System and method for managing transit service interruptions

• US 9,739,623 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2015
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trapeze Software ULC (Constellation Software Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Trapeze Software ULC (Constellation Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dewis, Patrick John, Sum, Dicky, Pettigrew, Christopher Elliot
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud, James E
• Application Number:
  US14/883,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20170108341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 701117
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/133 within the vehicle ; Indicators inside the vehicles or at stops
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

There are systems and methods for detour segments for patterns for bus routes to be performed by a transit vehicle as part of a schedule for a day, responsive to an interruption on the pattern, the system comprising a scheduling server, configured to receive an interruption for a pattern, determine a detour segment starting point and a detour segment ending point, check a detour segment database for an existing detour segment having the detour segment starting point and the detour segment ending point and if the checking returns an existing detour segment then apply the detour segment to the pattern, according to the detour segment parameters, to create a detoured schedule.

Claims

1. A system for detour segments for patterns for bus routes to be performed by a transit vehicle as part of a schedule for a day, responsive to an interruption on the pattern, the system comprising:

a scheduling server, configured to;

receive, from one or more interruption sources, an interruption for a pattern, the interruption comprising a part of the pattern that cannot be driven by the transit vehicle;

determine a detour segment starting point and a detour segment ending point;

check a detour segment database for an existing detour segment having the detour segment starting point and the detour segment ending point;

if the checking returns an existing detour segment then;

apply the detour segment to the pattern, according to at least one detour segment parameter, to create a detoured schedule;

create a detoured schedule file comprising the detoured schedule; and

post the detoured schedule file to an on-board computer of the transit vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein if the checking does not return an existing detour segment then:

facilitate creating a detour segment;

ingest detour segment parameters for the detour segment;

apply the detour segment to the pattern, according to the detour segment parameters, to create a detoured schedule; and

save the detour segment in a database of detour segments.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the checking comprises searching the database of detour segments to determine if any detour segments therein have the same detour starting point and detour ending point and, if one or more detour segments have the same detour starting point and detour ending point, allowing selection of a detour segment.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the detour segment parameters comprise a detour segment start time and a detour segment end time, one or more temporary stops and adherence data for the one or more temporary stops and detour time points.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the on-board computer is further configured to revert to the schedule from the detoured schedule, based on the detour segment parameters.

6. The system of claim 4 further comprising an on-board computer, on the transit vehicle, the on-board computer configured to:

receive the detoured schedule file; and

display the detoured schedule, the detour segment according to the detour segment parameters, and adherence data for the one or more temporary stops and detour time points, on a screen of the on-board computer for a transit vehicle driver to see.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the on-board computer provides one or more route adherence notifications, comparing an actual arrival time of the bus to one or more detoured time points in the detoured schedule to the scheduled arrival time of the bus to the one or more detoured time points, to the bus driver and wherein the one or more time points comprise a temporary stop.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the detour segment parameters further comprise a adherence scheme parameter that dictates whether the on-board computer uses schedule adherence data, detoured schedule adherence data, or no adherence data.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the scheduling server is further configured to:

determine if there is a work split between the detour segment starting point and the detour segment ending point; and

if there is then;

cause a new work split based on the detoured schedule.

10. The system of claim 4 wherein the detoured schedule file comprises only one or more updates to the schedule, the updates comprising the detour segment and detour segment parameters.

11. A method for detour segments for patterns for bus routes to be performed by a transit vehicle as part of a schedule for a day, responsive to an interruption on the pattern, the method comprising:

receiving from one or more interruption sources, an interruption for a pattern, the interruption comprising a part of the pattern that cannot be driven by the transit vehicle;

determining a detour segment starting point and a detour segment ending point; and

checking a detour segment database for an existing detour segment having the detour segment starting point and the detour segment ending point;

if the checking returns an existing detour segment then;

applying the detour segment to the pattern, according to the detour segment parameters, to create a detoured schedule;

creating a detoured schedule file comprising the detoured schedule; and

posting the detoured schedule file to an on-board computer of the transit vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein if the checking does not return an existing detour segment then:

facilitating the creation of a detour segment;

ingesting at least one detour segment parameter for the detour segment;

applying the detour segment to the pattern, according to the detour segment parameter, to create a detoured schedule; and

saving the detour segment in a database of detour segments.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the checking further comprises searching the database of detour segments to determine if any detour segments therein have the same detour starting point and detour ending point and, if one or more detour segments have the same detour starting point and detour ending point, allowing selection of a detour segment.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the detour segment parameters further comprise a detour segment start time and a detour segment end time, one or more temporary stops and adherence data for the one or more temporary stops and detour time points.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising reverting to the schedule from the detoured schedule, by the on-board computer, based on the detour segment parameters.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving the detoured schedule file; and

displaying the detoured schedule, the detour segment according to the detour segment parameters, and adherence data for the one or more temporary stops and detour time points, on a screen of an on-board computer for a transit vehicle driver to see.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising providing one or more route adherence notifications, comparing an actual arrival time of the bus to one or more detoured time points in the detoured schedule to the scheduled arrival time of the bus to the one or more detoured time points, to the bus driver and wherein the one or more time points comprise a temporary stop.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the detour segment parameters further comprise an adherence scheme parameter that dictates whether the on-board computer uses schedule adherence data, detoured schedule adherence data, or no adherence data.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining if there is a work split between the detour segment starting point and the detour segment ending point; and

if there is then;

causing a new work split based on the detoured schedule.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the detoured schedule file comprises only one or more updates to the schedule, the updates comprising the detour segment and detour segment parameters.