Route planning using location/time encoded data from location aware snowplows
First Claim
1. A computer program product comprising:
- a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code comprising;
computer-readable program code configured to;
estimate a current depth of frozen precipitation on a portion of a surface based on an accumulation rate of the frozen precipitation;
receive location data associated with a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is equipped to remove frozen precipitation from the surface;
upon determining based on the received location data that the vehicle has passed over the portion of the surface, reset the estimate of the current depth of the frozen precipitation on the portion of the surface;
adjusting the estimate of the current depth to yield an adjusted depth of the frozen precipitation based on a received indicator of traffic density on the portion of the surface, the adjusted depth accounting for a compactness of the frozen precipitation;
generate a traveling cost for the portion of the surface based on the adjusted depth; and
transmit for display at least one of;
(i) map data that associates the traveling cost to a particular geographic location and (ii) a planned route based on the traveling cost.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are described for using geographic location data of snowplows to update a snow depth associated with a section of a surface street. The route of the snowplow may be tracked continuously which allows the snow depth of the street to be reset in real-time. The updated snow depth may then be used to generate a cost of travelling on the street. The travelling cost may then be used to plan a route through the region. Alternatively, the cost may be graphically displayed on a map to permit a user to determine which surface streets to avoid. In another embodiment, the cost of travelling on a particular street may be changed by the attributes of the vehicle that will navigate the snow-covered roads, driver'"'"'s experience, or the geographic terrain of a road. This new cost may then be used, for example, to plan a route or display roads to avoid.
9 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A computer program product comprising:
a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code comprising; computer-readable program code configured to; estimate a current depth of frozen precipitation on a portion of a surface based on an accumulation rate of the frozen precipitation; receive location data associated with a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is equipped to remove frozen precipitation from the surface; upon determining based on the received location data that the vehicle has passed over the portion of the surface, reset the estimate of the current depth of the frozen precipitation on the portion of the surface; adjusting the estimate of the current depth to yield an adjusted depth of the frozen precipitation based on a received indicator of traffic density on the portion of the surface, the adjusted depth accounting for a compactness of the frozen precipitation; generate a traveling cost for the portion of the surface based on the adjusted depth; and transmit for display at least one of;
(i) map data that associates the traveling cost to a particular geographic location and (ii) a planned route based on the traveling cost.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12)
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7. A system, comprising:
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a computer processor; and a memory containing a program that, when executed on the computer processor, performs an operation for processing data, comprising; estimate a current depth of frozen precipitation on a portion of a surface based on an accumulation rate of the frozen precipitation; receiving location data associated with a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is equipped to remove frozen precipitation from the surface; upon determining based on the received location data that the vehicle has passed over the portion of the surface, reset the estimate of the current depth of the frozen precipitation on the portion of the surface; adjusting the estimate of the current depth to yield an adjusted depth of the frozen precipitation based on a received indicator of traffic density on the portion of the surface, the adjusted depth accounting for a compactness of the frozen precipitation; generating a traveling cost for the portion of the surface based on the adjusted depth; and transmitting for display at least one of;
(i) map data that associates the traveling cost to a particular geographic location and (ii) a planned route based on the traveling cost. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 13, 14)
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Specification