Variable bus stops across a bus route in a regional transportation network

• US 9,441,981 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raj Abhyanker
• Original Assignee: Fatdoor Incorporated
• Inventors: Abhyanker, Raj
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWANDROSKI, SARA J
• Application Number:
  US14/309,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20150369621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 701/13, 701/6, 705/410, 705/533, 705/538
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and a system of variable bus stops across a bus route in a regional transportation network, according to one embodiment. A method of a bus server includes analyzing a current geospatial location of a mobile device responsive to a pick up request of a prospective bus passenger, associating a closest street intersection with the current geospatial location of the mobile device, and determining if a bus route traverses the closest street intersection associated with the current geospatial location of the mobile device. A message may be communicated to the mobile device based on the determination of whether the bus route traverses the closest street intersection. A bus associated with the bus route may be instructed to pick up the prospective bus passenger when the bus route traverses the closest street intersection associated with the current geospatial location of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of a bus server, comprising:

analyzing a current geospatial location of a mobile device responsive to a pick up request of a prospective bus passenger;

associating a closest street intersection with the current geospatial location of the mobile device;

determining if a bus route traverses the closest street intersection associated with the current geospatial location of the mobile device;

communicating a message to the mobile device based on the determination of whether the bus route traverses the closest street intersection associated with the current geospatial location of the mobile device,

wherein a bus fare associated with a route of the bus is settled directly on the mobile device of the prospective bus passenger prior to the prospective bus passenger boarding

a bus associated with the bus route to pick up the prospective bus passenger at the closest street intersection on the bus route,

wherein the bus fare is dependent upon a distance desired to be travelled by the prospective bus passenger,

wherein the prospective bus passenger to select a drop off location using the mobile device,

wherein the drop off location is at least one of a scheduled bus stop, a custom bus stop, and a shared ad-hoc bus stop with other current and prospective bus passengers on the bus route,

wherein the prospective bus passenger to pay a premium when the prospective bus passenger selects the custom bus stop on the bus route,

wherein a particular bus to be routed to the closest street intersection only when the bus fare is paid on the mobile device, and

wherein the particular bus to open a door of the bus when the prospective bus passenger swipes the mobile device on a reader of the particular bus when the bus fare has been paid with the mobile device by the prospective bus passenger.

2. The method of the bus server of claim 1, further comprising:

instructing the bus associated with the bus route to pick up the prospective bus passenger at the closest street intersection on the bus route,

wherein the bus route traverses the closest street intersection associated with the current geospatial location of the mobile device; and

communicating an estimated time of arrival of the bus to the prospective bus passenger through the message.

3. The method of the bus server of claim 2:

wherein the bus only traverses the bus route in a unidirectional looping fashion such that the particular bus on the bus route for which the closest street intersection is in a forward path of the particular bus is closest is preferred, as compared to other buses on the bus route that have already departed from the closest street intersection in forward journey on the bus route, and

wherein the particular bus is at least one of an autonomously navigating vehicle, and a semiautonomously navigating vehicle.

4. The method of the bus server of claim 3 further comprising:

providing walking directions to the prospective bus passenger to the closest street intersection on the bus route.

5. The method of the bus server of claim 4, further comprising:

periodically pinging the mobile device to provide pickup updates to the prospective bus passenger based on a request of the prospective bus passenger; and

routing multiple ones of the prospective bus passengers in a neighborhood of a current geospatial vicinity of the prospective bus passenger to a common intersection point that is within a threshold distance from each of the prospective bus passengers of the neighborhood to minimize delays of the particular bus on the bus route.

6. The method of the bus server of claim 5:

wherein the closest street intersection is associated with an address that provides for safe navigation of the particular bus on the bus route, such that the particular bus is able to make a pit stop at a safe stopping location when picking up the prospective bus passenger.

7. A method of a bus sever, comprising:

analyzing a current geospatial location of a mobile device responsive to a pick up request of a prospective bus passenger;

associating a closest street intersection with the current geospatial location of the mobile device;

determining if a bus route traverses the closest street intersection associated with the current geospatial location of the mobile device;

instructing a bus associated with the bus route to pick up the prospective bus passenger at the closest street intersection on the bus route,

wherein when the bus route traverses the closest street intersection associated with the current geospatial location of the mobile device,

wherein a bus fare associated with the bus route is settled directly on the mobile device of the prospective bus passenger prior to the prospective bus passenger boarding the bus,

wherein the bus fare is dependent upon a distance desired to be travelled by the prospective bus passenger,

wherein the prospective bus passenger to select a drop off location using the mobile device,

wherein the drop off location is at least one of a scheduled bus stop, a custom bus stop, and a shared ad-hoc bus stop with other current and prospective bus passengers on the bus route,

wherein the prospective bus passenger to pay a premium when the prospective bus passenger selects the custom bus stop on the bus route,

wherein a particular bus to be routed to the closest street intersection only when the bus fare is paid on the mobile device, and

wherein the particular bus to open a door of the bus when the prospective bus passenger swipes the mobile device on a reader of the particular bus when the bus fare has been paid with the mobile device by the prospective bus passenger.

8. The method of the bus server of claim 7 further comprising:

communicating a message to the mobile device based on the determination of whether the bus route traverses the closest street intersection associated with the current geospatial location of the mobile device; and

communicating an estimated time of arrival of the bus to the prospective bus passenger through the message.

9. The method of the bus server of claim 8:

wherein the bus only traverses the bus route in a unidirectional looping fashion such that the particular bus on the bus route for which the closest street intersection is in a forward path of the particular bus is closest is preferred, as compared to other buses on the bus route that have already departed from the closest street intersection in forward journey on the bus route, and

wherein the particular bus is at least one of an autonomously navigating vehicle, and a semiautonomously navigating vehicle.

10. The method of the bus server of claim 9 further comprising:

providing walking directions to the prospective bus passenger to the closest street intersection on the bus route.

11. The method of the bus server of claim 10 further comprising:

periodically pinging the mobile device to provide pickup updates to the prospective bus passenger based on a request of the prospective bus passenger; and

routing multiple ones of the prospective bus passengers in a neighborhood of a current geospatial vicinity of the prospective bus passenger to a common intersection point that is within a threshold distance from each of the prospective bus passengers of the neighborhood to minimize delays of the particular bus on the bus route.

12. The method of the bus server of claim 11:

wherein the closest street intersection is associated with an address that provides for safe navigation of the particular bus on the bus route, such that the particular bus is able to make a pit stop at a safe stopping location when picking up the prospective bus passenger.

13. A system comprising:

a mobile device having a current geospatial location;

a network; and

a bus server configured to;

analyze the current geospatial location of the mobile device responsive to a pick up request of a prospective bus passenger,

associate a closest street intersection with the current geospatial location of the mobile device,

determine if a bus route traverses the closest street intersection associated with the current geospatial location of the mobile device,

communicate, through the network, a message to the mobile device based on the determination of whether the bus route traverses the closest street intersection associated with the current geospatial location of the mobile device,

a payment algorithm to directly settle a bus fare associated with the bus route on the mobile device of the prospective bus passenger prior to the prospective bus passenger boarding

a bus associated with the bus route to pick up the prospective bus passenger at the closest street intersection on the bus route,

wherein the bus fare is dependent upon a distance desired to be travelled by the prospective bus passenger,

wherein the prospective bus passenger to select a drop off location using the mobile device,

wherein the drop off location is at least one of a scheduled bus stop, a custom bus stop, and a shared ad-hoc bus stop with other current and prospective bus passengers on the bus route,

wherein the prospective bus passenger to pay a premium when the prospective bus passenger selects the custom bus stop on the bus route,

wherein a particular bus to be routed to the closest street intersection only when the bus fare is paid on the mobile device, and

wherein the particular bus to open a door of the bus when the prospective bus passenger swipes the mobile device on a reader of the particular bus when the bus fare has been paid with the mobile device by the prospective bus passenger.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a pick-up algorithm to instruct the bus associated with the bus route to pick up the prospective bus passenger at the closest street intersection on the bus route,

wherein when the bus route traverses the closest street intersection associated with the current geospatial location of the mobile device; and

a time-of-arrival algorithm to communicate an estimated time of arrival of the bus to the prospective bus passenger through the message.

15. The system of claim 14:

wherein the bus only traverses the bus route in a unidirectional looping fashion such that the particular bus on the bus route for which the closest street intersection is in a forward path of the particular bus is closest is preferred, as compared to other buses on the bus route that have already departed from the closest street intersection in forward journey on the bus route, and

wherein the particular bus is at least one of an autonomously navigating vehicle, and a semiautonomously navigating vehicle.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a direction algorithm to provide walking directions to the prospective bus passenger to the closest street intersection on the bus route;

an update algorithm to periodically ping the mobile device to provide pickup updates to the prospective bus passenger based on a request of the prospective bus passenger; and

a rally algorithm to route multiple ones of the prospective bus passengers in a neighborhood of a current geospatial vicinity of the prospective bus passenger to a common intersection point that is within a threshold distance from each of the prospective bus passengers of the neighborhood to minimize delays of the particular bus on the bus route.

17. The system of claim 16:

wherein the closest street intersection is associated with an address that provides for safe navigation of the particular bus on the bus route, such that the particular bus is able to make a pit stop at a safe stopping location when picking up the prospective bus passenger.