Optimal route solution

• US 9,546,874 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2010
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Compton, David, Eaton, James, Nelson, Justin, Pierre, David, Sawka, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Jos, Basil T
• Application Number:
  US12/980,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20120173137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,211 Days
• Field of Search: 701/433, 701/434, 701/435
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer storage media are provided for identifying an optimal route to a destination for a user. The optimal route is customized for the user based on one or more route factors. The route factors may include a physical limitation of the user or a restricted area of a healthcare environment. The route factors may also include obstacles within the route or user preferences. An optimal route is identified as such when no route factors conflict with the optimal route.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving an indication of a destination to which a user is to be navigated;

determining a location of the user;

based on the indication of the destination and the location of the user, determining a primary route for the user, wherein the primary route comprises

     1) a route corresponding to a shortest travel time between the user and the destination or

     2) a route corresponding to a shortest distance between the user and the destination;

receiving one or more route factors, wherein the one or more route factors include criteria for determining an optimal route for the user, and wherein receiving the one or more route factors comprises receiving directly from an electronic health record (EHR) for the user an indication that the user has undergone a medical procedure that is associated with a physical limitation that is to be considered when determining the optimal route for the user;

based on the one or more route factors, determining, at a processor of a computing device, the optimal route to the destination for the user, wherein determining the optimal route comprises;

comparing each of the one or more route factors with the primary route,

determining whether at least one of the one or more route factors conflicts with the primary route, wherein the determination comprises determining whether the physical limitation associated with the user conflicts with the primary route,

based on a determination that the one or more route factors do not conflict with the primary route, determining the primary route is the optimal route, and

based on a determination that at least one of the one or more route factors does conflict with the primary route, determining a first alternate route is the optimal route, wherein the one or more route factors do not conflict with the first alternate route; and

communicating the optimal route to a mobile computing device associated with the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is a clinician.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the user is identified with a plurality of sensors utilizing a real-time location services technology.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the destination is a location of equipment, wherein the location of equipment is identified utilizing one or more equipment identifiers associated with the equipment and the plurality of sensors.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the destination is a location of a patient, wherein the location of the patient is identified utilizing a patient identifier and the plurality of sensors.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more route factors include one or more of the following:

one or more user preferences, one or more obstacles, or one or more restricted areas.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the optimal route includes one or more restricted areas; and

upon determining that the optimal route includes the one or more restricted areas, identifying a second alternate route to display to the user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the optimal route includes one or more obstacles; and

upon determining that the optimal route includes the one or more obstacles, identifying a second alternate route to display to the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more obstacles include a closed area, a construction area, or a high traffic area.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimal route is displayed to the user in one of a map, turn-by-turn directions, or a combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical limitation is received directly from the EHR for the user such that no user intervention is required to receive the physical limitation from the EHR.

12. A computing system comprising:

a processor; and

computer storage memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, implement a method comprising;

receiving an indication of a destination to which a user is to be navigated,

determining a location of the user,

based on the indication of the destination and the location of the user, determining a primary route for the user, wherein the primary route comprises

     1) a route corresponding to a shortest travel time between the user and the destination or

     2) a route corresponding to a shortest distance between the user and the destination,

receiving a plurality of route factors, wherein the plurality of route factors includes one or more of the following;

one or more user preferences, one or more restricted areas, one or more obstacles, or one or more physical limitations of the user,

based on the primary route and the plurality of route factors, determining a first optimal route to the destination for the user,

communicating the first optimal route to a first computing device that is associated with the user,

communicating to a second computing device that is located at the destination an estimated arrival time at which the user will arrive at the destination, wherein the estimated arrival time is based on the first optimal route,

determining a change associated with the first optimal route, wherein the change associated with the first optimal route comprises one or more of an updated location of the user or a change to one or more of the plurality of route factors,

based on determining the change associated with the first optimal route, determining a second optimal route to the destination for the user,

communicating the second optimal route to the first computing device that is associated with the user, and

communicating to the second computing device an updated estimated arrival time for the user, wherein the updated estimated arrival time is based on the second optimal route.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the location of the user is identified with a plurality of sensors utilizing a real-time location services technology.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein one or more of the plurality of route factors are received directly from an electronic health record (EHR) for the user, such that no user intervention is required to receive the one or more of the plurality of route factors from the EHR.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more obstacles include a closed area, a construction area, or a high traffic area.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the first optimal route and the second optimal route are displayed to the user in one of a map, turn-by-turn directions, or a combination thereof.

17. One or more non-transitory computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method comprising:

receiving an indication of a destination to which a user is to be navigated;

determining a first location of the user;

based on the first location of the user and the destination, determining a primary route for the user, wherein the primary route comprises

     1) a route corresponding to a shortest travel time between the user and the destination or

     2) a route corresponding to a shortest distance between the user and the destination;

receiving a plurality of route factors, wherein a route factor of the plurality of route factors is received from an electronic health record (EHR) for the user, and wherein the plurality of route factors includes one or more of the following;

one or more user preferences, one or more restricted areas, one or more obstacles, or one or more physical limitations of the user;

determining whether at least one of the plurality of route factors conflicts with the primary route; and

based on a determination that at least one of the plurality of route factors conflicts with the primary route;

filtering out the primary route such that it is no longer an option for the user,

identifying an alternate route,

determining whether at least one of the plurality of route factors conflicts with the alternate route,

upon determining that none of the plurality of route factors conflicts with the alternate route, identifying the alternate route as an optimal route to the destination for the user,

communicating the optimal route to a computing device associated with the user, and

based on the optimal route, communicating to a second computing device that is located at the destination an estimated arrival time at which the user will arrive at the destination.

18. The media of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an indication of a second location for the user; and

based on the second location, updating the optimal route.

19. The media of claim 17, wherein the route factor that is received from the EHR for the user is received directly from the EHR such that no user intervention is required.

20. The media of claim 17, wherein the route factor that is received from the EHR for the user comprises a physical limitation associated with the user.