Route optimization

• US 8,825,395 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Brignull, Michele P., Nesbitt, Pamela A., Sand, Anne R., Hamilton, Rich A. II
• Primary Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US14/036,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20140025294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/19, 701 23- 28, 701117-119, 701/400, 701408-416, 701420-423, 701/425, 701/468, 701/517, 701/532, 701/533, 705/1.1, 705/5, 705/6, 705/13, 705/14.1, 705/14.2, 705/14.11, 705/14.13, 705/14.16, 705/14.19, 705/14.23, 705/14.24, 705 1427- 1436, 705/14.39, 705/14.43, 340/988, 340/989, 340/990, 340/995.1, 340/995.19, 709/224, 709/238, 709/242
• US Class Current: 701/468
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver

Abstract

In one embodiment, there is provided visibility to future predicted traffic situations, based on all reserved routes in a system at a given point in time. This allows city planners, for example, to know where traffic will be to adjust traffic flow accordingly. Additional value comes into play by being able to calculate and publish aggregated savings from using this system, such as driver time, mileage, and gas. This information may be added to a database and made available to individuals via their GPS. In a typical implementation, a request for a route is received from a requester. Based on the request, an optimized route and a potential position of the requester within the optimized route are determined and then proposed to the requester. The requester can then select an option from the proposal.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing routes, comprising:

receiving, using at least one computing device, a request for a route from a requester, the requester having a vehicle associated therewith;

determining, using the at least one computing device, an optimized route and a potential position of the requester within the optimized route based on the request;

providing, using the at least one computing device, a proposal in response to the request, the proposal comprising the optimized route and the potential position;

receiving, using the at least one computing device, a response to the proposal;

assigning, using the at least one computing device, the requester to the optimized route, the potential position, and a start time when the response comprises an acceptance of the proposal; and

automatically generating, using the at least one computing device, an alternate route in response to a detection, via Global Positioning Satellite technology, that the requester started the vehicle at a different time from the assigned start time, the alternate route accounting for the different time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising reserving, using the at least one computing device, the optimized route pending the response.

3. The method of claim 1, the proposal further comprising a set of alternative optimized routes and corresponding potential positions.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising trading, using the at least one computing device, the optimized route and the potential position of the requester with another optimized route and another potential position of another requester.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting, using the at least one computing device, feedback based on an execution of the proposal.

6. The method of claim 1, the route being a traffic route, and the determining being based on Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, using the at least one computing device, an incentive to the requester based on an advance time of at least one of:

the request for the route, and the response to the proposal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a solution service provider for one or more consumers.

9. A system for optimizing traffic routes, 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;

receive a request for a traffic route from a requester, the requester having a vehicle associated therewith;

determine an optimized traffic route and a potential position of the requester within the optimized traffic route based on the request;

provide a proposal in response to the request, the proposal comprising the optimized traffic route and the potential position;

receive a response to the proposal;

assign, using the at least one computing device, the requester to the optimized route, the potential position, and a start time when the response comprises an acceptance of the proposal; and

automatically generate, using the at least one computing device, an alternate route in response to a detection, via Global Positioning Satellite technology, that the requester started the vehicle at a different time from the assigned start time, the alternate route accounting for the different time.

10. The system of claim 9, the system further being caused to reserve the optimized traffic route pending the response.

11. The system of claim 9, the proposal further comprising a set of alternative optimized traffic routes and corresponding potential positions.

12. The system of claim 9, the system further being caused to trade the optimized traffic route and the potential position of the requester with another optimized traffic route and another potential position of another requester.

13. The system of claim 9, the system further being caused to collect feedback based on an execution of the proposal.

14. The system of claim 9, the optimized traffic route being determined based on Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology.

15. A computer readable storage device containing a program product for optimizing traffic routes, the computer readable storage device comprising program code for causing a computer to:

receive a request for a traffic route from a requester, the requester having a vehicle associated therewith;

determine an optimized traffic route and a potential position of the requester within the optimized traffic route based on the request;

provide a proposal in response to the request, the proposal comprising the optimized traffic route and the potential position;

receive a response to the proposal;

assign, using the at least one computing device, the requester to the optimized route, the potential position, and a start time when the response comprises an acceptance of the proposal; and

automatically generate, using the at least one computing device, an alternate route in response to a detection, via Global Positioning Satellite technology, that the requester started the vehicle at a different time from the assigned start time, the alternate route accounting for the different time.

16. The computer readable medium containing the program product of claim 15, the computer readable storage device further comprising program code for further causing the computer to reserve the optimized traffic route pending the response.

17. The computer readable storage device containing the program product of claim 15, the proposal further comprising a set of alternative optimized traffic routes and corresponding potential positions.

18. The computer readable storage device containing the program product of claim 15, the computer readable medium further comprising program code for further causing the computer to trade the optimized traffic route and the potential position of the requester with another optimized traffic route and another potential position of another requester.

19. The computer readable storage device containing the program product of claim 15, the computer readable medium further comprising program code for further causing the computer to collect feedback based on an execution of the proposal.

20. The computer readable storage device containing the program product of claim 15, the optimized traffic route being determined based on Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology.