PREEMPTIVE VARIABLE RATE TRAVEL FEES

• US 20100156670A1
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Seaman, James W., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Lim, Colin Fung Wan, Swaminathan, Vinodh K., Lamba, Naveen, Morris, Benjamin G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,969,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/928
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/06 Arrangements for road pricing or congestion charging of vehicles or vehicle users, e.g. automatic toll systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

Variable thoroughfare toll rates are applied in anticipation of an event impacting traffic flow. An event occurrence is identified and determined to cause a change in a normal traffic flow amount on an impacted section of a thoroughfare. A traveler is notified of the impacted section of the thoroughfare in association with an impacted section-choice toll rate, a bypass choice in association with a bypass-choice toll rate, and a future time period duration for an application of the bypass-choice and impacted section-choice rates. A notified traveler is charged a toll for using the thoroughfare as a function of the bypass-choice rate in response to choosing to travel upon the presented bypass choice, or as a function of an impacted section-choice toll rate in response choosing to travel upon the presented impacted section choice.

Claims

1. A method for applying variable thoroughfare toll rates in anticipation of an event impacting traffic flow, comprising:

identifying an event occurrence;

determining that the event occurrence will cause a change in a normal traffic flow amount on an impacted section of a thoroughfare;

determining a future time period duration of the change in the normal traffic flow amount on the impacted section;

setting a bypass-choice toll rate and a different impacted section-choice toll rate;

notifying a traveler of;

an identification of the impacted section of the thoroughfare in association with

the impacted section-choice toll rate;

a bypass choice in association with the bypass-choice toll rate; and

an application of the bypass-choice toll rate and the impacted section-choice toll rate during the future time period duration;

presenting the notified traveler with a choice of travelling upon the bypass choice or the impacted section, the presenting at a presentment time at least one of prior to and during the future time period;

charging a toll to the traveler for using the thoroughfare as a function of the bypass-choice rate in response to the traveler choosing to travel upon the presented bypass choice; and

charging a toll to the traveler for using the thoroughfare as a function of an impacted section-choice toll rate in response to the traveler choosing to travel upon the presented impacted section choice.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the identified event is a future-occurring event, and an onset time of the future time period is in a future time relative to the presentment time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the event comprises collecting event data from published media;

and

wherein the determining that the event occurrence will cause a change in a normal traffic flow amount comprises analyzing the collected data for a relevance of the event to a traffic flow of the thoroughfare.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising charging a toll to the traveler for using the thoroughfare as a function of a lower of the bypass-choice rate and the impacted section-choice toll rate in response to an inability of the traveler to select between the choosing to travel upon the presented impacted section choice and the choosing to travel upon the presented bypass choice.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the notified traveler with the choice comprises presenting a plurality of bypass choices, further comprising:

increasing a total toll rate charged the traveler for the using the thoroughfare with each choosing of a use of the impacted section over a presented bypass choice, the impacted section-choice toll rate relatively higher than the bypass-choice rate;

or

decreasing a total toll rate charged the traveler for the using the thoroughfare with each choosing of a use of the impacted section over a presented bypass choice, the impacted section-choice toll rate relatively lower than the bypass-choice rate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein presenting the notified traveler with the plurality of bypass choices comprises sequentially presenting each of the plurality of bypass choices;

and

wherein the increasing and the decreasing the toll rate charged comprises progressively increasing or progressively decreasing the toll rate with each choosing by the traveler.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the traveler moving toward and in the direction of the impacted section at each of the presentment times of the plurality of bypass choices, and wherein each of the presentment times is prior to a time of an encounter of the impacted section by the moving traveler.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein each of the plurality of bypass choices has a traffic flow capacity, and wherein a first of the bypass choices having a first traffic flow capacity greater than a second traffic flow capacity of a second of the bypass choices, further comprising:

setting a first bypass-choice toll rate for association with the first bypass choice lower than a second bypass-choice toll for association with the second bypass choice as a function of a difference between the first traffic flow capacity and the second traffic flow capacity.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the plurality of bypass choices comprises an ingress to the thoroughfare choice enabling the traveler to move toward the impacted section on the thoroughfare from a high-capacity freeway, further comprising:

setting an intentional ingress-choice toll rate for association with the ingress choice higher than the first bypass choice toll and the second bypass-choice toll.

10. A service for applying variable thoroughfare toll rates in anticipation of an event impacting traffic flow, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure configured to;

identify an event occurrence;

determine that the event occurrence will cause a change in a normal traffic flow amount on an impacted section of a thoroughfare;

determine a future time period duration of the change in the normal traffic flow amount on the impacted section;

set a bypass-choice toll rate and a different impacted section-choice toll rate;

notify a traveler of;

an identification of the impacted section of the thoroughfare in association with the impacted section-choice toll rate;

a bypass choice in association with the bypass-choice toll rate; and

an application of the bypass-choice toll rate and the impacted section-choice toll rate during the future time period duration;

charge a toll to the traveler for using the thoroughfare as a function of the bypass-choice rate in response to the traveler choosing to travel upon a bypass choice presented at least one of prior to and during the future time period; and

charge a toll to the traveler for using the thoroughfare as a function of an impacted section-choice toll rate in response to the traveler choosing to travel upon the presented impacted section choice.

11. The service of claim 10, wherein the identified event is a future-occurring event, and an onset time of the future time period is in a future time relative to the presentment time, the computer infrastructure configured to identify the event by analyzing event data from published media for a relevance of the event to a traffic flow of the thoroughfare.

12. The service of claim 11, the computer infrastructure configured to:

increase a total toll rate charged the traveler for the using the thoroughfare with each choosing of a use of the impacted section over a presented bypass choice, the impacted section-choice toll rate relatively higher than the bypass-choice rate;

or

decrease a total toll rate charged the traveler for the using the thoroughfare with each choosing of a use of the impacted section over a presented bypass choice, the impacted section-choice toll rate relatively lower than the bypass-choice rate.

13. The service of claim 12, wherein each of a plurality of bypass choices has a traffic flow capacity, and wherein a first of the bypass choices has a first traffic flow capacity greater than a second traffic flow capacity of a second of the bypass choice, the computer infrastructure configured to:

set a first bypass-choice toll rate for association with the first bypass choice lower than a second bypass-choice toll for association with the second bypass choice as a function of a difference between the first traffic flow capacity and the second traffic flow capacity.

14. The service of claim 13, wherein the plurality of bypass choices comprises an ingress to the thoroughfare choice enabling the traveler to move toward the impacted section on the thoroughfare from a high-capacity freeway, the computer infrastructure configured to set an intentional ingress-choice toll rate for association with the ingress choice higher than the first bypass choice toll and the second bypass-choice toll.

15. A method for applying variable thoroughfare toll rates in anticipation of an event impacting traffic flow, comprising:

producing computer executable program code;

storing the code on a computer readable medium; and

providing the program code to be deployed and executed on a computer system, the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, cause the computer system to;

identify an event occurrence;

determine that the event occurrence will cause a change in a normal traffic flow amount on an impacted section of a thoroughfare;

determine a future time period duration of the change in the normal traffic flow amount on the impacted section;

notify a traveler of;

an identification of the impacted section of the thoroughfare in association with an impacted section-choice toll rate;

a bypass choice in association with a bypass-choice toll rate; and

an application of the bypass-choice toll rate and the impacted section-choice toll rate during the future time period duration;

charge a toll to the traveler for using the thoroughfare as a function of the bypass-choice rate in response to the traveler choosing to travel upon a bypass choice presented at least one of prior to and during the future time period; and

charge a toll to the traveler for using the thoroughfare as a function of an impacted section-choice toll rate in response to the traveler choosing to travel upon the presented impacted section choice.

16. The method of claim 15, the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, causes the computer system to:

increase a total toll rate charged the traveler for the using the thoroughfare with each choosing of a use of the impacted section over a presented bypass choice, the impacted section-choice toll rate relatively higher than the bypass-choice rate;

or

decrease a total toll rate charged the traveler for the using the thoroughfare with each choosing of a use of the impacted section over a presented bypass choice, the impacted section-choice toll rate relatively lower than the bypass-choice rate.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each of a plurality of bypass choices has a traffic flow capacity, and wherein a first of the bypass choices has a first traffic flow capacity greater than a second traffic flow capacity of a second of the bypass choice, the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, causes the computer system to set a first bypass-choice toll rate for association with the first bypass choice lower than a second bypass-choice toll for association with the second bypass choice as a function of a difference between the first traffic flow capacity and the second traffic flow capacity.

18. A programmable device comprising:

a processing means;

a memory in communication with the processing means comprising a logic component; and

a network interface in communication with the processing means and the memory;

wherein the processing means is configured to;

identify an event occurrence;

determine that the event occurrence will cause a change in a normal traffic flow amount on an impacted section of a thoroughfare;

determine a future time period duration of the change in the normal traffic flow amount on the impacted section;

set a bypass-choice toll rate and a different impacted section-choice toll rate;

notify a traveler of;

an identification of the impacted section of the thoroughfare in association with the impacted section-choice toll rate;

a bypass choice in association with the bypass-choice toll rate; and

an application of the bypass-choice toll rate and the impacted section-choice toll rate during the future time period duration;

charge a toll to the traveler for using the thoroughfare as a function of the bypass-choice rate in response to the traveler choosing to travel upon a bypass choice presented at least one of prior to and during the future time period; and

charge a toll to the traveler for using the thoroughfare as a function of an impacted section-choice toll rate in response to the traveler choosing to travel upon the presented impacted section choice.

19. The programmable device of claim 18, wherein processing means is configured to:

increase a total toll rate charged the traveler for the using the thoroughfare with each choosing of a use of the impacted section over a presented bypass choice, the impacted section-choice toll rate relatively higher than the bypass-choice rate;

or

decrease a total toll rate charged the traveler for the using the thoroughfare with each choosing of a use of the impacted section over a presented bypass choice, the impacted section-choice toll rate relatively lower than the bypass-choice rate.

20. The programmable device of claim 18, wherein each of a plurality of bypass choices has a traffic flow capacity, and wherein a first of the bypass choices has a first traffic flow capacity greater than a second traffic flow capacity of a second of the bypass choice, and wherein the processing means is configured to set a first bypass-choice toll rate for association with the first bypass choice lower than a second bypass-choice toll for association with the second bypass choice as a function of a difference between the first traffic flow capacity and the second traffic flow capacity.