WO2016162781A1

WO2016162781A1 - Personalized estimated time of arrival

Info

Publication number: WO2016162781A1
Application number: PCT/IB2016/051899
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ronen Bitan; Tal LAVI
Original assignee: Trailze Ltd.
Priority date: 2015-04-05
Filing date: 2016-04-04
Publication date: 2016-10-13

Abstract

A personalized Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) calculation system, comprising: a system server comprising: a processor; a routes database comprising division of each route into segments; and a users database storing recorded historical performance data for each user, of routes taken and time/performance data in each route segment; the system is configured to receive ETA requests from a plurality of users' mobile communication devices and compute the ETA based on the routes database, the user's entry in the users database and a plurality of messages received from other users concurrently traversing at least one of the same route segments.

Description

PERSONALIZED ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL

TECHNOLOGY FIELD

The present invention relates to navigation, specifically to predicting personalized time of arrival of a user traveling by vehicle or pedestrian. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority from and is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial Number 62143125, filed 04/05/2015, this U.S.

Provisional Patent Application incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

BACKGROUND Navigation systems today calculate an estimated time of arrival (ETA) from a user's current position to a given destination. The user may specify form of traveling (vehicle, foot) and the system consults its routes database for historical data regarding average time of travel for each segment of the planned route and may include in its calculation traffic information from crowdsource or other methods. These may include information such as road blocks, weather conditions, etc.. Once the user starts moving along the route, the system may update the ETA according to further received traffic data and according to the user's actual location at the time of estimate. Clearly, every user in a pre-defined position travelling on a certain route will receive the same ETA as any other user with the same definitions.

Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a prior art navigation system 100 providing the same ETA (ETA0) to a plurality of users 1 10 seeking ETA from location X0 to location Y0 at the same time (or under similar external conditions). The system 100 comprises a routes database 120 and a processor 130 that receives in real-time data from concurrent users of the navigation application, either explicitly (e.g. by messages) or implicitly (e.g. by GPS) and calculates the ETA from X0 to Y0 therefrom. SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a

personalized Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) calculation system, comprising: a system server comprising: a processor; a routes database comprising division of each route into segments; and a users database storing recorded historical performance data for each user, of routes taken and

time/performance data in each route segment; the system is configured to receive ETA requests from a plurality of users' mobile communication devices and compute the ETA based on the routes database, the user's entry in the users database and a plurality of messages received from other users concurrently traversing at least one of the same route segments.

The system may be configured to receive from the user a mode of traveling.

The system may be configured to monitor the user's performance along a predefined time or distance and update the ETA accordingly. The system may be configured to calculate the estimated distance the user is expected to travel till a designated time and the location at which he will arrive at the end of the designated time.

The users database comprises personal data pertaining to at least one of the users and the at least one user's vehicle capabilities. The mode of traveling is selected from the group consisting of: traveling alone, traveling with other adults and traveling with children.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a personalized Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) calculation method, comprising: receiving ETA requests from a plurality of users' mobile communication devices; and computing said ETA based on: a routes database comprising division of each route into segments; said user's entry in a users database storing recorded historical performance data for each user, of routes taken and time/performance data in each route segment; and a plurality of messages received from other users concurrently traversing at least one of the same route segments. The method may further comprise receiving from said user a mode of traveling.

The method may further comprise monitoring said user's performance along a predefined time or distance and updating said ETA accordingly. The method may further comprise calculating the estimated distance said user is expected to travel till a designated time and the location at which said user will arrive at the end of said designated time.

The users database may comprise personal data pertaining to at least one of said users and said at least one user's vehicle capabilities. The mode of traveling may be selected from the group consisting of: traveling alone, traveling with other adults and traveling with children.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will be made, purely by way of example, to the accompanying drawings.

With specific reference to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental

understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a prior art navigation system providing the same ETA to a plurality of users; Fig. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention for personalized ETA, using users database;

Fig. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention for personalized ETA, using users database and user supplied mode;

Fig. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention for personalized ETA, using users tracking of recent user

performance; and

Fig. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a fourth embodiment of the present invention for predicting user's location at a given time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides an improved personalized ETA calculation system to be incorporated in navigation applications in general and most beneficially in navigation applications for outdoor trails, having varying terrain conditions and level of passage difficulty.

The system of the present invention adds the personal factor to the ETA calculation, thus providing a more accurate ETA calculated for the specific user and for a specific journey. Fig. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention for personalized ETA.

The system 200 is similar to the system 100 of Fig. 1 , comprising a processor 230 and a routes database 220, such as for example described in co-pending Provisional US Patent Application No. 62/131 ,314, and includes an additional users database 250. Users database 250 stores recorded historical data for each user, of trails taken and time/performance data in each trail or trail segment.

The system uses the additional data from the users database 250 to personalize the ETA calculated for the user, by taking into consideration personal data pertaining to the user's or the user vehicle's capabilities, on top of the data from the routes database and the crowdsourcing. As can be seen in Fig. 2, each user may receive a different ETA (ETA1 , ETA2, ETA3) from XO to Y0. Fig. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention for personalized ETA.

The system 300 is similar to the system 200 of Fig. 2, comprising a processor 330, a routes database 320, such as for example described in co-pending Provisional US Patent Application No. 62/131 ,314 and a users database 350. According to this embodiment the user may provide additional data to the system, i.e. Mode, which may be, for example, traveling alone, traveling with other adults, traveling with children etc.

The system uses the additional data from the user's defined mode to personalize the ETA calculated for the user, by taking into consideration personal data pertaining to the user's mode of travel, on top of the data from the routes database and the crowdsourcing. As can be seen in Fig. 3, each user may receive a different ETA (ETA4, ETA5, ETA6) from X0 to Y0.

It will be understood that the same user having the same track record may receive a different ETA when traveling in a different mode. Also, same user may receive different ETA based on a daily performance.

Fig. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention for personalized ETA.

The system 400 is similar to the system 300 of Fig. 3, comprising a processor 430, a routes database 420, such as for example described in co-pending Provisional US Patent Application No. 62/131 ,314 and a users database 450.

Similar to the embodiment of Fig. 3, the user may provide additional data to the system, i.e. Mode, which may be, for example, traveling alone, traveling with other adults, traveling with children etc. According to this embodiment, after the user starts traveling the route, the system may monitor his performance 460 and after a certain time or distance traveled since the user has started the route, the system may extrapolate a new ETA which takes into consideration not only the previously defined types of data but also ad-hoc data related to the user. This ad-hoc data may differ from the user's average performance data due to e.g. fatigue, injury, etc.

As can be seen in Fig. 4, each user may receive a different ETA (ETA7, ETA8, ETA9) from X0 to Y0, which may also be different from an ETA he would get under different personal conditions. Fig. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a fourth embodiment of the present invention for personalized ETA.

The system 500 is similar to the system 400 of Fig. 4, comprising a processor 530, a routes database 520, such as for example described in co-pending Provisional US Patent Application No. 62/131 ,314, a users database 550 and user performance monitoring data 560.

According to this embodiment the user may query the system for a location he will arrive at a specified time. Using the same resources described above, including route segments, users database and recent user performance the system calculates the estimated distance the user is expected to travel till the designated time and the location at which he will arrive at the end of the designated time ETR (estimated time remaining).

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single

embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as are commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods are described herein.

All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will prevail. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and includes both combinations and sub-combinations of the various features described hereinabove as well as variations and modifications thereof which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.

Claims

1 . A personalized Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) calculation system, comprising:

a system server comprising:

a processor;

a routes database comprising division of each route into segments; and

a users database storing recorded historical performance data for each user, of routes taken and time/performance data in each route segment;

said system configured to receive ETA requests from a plurality of users' mobile communication devices and compute said ETA based on said routes database, said user's entry in said users database and a plurality of messages received from other users concurrently traversing at least one of the same route segments.

2. The system of claim 1 , further configured to receive from said user a mode of traveling.

3. The system of claim 1 , further configured to monitor said user's

performance along a predefined time or distance and update said ETA accordingly.

4. The system of claim 1 , further configured to calculate the estimated distance said user is expected to travel till a designated time and the location at which said user will arrive at the end of said designated time.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said users database comprises

personal data pertaining to at least one of said users and said at least one user's vehicle capabilities.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said mode of traveling is selected from the group consisting of: traveling alone, traveling with other adults and traveling with children.

7. A personalized Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) calculation method, comprising: receiving ETA requests from a plurality of users' mobile communication devices; and

computing said ETA based on:

a routes database comprising division of each route into segments;

- said user's entry in a users database storing recorded

historical performance data for each user, of routes taken and time/performance data in each route segment; and

- a plurality of messages received from other users concurrently traversing at least one of the same route segments.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving from said user a mode of traveling.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising monitoring said user's

performance along a predefined time or distance and updating said ETA accordingly.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising calculating the estimated distance said user is expected to travel till a designated time and the location at which said user will arrive at the end of said designated time.

1 1 . The method of claim 7, wherein said users database comprises

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said mode of traveling is selected from the group consisting of: traveling alone, traveling with other adults and traveling with children.