ESTIMATING TIMES TO LEAVE AND TO TRAVEL

• US 20140278071A1
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Incredible Labs, Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: SAN FILIPPO, SCOTT, TAYYEB, ARSHAD, MURRAY, SPENCER, CHENG, KEVIN, LEBRUN, JASON
• Granted Patent: US 9,377,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/465
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• 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: G01C 21/3476 using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3605 Destination input or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement

Abstract

In an embodiment, a data processing method comprises obtaining a present location value indicating a present location of a computing device and event data indicating an event location and an event time; determining a route of travel between the present location and the event location for a mode of transportation from the present location to the event location; determining one or more route segments in the route of travel; determining one or more estimated journey times respectively for each of the route segments; adding one or more padding time values to each of the route segments; determining a total travel time based upon the journey times and the padding time values for all of the route segments; determining a recommended time to leave based upon a current time and a difference between the event time and the total travel time; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

Claims

1. A data processing method comprising:

obtaining a present location value indicating a present location of a computing device and event data indicating an event location and an event time;

determining a route of travel between the present location and the event location for a mode of transportation from the present location to the event location;

determining one or more route segments in the route of travel;

determining one or more estimated journey times respectively for each of the route segments;

adding one or more padding time values to each of the route segments;

determining a total travel time based upon the journey times and the padding time values for all of the route segments;

determining a recommended time to leave based upon a current time and a difference between the event time and the total travel time;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a sum of the recommended time to leave and the total travel time is less than or equal to the event time;

generating and providing a notification that specifies the recommended time to leave.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising determining the one or more route segments based upon identifying one or more changes in modes of transportation along the particular route.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising determining the one or more route segments based upon identifying one or more changes in vehicles the particular route.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising determining the one or more route segments based upon identifying one or more embarkation points along the particular route.

6. The method of claim 1 comprising determining the one or mode padding time values based upon a mode of transit between a transit disembarkation point and a next route segment.

7. The method of claim 1 comprising determining a start of one or more of the route segments based upon determining that the computing device is performing any of:

moving to a parked car;

waiting for a transfer;

navigating an exit;

exiting a residence;

exiting a place of work;

exiting the present location within a building;

exiting the present location at a parking location.

8. The method of claim 1 comprising receiving a selection of a user interface menu item specifying a different transit mode;

updating the one or more routes of travel in accordance with the different transit mode.

9. The method of claim 1 comprising causing repeating the determining and adding for a plurality of different transit modes to result in determining a plurality of different estimated travel times that are respectively associated with the different travel times;

displaying the plurality of estimated travel times to reach the event location with indications of the plurality of different transit modes.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising determining that the total travel time is excessive;

generating and displaying a graphical icon indicating that the total travel time is excessive.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising determining that the event is important;

at the recommended time to leave, causing placing a simulated phone call to the user.

12. The method of claim 1 comprising determining, for each of the route segments, one or more padding time values based at least in part upon determining one or more delays due to traffic congestion on the route;

increasing the one or more estimated journey times respectively for each of the route segments by the one or more padding time values.

13. The method of claim 1 comprising determining, as one of the route segments, a parking time segment comprising an amount of time expected to be incurred in parking a vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1 comprising determining, as part of one of the route segments, an end of segment time comprising an amount of time expected to reach the end of a destination.

15. The method of claim 1 comprising:

causing generating a radial menu in a graphical user interface of the computing device, wherein the radial menu comprises a rotatable plurality of icons each associated with a different mode of transit;

receiving input indicating a selection of one of the icons;

changing the mode of transportation to match a mode of transit associated with the one of the icons;

re-performing the determining and adding based upon the changing.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising displaying, in association with each of the icons, the total travel time for traveling the route of travel using the different mode of transit that is associated respectively with each of the icons.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising updating a calendar view of the computing device using a copy of the one of the icons.

18. The method of claim 1 comprising causing displaying, in a graphical user interface of the computing device, a linearized graphical depiction of the route of travel comprising one or more of icons and text indicating one or more of:

time remaining to reach the destination;

the recommended time to leave;

time remaining to reach the destination compared to one or more other modes of transportation.

19. The method of claim 1 comprising:

causing displaying, in a graphical user interface of the computing device, a first linearized graphical depiction of the route of travel using a first mode of transportation and comprising one or more of icons and text indicating one or more of;

a first time to reach the destination based upon using the first mode of transportation;

the recommended time to leave based upon the first mode of transportation;

causing displaying, in the graphical user interface of the computing device, a second linearized graphical depiction of the route of travel using a second mode of transportation that is different than the first mode of transportation, and comprising one or more of icons and text indicating one or more of;

time to reach the destination based upon the second mode of transportation;

the recommended time to leave based upon the second mode of transportation.

20. The method of claim 19 comprising displaying, in each of the first linearized graphical depiction and the second linearized graphical depiction, one or more icons that each represent traffic incidents and are spaced apart along the linearized graphical depictions based upon relative distances to a position along the route of travel of the traffic incidents.

21. The method of claim 19 comprising displaying, in each of the first linearized graphical depiction and the second linearized graphical depiction, both the time to reach the destination and the recommended time to leave.

22. The method of claim 19 comprising displaying, in each of the first linearized graphical depiction and the second linearized graphical depiction, one or more bar segments that are linearly aligned on the first or second linearized graphical depictions and that graphically indicate one or more of:

a period of walking;

a period of waiting;

a period of using a particular mode of transit.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein lengths of the one or more bar segments specify relative amounts of time associated with the one or more of the period of walking, the period of waiting, the period of using a particular mode of transit.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein lengths of the one or more bar segments specify relative amounts of time based upon one or more of the estimated journey times for the route segments.

25. A data processing method comprising:

using a server computer, obtaining from one or more non-transitory computer-readable data storage media a copy of one or more sequences of instructions that are stored on the media and which when executed using a particular user computer among a plurality of user computers cause the particular user computer to perform;

using the particular user computer alone or in combination with the server computer, obtaining a present location value indicating a present location of a computing device and event data indicating an event location and an event time;

determining a route of travel between the present location and the event location for a mode of transportation from the present location to the event location;

determining one or more route segments in the route of travel;

determining one or more estimated journey times respectively for each of the route segments;

adding one or more padding time values to each of the route segments;

determining a total travel time based upon the journey times and the padding time values for all of the route segments;

determining a recommended time to leave based upon a current time and a difference between the event time and the total travel time;

using the server computer, downloading the copy of the one or more sequences of instructions to any user computer among the plurality of user computers.

26. The method of claim 25 comprising:

using the particular user computer alone or in combination with the server computer, causing generating a radial menu in a graphical user interface of the computing device, wherein the radial menu comprises a rotatable plurality of icons each associated with a different mode of transit;

receiving input indicating a selection of one of the icons;

changing the mode of transportation to match a mode of transit associated with the one of the icons;

re-performing the determining and adding based upon the changing.

27. The method of claim 25 comprising:

using the particular user computer alone or in combination with the server computer, causing displaying, in a graphical user interface of the computing device, a first linearized graphical depiction of the route of travel using a first mode of transportation and comprising one or more of icons and text indicating one or more of;

a first time to reach the destination based upon using the first mode of transportation;

the recommended time to leave based upon the first mode of transportation;

causing displaying, in the graphical user interface of the computing device, a second linearized graphical depiction of the route of travel using a second mode of transportation that is different than the first mode of transportation, and comprising one or more of icons and text indicating one or more of;

time to reach the destination based upon the second mode of transportation;

the recommended time to leave based upon the second mode of transportation.

28. A computer system comprising:

a server computer comprising one or more non-transitory computer-readable data storage media stored with one or more sequences of instructions which when executed using a particular user computer among a plurality of user computers cause the particular user computer to perform;

using the particular user computer, alone or in combination with the server computer, obtaining a present location value indicating a present location of a computing device and event data indicating an event location and an event time;

determining a route of travel between the present location and the event location for a mode of transportation from the present location to the event location;

determining one or more route segments in the route of travel;

determining one or more estimated journey times respectively for each of the route segments;

adding one or more padding time values to each of the route segments;

determining a total travel time based upon the journey times and the padding time values for all of the route segments;

determining a recommended time to leave based upon a current time and a difference between the event time and the total travel time;

in the server computer, stored downloading instructions which, when executed using the server computer, cause downloading a plurality of copies of the one or more sequences of instructions to the plurality of user computers.

29. The computer system of claim 28 wherein the data storage media comprise sequences of instructions which when executed cause:

causing generating a radial menu in a graphical user interface of the computing device, wherein the radial menu comprises a rotatable plurality of icons each associated with a different mode of transit;

receiving input indicating a selection of one of the icons;

changing the mode of transportation to match a mode of transit associated with the one of the icons;

re-performing the determining and adding based upon the changing.

30. The computer system of claim 28 wherein the data storage media comprise sequences of instructions which when executed cause:

causing displaying, in a graphical user interface of the computing device, a first linearized graphical depiction of the route of travel using a first mode of transportation and comprising one or more of icons and text indicating one or more of;

a first time to reach the destination based upon using the first mode of transportation;

the recommended time to leave based upon the first mode of transportation;

causing displaying, in the graphical user interface of the computing device, a second linearized graphical depiction of the route of travel using a second mode of transportation that is different than the first mode of transportation, and comprising one or more of icons and text indicating one or more of;

time to reach the destination based upon the second mode of transportation;

the recommended time to leave based upon the second mode of transportation.