route-generating unit from a public transportation information unit. One or more transportation routes are determined in accordance with the received travel information and the received public transportation information at the route-generating unit. The one or more transportation routes are transmitted from the route-generating unit to the user terminal.

Claims

1. A method for providing a transportation route to a user terminal comprising the steps of:

receiving travel information at a route-generating unit from the user terminal;

receiving public transportation information, comprising public transportation schedule information and real-time public transportation information, at the route-generating unit from a public transportation information unit;

determining one or more transportation routes at the route-generating unit in accordance with the received travel information and the received public transportation information; and

transmitting the one or more transportation routes from the route-generating unit to the user terminal,

wherein the real-time public transportation information is derived from the public transportation schedule information and real-time location information of a plurality of public transportation vehicles.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the travel information is provided in accordance with location and time information associated with a scheduled event that is selected from the user terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the public transportation information comprises information on at least one of buses, trains, subways, trollies and monorails.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more transportation routes comprise multiple modes of transportation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more transportation routes are transmitted from the route-generating unit to the user terminal via a user portal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the travel information comprises at least one of starting point information, destination point information, and timing information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the departure information and the destination information each comprise an address, and the timing information comprises at least one of a departure time and an arrival time.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more transportation routes comprise one or more modes of transportation from an address of the starting point information to an address of the destination point information.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the travel information further comprises at least one intermediate destination.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the one or more transportation routes comprises a different combination of subroutes to and from the at least one intermediate destination, wherein a first subroute starts at an address of the starting point information and a last subroute ends at an address of the destination point information.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the starting point information is determined by a location-detecting unit of the user terminal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the location-detecting unit utilizes a Global Positioning System (GPS) service.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing access for the user terminal through an interface provided by a user portal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the interface comprises at least one of a web page and an application on the user terminal.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the user terminal comprises at least one of a cellular phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and a personal computer.

16. An apparatus for providing a transportation route to a user terminal, wherein the apparatus receives travel information from the user terminal, receives public transportation information, comprising public transportation schedule information and real-time public transportation information, from a public transportation information unit, determines one or more transportation routes in accordance with the received travel information and the received public transportation information, and transmits the one or more transportation routes to the user terminal,

wherein the real-time public transportation information is derived from the public transportation schedule information and real-time location information of a plurality of public transportation vehicles.

17. A system for providing a transportation route to a user terminal comprising:

the user terminal that provides travel information to a routing system;

a public transportation information unit that provides public transportation information, comprising public transportation schedule information and real-time public transportation information, to the routing system; and

the routing system for receiving the travel information from the user terminal, receiving the public transportation information from the public transportation information unit, determining one or more transportation routes in accordance with the received travel information and the received public transportation information, and transmitting the one or more transportation routes to the user terminal,

wherein the real-time public transportation information is derived from the public transportation schedule information and real-time location information of a plurality of public transportation vehicles.