Management tools for simulation of performance and outcome of winter transportation infrastructure maintenance activities

US20130198088A1Inactive Publication Date: 2013-08-01ITERIS INC
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2013-08-01
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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Abstract

An apparatus and system for evaluating winter transportation infrastructure maintenance operations includes a quantification component and a simulation component. Input data representative of collected winter transportation infrastructure maintenance data and observed transportation infrastructure data are modeled in a comprehensive data processing mechanism to measure and carry out effective and efficient winter maintenance planning and operations.
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Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

[0001] This patent application claims priority to U.S. provisional application 61 / 592,467, filed on Jan. 30, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated in their entirety herein.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not applicable.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates generally to winter transportation infrastructure maintenance. More specifically, particular embodiments of the present invention relate to quantifying and simulating the performance and outcome of winter transportation infrastructure maintenance activities to improve activity evaluation for efficiency and effectiveness.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Historically, agencies and entities that undertake or are responsible for winter transportation infrastructure maintenance activities have measured resource utilization in the performance of such winter maintenance activities in several ways. At the lowest level, deicer, abra...

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Embodiment Construction

[0028]In the following description of the present invention reference is made to the accompanying figures which form a part thereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, exemplary embodiments illustrating the principles of the present invention and how it is practiced. Other embodiments will be utilized to practice the present invention and structural and functional changes will be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0029]Many agencies and entities responsible for winter transportation infrastructure maintenance collect data from weather maintenance vehicles, often using mobile / maintenance data collection and automated vehicle location systems, known in the industry together as MDC / AVL systems. These utilize global positioning systems (GPS) and on-board data logging and / or transmission capabilities to provide instantaneous GPS-tagged reports of winter maintenance vehicle activities (e.g., plow position(s), material applications, etc.) an...