International Business Machines Corporation

International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC

Benjamin G Morris

Rick A Hamilton, Ii

Gregory J Boss

Christopher J Dawson

William M Bernstein

Andrew Kilb

David M Wynne

Edwin K Chan

Derek Blitz

Megan M Stanton

Deepshikha B Antes

Scott Raven

James W Seaman

Naveen Lamba

Colin Fung Wan Lim

Vinodh K Swaminathan

An embodiment of the invention provides for multiple service classes within a controllable transit system (e.g., a PRT system), by route allocation according to service class priority. Routes are optimized for vehicles needing or entitled to the highest service level, then remaining capacity is used to optimize routes for the next lower service class. Such optimization can be extended indefinitely, through 'N' service classes of service. In addition, an embodiment of the invention allows the cataloging of PRT capacity and vehicle types/roles/emissions, as well as related business models. The system provided hereunder provides a means of ensuring that various service classes of system users can be given treatment according to the service class in which they reside. Such prioritization leads to a more flexible system, with higher user satisfaction and a greater number of available business models (e.g., 'pay for service class') permissible within the transit system.

Service class prioritization within a controllable transit system

Aspects of this invention provide gradient means for reconciling user service class prioritization. Under this approach, higher priority service classes may be maintained and used to compute routes for reaching desired destinations. However, when such treatment poses a cumulative disadvantage (e.g., an adverse impact that exceeds a predetermined 'impact' threshold') to too many users/vehicles, the routing algorithms may be adjusted to minimize overall inconvenience. As such, aspects of this invention provide a means of ensuring that various service classes of system users will not be affected negatively beyond predefined thresholds. Such reconciliation leads to a more flexible system, with higher user satisfaction permissible within the transit system.

Reconciling service class-based routing affecting user service within a controllable transit system

Crutch decoration

Embodiments of the present invention provide a solution for an orderly and well-considered evacuation of a Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system in the event of declared emergency. It describes the mapping of evacuation points and subsequent routing of PRT vehicles according to both the nature/location of the emergency and outflow capacity at each evacuation point. If an emergency is declared within a PRT system, which does not cause widespread power loss, but which does require an orderly evacuation (e.g., smoke or flooding), PRT vehicles will be routed to an evacuation point capable of handling such outflow in an orderly manner.

Emergency routing within a controllable transit system

Embodiments of the present invention provide a solution for an orderly and well-considered evacuation of a Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system in the event of declared emergency. It describes the mapping of evacuation points and subsequent routing of PRT vehicles according to both the nature/location of the emergency and outflow capacity at each evacuation point. A PRT is defined as an automatic method by which personal transport vehicles (a/k/a 'pods') can be used to efficiently and rapidly move people between various points within a closed area (for example, a city center). In an ideal world, these pods can be thought of as intelligent automated vehicles (similar to driverless taxis) that can adapt to changing demand to optimize the movement of people. For example, an emergency may be declared within a PRT system which does not cause widespread power loss, but which does require an orderly evacuation (e.g., smoke or flooding). In such events, PRT vehicles will be routed through the means described here to an evacuation point capable of handling such outflow in an orderly manner.

Variable thoroughfare toll rates are applied in anticipation of an event impacting traffic flow. An event occurrence is identified and determined to cause a change in a normal traffic flow amount on an impacted section of a thoroughfare. A traveler is notified of the impacted section of the thoroughfare in association with an impacted section-choice toll rate, a bypass choice in association with a bypass-choice toll rate, and a future time period duration for an application of the bypass-choice and impacted section-choice rates. A notified traveler is charged a toll for using the thoroughfare as a function of the bypass-choice rate in response to choosing to travel upon the presented bypass choice, or as a function of an impacted section-choice toll rate in response choosing to travel upon the presented impacted section choice.

Preemptive variable rate travel fees

A pull-out desk unit for a mobile vehicle. The pull-out desk unit has a cantilevered dual surface table component. The cantilevered dual surface table offers truckers a legless table for eating and general tasks, as well as desk area that keeps their belongings as they leave them eliminating the need to clean up or put things away. The innovation in this product lies in the memory foam lid. Once the table is pulled out, the lid (top surface for eating/general table) can be unlatched and fold back revealing a desk area lower than the surface of the eating/general table. On the under side of the lid is relatively thin low density memory foam. This foam can compress easily inch allowing it to conform to anything left on the table.

Pull-out desk unit for mobile vehicle

A raised floor sleeper for an over the road tractor for pulling a trailer. In order to effectively utilize the upper space in a sky-rise sleeper cab, one must first be able to reach it, which is the fundamental reason for the raised floor. Beyond bringing the upper space to the driver, raising the floor offers many other advantages. A combination stool and coffee table provides options that are enabled by the raised floor. The stool offers additional seating for socializing. The stool also functions as a freestanding table leg for the coffee table. The coffee table has a female indent on the bottom that mate with the stool. Two legs fold out supporting the other side of the table.

Raised floor tractor-trailer sleeper

A combination jackknife bed and couch for a mobile vehicle. The jackknife bed and couch allows drivers to wake up and fold their sheets and pillow away from a seamless sleeping surface without the need to remove the sheets, blankets, pillows or other bedding materials. The sheets stay made within the folded up bed now turned into the couch. The couch may be unfolded with the sheets fully made so the driver may catch some well deserved post socializing rest without having to re-install the sheets. These features are made possible by folding the bed in and half and keeping it in the backrest of the couch. The sheets are held in place by stretchable retaining surface that may be extended over the bedding materials. When returned to the bed mode, the stretchable retaining surface must be released and potential energy in the winder may be used to retract the retaining surface.

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Falls Church, VA, United States of America

Benjamin G Morris