Passenger Flow Simulation Using Action Ratios for Train Operations

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing simulation methods for transportation systems, such as train operations, struggle to reflect passenger behavior differences while maintaining a light processing load.

Innovation Solution

A simulator device and method that calculates the number of passengers alighting or boarding based on passenger action ratios linked to selection conditions matching the type of moving body, eliminating the need to determine actions for each passenger individually.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If individual passenger actions are simulated to reflect behavioral differences, then simulation accuracy improves, but processing load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimulation accuracyVSAvoidprocessing load

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments passenger behavior into categorical types (e.g., earliest train selection type, transfer avoidance type) and uses probability tables to determine actions. This segmentation allows the system to simulate behavioral differences without tracking every individual passenger in detail, thus maintaining simulation accuracy while reducing processing load.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of passenger behavior representation from detailed individual actions to probabilistic action ratios. By using probability tables and action ratios linked to selection conditions, the system captures essential behavioral patterns without the computational burden of simulating each passenger's complete action history.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If passenger action ratios are determined by multiple selection conditions, then behavior reflection improves, but calculation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebehavior reflectionVSAvoidcalculation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent prepares probability tables and passenger action ratio data in advance, organizing them by selection conditions (e.g., train type, destination). This preliminary preparation allows the simulation to quickly retrieve and apply appropriate action ratios during execution, improving behavior reflection without increasing real-time calculation complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal framework where the same probability table and action ratio mechanism can handle multiple selection conditions and passenger types. This multi-functional approach allows the system to reflect diverse behaviors through a consistent calculation structure, avoiding the need for separate complex calculations for each condition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12612090B2Simulator device, simulation method, and recording medium

Publication Date: 2026.04.28 NEC CORP

AI summary

A simulator device uses, among passenger action ratios linked to selection conditions, a passenger action ratio that is linked to a selection condition matching the type of moving body stopping in a simulation for a traffic system to calculate the number of people alighting from the moving body and/or the number of people boarding the moving body.