Complex dynamic route sequencing for multi-vehicle fleets using traffic and real-world constraints

#This disclosure relates generally to techniques for optimally sequencing multi-destination routes using behavioral data and historical, real-time, and predictive traffic data.

#The use of global positioning system (GPS) navigation systems in vehicles is ubiquitous. GPS devices may be adequate when traversing between two points, such as from point A to point B; however, traveling to more than one location, such as a delivery personnel driving to multiple destinations in a single route, can pose many challenges. GPS devices, GPS navigation software applications on mobile smartphones, or embedded navigation devices typically treat all traffic conditions as equal, and may not compute the fastest and most efficient route when there is more than one destination to visit on a route, such as to avoid a user-defined or dynamically computer-generated hazard area that may be impeding traffic—and usually output or instruct the next location in the exact sequence in which they were inputted.

#Between each pair of addresses, sometimes referred to as waypoints on a multi-stop route, there are typically multiple paths that a vehicle may take. While each route may be feasible, not every route will have the same distance and/or duration. Combined with the heading of the vehicle and its direction of travel, the duration of the same route will vary based on traffic conditions and other real-world conditions. Current solutions may only reflect the estimated time of arrival and departure between each sequential pair of locations on a route, but may not dynamically and optimally re-sequence routes based on anticipated traffic conditions and real-world conditions at the time when executing the route will actually take place. Additionally, current solutions may not use Bluetooth low or near-field communication technology for proximity sensing and location identification.

#Example embodiments are illustrated by way of example and are not limited to the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which, like references indicate similar elements.

#FIG. 1 is a high-level view of a network communication environment, according to at least one embodiment.

#FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a single destination route, according to at least one embodiment.

#Disclosed are a system and a method to dynamically and concurrently sequence one or more routes based on current, historical, and predicted traffic conditions. Predicted traffic conditions may be defined as road and/or weather conditions that may be encountered at a time and a location on the route that are expected to be traversed. Although the present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments. In addition, the components shown in the figures, their connections, couples, and relationships, and their functions, are meant to be exemplary only, and are not meant to limit the embodiments described herein.

#FIG. 1 is a high-level view of a network communication environment, according to at least one embodiment. FIG. 1 illustrates an administrator 102; a user 104; a mobile device 106; an application 108; an optimization server 110 comprising a routing module 112 and a mapping module 114; and a platform 116 communicatively coupled to a communication network 118 comprising a traffic module 120 and a traffic database 122, a weather module 124 and a weather database 126, a hazard module 128 and a hazard database 130, and an avoidance-zone module 132, an avoidance-zone database 134, and a prediction module 136.

#The user may be a vehicle operator accessing the network through the application 108 of the mobile device 106, or it may be a software application running inside of an autonomous vehicle's computer. The mobile device 106 may be a computing device comprising a central processing unit (CPU), an operating system, wireless network connectivity, a positioning detection device, and etc., such as, e.g., a smartphone, tablet, personal digital assistant (PDA), smart watch and other personal electronic devices. The network 118 may be a pathway that provides wireless communication, e.g., the Internet. The application 108 may access the optimization server 110 through the network 118 to obtain predicted traffic conditions and optimized driving routes. A route may be a way or course planned and taken for getting from a starting point to one or multiple destinations. A road may be a surface created for vehicles to travel on. A segment may be a portion of a road.