US7349768B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Evacuation route planning tool
Assignee: Boeing Co
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Filing: 2005-04-25
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Granted: 2008-03-25
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Expires: 2025-04-25
Abstract
Abstract A GIS-based system that determines evacuation routes for specific areas requiring evacuation. Evacuation and safe areas are determined, and evacuation routes plotted, based on emergency-specific information as well as road flow and estimated time of travel for each section of road between the evacuation area and safe area. Routes, evacuation areas, and safe areas are dynamically calculated and recalculated based on additional data, either real-time, historical, or other data added to the system, to compute optimal initial routes and redirect evacuees if changes in the emergency situation occur.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan E. Bruce
- 👤 Kenneth A. Cobleigh
- 👤 Pauline Joe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 18:18
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/005; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/04; G06Q10/047; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/09; G08G1/0962; G08G1/0968; G08G1/096805; G08G1/096811; G08G1/096833; G08G1/096844
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for determining evacuation routes for an emergency situation using a geographical information systems (GIS) database that represents a geographical area, wherein the GIS database includes at least one node representing at least one geographical location within the geographic area and at least one arc representing at least one street within the geographic area, comprising: determining an evacuation area within the geographic area, the evacuation area containing at least one node; determining a safe area within the geographic area, the safe area containing at least one node; dynamically determining at least one evacuation route between the evacuation area and the safe area, the evacuation route containing at least one arc, wherein the evacuation route is determined by: maximizing a traffic flow between the evacuation area and the safe area; and minimizing a cost between the evacuation area and the safe area.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for determining evacuation routes for an emergency situation using a geographical information systems (GIS) database that represents a geographical area, wherein the GIS database includes at least one node representing at least one geographical location within the geographic area and at least one arc representing at least one street within the geographic area, comprising: determining an evacuation area within the geographic area, the evacuation area containing at least one node; determining a safe area within the geographic area, the safe area containing at least one node; dynamically determining at least one evacuation route between the evacuation area and the safe area, the evacuation route containing at least one arc, wherein the evacuation route is determined by: maximizing a traffic flow between the evacuation area and the safe area; and minimizing a cost between the evacuation area and the safe area.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the evacuation route is determined based on one or more of: time of day, road sensors, airborne collected data, change in the emergency situation, and routes used by emergency personnel to attend to the emergency situation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein a new evacuation route is determined based on at least one data point received after the evacuation route was originally determined.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein a new evacuation route for a second user is determined using data collected from a first user.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the cost is defined as a road impedance associated with arcs used in the determined evacuation route.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow is defined as a number of lanes of traffic possible on the arc used in the determined evacuation route.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
164 words
An apparatus for determining evacuation routes for an emergency situation using a geographical information systems (GIS) database that represents a geographical area, wherein the GIS database includes at least one node representing at least one geographical location within the geographic area and at least one arc representing at least one street within the geographic area, comprising: a computer system having a memory and a data storage device coupled thereto; one or more programs, performed by the computer, for determining an evacuation area within the geographic area, the evacuation area containing at least one node; determining a safe area within the geographic area, the safe area containing at least one node; dynamically determining at least one evacuation route between the evacuation area and the safe area, the evacuation route containing at least one arc, wherein the evacuation route is determined by: maximizing a traffic flow between the evacuation area and the safe area; and minimizing a cost between the evacuation area and the safe area.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
164 words
An apparatus for determining evacuation routes for an emergency situation using a geographical information systems (GIS) database that represents a geographical area, wherein the GIS database includes at least one node representing at least one geographical location within the geographic area and at least one arc representing at least one street within the geographic area, comprising: a computer system having a memory and a data storage device coupled thereto; one or more programs, performed by the computer, for determining an evacuation area within the geographic area, the evacuation area containing at least one node; determining a safe area within the geographic area, the safe area containing at least one node; dynamically determining at least one evacuation route between the evacuation area and the safe area, the evacuation route containing at least one arc, wherein the evacuation route is determined by: maximizing a traffic flow between the evacuation area and the safe area; and minimizing a cost between the evacuation area and the safe area.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the evacuation route is determined based on one or more of: time of day, road sensors, airborne collected data, change in the emergency situation, and routes used by emergency personnel to attend to the emergency situation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a new evacuation route is determined based on at least one data point received after the evacuation route was originally determined.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a new evacuation route for a second user is determined using data collected from a first user.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the cost is defined as a road impedance associated with arcs used to determine the evacuation route.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the flow is defined as a number of lanes of traffic possible on the arc used in the determined evacuation route.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
169 words
An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform a method for determining evacuation routes for an emergency situation using a geographical information systems (GIS) database that represents a geographical area, wherein the GIS database includes at least one node representing at least one geographical location within the geographic area and at least one arc representing at least one street within the geographic area, the method comprising: determining an evacuation area within the geographic area, the evacuation area containing at least one node; determining a safe area within the geographic area, the safe area containing at least one node; dynamically determining at least one evacuation route between the evacuation area and the safe area, the evacuation route containing at least one arc, wherein the evacuation route is determined by: maximizing a traffic flow between the evacuation area and the safe area; and minimizing a cost between the evacuation area and the safe area.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
169 words
An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform a method for determining evacuation routes for an emergency situation using a geographical information systems (GIS) database that represents a geographical area, wherein the GIS database includes at least one node representing at least one geographical location within the geographic area and at least one arc representing at least one street within the geographic area, the method comprising: determining an evacuation area within the geographic area, the evacuation area containing at least one node; determining a safe area within the geographic area, the safe area containing at least one node; dynamically determining at least one evacuation route between the evacuation area and the safe area, the evacuation route containing at least one arc, wherein the evacuation route is determined by: maximizing a traffic flow between the evacuation area and the safe area; and minimizing a cost between the evacuation area and the safe area.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
The article of manufacture of claim 13 , wherein the evacuation route is determined based on one or more of: time of day, road sensors, airborne collected data, change in the emergency situation, and routes used by emergency personnel to attend to the emergency situation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The article of manufacture of claim 13 , wherein a new evacuation route is determined based on at least one data point received after the evacuation route was originally determined.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The article of manufacture of claim 13 , wherein a new evacuation route for a second user is determined using data collected from a first user.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The article of manufacture of claim 13 , wherein the cost is defined as a road impedance associated with arcs used to determine the evacuation route.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The article of manufacture of claim 13 , wherein the flow is defined as a number of lanes of traffic possible on the arc used in the determined evacuation route.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2011-03-25 | 2011-09-24 | 2012-03-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2015-03-25 | 2015-09-24 | 2016-03-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2019-03-25 | 2019-09-24 | 2020-03-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |