Reconciling service class-based routing affecting user service within a controllable transit system

• US 8,825,255 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Morris, Benjamin G., Dawson, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koneru, Sujay
• Application Number:
  US12/715,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20110218834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 705 711- 742
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work

Abstract

Aspects of this invention provide gradient means for reconciling user service class prioritization. Under this approach, higher priority service classes may be maintained and used to compute routes for reaching desired destinations. However, when such treatment poses a cumulative disadvantage (e.g., an adverse impact that exceeds a predetermined “impact” threshold”) to too many users/vehicles, the routing algorithms may be adjusted to minimize overall inconvenience. As such, aspects of this invention provide a means of ensuring that various service classes of system users will not be affected negatively beyond predefined thresholds. Such reconciliation leads to a more flexible system, with higher user satisfaction permissible within the transit system.

Claims

1. A method for reconciling service class-based routing affecting user service within a controllable transit system, comprising:

assigning, by at least one processor, a service class to each of a plurality of vehicles within the controllable transit system based on at least one of an emissions and a fuel type of each of the plurality of vehicles, the service class having an associated priority therewith, each of the plurality of vehicles being a small automatically controlled form of ground-based public transportation operating on a network of specially-built guideways that provides on-demand, non-stop transportation to an individual occupant;

computing, by the at least one processor, routes for each of the plurality of vehicles to reach a desired destination specified by the individual occupant based on the priority level of the service class assigned thereto;

responsive to receipt of at least one of a financial commitment and selection of a delayed start time associated with at least one of the plurality of vehicles, upgrading the at least one of the plurality of vehicles to a service class of a higher level priority;

recomputing, by the at least one processor in response to the upgrading, updated routes for each of the plurality of vehicles to reach the desired destination based on the priority level, as upgraded, of the service class assigned thereto;

making, by the at least one processor, a prediction as to whether the recomputing of the routes resulting from the upgrading of the at least one of the plurality of vehicles will result in vehicles assigned to a lower priority service class having a collective adverse impact that exceeds a predetermined impact threshold;

making, by the at least one processor, a prediction as to whether the recomputing of the routes resulting from the upgrading of the at least one of the plurality of vehicles will result in any other vehicle of the plurality of vehicles having an adverse impact that exceeds a predetermined impact threshold; and

responsive to a prediction of either a collective adverse impact or a single-vehicle adverse impact, re-computing, by the at least one processor, at least one of the routes to reduce the adverse impact below the predetermined impact threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, the predetermined impact threshold pertaining to a particular time delay of at least one of the plurality of vehicles.

3. The method of claim 1, the predetermined impact threshold pertaining to a disparate delay between at least two of the plurality of vehicles.

4. The method of claim 1, the predetermined impact threshold pertaining to a cumulative delay of at least one of the plurality of vehicles over a predetermined time window.

5. The method of claim 1, the predetermined impact threshold pertaining to a financial impact caused by a delay of at least one of the plurality of vehicles.

6. A system for reconciling service class-based routing affecting user service within a controllable transit system, comprising:

a memory medium comprising instructions;

a bus coupled to the memory medium; and

a processor coupled to the bus that when executing the instructions causes the system to;

assign a service class to each of a plurality of vehicles within the controllable transit system based on a number of passengers within each of the plurality of vehicles, the service class having an associated priority therewith, each of the plurality of vehicles being a small automatically controlled form of ground-based public transportation operating on a network of specially-built guideways that provides on-demand, non-stop transportation to an occupant;

computing routes for each of the plurality of vehicles to reach a desired destination specified by the individual occupant based on the priority level of the service class assigned thereto;

responsive to receipt of at least one of a financial commitment and selection of a delayed start time associated with at least one of the plurality of vehicles, upgrade the at least one of the plurality of vehicles to a service class of a higher level priority;

recompute, in response to the upgrading, updated routes for each of the plurality of vehicles to reach the desired destination based on the priority level, as upgraded, of the service class assigned thereto;

making a prediction as to whether the recomputing of the routes resulting from the upgrading of the at least one of the plurality of vehicles will result in vehicles assigned to a lower priority service class having a collective adverse impact that exceeds a predetermined impact threshold;

making a prediction as to whether the recomputing of the routes resulting from the upgrading of the at least one of the plurality of vehicles will result in any other vehicle of the plurality of vehicles having an adverse impact that exceeds a predetermined impact threshold; and

responsive to a prediction of either a collective adverse impact or a single-vehicle adverse impact, re-compute at least one of the routes to reduce the adverse impact below the predetermined impact threshold.

7. The system of claim 6, the predetermined impact threshold pertaining to a particular time delay of at least one of the plurality of vehicles.

8. The system of claim 6, the predetermined impact threshold pertaining to a disparate delay between at least two of the plurality of vehicles.

9. The system of claim 6, the predetermined impact threshold pertaining to a cumulative delay of at least one of the plurality of vehicles over a predetermined time window.

10. The system of claim 6, the predetermined impact threshold pertaining to a financial impact caused by a delay of at least one of the plurality of vehicles.

11. A computer readable device containing a program product for reconciling service class-based routing affecting user service within a controllable transit system, the computer readable device comprising program code for causing a computer to:

assign a service class to each of a plurality of vehicles within the controllable transit system based on a travel purpose of a passenger carried by each of the plurality of vehicles, the service class having an associated priority therewith, each of the plurality of vehicles being a small automatically controlled form of ground-based public transportation operating on a network of specially-built guideways that provides on-demand, non-stop transportation to an occupant;

computing routes for each of the plurality of vehicles to reach a desired destination specified by the individual occupant based on the priority level of the service class assigned thereto;

responsive to receipt of at least one of a financial commitment and selection of a delayed start time associated with at least one of the plurality of vehicles, upgrade the at least one of the plurality of vehicles to a service class of a higher level priority;

recompute, in response to the upgrading, updated routes for each of the plurality of vehicles to reach the desired destination based on the priority level, as upgraded, of the service class assigned thereto;

making a prediction as to whether the recomputing of the routes resulting from the upgrading of the at least one of the plurality of vehicles will result in vehicles assigned to a lower priority service class having a collective adverse impact that exceeds a predetermined impact threshold;

making a prediction as to whether the recomputing of the routes resulting from the upgrading of the at least one of the plurality of vehicles will result in any other vehicle of the plurality of vehicles having an adverse impact that exceeds a predetermined impact threshold; and

responsive to a prediction of either a collective adverse impact or a single-vehicle adverse impact, re-compute at least one of the routes to reduce the adverse impact below the predetermined impact threshold.

12. The computer readable device containing the program product of claim 11, the predetermined impact threshold pertaining to a particular time delay of at least one of the plurality of vehicles.

13. The computer readable device containing the program product of claim 11, the predetermined impact threshold pertaining to a disparate delay between at least two of the plurality of vehicles.

14. The computer readable device containing the program product of claim 11, the predetermined impact threshold pertaining to a cumulative delay of at least one of the plurality of vehicles over a predetermined time window.

15. The computer readable device containing the program product of claim 11, the predetermined impact threshold pertaining to a financial impact caused by a delay of at least one of the plurality of vehicles.

16. A method for deploying a system for reconciling service class-based routing affecting user service within a controllable transit system, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

assign, via the computer infrastructure, a service class to each of a plurality of vehicles within the controllable transit system based on a vehicle type of the plurality of vehicles, the service class having an associated priority therewith, each of the plurality of vehicles being a small automatically controlled form of ground-based public transportation operating on a network of specially-built guideways that provides on-demand, non-stop transportation to an occupant, wherein the vehicle type comprises at least one of passenger, delivery, sanitation, and emergency;

compute, via the computer infrastructure, routes for each of the plurality of vehicles to reach a desired destination specified by the individual occupant based on the priority level of the service class assigned thereto;

responsive to receipt of at least one of a financial commitment and selection of a delayed start time associated with at least one of the plurality of vehicles, upgrade the at least one of the plurality of vehicles to a service class of a higher level priority;

recompute, via the computer infrastructure in response to the upgrading, updated routes for each of the plurality of vehicles to reach the desired destination based on the priority level, as upgraded, of the service class assigned thereto;

making, via the computer infrastructure, a prediction as to whether the recomputing of the routes resulting from the upgrading of the at least one of the plurality of vehicles will result in vehicles assigned to a lower priority service class having a collective adverse impact that exceeds a predetermined impact threshold;

making, via the computer infrastructure, a prediction as to whether the recomputing of the routes resulting from the upgrading of the at least one of the plurality of vehicles will result in any other vehicle of the plurality of vehicles having an adverse impact that exceeds a predetermined impact threshold; and

responsive to a prediction of either a collective adverse impact or a single-vehicle adverse impact, re-compute, via the computer infrastructure, at least one of the routes to reduce the adverse impact below the predetermined impact threshold.