Mobile Ski Resort Transport Routing for Weather-Driven Zone Closures
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing ski resort transportation systems are limited by fixed pick-up and drop-off locations, leading to operational inefficiencies, high investment costs, and sensitivity to weather conditions, which affects ski resort design, profitability, and skier safety.
Innovation Solution
A man-made ski resort transportation system with mobile pick-up and drop-off locations, utilizing a network of vehicles connected to a dispatch control center that adjusts routes and vehicle deployment based on real-time environmental parameters and user needs, allowing for flexible ski slope operation and management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed pick-up and drop-off locations are used for transportation tools, then the transportation system structure is simple and easy to operate, but the ski resort operation flexibility is reduced and the whole resort must be closed when partial areas are affected by bad weather
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements mobile pick-up and drop-off locations that can be dynamically repositioned along the ski slopes using transportation tools. This allows the system to adapt to changing snow conditions and weather patterns in different zones, enabling partial area operations while maintaining overall resort functionality. The dynamic positioning capability resolves the contradiction by making the transportation system flexible without requiring complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The ski resort is divided into multiple independent operational zones with dedicated pick-up and drop-off locations. Each zone can operate independently based on local snow conditions, allowing bad weather in one area to affect only that specific zone rather than the entire resort. This segmentation enables selective closure of affected areas while maintaining operations in suitable zones.
2Adaptability or versatility
If fixed pick-up locations are used for transportation tools, then the transportation tool installation is simple, but the hotel pricing near pick-up locations becomes high and the overall resort profitability is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The transportation tools are designed with mobile capabilities, allowing pick-up and drop-off locations to be repositioned to different areas of the ski resort based on operational needs and hotel locations. This dynamic positioning enables flexible pricing strategies for hotels in various zones, as transportation access can be adjusted to promote visits to hotels in previously less desirable locations, thereby improving overall resort profitability.
3Reliability
If fixed pick-up and drop-off locations are used, then the transportation system is stable, but the ski slopes must be closed when snow conditions are not suitable in partial areas
Solution Approach 1:
The ski resort operates as multiple independent zones with separate transportation access. When snow conditions are unsuitable in one zone, only that specific zone closes while other zones with adequate snow conditions remain operational. The mobile transportation system can redirect skiers to open zones, maintaining overall resort productivity and revenue streams even when partial areas are closed.
4Productivity
If aerial lifts with fixed locations are used, then the transportation capacity is high, but the system cannot operate at night due to safety rules and the whole resort must close
Solution Approach 1:
The transportation system incorporates multiple types of vehicles including snowmobiles and tracked vehicles that can operate in various lighting conditions and weather patterns. These multi-functional vehicles can serve both daytime and nighttime operations, allowing the resort to extend hours of operation beyond the limitations of traditional aerial lifts and maintain transportation capacity during nighttime hours.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to a man-made ski resort transportation system, including: the ski slope control center(s), being used to receive ski slope environmental data, judge if the environmental data of each ski slope in the man-made ski resort map is within the preset critical value, to define the zones of ski slope in which the ski slope environmental data are not within the preset critical value, and sending the defined ski slopes network digital map to vehicle dispatch control center(s); vehicle dispatch control center, is used to receive the man-made ski resort digital maps, transportation zones environmental parameters and transportation needs, according to the man-made ski resort digital map and the transportation zone's environmental data calculate transportation zone digital map and according to the transportation zone digital map, transportation zone environmental data and transportation needs from users' terminals, work out routes and send them to each vehicle and users.