# US 2019/0244157 A1 · Coordinating and providing navigation for a group of people traveling together in a transport hub > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0244157 A1 - Document ID: US20190244157A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/385,355 - Filed: 2019-04-16 - Published: 2019-08-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-12 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Evelyn R. Anderson; Michael Bender; Rhonda L. Childress; Ea-Ee Jan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190244157A1 ## CPC - G06Q 50/40: Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083) - G06Q 10/063116: {Schedule adjustment for a person or group} - G06Q 10/42: Determination of affinities or common interests between users - H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information - 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 - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method and system to assist people traveling together through a transport hub. Access to personal data is provided for members of a group of people traveling together through the transport hub for a trip. A preferred route is mapped, from a current location of the group, for each person to travel through the transport hub. A group route, which is route to be commonly used by each person of the group, is selected. Sub-groups of members are selected to travel through the transport hub together in response to matching personal data. The personal data, travel data for the group, and transport hub data corresponding to the transport hub are monitored. Each person is alerted, in response to the monitored values, to begin moving from the current location towards a departure location along the selected group route to arrive at the departure location at a desired arrival time. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method to assist people traveling together through a transport hub, said method comprising: providing access, by a plurality of portable smart computing devices, to personal data for members of a group of people traveling together through the transport hub for a trip, wherein each person of the group has possession of a single portable computing device of the plurality of portable computing devices; mapping, by each person's portable smart computing device, a preferred route from a current location at which the group is located for each person to travel through the transport hub, wherein the preferred route is a direct route without stops or a route including one or more preferred stops; selecting from the mapped preferred routes, by the plurality of portable computing devices, a group route which is route to be commonly used by each person of the group, wherein the selected group route is the mapped preferred route of one portable computing device of the plurality of portable computing devices, wherein each person's portable computing device mapped a preferred route for each previous trip of a plurality of previous trips by the group, and wherein said selecting the one portable computing device is based on the preferred route for the one portable computing device have been a group route for more of the previous trips than was the preferred route for any other portable computing device of the plurality of portable computing devices; generating, by each person's portable smart computing device, sub-groups of members to travel through the transport hub together in response to matching personal data; monitoring, by each person's portable smart computing device, the personal data for members of the group, travel data for the group, and transport hub data corresponding to the transport hub, wherein the travel data for the group includes a departure location, a boarding time, and a departure vehicle; and alerting each person, by each person's portable smart computing device, in response to the monitored values, to begin moving from the current location towards the departure location along the selected group route to arrive at the departure location at a desired arrival time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the personal data includes data independently selected, for each person, from the group consisting of the person's health, the person's lifting ability, the person's ability to pull or carry luggage, the person's endurance, the person's ability to walk through the transport hub, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the transport hub data includes of maps or layout data of the transport hub ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the monitored values include predetermined parameters, and wherein the predetermined parameters comprise: a distance from the current location to the departure location; an estimated travel speed of each person of each sub-group to travel from the current location to the departure location; and an estimated travel time of each person of each sub-group upon leaving the current location to arrive at the departure location at the desired arrival time. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the transport hub data includes the transport hub layout; locations of departure vehicles, and locations of transporting devices within the transport hub, wherein said transporting devices comprise elevators, escalators, moving walkways and trams, and wherein the transport hub comprises an airport transport hub, a railway transport hub and a bus terminal transport hub, and wherein the departure vehicle comprises an automobile, a train, an airplane, a bus and a motorized vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: notifying each person, by his portable smart computing device, of a change of the monitored values. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of portable smart computing devices include wireless capabilities to access each person's personal data, the group travel data, the predetermined parameters and the transport hub data from a computer cloud or from a network. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of portable smart computing devices communicates with respective Internet of Things IoT wireless devices of group members including smart watches, activity trackers, fitness trackers, walking trackers and personal movement sensing devices. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, said method further comprising selecting, by the plurality of portable smart computing devices, a leader of the group or of one of the sub-groups, in response to stored computer learned behavior from previous trips of the group or sub-group, wherein the leader selects the preferred route for the group or sub-group. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the stored computer learned behavior comprises for each previous trip: selections of routes through the transport hub by each member of the group or sub-group; and final selection of the preferred route for the group or sub-group, wherein the leader has selected a greater number of preferred routes finally selected than other members of the group or sub-group. ### Claim 11 A computer program product, comprising one or more computer readable hardware storage devices having computer readable program code stored therein, said program code containing instructions executable by a computing device to implement a method to assist people traveling together through a transport hub, said method comprising: providing access, by a plurality of portable smart computing devices, to personal data for members of a group of people traveling together through the transport hub for a trip, wherein each person of the group has possession of a single portable computing device of the plurality of portable computing devices; mapping, by each person's portable smart computing device, a preferred route from a current location at which the group is located for each person to travel through the transport hub, wherein the preferred route is a direct route without stops or a route including one or more preferred stops; selecting from the mapped preferred routes, by the plurality of portable computing devices, a group route which is route to be commonly used by each person of the group, wherein the selected group route is the mapped preferred route of one portable computing device of the plurality of portable computing devices, wherein each person's portable computing device mapped a preferred route for each previous trip of a plurality of previous trips by the group, and wherein said selecting the one portable computing device is based on the preferred route for the one portable computing device have been a group route for more of the previous trips than was the preferred route for any other portable computing device of the plurality of portable computing devices; generating, by each person's portable smart computing device, sub-groups of members to travel through the transport hub together in response to matching personal data; monitoring, by each person's portable smart computing device, the personal data for members of the group, travel data for the group, and transport hub data corresponding to the transport hub, wherein the travel data for the group includes a departure location, a boarding time, and a departure vehicle; and alerting each person, by each person's portable smart computing device, in response to the monitored values, to begin moving from the current location towards the departure location along the selected group route to arrive at the departure location at a desired arrival time. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the personal data includes data independently selected, for each person, from the group consisting of the person's health, the person's lifting ability, the person's ability to pull or carry luggage, the person's endurance, the person's ability to walk through the transport hub, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the transport hub data includes of maps or layout data of the transport hub ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the monitored values include predetermined parameters, and wherein the predetermined parameters comprise: a distance from the current location to the departure location; an estimated travel speed of each person of each sub-group to travel from the current location to the departure location; and an estimated travel time of each person of each sub-group upon leaving the current location to arrive at the departure location at the desired arrival time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the transport hub data includes the transport hub layout; locations of departure vehicles, and locations of transporting devices within the transport hub, wherein said transporting devices comprise elevators, escalators, moving walkways and trams, and wherein the transport hub comprises an airport transport hub, a railway transport hub and a bus terminal transport hub, and wherein the departure vehicle comprises an automobile, a train, an airplane, a bus and a motorized vehicle. ### Claim 16 A system, comprising a computing device, said computing device comprising one or more processors, one or more memories, and one or more computer readable hardware storage devices, said one or more hardware storage devices containing program code executable by the one or more processors via the one or more memories to implement a method to assist a person traveling through a transport hub, method comprising: providing access, by a plurality of portable smart computing devices, to personal data for members of a group of people traveling together through the transport hub for a trip, wherein each person of the group has possession of a single portable computing device of the plurality of portable computing devices; mapping, by each person's portable smart computing device, a preferred route from a current location at which the group is located for each person to travel through the transport hub, wherein the preferred route is a direct route without stops or a route including one or more preferred stops; selecting from the mapped preferred routes, by the plurality of portable computing devices, a group route which is route to be commonly used by each person of the group, wherein the selected group route is the mapped preferred route of one portable computing device of the plurality of portable computing devices, wherein each person's portable computing device mapped a preferred route for each previous trip of a plurality of previous trips by the group, and wherein said selecting the one portable computing device is based on the preferred route for the one portable computing device have been a group route for more of the previous trips than was the preferred route for any other portable computing device of the plurality of portable computing devices; generating, by each person's portable smart computing device, sub-groups of members to travel through the transport hub together in response to matching personal data; monitoring, by each person's portable smart computing device, the personal data for members of the group, travel data for the group, and transport hub data corresponding to the transport hub, wherein the travel data for the group includes a departure location, a boarding time, and a departure vehicle; and alerting each person, by each person's portable smart computing device, in response to the monitored values, to begin moving from the current location towards the departure location along the selected group route to arrive at the departure location at a desired arrival time. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the personal data includes data independently selected, for each person, from the group consisting of the person's health, the person's lifting ability, the person's ability to pull or carry luggage, the person's endurance, the person's ability to walk through the transport hub, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the transport hub data includes of maps or layout data of the transport hub ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the monitored values include predetermined parameters, and wherein the predetermined parameters comprise: a distance from the current location to the departure location; an estimated travel speed of each person of each sub-group to travel from the current location to the departure location; and an estimated travel time of each person of each sub-group upon leaving the current location to arrive at the departure location at the desired arrival time. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the transport hub data includes the transport hub layout; locations of departure vehicles, and locations of transporting devices within the transport hub, wherein said transporting devices comprise elevators, escalators, moving walkways and trams, and wherein the transport hub comprises an airport transport hub, a railway transport hub and a bus terminal transport hub, and wherein the departure vehicle comprises an automobile, a train, an airplane, a bus and a motorized vehicle.