# US 11,994,398 B2 · Smart placement of mobility as a service (MAAS) transit vehicles

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- Number: US 11,994,398 B2
- Document ID: US11994398B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/449,139
- Filed: 2019-06-21
- Published: 2020-12-24
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-21
- Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
- Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
- Inventors: Shalini Keshavamurthy
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994398B2

## CPC

- G01C 21/3438: {Rendezvous; Ride sharing}
- G01C 21/3407: {specially adapted for specific applications}
- G01C 21/3415: {Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents}
- 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)}
- G06Q 10/02: Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
- G06Q 50/40: Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083)
- G08G 1/096816: {where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once}
- G08G 1/096838: {where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality}
- G08G 1/202: {Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching}
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})

## Abstract

A system for automatic scheduling of vehicles includes a network access device configured to receive scheduling information corresponding to at least one travel request and including a user-selected starting location and a user-selected destination location. The system further includes a memory configured to store map information including road information and preselected vehicle stops. The system further includes a processor coupled to the network access device and the memory. The processor is designed to identify available vehicles to transport passengers. The processor is further designed to determine routes for the available vehicles to travel, the routes including vehicle stops and being determined based on the scheduling information, the road information, and the preselected vehicle stops. The processor is further designed to control the network access device to transmit the identified routes to the available vehicles.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for automatic scheduling of vehicles, the system comprising:
a network access device configured to receive scheduling information corresponding to at least one travel request and including a user-selected starting location and a user-selected destination location, the at least one travel request including a standard travel request requiring a user to switch vehicles or walk a portion of a route and a premium travel request providing a specific pickup location and a specific drop-off location;
a memory configured to store map information including road information and one or more preselected vehicle stops; and
a processor coupled to the network access device and the memory and configured to:
obtain public transportation information relating to at least one of the user-selected starting location or the user-selected destination location, the public transportation information being indicative of occupancy level information of a plurality of public transportation options,
identify a plurality of available vehicles to transport one or more passengers, the plurality of available vehicles being configured for data communication with, respectively, a plurality of edge servers, each edge server of the plurality of edge servers being configured for communicating with one or more vehicles within a specific geographic region assigned for the each edge server,
determine a plurality of routes for, respectively, the plurality of available vehicles to travel, the plurality of routes including one or more vehicle stops and at least one route that includes the specific pickup location and the specific drop-off location corresponding to the premium travel request, the plurality of routes being determined based on the scheduling information, the road information, the one or more preselected vehicle stops, and the public transportation information, and
control the network access device to transmit data corresponding to the determined plurality of routes to the plurality of edge servers for communication of the data corresponding to the determined plurality of routes to, respectively, the plurality of available vehicles.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein:
at least one of:
the network access device is further configured to receive public transportation schedule information, or
the memory is further configured to store the public transportation schedule information; and
the processor is further configured to determine the plurality of routes for, respectively, the plurality of available vehicles to travel based on the public transportation schedule information.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to identify one or more regions for each of the plurality of available vehicles to be located based on the scheduling information, the road information, and the one or more preselected vehicle stops before determining the plurality of routes, and to control the network access device to transmit data corresponding to the identified one or more regions to corresponding one or more of the plurality of available vehicles.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the network access device is further configured to receive traffic data corresponding to vehicle traffic or human traffic at one or more locations, and the processor is further configured to determine one or more additional routes with one or more additional vehicle stops or to change the one or more vehicle stops of the determined plurality of routes based on the received traffic data.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the network access device is further configured to receive weather data corresponding to one or more weather events in a predetermined location, and the processor is further configured to determine the plurality of routes further based on the received weather data.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the network access device is further configured to receive vehicle stop location data corresponding to one or more locations at which one or more independent vehicles have at least one of stopped for a predetermined amount of time or parked, and the processor is further configured to determine one or more additional routes with one or more additional vehicle stops or to change the one or more vehicle stops of the determined plurality of routes based on the received vehicle stop data.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the network access device is further configured to receive vehicle sensor data corresponding to sensor data detected by one or more sensors on at least one vehicle, and the processor is further configured to determine the plurality of routes further based on the received vehicle sensor data.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to perform an artificial intelligence algorithm based on historical data, and to determine the plurality of routes using the artificial intelligence algorithm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of edge servers include an edge server having:
an edge network access device configured to communicate with the network access device and to receive real-time location data corresponding to at least some of the plurality of available vehicles, and
an edge processor coupled to the edge network access device and configured to:
receive the data corresponding to the determined plurality of routes, the scheduling information, the road information, and data corresponding to the one or more preselected vehicle stops via the edge network access device; and
adjust at least one of the determined plurality of routes based on the real-time location data, the determined plurality of routes, the scheduling information, the road information, and the one or more preselected vehicle stops.

### Claim 10

A system for automatic scheduling of vehicles, the system comprising:
a network access device configured to receive data corresponding to a plurality of vehicle stop locations including one or more locations at which one or more vehicles have at least one of stopped for a predetermined amount of time or parked;
a memory configured to store map information including road information and one or more preselected vehicle stops; and
a processor coupled to the network access device and the memory and configured to:
obtain travel request information corresponding to at least one travel request including a starting location, a destination location, a standard travel request requiring a user to switch vehicles or walk a portion of a route, and a premium travel request providing a specific pickup location and a specific drop-off location,
obtain public transportation information relating to at least one of the starting location or the destination location, the public transportation information being indicative of occupancy level information of a plurality of public transportation options,
identify a plurality of available vehicles to transport one or more passengers, the plurality of available vehicles being configured for data communication with, respectively, a plurality of edge servers, each edge server of the plurality of edge servers being configured for communicating with one or more vehicles within a specific geographic region assigned for the each edge server,
determine a plurality of routes for, respectively, the plurality of available vehicles to travel, the plurality of routes including one or more vehicle stops and at least one route that includes the specific pickup location and the specific drop-off location corresponding to the premium travel request, the plurality of routes being determined based on the plurality of vehicle stop locations, the road information, the one or more preselected vehicle stops, and the public transportation information, and
control the network access device to transmit data corresponding to the determined plurality of routes to the plurality of edge servers for communication of the data corresponding to the determined plurality of routes to, respectively, the plurality of available vehicles.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10 wherein the network access device is further configured to receive scheduling information corresponding to the at least one travel request, and the processor is further configured to determine the plurality of routes based on the scheduling information.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10 wherein:
at least one of:
the network access device is further configured to receive public transportation schedule information, or
the memory is further configured to store the public transportation schedule information; and
the processor is further configured to determine the plurality of routes for, respectively, the plurality of available vehicles to travel based on the public transportation schedule information.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to identify one or more regions for each of the plurality of available vehicles to be located based on scheduling information, the road information, and the one or more preselected vehicle stops before determining the plurality of routes, and to control the network access device to transmit data corresponding to the identified one or more regions to corresponding one or more of the plurality of available vehicles.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10 wherein the network access device is further configured to receive traffic data corresponding to vehicle traffic or human traffic at one or more locations, and the processor is further configured to determine one or more additional routes with one or more additional vehicle stops or to change the one or more vehicle stops of the determined plurality of routes based on the received traffic data.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to determine one or more additional routes with one or more additional vehicle stops or to change the one or more vehicle stops of the determined plurality of routes based on the received plurality of vehicle stop locations.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of edge servers include an edge server having:
an edge network access device configured to communicate with the network access device and to receive real-time location data corresponding to at least some of the plurality of available vehicles, and
an edge processor coupled to the edge network access device and configured to:
receive the data corresponding to the determined plurality of routes, scheduling information, the road information, and data corresponding to the one or more preselected vehicle stops via the edge network access device; and
adjust at least one of the determined plurality of routes based on the real-time location data, the determined plurality of routes, the scheduling information, the road information, and the one or more preselected vehicle stops.

### Claim 17

A method for automatic scheduling of vehicles, the method comprising:
receiving, by a network access device, scheduling information corresponding to at least one travel request and including a user-selected starting location and a user-selected destination location, the at least one travel request including a standard travel request requiring a user to switch vehicles or walk a portion of a route and a premium travel request providing a specific pickup location and a specific drop-off location;
storing, in a memory, map information including road information and one or more preselected vehicle stops;
obtaining, by a processor, public transportation information relating to at least one of the user-selected starting location or the user-selected destination location, the public transportation information being indicative of occupancy level information of a plurality of public transportation options;
identifying, by the processor, a plurality of available vehicles to transport one or more passengers, the plurality of available vehicles being configured for data communication with, respectively, a plurality of edge servers, each edge server of the plurality of edge servers being configured for communicating with one or more vehicles within a specific geographic region assigned for the each edge server;
determining, by the processor, a plurality of routes for, respectively, the plurality of available vehicles to travel based on the scheduling information, the road information, the one or more preselected vehicle stops, and the public transportation information, the plurality of routes including one or more vehicle stops and at least one route that includes the specific pickup location and the specific drop-off location corresponding to the premium travel request; and
controlling, by the processor, the network access device to transmit data corresponding to the determined plurality of routes to the plurality of edge servers for communication of the data corresponding to the determined plurality of routes to, respectively, the plurality of available vehicles.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving, by the network access device, at least one of (i) vehicle stop location data corresponding to one or more locations at which one or more vehicles have at least one of stopped for a predetermined amount of time or parked or (ii) vehicle sensor data corresponding to sensor data detected by one or more sensors on at least one vehicle, wherein determining the plurality of routes includes determining the plurality of routes based on the at least one of the vehicle stop location data or the vehicle sensor data.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17 further comprising:
receiving, by the network access device, traffic data corresponding to at least one of vehicle traffic or human traffic at one or more locations; and
at least one of:
determining, by the processor, one or more additional routes with one or more additional vehicle stops based on the traffic data; or
changing, by the processor, the one or more vehicle stops of the determined plurality of routes based on the traffic data.