Tiered Traffic Routing System for Congestion Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current traffic management systems fail to coordinate traffic route allocation effectively, leading to unnecessary congestion and resource waste as multiple users compete for optimal routes based on personalized traffic information, resulting in increased travel uncertainty and societal costs.
Innovation Solution
A traffic management system that provides tiered traffic and travel time information to different classes of users, utilizing a bi-level problem solver to optimize disutility values and recommend routes, while a system coordinator across multiple ISPs ensures coordinated route allocation and minimizes congestion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If personalized traffic information is provided to individual users, then travel time information quality improves, but route congestion increases due to multiple users competing for optimal routes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments users into different classes (e.g., premium, standard, basic) and provides differentiated route information services to each class. This segmentation allows the system to manage traffic allocation strategically, where higher-class users receive priority routing while maintaining service for all user types, thereby reducing overall congestion on optimal routes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing different levels of route information quality to different user classes. Premium users receive detailed real-time routing with turn-by-turn directions, while standard users receive summary information, and basic users receive general traffic conditions. This differentiated service quality manages user expectations and reduces demand on high-quality routing services.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple ISPs provide route-specific travel time information, then user travel choices improve, but coordination between ISPs deteriorates leading to fragmented information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple ISPs into a coordinated system where route information is aggregated and managed centrally. The system combines data from multiple sources and distributes coordinated routing information to users, eliminating the fragmented approach where each ISP operates independently and creates conflicting recommendations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a central coordination system that acts as an intermediary between multiple ISPs and individual users. This mediator aggregates information from various sources, processes it through a unified algorithm, and delivers coherent routing recommendations, thereby simplifying the complex interactions between multiple service providers.
3Quantity of substance
If users divert from congested routes to alternate routes, then original route congestion decreases, but alternate routes become congested
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic routing recommendations that continuously adapt to real-time traffic conditions. The system monitors traffic flow on multiple routes and dynamically adjusts recommendations based on current congestion levels, ensuring that users are always directed to the least congested available route rather than static pre-planned paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where actual travel times and route performance data are collected and fed back into the routing algorithm. This feedback loop allows the system to learn from actual user experience and continuously improve route recommendations, accounting for the impact of route choices on overall travel time reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of method of assigning routes for a plurality of users allocated to different classes is provided. A first group of users is identified based on a user classification, wherein each user of the first group of users has a first user classification. A second group of users is identified based on the user classification, wherein each user of the second group of users has a second user classification. The first user classification is different from the second user classification. A disutility value is calculated for each user of the first group of users and for each user of the second group of users using a travel disutility function based on an origin and a destination of each user of the first group of users and each user of the second group of users. A bi-level problem solver is executed to optimize the disutility value based on the user classification. A route is recommended for each user of the first group of users and for each user of the second group of users based on the bi-level problem execution.