Method of determining an optimal route

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method of determining an optimal route for a vessel based on vessel traffic data. The method comprises receiving vessel traffic data relating to the movement of each of a plurality of vessels in a geographical region and defining sub-regions within the geographical region in which the vessel traffic data has similar characteristics. The method also comprises determining an optimal route for a vessel between two geographical points using a representation of the geographical region. The representation comprises nodes, and each node is associated with a respective defined sub-region.

1 . A computer-implemented method of determining an optimal route for a first vessel based on vessel traffic data, the first vessel being of a first type and/or having first characteristics, the method comprising:
 electronically receiving vessel traffic data relating to the movement of each of a plurality of vessels in a geographical region;   electronically defining sub-regions within the geographical region in which the vessel traffic data has similar characteristics;   electronically producing a representation of the geographical region, the representation comprising nodes joined by edges, each node being associated with a respective defined sub-region, and wherein each edge has a weight calculated based on characteristics of vessel journeys identified using the vessel traffic data; and   electronically determining an optimal route for a vessel between two geographical points using the representation of the geographical region, the representation comprising nodes and the first type and/or the first characteristics of the first vessel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the weights of each edge are blended weights, wherein each blended weight is calculated based on the characteristics of vessel journeys identified using the vessel traffic data and based on live meteorological and/or tidal information. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the weights of each edge are blended weights, and wherein each blended weight is calculated based on the characteristics of vessel journeys identified using the vessel traffic data and based on the amount of fuel required to travel along the edge. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising joining neighbouring nodes in the representation with edges based on vessel journeys identified using the vessel traffic data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising joining a first and a second node with a plurality of edges, each respective edge of the plurality of edges being created using different respective vessel journeys identified using the vessel traffic data, the different respective vessel journeys being associated with vessels having different characteristics. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nodes are connected by edges each having at least one associated weight, the weights being based on characteristics of vessel journeys identified using the vessel traffic data. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , the at least one weight being representative of at least one of: the average time taken to travel along the edge; the average amount of fuel required to travel along the edge; the average amount of monetary cost required to travel along the edge; and the number of journeys identified along the edge in the vessel traffic data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of any of  claim 6 , wherein the weights are blended weights, wherein each blended weight is based on at least two respective types of vessel journey identified in the vessel traffic data, the types of vessel journey being associated with different vessel characteristics. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the optimal route is determined using a shortest-path routing algorithm. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein defining sub-regions within the geographical region in which the vessel traffic data has similar characteristics comprises identifying geographical regions in which variation within the vessel traffic data is below a variation threshold value. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising iteratively considering each of a number of proposed sub-regions and, for each proposed sub-region:
 determining whether the variation of vessel traffic data associated with the proposed sub-region is above a threshold variation value and, if it is, splitting the proposed sub-region into a plurality of smaller proposed sub-regions.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the sub-regions in which the vessel traffic data has similar characteristics are defined as those proposed sub-regions in which variation of vessel traffic data is not above the threshold variation value. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vessel traffic data comprises data relating to the speeds of each of the plurality of vessels. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein defining sub-regions within the geographical region in which the current vessel traffic data has similar characteristics comprises identifying regions in which variation within vessel speed data is below a threshold value. 
     
     
         15 . A computer-implemented method of producing a representation of a geographical region for use in determining, based on vessel traffic data, an optimal route for a vessel between two geographical points, the first vessel being of a first type and/or having first characteristics, the method comprising:
 electronically receiving vessel traffic data relating to the movement of each of a plurality of vessels in a geographical region;   electronically defining sub-regions within the geographical region in which the vessel traffic data has similar characteristics; and   electronically producing the representation of the geographical region, the representation comprising nodes joined by edges, each node being associated with a respective defined sub-region, each edge having a weight, and wherein each weight is calculated based on characteristics of vessel journeys identified using the vessel traffic data.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of producing a representation of a geographical region for use in determining, based on vessel traffic data, an optimal route for a vessel between two geographical points, the first vessel being of a first type and/or having first characteristics, the method comprising:
 electronically receiving vessel traffic data relating to the movement of each of a plurality of vessels in a geographical region;   electronically defining sub-regions within the geographical region in which the vessel traffic data has similar characteristics;   electronically producing the representation of the geographical region, the representation comprising nodes joined by edges, each node being associated with a respective defined sub-region, each edge having a weight, and wherein each weight is calculated based on characteristics of vessel journeys identified using the vessel traffic data.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the computer readable medium further comprises computer executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine an optimal route for the vessel between the two geographical points using the representation of the geographical region.