Itpa informed traveler program and application

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016334235-A1
Application number	US-201514589809-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 5, 2015
Priority date	Mar 19, 2013
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of informed, multi-modal travel by a user choosing from potential routes to a defined destination includes using real-time travel-related data derived from a plurality of inputs of present traffic flow, emergency and scheduled events, weather, historic traffic trends, and parking conditions at a definite final destination; providing outputs of the process; generating spatial analysis of real-time traffic flow; applying predictive and analytical models with rule-based constraints to selective outputs of these steps; and providing informed traveler user and management mobile access portals. A customer-oriented analytical system supports large-scale transportation management and provide useful information to travelers allowing them to make informed decisions regarding time, duration and mode of travel along with alternative multimodal routes. The system and method are a way of distributing travelers by time, space and mode in order to optimize travel and traffic management.

First claim

1 - 10 . (canceled)

11 . A system for routing a commuter's travel to a defined destination, the system comprising at least one in-vehicle monitoring device, at least one processor, at least one memory, and at least one digital storage medium, the at least one digital storage medium comprising a geospatial real-time database and program instructions stored thereon, the program instructions comprising the following modules:
(a) a smartphone application module to provide an individual interface and user-input functionality of a smartphone to a user thereof, and to provide mode options and trip scheduling and to allow a GPS module of the smartphone to report a current position to the system; (b) a bidirectional on-board vehicle interaction module with local components linked by a Wi-Fi network, to inform a public transit system operator and a transit authority operator conditions of individual transportation vehicles within the public transit system and overall conditions of the public transit system, and to keep track of passenger count statistics, passenger information, route requests, ticket or space availability, and UPS-coordinates; (c) a transit authority operations center module with a large control panel to monitor parking and transit possibilities within the public transit system, providing both a macro-level map view upon which are overlaid various parking and transit possibilities, and a smaller screen module having configurations, notification presets, preferences, and a user view; (d) a parking-event detection module to aid a user in seeking parking at a defined destination or at transition points to another mode of transport using real time data of parking possibilities, from an aggregation of parking authorities overseeing parking meters, street parking, and parking garages; (e) a traffic and event data notification service module for a transit authority to keep track of real time data and historical data, choice of mode of transport, and trip schedules along each potential route from the geospatial real-time database, and to communicate these to a user and to an operator of the transit system, the real time data and historical data comprising events, occurrences, and trends affecting traffic; (f) a data services module that updates and queries the real time data from a real time database comprising events, occurrences, and trends affecting traffic, as well as choice of mode of transport and trip schedules along each potential route, from the geospatial real-time database overlaying mapping and routing data, the data services module also updating and querying the historical data from an archival database; (g) a computational services module comprising a solver layer that calculates an optimized route for a user, with an expected time of arrival at the user's defined destination, as well as suggested parking opportunities proximate to the user's defined destination; and (h) a communications layer module relaying requests, queries, tracking events, and results between modules (a)-(g).

12 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the solver layer of the computational services module:
applies a heuristic algorithm, with predictive models and rule-based constraints, to all potential routes with their potential intermodal transfer points, using the real-time and history data available to compute an optimal traffic route and mode of transportation at the present time and providing informed suggestions to the user of a plurality of optimal traffic routes, modes, and trip schedules in accordance therewith; then applies an optimization algorithm by time, cost, duration, and safety, to further find the best potential routes for the user to choose, taking into account user preferences; and then allows the user an opportunity to pick one of the plurality of optimal routes or modes, as well as a departure time, to reduce time and cost of travel, while considering weather and safety.

13 . The system according to claim 12 , wherein the optimization algorithm furthers the goals of the transit authority to reduce personal vehicle and traffic density, and to maximize and distribute use of public transportation system components by dispersal over available routes, modes, and trip times.

14 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the parking-event detection module:
enables the user to reserve a parking space within a parking garage or a dedicated parking zone for a selected time period; and provides a notification to the multi-modal transportation system, that the parking space has been reserved by the user, advising the user where empty parking spaces are located in specified time periods.

15 . The system according to claim 11 ,
wherein the choices for modes of transport kept track of by the traffic and event data notification service module are selected from the group consisting of: passenger trains; bus rapid transit; express bus service; automotive highway transport; people mover systems; local or community transit systems; rented short one-way trip vehicles; taxis; bicycles; shared ride services; and pedestrian-oriented modes, including walking; and wherein the events and occurrences along each potential route further comprise present traffic congestion, construction-related delays, emergency events, special community events, weather concerns, and safety issues.

16 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the traffic and event data notification service module for a transit authority further comprises: CATV cameras positioned upon roads, railroads, and intersections, including selectable feeds from governmental advisories to the public regarding traffic conditions along the respective routes of the user.

17 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the solver layer of the computational services module comprises: IBL iLOG CPlex software running on a distributed computing architecture.

18 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the solver layer of the computational services module comprises a means for solving queries based on a transit optimization model.

19 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the individual smartphone application is configured to optimally receive user-input and to display results on a user's smartphone.

20 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the program instructions further comprise a crowdsourcing module comprising an algorithm of crowdsourcing of a plurality of users of the system based on respective GPS coordinates of each user.

21 - 22 . (canceled)

23 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the smartphone application is configured such that the user thereof is able to purchase tickets for events within the smartphone application.

24 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the traffic and event data notification service module takes into account pre-planned community events.

25 . The system according to claim 11 , further comprising an onboard passenger information display installed on or within a public transportation vehicle, wherein the onboard passenger information display displays the passenger count statistics, route requests, and ticket or space availability.

26 . The system according to claim 25 , wherein the onboard passenger display further displays the passenger information and the GPS-coordinates.

27 . A system for tracking information of public transportation vehicles, the system comprising the following components to be installed on or within a public transportation vehicle:
an onboard camera; an onboard Wi-Fi network; an onboard tracking system; an onboard passenger informa

Assignees

• Univ Florida Int

Inventors

• Gustafson Thomas F
• Rishe Naphtali
• Trias Ramon
• Stapleton Kenneth

Classifications

• G01C21/3492 Primary

  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 title

• G01C21/3423

  Multimodal routing · CPC title

• G08G1/14

  indicating individual free spaces in parking areas · CPC title