Generating routing information for a target location

• US 9,915,540 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2015
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bridgen, Anna, Poole, Christopher J., Upton, Stephen J., Woolley, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jelani A
• Application Number:
  US14/819,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20170038221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• 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 21/3492 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: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for generating routing information. The method includes one or more processors acquiring a current location for each of a plurality of mobile computing devices. The method further includes one or more processors identifying a range that corresponds to each of the plurality of mobile computing devices. The method further includes one or more processors determining a target location at which at least two of the plurality of mobile computing devices can be in proximity. The determined target location is based on the acquired current location of each of the plurality of mobile computing devices and the identified ranges that correspond to each of the plurality of mobile computing devices. The method further includes one or more processors generating routing information corresponding to the at least two of the mobile computing devices and the determined target location.

Claims

1. A method for generating routing information, the method comprising:

acquiring, by one or more processors, a current location for each of a plurality of mobile computing devices, wherein each of the plurality of mobile computing devices correspond to a respective user;

determining by one or more processors, a range that corresponds to each of the plurality of mobile computing devices, wherein a range that corresponds to a mobile computing device is a constrained area that includes locations that the mobile computing device can travel to before having to route to a stopping point, and wherein the determined range is based on an analysis of past running distances by the respective user, defined by physical points that the respective user has run to, of the mobile computing device in relation to a respective distance that the respective user has currently run;

determining, by one or more processors, a target location at which at least two of the plurality of mobile computing devices can be in proximity, wherein the determined target location is based on the acquired current location of each of the plurality of mobile computing devices and the determined ranges that correspond to each of the plurality of mobile computing devices; and

generating, by one or more processors, routing information corresponding to the at least two of the mobile computing devices and the determined target location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the target location at which at least two of the plurality of mobile computing devices can be in proximity comprises:

acquiring, by one or more processors, a current speed for each of the plurality of mobile computing devices; and

determining, by one or more processors, a target location at which at least two of the plurality of mobile computing devices can be in proximity, wherein the determined target location is based on the acquired current location of each of the plurality of mobile computing devices, the determined ranges that correspond to each of the plurality of mobile computing devices, and the acquired current speeds of each of the plurality of mobile computing devices.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by one or more processors, one or more additional mobile computing devices that are capable of reaching the determined target location based on respective current locations and ranges of the one or more additional mobile computing devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating routing information, further comprises:

generating, by one or more processors, respective instances of routing instructions for each of the at least two mobile computing devices.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating, by one or more processors, the generated routing information to the at least two mobile computing devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mobile computing devices are mobile phones that have wireless communication capability.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining range that corresponds to each of the plurality of mobile computing devices, further comprises:

querying, by one or more processors, each of the plurality of mobile computing devices for range information, the range information stored in a database associated with the plurality of mobile computing devices; and

analyzing, by one or more processors, the range information, wherein the range information includes previously generated instances of past running distances.

8. A computer program product for generating routing information, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to acquire a current location for each of a plurality of mobile computing devices, wherein each of the plurality of mobile computing devices correspond to a respective user;

program instructions to determine a range that corresponds to each of the plurality of mobile computing devices, wherein a range that corresponds to a mobile computing device is a constrained area that includes locations that the mobile computing device can travel to before having to route to a stopping point, and wherein the determined range is based on an analysis of past running distances by the respective user, defined by physical points that the respective user has run to, of the mobile computing device in relation to a respective distance that the respective user has currently run;

program instructions to determine a target location at which at least two of the plurality of mobile computing devices can be in proximity, wherein the determined target location is based on the acquired current location of each of the plurality of mobile computing devices and the determined ranges that correspond to each of the plurality of mobile computing devices; and

program instructions to generate routing information corresponding to the at least two of the mobile computing devices and the determined target location.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the program instructions to determine the target location at which at least two of the plurality of mobile computing devices can be in proximity comprise program instructions to:

acquire a current speed for each of the plurality of mobile computing devices; and

determine a target location at which at least two of the plurality of mobile computing devices can be in proximity, wherein the determined target location is based on the acquired current location of each of the plurality of mobile computing devices, the determined ranges that correspond to each of the plurality of mobile computing devices, and the acquired current speeds of each of the plurality of mobile computing devices.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

identify one or more additional mobile computing devices that are capable of reaching the determined target location based on respective current locations and ranges of the one or more additional mobile computing devices.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the program instructions to generate routing information further comprise program instructions to:

generate respective instances of routing instructions for each of the at least two mobile computing devices.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

communicate the generated routing information to the at least two mobile computing devices.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the plurality of mobile computing devices are mobile phones that have wireless communication capability.

14. A computer system for generating routing information, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer readable storage media; and

program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to acquire a current location for each of a plurality of mobile computing devices, wherein each of the plurality of mobile computing devices correspond to a respective user;

program instructions to determine a range that corresponds to each of the plurality of mobile computing devices, wherein a range that corresponds to a mobile computing device is a constrained area that includes locations that the mobile computing device can travel to before having to route to a stopping point, and wherein the determined range is based on an analysis of past running distances by the respective user, defined by physical points that the respective user has run to, of the mobile computing device in relation to a respective distance that the respective user has currently run;

program instructions to determine a target location at which at least two of the plurality of mobile computing devices can be in proximity, wherein the determined target location is based on the acquired current location of each of the plurality of mobile computing devices and the determined ranges that correspond to each of the plurality of mobile computing devices; and

program instructions to generate routing information corresponding to the at least two of the mobile computing devices and the determined target location.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the program instructions to determine the target location at which at least two of the plurality of mobile computing devices can be in proximity comprise program instructions to:

acquire a current speed for each of the plurality of mobile computing devices; and

determine a target location at which at least two of the plurality of mobile computing devices can be in proximity, wherein the determined target location is based on the acquired current location of each of the plurality of mobile computing devices, the determined ranges that correspond to each of the plurality of mobile computing devices, and the acquired current speeds of each of the plurality of mobile computing devices.

16. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to:

identify one or more additional mobile computing devices that are capable of reaching the determined target location based on respective current locations and ranges of the one or more additional mobile computing devices.

17. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the program instructions to generate routing information further comprise program instructions to:

generate respective instances of routing instructions for each of the at least two mobile computing devices.

18. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to:

communicate the generated routing information to the at least two mobile computing devices.

19. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of mobile computing devices are mobile phones that have wireless communication capability.