PTR
Personalized Traffic Reports (PTRs)
Executive Summary
Using a Google maps API, users construct their itinerary to and from work. Using the same tools, they construct a number of alternative itineraries. When traffic tie-ups affect a typical itinerary to or from a location, a text message is sent to the user's cell phone advising them to take one of their alternate routes, suggesting only those itineraries which also do not have traffic tie ups along their routes.
Background
Users log in to the site, create a user name and password.
Users use a Google maps API to construct their typical itineraries (e.g., home to work, work to kid's school, home to shopping, etc.)
Figure 1 is a simplified ASCII map.
street_1 street_2 street_3
-------- -------- --------
A B C D
-------- -------- --------
| |s | |s | |s | |s
| |t | |t | |t | |t
| |r | |r | |r | |r
| |e | |e | |e | |e
| |e | |e | |e | |e
| |t | |t | |t | |t
| |- | |- | |- | |-
| |4 | |5 | |6 | |7
-------- -------- --------
E F G H
-------- -------- --------
street_8 street_9 street_10
The user's typical route is from A to H, however the user desires to snake through points ABFGCDH because that is their preferred route.
Route construction
The following sequence will illustrate how the specialized PTR interface allows the user to construct exact travel routes customized to their liking, which are then used by the system to generate the PTRs.
The user runs their first Google maps query, requesting a route from A to H.
Google maps query: A to H
Figure 2 is Google map's suggested route from A to H, usually not matching the user's desired route.
street_1 street_2 street_3
-------- -------- --------
A ######## B ######## C D
-------- -------- --------
| |s | |s |#|s | |s
| |t | |t |#|t | |t
| |r | |r |#|r | |r
| |e | |e |#|e | |e
| |e | |e |#|e | |e
| |t | |t |#|t | |t
| |- | |- |#|- | |-
| |4 | |5 |#|6 | |7
-------- -------- --------
E F G ######## H
-------- -------- --------
street_8 street_9 street_10
The via operator
Via operators are the key to the PTR system and are the operators that allow programmers to magically make Google maps conform by altering the way it responds to users' mapping queries. By introducing the via operator, users can alter the Google map to their liking.
Next, the user alters the mapping query slightly, using the via operator to change the mapped response to closer map their desired route:
Google maps query: A via street_5 to H
Google responds with Figure 3:
street_1 street_2 street_3
-------- -------- --------
A ######## B C D
-------- -------- --------
| |s |#|s | |s | |s
| |t |#|t | |t | |t
| |r |#|r | |r | |r
| |e |#|e | |e | |e
| |e |#|e | |e | |e
| |t |#|t | |t | |t
| |- |#|- | |- | |-
| |4 |#|5 | |6 | |7
-------- -------- --------
E F ######## G ######## H
-------- -------- --------
street_8 street_9 street_10
By using multiple via operators, users can specify the exact route they travel for each situation:
Google maps query: A via street_5 via street_3 to H
or:
or:
or:
and finally, as shown in Figure 4, Google maps is coerced to display the user's preferred itinerary:
street_1 street_2 street_3
-------- -------- --------
A ######## B C ######## D
-------- -------- --------
| |s |#|s |#|s |#|s
| |t |#|t |#|t |#|t
| |r |#|r |#|r |#|r
| |e |#|e |#|e |#|e
| |e |#|e |#|e |#|e
| |t |#|t |#|t |#|t
| |- |#|- |#|- |#|-
| |4 |#|5 |#|6 |#|7
-------- -------- --------
E F ######## G H
-------- -------- --------
street_8 street_9 street_10
Users then save their preferred itineraries. Any number of routes can be saved. Three routes are illustrated here.
Route Name Time Days Except 1 Work AM 7:30am MTWTF 12/3-12/17 2 Work PM 5:45pm MTWTF 12/3-12/17 3 Day care PM 7:00pm MWF
Alternate routes are then made for each entry above:
Route Name Time Days Except 1 Work AM 7:30am MTWTF 12/3-12/17 1.1 Alt AM... 1.2 Alt AM... 1.3 Alt AM... 2 Work PM 5:45pm MTWTF 12/3-12/17 2.1 Alt PM... 2.2 Alt PM... 2.3 Alt PM... 3 Day care PM 7:00pm MWF 3.1 Day care alt...
Traffic reports
When traffic reports arrive from law enforcement or other trusted agencies, they are parsed and entered into the PTR system. The reports can have a default duration, or they can be entered to be effective until cancelled.
As traffic reports arrive they are analyzed, and the database of user's routes are compared to see if their preferred routes are affected. Whether a user's itinerary states A to H, or whether the A to H route has been modified into individual legs A to B, then B to E, etc., all are evaluated. Thus the via operators simply acts as a way of breaking down overall itineraries into smaller itineraries. A quick Google map of an accident or incident location overlaying users itineraries will identify when there is overlap of the two.
If a user's route and time is affected (noting the days when they are on vacation and do not want the PTR reports), their alternate routes are also scanned, and only unaffected routes are suggested. Those that have accidents along their routes are noted and sent to the user for thoroughness.
Possible future features
- A user's iCal calendar could be scanned for vacation keywords and synchronized to their route list.
- Users can choose how close their itinerary is to the proximity of an accident in order to receive the notification.
- Traffic reports can be rated to severity and users can be alerted to low-impact accidents or events along their preferred route.
- Text-to-voice can be added to advise users by phone.
- Tasteful advertising can be included with the notifications.