Route optimization

• US 8,566,035 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2010
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Brignull, Michele P., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Nesbitt, Pamela A., Sand, Anne R.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US12/712,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20110208419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.1, 705/14.11, 705/14.13, 705/14.16, 705/14.2, 705/14.19, 705/14.23, 705 1427- 1436, 705/14.43, 705/5, 705/6, 701/117, 701/119, 701/533, 701/465, 701/410, 701/411, 701/409, 701/468, 709/224, 709/238, 709/242
• US Class Current: 701/533
• 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: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver

Abstract

In general, the present invention relates to route optimization/prediction. In one embodiment, the present invention provides visibility to future predicted traffic situations, based on all reserved routes in a system at a given point in time. This allows city planners, for example, to know where traffic will be to adjust traffic flow accordingly. Additional value comes into play by being able to calculate and publish aggregated savings from using this system, such as driver time, mileage, and gas. This information may be added to a database and made available to individuals via their GPS. In a typical implementation, a request for a route is received from a requester. Based on the request, an optimized route and a potential position of the requester within the optimized route are determined and then proposed to the requester. The requester can then select an option from the proposal.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing routes, comprising:

receiving, using at least one computing device, a request for a route from a requester, the requester having a vehicle associated therewith;

determining, using the at least one computing device, an optimized route and a potential position of the requester within the optimized route based on the request;

providing, using the at least one computing device, a proposal in response to the request, the proposal comprising the optimized route and the potential position;

receiving, using the at least one computing device, a response to the proposal;

assigning, using the at least one computing device, the requester to the optimized route, the potential position, and a start time when the response comprises an acceptance of the proposal;

providing, using the at least one computing device, an incentive to the requester based on an advance time of at least one of the request for the route and a reservation of the route;

dynamically adjusting, using the at least one computing device, the incentive based on real-time changes to the route; and

automatically generating, using the at least one computing device, an alternate route in response to a detection, via Global Positioning Satellite technology, that the requester started the vehicle at a different time from the assigned start time, the alternate route accounting for the different time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising reserving, using the at least one computing device, the optimized route pending the response.

3. The method of claim 1, the proposal further comprising a set of alternative optimized routes and corresponding potential positions.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising trading, using the at least one computing device, the optimized route and the potential position of the requester with another optimized route and another potential position of another requester.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting feedback based on an execution of the proposal.

6. The method of claim 1, the route being a traffic route, and the determining being based on Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology.

7. A system for optimizing traffic routes, comprising:

a memory medium comprising instructions;

a bus coupled to the memory medium; and

a processor coupled to the bus that when executing the instructions causes the system to;

receive a request for a traffic route from a requester, the requester having a vehicle associated therewith;

determine an optimized traffic route and a potential position of the requester within the optimized traffic route based on the request;

provide a proposal in response to the request, the proposal comprising the optimized traffic route and the potential position;

receive a response to the proposal;

assign the requester to the optimized route, the potential position, and a start time when the response comprises an acceptance of the proposal;

provide an incentive to the requester based on an advance time of at least one of the request for the route and a reservation of the route;

dynamically adjust the incentive based on real-time changes to the route; and

automatically generate an alternate route in response to a detection, via Global Positioning Satellite technology, that the requester started the vehicle at a time different from the assigned start time, the alternate route accounting for the different time.

8. The system of claim 7, the system further being caused to reserve the optimized traffic route pending the response.

9. The system of claim 7, the proposal further comprising a set of alternative optimized traffic routes and corresponding potential positions.

10. The system of claim 7, the system further being caused to trade the optimized traffic route and the potential position of the requester with another optimized traffic route and another potential position of another requester.

11. The system of claim 7, the system further being caused to collect feedback based on an execution of the proposal.

12. The system of claim 7, the optimized traffic route being determined based on Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing a program product for optimizing traffic routes, the computer readable storage medium comprising program code for causing a computer to:

receive a request for a traffic route from a requester, the requester having a vehicle associated therewith;

determine an optimized traffic route and a potential position of the requester within the optimized traffic route based on the request;

provide a proposal in response to the request, the proposal comprising the optimized traffic route and the potential position;

receive a response to the proposal;

assign the requester to the optimized route, the potential position, and a start time when the response comprises an acceptance of the proposal;

provide an incentive to the requester based on an advance time of at least one of the request for the route and a reservation of the route;

dynamically adjust the incentive based on real-time changes to the route; and

automatically generate an alternate route in response to a detection, via Global Positioning Satellite technology, that the requester started the vehicle at a different time from the assigned start time, the new route accounting for the different time.

14. The computer readable storage medium containing the program product of claim 13, the computer readable storage medium further comprising program code for further causing the computer to reserve the optimized traffic route pending the response.

15. The computer readable storage medium containing the program product of claim 13, the proposal further comprising a set of alternative optimized traffic routes and corresponding potential positions.

16. The computer readable storage medium containing the program product of claim 13, the computer storage readable medium further comprising program code for further causing the computer to trade the optimized traffic route and the potential position of the requester with another optimized traffic route and another potential position of another requester.

17. The computer readable storage medium containing the program product of claim 13, the computer readable storage medium further comprising program code for further causing the computer to collect feedback based on an execution of the proposal.

18. The computer readable storage medium containing the program product of claim 13, the optimized traffic route being determined based on Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology.

19. A method for deploying a system for optimizing traffic routes, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

receive, via the computer infrastructure, a request for a traffic route from a requester, the requester having a vehicle associated therewith;

determine, via the computer infrastructure, an optimized traffic route and a potential position of the requester within the optimized traffic route based on the request;

provide, via the computer infrastructure, a proposal in response to the request, the proposal comprising the optimized traffic route and the potential position;

receive, via the computer infrastructure, a response to the proposal; and

assign, via the computer infrastructure, the requester to the optimized route, the potential position, and a start time when the response comprises an acceptance of the proposal;

provide, via the computer infrastructure, an incentive to the requester based on an advance time of at least one of the request for the route and a reservation of the route;

dynamically adjust, via the computer infrastructure, the incentive based on real-time changes to the route; and

automatically generate, via the computer infrastructure, an alternate route in response to a detection, via Global Positioning Satellite technology, that the requester started the vehicle at a different time from the assigned start time, the alternate route accounting for the different time.