Method, system and computer program products for real-time departure estimations for transportation systems

• US 9,145,153 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2007
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huslak, Nicholas S., Silver, Edward M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MUSTAFA, IMRAN K
• Application Number:
  US11/936,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20090119006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,883 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/209, 701/210
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/14 Following schedules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0095 Aspects of air-traffic control not provided for in the other subgroups of this main group

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer program products estimate a departure time for a transportation user using a mobile device. A range of departure times, a user location and/or travel time to a station, and a transportation route can be received. Real-time location information for a plurality of transportation units on the transportation route can be received. One or more estimated departure times within the range of departure times can be calculated based on the user location and/or travel distance and the real-time location information of the plurality of transportation units for the transportation route.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

performing operations as follows on a processor;

receiving a range of first departure times selected by a first user, a travel time of the first user to a station served by a plurality of transportation units according to a schedule, and a transportation route, wherein the station is on the transportation route, and a first user location that is remote from the station;

receiving global positioning device location information for the plurality of transportation units on the transportation route;

receiving a range of second departure times selected by a second user, a travel time of the second user to the station and a second user location that is remote from the station;

calculating a plurality of first departure times within the range of first departure times based on the travel time of first user to the station and the global positioning device location information for the plurality of transportation units such that if the first user departs first user location at a selected one of the first departure times, the first user will reach the station with at least time to board one of the plurality of transportation units; and

calculating a plurality of second departure times within the range of second departure times based on the travel time of the second user such that if the second user departs the second user location at a selected one of the second departure times, the second user will reach the station with at least time to board the one of the plurality of transportation units;

wherein the plurality of first departure times and the plurality of second departure times are calculated such that the first and second user arrive at the station at approximately the same time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating the travel time of the first user based on a first distance between the first user and the station; and

calculating the travel time of the second user based on a second distance between the second user and the station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the travel time of the first user is input by the first user and the travel time of second first user is input by the second user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the first user location based on a location of a first mobile device associated with the first user; and

determining the second user location based on a location of a second mobile device associated with the second user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying the first user of the plurality of first departure times using a first mobile device associated with the first user; and

notifying the second user of the plurality of second departure times using a second mobile device associated with the second user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a first travel route to the station based on a current location of a first mobile device associated with the first user;

selecting a second travel route to the station based on a current location of a second mobile device associated with the second user.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor and comprising computer readable program code embodied in the memory that when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a range of first departure times selected by a first user, a travel time of the first user to a station served by a plurality of transportation units according to a schedule, and a transportation route, wherein the station is on the transportation route, and a first user location that is remote from the station;

receiving global positioning device location information for the plurality of transportation units on the transportation route;

receiving a range of second departure times selected by a second user, a travel time of the second user to the station and a second user location that is remote from the station;

calculating a plurality of first departure times within the range of first departure times based on the travel time of first user to the station and the global positioning device location information for the plurality of transportation units such that if the first user departs first user location at a selected one of the first departure times, the first user will reach the station with at least time to board one of the plurality of transportation units; and

calculating a plurality of second departure times within the range of second departure times based on the travel time of the second user such that if the second user departs the second user location at a selected one of the second departure times, the second user will reach the station with at least time to board the one of the plurality of transportation units;

wherein the plurality of first departure times and the plurality of second departure times are calculated such that the first and second user arrive at the station at approximately the same time.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

calculating the travel time of the first user based on a first distance between the first user and the station; and

calculating the travel time of the second user based on a second distance between the second user and the station.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the travel time of the first user is input by the first user and the travel time of second first user is input by the second user.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the first user location based on a location of a first mobile device associated with the first user; and

determining the second user location based on a location of a second mobile device associated with the second user.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

notifying the first user of the plurality of first departure times using a first mobile device associated with the first user; and

notifying the second user of the plurality of second departure times using a second mobile device associated with the second user.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

selecting a first travel route to the station based on a current location of a first mobile device associated with the first user;

selecting a second travel route to the station based on a current location of a second mobile device associated with the second user.

13. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable program code embodied in the medium that when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a range of first departure times selected by a first user, a travel time of the first user to a station served by a plurality of transportation units according to a schedule, and a transportation route, wherein the station is on the transportation route, and a first user location that is remote from the station;

receiving global positioning device location information for the plurality of transportation units on the transportation route;

receiving a range of second departure times selected by a second user, a travel time of the second user to the station and a second user location that is remote from the station;

calculating a plurality of first departure times within the range of first departure times based on the travel time of first user to the station and the global positioning device location information for the plurality of transportation units such that if the first user departs first user location at a selected one of the first departure times, the first user will reach the station with at least time to board one of the plurality of transportation units; and

calculating a plurality of second departure times within the range of second departure times based on the travel time of the second user such that if the second user departs the second user location at a selected one of the second departure times, the second user will reach the station with at least time to board the one of the plurality of transportation units;

wherein the plurality of first departure times and the plurality of second departure times are calculated such that the first and second user arrive at the station at approximately the same time.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

calculating the travel time of the first user based on a first distance between the first user and the station; and

calculating the travel time of the second user based on a second distance between the second user and the station.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the travel time of the first user is input by the first user and the travel time of second first user is input by the second user.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the first user location based on a location of a first mobile device associated with the first user; and

determining the second user location based on a location of a second mobile device associated with the second user.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

notifying the first user of the plurality of first departure times using a first mobile device associated with the first user; and

notifying the second user of the plurality of second departure times using a second mobile device associated with the second user.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

selecting a first travel route to the station based on a current location of a first mobile device associated with the first user;

selecting a second travel route to the station based on a current location of a second mobile device associated with the second user.