Method and apparatus for providing shortest elapsed time route and tracking information to users

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining and communicating shortest elapsed time route information to users wherein information of desired origin and destination combinations is received from the users in a central processor or computer, instant rates of travel on multiple route segments interconnecting various possible origins and destinations being monitored and transferred to the central processor which then calculates the route segment or segment combination providing shortest elapsed time routes for each origin-destination combination and transmitting that information to the respective user. Communication between the central processor and the users is preferably by telephone and more preferably by cellular telephone.

1. A method for determining and communicating shortest elapsed time route information to users, comprising the steps of:
 individuallyreceiving monitoringed instant rates of vehicular travel on multiple route segments interconnecting various possible origins and destinations, such monitoring to include the use ofwhere said instant rates of travel are monitored using sensing means, differential video imaging means wherein a fixed video camera measures rates of travel, Global Positioning System means for measuring movements of a moving vehicle, loop detectors and tag reading devices for reading the passage of tag-bearing vehiclesthe sensing means having the capacity of identifying the presence of the vehicle at more than one location;  
 transferring the monitored instant rates of travel for the multiple route segments to a processor based on the tag readings, the Global Positioning System readings and the loop detector readings which identify the vehicle at more than one location from which said instant rates of vehicular travel are calculated ;  
 receiving information of desired origin and destination in said processor from at least one user, including vehicle type and number of passengers, such that shortest time route calculation would include all route segments and lanes for which the vehicle has permission to travel ;  
 calculating the route segment or combination of route segments based on the monitored instant rates of travel to provide a shortest elapsed time route between each origin-destination combination; and  
 transmitting information of the shortest elapsed time routes for the origin-destination combination to the respective at least one user.  
 
     
     
       2. A method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the step of receiving monitored instant rates of vehicular travel on multiple route segments interconnecting various possible origins and destinations including es the additional step of monitoring the user's trip progress by Global Positioning System signal said sensing means by recalculating the remaining route continuously using the then-current sensed information and calling the user if the directions can be improved . 
     
     
       3. A method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the received information of desired origin and destination combination includes an identifier where the at least one user can be contacted during the trip. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the steps of receiving information of desired origin-destination combinations and transmitting information of shortest elapsed time routes for the origin-destination combinations are carried out by means of telephone. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim  4   1  wherein the steps of receiving information of desired origin-destination combinations and transmitting information of shortest elapsed time routes for the origin-destination combinations are carried out by means of cellular telephone a wireless communication device. 
     
     
       6. A The method as set forth in of  claim 1 , including interaction with a user with wherein the steps of transmitting and receiving with the at least one user are carried out on an internet worldwide network, and wherein web sites are used in place of computers and networks to replace traditional telephone switching systems . 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of receiving information from the at least one user further comprising es of the step of receiving information from the users includes of a contemplated time of departure. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of collecting historical real time data in the processor to determine normal time variations for the instant rates of travel for the multiple route segments and employing the historical real time data in calculating the shortest elapsed time route between each origin-destination combination. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of receiving information from the users includes a contemplated time of departure. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of transmitting information of the shortest elapsed time routes for the origin- destination combination  to the respective at least one users comprises the transmission of video data and wherein the shortest elapsed time routes are displayed on a video receiver. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10  further comprising the use of cellular telephone a wireless communication device for transmitting the information of shortest elapsed time routes for the origin-destination combinations and providing video receivers for displaying the shortes elapsed time routes to the respective users . 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1  the step of calculating the route segment or combination of route segments further comprising es the step of storing data for the shortest elapsed time routes for each respective the at least one user for a predetermined time and transmitting updated information of periodically recalculating the shortest elapsed time routes to for the respective at least one users . 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of receiving information from the at least one users includes receiving information on multiple destinations, the shortest elapsed time routes being calculated for the multiple destinations and transmitted to the respective at least one users . 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13  further comprising the step of collecting historical real time data in the processor to determine normal time variations for the instant rates of travel for the multiple route segments and employing the historical real time data in calculating the shortest elapsed time route between each origin-destination combination. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of monitoring instant rates of travel at a plurality of locations along each route segment in order to provide a more accurate calculation of the shortest elapsed time routes for the origin-destination combinations. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1  wherein the sensing means comprises a Global Positioning System for measuring movements of the vehicle.  
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1  wherein the sensing means comprises a differential video imager that measures rates of travel.  
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1  wherein the sensing means comprises a tag reader for reading the passage of a tag- bearing vehicle.    
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1  wherein the sensing means comprises a wireless system that measures the change in location of the vehicle.  
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 1  wherein the sensing means comprises a Radar System for measuring movements of the vehicle.  
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of recalculating the route segment or combination of route segments based on the monitored instant rates of travel includes the step of recalculating the remaining route continuously based on the monitored trip progress.  
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21  wherein the step of transmitting information of the shortest elapsed time routes includes the step of transmitting the recalculated shortest route information to the at least one user.  
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 1  wherein the received information includes the vehicle type and the shortest time route calculation includes all routes for which the vehicle has permission to travel.  
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 1  wherein the received information includes the vehicle size such that the shortest time route calculation includes all routes for which the vehicle has permission to travel.  
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 1  wherein the received information includes the unique and instantaneous requirements of vehicular lane restrictions, and the shortest time route calculation includes all routes for which the vehicle has permission to travel.  
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 1  wherein the received information includes the number of passengers in the vehicle and the shortest time route calculation includes all lane segments for which the vehicle has permission to travel.  
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 12  wherein the step of transmitting information to the user includes transmitting updated information to the shortest elapsed time routes to the at least one user.  
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 1  wherein the monitored instant rates of travel is derived from the volume and occupancy data provided by a single loop sensor.  
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps of transmitting and receiving with the at least one user are carried out by satellite link.  
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 1 , wherein current vehicle location is continuously compared with successive waypoints determined by the shortest elapsed time route calculation.  
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 30 , wherein the difference between the actual and expected time at each of the waypoints forms the basis to inform the at least one user.  
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 1 , wherein voice recognition is used for the purpose of the at least one user communicating the desired origin and destination.