Ground-Transportation Network Representation Using Timetable Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing a representation of a ground-transportation network are inadequate, as they fail to efficiently utilize timetable information to generate accurate and updated network representations, leading to inefficiencies in processing and data storage, and do not effectively handle non-unique stop point naming and inter-provider timetables.
Innovation Solution
A method that determines routing locations from timetable information, forms tuples of directly-connected routing locations, and generates network paths by linking these locations, using unique location codes to identify and connect end and intermediate points, thereby creating a service-oriented network representation that can be updated incrementally or maintained periodically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional methods are used to produce network representation from timetable information, then comprehensive network coverage is achieved, but processing time and data storage requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential elements needed for network representation - specifically routing locations (end points and intermediate stop points) and their direct connections - from the complete timetable information. By taking out only the necessary data elements rather than processing all timetable data, the system achieves efficient network representation with reduced processing time and storage requirements while maintaining comprehensive network coverage.
2Measurement precision
If detailed timetable information from multiple providers is integrated, then network representation accuracy improves, but data complexity and processing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal tuple structure that can represent direct connections between routing locations regardless of which transport provider operates the service. The standardized tuple format (origin, destination, travel time, distance) serves multiple functions: it captures essential connection information, enables integration of data from multiple providers, and provides a consistent interface for network representation. This universal structure simplifies processing while maintaining accuracy by treating all provider data uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms detailed timetable information into a simplified parameter set focused on essential network characteristics. By changing the parameters from comprehensive schedule details to specific connection attributes (routing locations, direct connectivity, travel time, distance), the system reduces data complexity while preserving the information needed for accurate network representation and journey planning.
3Reliability
If all stop points are treated as routing locations, then complete network coverage is achieved, but data storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the set of all stop points into two categories: routing locations (end points and intermediate stop points where passengers can board or alight) and non-routing stop points. By segmenting the data in this way and only including routing locations in the network representation, the system maintains complete coverage of all passenger-accessible locations while reducing data storage requirements by excluding unnecessary stop point information.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, and computer program products for producing a representation of a ground-transportation network from timetable information of transportation services. By means of a computer, routing locations are determined from the timetable information. The routing locations include end points of the transportation services. Tuples of directly-connected routing locations are formed. Network paths are generated by linking the directly-connected routing locations. The entirety of these paths forming the representation of the ground-transportation network.