Travel route system and method

• US 8,606,517 B1
• Filed: 04/02/2008
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Strategic Design Federation W, LLC
• Original Assignee: Strategic Design Federation W Incorporated
• Inventors: Ehrlacher, Edward A., Meadows, Vernon, Koval, Joseph Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): TISSOT, ADAM D
• Application Number:
  US12/061,211
• Time in Patent Office: 2,078 Days
• Field of Search: 701/533, 701/117, 701/120, 701/414, 701423-425, 701/465, 706/45
• US Class Current: 701/465
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096888 where input information is obtained using learning systems, e.g. history databases

Abstract

A method of predicting a departure time includes receiving a first location, a second location, and an activity start time corresponding to an indication of an activity stored in a personal scheduling component of a user device. A departure time from the second location is determined based on travel time between the first location and the second location by analyzing the impact of long range data on at least one travel route between the first location and the second. The departure time from the second location is updated prior to the activity by analyzing the impact of short range data on a possible travel route between the first location and the second location during the expected time of travel prior to the activity. The user is alerted if the updated departure time is different than the departure time.

Claims

1. A method of providing information to an electronic calendar of a user device, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a departure date and a departure time for a plurality of activity calendar entries on the electronic calendar, each of the activity calendar entries corresponding to an activity occurring at an activity location and having an activity date at an activity start time on the electronic calendar;

analyzing the impact of weather data, traffic data, and event data on at least one possible travel route between an expected departure location and the activity location during an expected time of travel prior to the activity;

determining the departure date and the departure time from the expected departure location based on travel time between the expected departure location and the activity location adjusted for the analysis of the at least one travel route; and

transmitting the departure date and the departure time for each of the activities resulting in placing on the electronic calendar a plurality of departure calendar entries, each departure calendar entry placed on the electronic calendar on the received departure date at the received departure time and including the expected departure location for the corresponding activity.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

providing a suggested travel route between the expected departure location and the activity location to the user device for each activity, wherein the suggested travel route is stored in connection with the departure calendar entry for the respective activity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the weather data, the traffic data, and the event data include both long range data and short range data obtained from one or more sources of traffic data, weather data, and event data, respectively.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the long range data includes at least one of long term predictive traffic patterns, long term forecast weather patterns, anticipated unscheduled events, and scheduled events.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the short range data includes at least one of real time traffic data, short term predictive traffic data, current weather conditions, short term weather forecast conditions, scheduled events, and events in progress.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically receiving a request for updates to the departure date and departure time for each of the activities;

analyzing the impact of updated weather data, updated traffic data, and updated event data on at the least one possible travel route between the expected departure location and the activity location during the expected time of travel prior to the activity;

determining an updated departure date and an updated departure time from the expected departure location based on the travel time between the expected departure location and the activity location adjusted for the analysis of the at least one travel route; and

transmitting the updated departure date and the updated departure times resulting in updating on the electronic calendar a plurality departure calendar entries for any activities where the departure date or the departure time has changed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity calendar entry and the departure calendar entry form an appointment pair on the electronic calendar for each activity.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the interval between receiving the requests for the updates to the departure date and the departure time decreases as the present time approaches the activity start time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the departure time includes an estimate of the probability that departing from the expected departure location at the departure time results in arrival at the activity location within an acceptable range centered on the activity start time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device automatically identifies the expected departure location corresponding to each of the activities, the expected departure location being specific to the user for each respective activity.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the departure date and the departure time includes utilizing an intelligent route engine separate from the user device in accordance with punctuality preferences for arrival at the activity location at the activity start time, the punctuality preferences depending on an activity type.

12. A method of using an electronic calendar of a user device, the method comprising:

storing in the electronic calendar a plurality of activity calendar entries, each of the activity calendar entries corresponding to an activity occurring at an activity location, each activity calendar entry placed on the electronic calendar on an activity date and an activity start time;

automatically identifying, by the user device, an expected departure location corresponding to each of the activities, the expected departure location being specific to a user for each respective activity;

transmitting a request for a departure date and a departure time from the expected departure location for each of the activities, the request including the expected departure location, the activity location, the activity start date, and the activity start time;

receiving the departure date and the departure time for each of the activities; and

placing on the electronic calendar, a plurality of departure calendar entries, each departure calendar entry placed on the electronic calendar on the received departure date at the received departure time and including the expected departure location for the corresponding activity.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising,

receiving a suggested travel route between the expected departure location and the activity location for each activity, wherein the suggested travel route is stored in connection with the departure calendar entry for the respective activity.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

periodically transmitting a request for updates to the departure date and departure time for each of the activities;

receiving the updated departure dates and the updated departure times;

updating the departure calendar entries for any activities where the updated departure date or the updated departure time has changed; and

providing an alert if at least one of the departure calendar entries is changed.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the activity calendar entry and the departure calendar entry form an appointment pair on the electronic calendar for each activity.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the expected departure date and the expected departure time are determined by analyzing the impact of weather data, traffic data, and event data on one or more possible travel routes between the expected departure location and the activity location during an expected time of travel prior to the activity dependent on an amount of time between the request for update to the departure time and a start time of the entry for the activity stored in the electronic calendar, the weather data, the traffic data, and the even data including at least one of long range data and short range data obtained from one or more sources or traffic data, weather data, and event data, respectively.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the long range data includes at least one of long term predictive traffic patterns, long term forecast weather patterns, anticipated unscheduled events, and scheduled events.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the short range data includes at least one of real time traffic data, short term predictive traffic data, current weather conditions, short term weather forecast conditions, scheduled events, and events in progress.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the request for the update to the departure date and the departure time is periodically transmitted to an intelligent route engine at a decreasing interval as the present time approaches the activity start time.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the user device automatically identifies the expected departure location for each activity based on an expected position of the user for a time period that includes a likely estimate of the departure time for the respective activity.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the user device automatically determines the activity location, the activity date, and the activity start time using information collected from an external information source.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the determining the departure date and the departure time includes utilizing an intelligent route engine separate from the user device in accordance with punctuality preferences for arrival at the activity location at the activity start time, the punctuality preferences depending on an activity type.

22. An article of manufacture for providing information to an electronic calendar of a user device, the article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

receiving a request for a departure date and a departure time for a plurality of activity calendar entries on the electronic calendar, each of the activity calendar entries corresponding to an activity occurring at an activity location and having an activity date at an activity start time on the electronic calendar;

analyzing the impact of weather data, traffic data, and event data on at least one possible travel route between an expected departure location and the activity location during an expected time of travel prior to the activity;

determining the departure date and the departure time from the expected departure location based on travel time between the expected departure location and the activity location adjusted for the analysis of the at least one travel route; and

transmitting the departure date and the departure time for each of the activities resulting in placing on the electronic calendar a plurality of departure calendar entries, each departure calendar entry placed on the electronic calendar on the received departure date at the received departure time and including the expected departure location for the corresponding activity.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the determining the departure date and the departure time includes utilizing an intelligent route engine separate from the user device in accordance with punctuality preferences for arrival at the activity location at the activity start time, the punctuality preferences depending on an activity type.