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US 7,003,398 B2Granted
Determining departure times for timetable-based trips
AssigneeAvaya Technology Corp.
InventorDoree Duncan Seligmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for enabling the advantageous selection of a departure time for a trip based on one or more timetables are disclosed. The illustrative embodiment employs a penalty function that considers: (i) whether or not the user arrives late, and if so, how late, and (ii) whether or not the user arrives early, and if so, how early, and (iii) the total travel time. The penalty function is evaluated for each entry of each trip segment timetable, and the departure time is selected in order to minimize the penalty.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- (a) receiving a desired time-of-arrival;
- (b) selecting one of a plurality of entries of a timetable based on:
- (i) the current time,
- (ii) said desired time-of-arrival, and
- (iii) a non-negative penalty function;
- wherein each of said entries comprises:
- (i) a scheduled time-of-departure, and
- (ii) a value that indicates a scheduled time-of-arrival;
- and
- wherein said penalty function is:
- (i) monotonically increasing in travel time, wherein said travel time equals the difference between an actual time-of-arrival and an actual time-of-departure,
- (ii) monotonically increasing in Δ=(said actual time-of-arrival minus said desired time-of-arrival) over at least one interval (Δ1, Δ2) of Δ wherein Δ2>Δ1≧0, and
- (iii) monotonically decreasing in Δ over at least one interval (Δ3, Δ4) of Δ wherein Δ3>Δ4≦0 and
- (c) determining a desired departure time based upon the selected one entry.
11 more elements
A method comprising:
- (a) receiving a desired time-of-arrival associated with a destination location;
- (b) selecting one of a plurality of entries of a timetable, wherein said timetable is associated with a discharge location, based on:
- (i) a current time,
- (ii) said desired time-of-arrival,
- (iii) a first metric of estimated travel time from said discharge location to said destination location, and
- (iv) a non-negative penalty function;
- wherein each of said entries comprises:
- (i) a scheduled time-of-departure, and
- (ii) a value that indicates a scheduled time-of-arrival;
- and
- wherein said penalty function is:
- (i) monotonically increasing in travel time, wherein said travel time equals the difference between an actual time-of-arrival at said destination location and an actual time-of-departure,
- (ii) monotonically increasing in Δ=(said actual time-of-arrival at said destination location minus said desired time-of-arrival at said destination location) over at least one interval (Δ1, Δ2) of Δ wherein Δ2>Δ1≧0, and
- (iii) monotonically decreasing in Δ over at least one interval (Δ3, Δ4) of Δ wherein Δ3>Δ4≦0 and
- (c) determining a desired departure time based upon the selected one entry.
12 more elements
A method comprising:
- (a) receiving a desired time-of-arrival associated with a destination location;
- (b) selecting one of a plurality of entries of a first timetable and one of a plurality of entries of a second timetable, wherein said first timetable is associated with a first discharge location, and wherein said second timetable is associated with a second departure location and a second discharge location, and wherein said selecting is based on:
- (i) the current time,
- (ii) said desired time-of-arrival,
- (iii) a first metric of estimated travel time from said first discharge location to said second departure location,
- (iv) a second metric of estimated travel time from said second discharge location to said destination location, and
- (v) a non-negative penalty function;
- wherein each of said entries of said first timetable and of said second timetable comprises:
- (i) a scheduled time-of-departure, and
- (ii) a value that indicates a scheduled time-of-arrival;
- and
- wherein said penalty function is:
- (i) monotonically increasing in travel time, wherein said travel time equals the difference between an actual time-of-arrival at said destination location and an actual time-of-departure,
- (ii) monotonically increasing in Δ=(said actual time-of-arrival at said destination location minus said desired time-of-arrival at said destination location) over at least one interval (Δ1, Δ2) of Δ wherein Δ2>Δ1≧0, and
- (iii) monotonically decreasing in Δ over at least one interval (Δ3, Δ4) of Δ wherein Δ3>Δ4≦0 and
- (c) determining a desired departure time based upon the selected one entry from both the first time table the second timetable.
13 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a receiver for receiving a desired time-of-arrival;
- and
- a processor for selecting one of a plurality of entries of a timetable based on:
- (i) a the current time,
- (ii) said desired time-of-arrival, and
- (iii) a non-negative penalty function;
- wherein each of said entries comprises:
- (i) a scheduled time-of-departure, and
- (ii) a value that indicates a scheduled time-of-arrival;
- and
- wherein said penalty function is:
- (i) monotonically increasing in travel time, wherein said travel time equals the difference between an actual time-of-arrival and an actual time-of-departure,
- (ii) monotonically increasing in Δ=(said actual time-of-arrival minus said desired time-of-arrival) over at least one interval (Δ1, Δ2) of Δ wherein Δ2>Δ1≧0, and
- (iii) monotonically decreasing in Δ over at least one interval (Δ3, Δ4) of Δ wherein Δ3<Δ4≦0 and for determining a desired departure based upon the selected one entry.
11 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a receiver for receiving a desired time-of-arrival associated with a destination location;
- and
- a processor for selecting one of a plurality of entries of a timetable, wherein said timetable is associated with a discharge location, based on:
- (i) a current time,
- (ii) said desired time-of-arrival,
- (iii) a first metric of estimated travel time from said discharge location to said destination location, and
- (iv) a non-negative penalty function;
- wherein each of said entries comprises:
- (i) a scheduled time-of-departure, and
- (ii) a value that indicates a scheduled time-of-arrival;
- and
- wherein said penalty function is:
- (i) monotonically increasing in travel time, wherein said travel time equals the difference between an actual time-of-arrival at said destination location and an actual time-of-departure,
- (ii) monotonically increasing in Δ=(said actual time-of-arrival at said destination location minus said desired time-of-arrival at said destination location) over at least one interval (Δ1, Δ2) of Δ wherein Δ2>Δ1≧0, and
- (iii) monotonically decreasing in Δ over at least one interval (Δ3, Δ4) of Δ wherein Δ3>Δ4≦0 and for determining a desired departure time based upon the selected one entry.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.