US Patent:
20100121563, May 13, 2010
Inventors:
Salvador E. Chavez - Piscataway NJ, US
David J. Delia - Lagrangeville NY, US
Wayne M. Delia - Poughkeepsie NY, US
Paul M. Musumarra - Cary NC, US
Assignee:
International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY
International Classification:
G01C 21/00
Abstract:
Methods, including service methods, articles of manufacture, systems, articles and programmable devices provide personalized, real-time travel information to a passenger of a transit system. A passenger provides a destination input to a programmable personal digital assistant, which establishes wireless communication with a wireless broadcast system of a transit system and uploads current routing and scheduling information, processing and presenting information to the passenger as a function of destination and passenger preference. The personal digital assistant also selects and wirelessly locates and communicates directly with the identified transport, alerts the passenger of a recommended boarding opportunity, recognizes a boarding by the passenger, confirms that a boarded transport is the recommended transport, and communicates a disembark alert to if the boarded transport is not the recommended transport or upon an arrival at a destination, the alert configured pursuant to the passenger preference.