Granted Patent B2

US 12,663,768 · App. 18/467,569 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Inventor: Robert Horton (Lewisville, TX)

Assignee: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Board

G05B13/048G01C21/3492G01C21/3694G08G9/00

Abstract

Claims (100)

1 . A method implemented by at least one processor, the method comprising:

identifying a route for passengers seeking to enter a building at an original destination, the route including:

at least one section of road, within a physical system, for automobiles to access the building; or

at least one access point, within the physical system, inside the building for pedestrians to pass through;

receiving, from at least one sensor, traffic flow information corresponding to the route;

determining whether the received traffic flow information corresponds to a condition that impedes the route, from among a set of pre-trained conditions respectively impeding the route, the set of pre-trained conditions within a digital twin of the physical system;

identifying and displaying a list of user-selectable state alternatives for redirection of a traffic flow of multiple vehicles or multiple pedestrians in the physical system, based on a determination that the received traffic flow information corresponds to the condition, the list of user-selectable state alternatives related to the condition that impedes the route;

receiving a selection, from among the list of user-selectable state alternatives, of a selected state alternative; and

implementing the selected state alternative in the physical system,

wherein the user is a policymaker associated with the physical system.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving user input that includes the selection of the selected state alternative;

obtaining a predicted traffic flow corresponding to the route, based on the selected state alternative; and

displaying a user interface that includes the route and visual indicators representing the predicted traffic flow based on the selected state alternative.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein obtaining the predicted traffic flow comprises:

transmitting the selected state alternative to a traffic flow optimizer; and

receiving the predicted traffic flow from the traffic flow optimizer, in response to the selected state alternative transmitted.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:

a first state alternative corresponds to a status quo, from among the list of user-selectable state alternatives;

the selected state alternative is the first state alternative;

obtaining the predicted traffic flow comprises using the received traffic flow information as the predicted traffic flow; and

displaying a user interface that includes the route and visual indicators representing the traffic flow information corresponding to the route.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

controlling an output device located along the route to display a predetermined message corresponding to the selected state alternative,

wherein the predetermined message is associated with at least one of:

the condition that impedes the route; or

a change of mode of transportation.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from an external device located at the building, a passenger arrival indication that the passengers seeking to enter the building includes a passenger who has arrived at the building and who is ticketed for a transport vehicle scheduled to depart from the building; and

incrementing a count of N on-time passengers for the transport vehicle, based on the passenger arrival indicator received and an estimated travel time from a location of the external device through the at least one access point to a boarding location inside the building for the transport vehicle.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

determining an on-time load factor corresponding to an on-time departure of the transport vehicle;

converting the on-time load factor to K passenger seats of the transport vehicle; and

predicting that the transport vehicle will have a delayed departure based on a likelihood that the K passenger seats corresponding to the on-time departure of the transport vehicle will be greater than the count of N on-time passengers at a boarding time, wherein a boarding gate assignment is modified based on the delayed departure predicted.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a state alternative to change of mode of transportation or a state alternative to redirect to a new destination away from the original destination is among the list of user-selectable state alternatives.

9 . An electronic device comprising:

at least one processor configured to:

identify a route for passengers seeking to enter a building at an original destination, the route including:

at least one section of road, within a physical system, for automobiles to access the building; or

at least one access point, within a physical system, inside the building for pedestrians to pass through;

receive, from at least one sensor, traffic flow information corresponding to the route;

determine whether the received traffic flow information corresponds to a condition that impedes the route, from among a set of pre-trained conditions respectively impeding the route, the set of pre-trained conditions within a digital twin of the physical system;

identify and display a list of user-selectable state alternatives for redirection of a traffic flow of multiple vehicles or multiple pedestrians in the physical system, based on a determination that the received traffic flow information corresponds to the condition, the list of user-selectable state alternatives related to the condition that impedes the route;

receive a selection, from among the list of user-selectable state alternatives, of a selected state alternative; and

implement the selected state alternative in the physical system,

wherein the user is a policymaker associated with the physical system.

10 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive user input that includes the selection of the selected state alternative;

obtain a predicted traffic flow corresponding to the route, based on the selected state alternative; and

display a user interface that includes the route and visual indicators representing the predicted traffic flow based on the selected state alternative.

11 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein to obtain the predicted traffic flow, the at least one processor is further configured to:

transmit the selected state alternative to a traffic flow optimizer; and

receive the predicted traffic flow from the traffic flow optimizer, in response to the selected state alternative transmitted.

12 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein:

a first state alternative corresponds to a status quo, from among the list of user-selectable state alternatives;

the selected state alternative is the first state alternative;

to obtain the predicted traffic flow, the at least one processor is further configured to use the received traffic flow information as the predicted traffic flow; and

the at least one processor is further configured to display a user interface that includes the route and visual indicators representing the traffic flow information corresponding to the route.

13 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

control an output device located along the route to display a predetermined message corresponding to the selected state alternative,

wherein the predetermined message is associated with at least one of:

the condition that impedes the route; or

a change of mode of transportation.

14 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive, from an external device located at the building, a passenger arrival indication that the passengers seeking to enter the building includes a passenger who has arrived at the building and who is ticketed for a transport vehicle scheduled to depart from the building; and

increment a count of N on-time passengers for the transport vehicle, based on the passenger arrival indicator received and an estimated travel time from a location of the external device through the at least one access point to a boarding location inside the building for the transport vehicle.

15 . The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine an on-time load factor corresponding to an on-time departure of the transport vehicle;

convert the on-time load factor to K passenger seats of the transport vehicle; and

predict that the transport vehicle will have a delayed departure based on a likelihood that the K passenger seats corresponding to the on-time departure of the transport vehicle will be greater than the count of N on-time passengers at a boarding time, wherein a boarding gate assignment is modified based on the delayed departure predicted.

16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program, the computer program comprising computer readable program code that, when executed by a processor of an electronic device, causes the electronic device to:

identify a route for passengers seeking to enter a building at an original destination, the route including:

at least one section of road, within a physical system, for automobiles to access the building; or

at least one access point, within a physical system, inside the building for pedestrians to pass through;

receive, from at least one sensor, traffic flow information corresponding to the route;

determine whether the received traffic flow information corresponds to a condition that impedes the route, from among a set of pre-trained conditions respectively impeding the route, the set of pre-trained conditions within a digital twin of the physical system;

identify and display a list of user-selectable state alternatives for redirection of a traffic flow of multiple vehicles or multiple pedestrians in the physical system, based on a determination that the received traffic flow information corresponds to the condition, the list of user-selectable state alternatives related to the condition that impedes the route;

receive a selection, from among the list of user-selectable state alternatives, of a selected state alternative; and

implement the selected state alternative in the physical system,

wherein the user is a policymaker associated with the physical system.

17 . The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the program code that, when executed, causes the electronic device to:

receive user input that includes the selection of the selected state alternative;

obtain a predicted traffic flow corresponding to the route, based on the selected state alternative; and

display a user interface that includes the route and visual indicators representing the predicted traffic flow based on the selected state alternative.

18 . The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the program code that, when executed, causes the electronic device to obtain the predicted traffic flow further comprises program code that, when executed, causes the electronic device to:

transmit the selected state alternative to a traffic flow optimizer; and

receive the predicted traffic flow from the traffic flow optimizer, in response to the selected state alternative transmitted.

19 . The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein:

a first state alternative corresponds to a status quo, from among the list of user-selectable state alternatives;

the selected state alternative is the first state alternative;

the program code that, when executed, causes the electronic device to obtain the predicted traffic flow further comprises program code that, when executed, causes the electronic device to use the received traffic flow information as the predicted traffic flow; and

the program code that, when executed, causes the electronic device to display a user interface that includes the route and visual indicators representing the traffic flow information corresponding to the route.

20 . The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the program code that, when executed, causes the electronic device to:

control an output device located along the route to display a predetermined message corresponding to the selected state alternative,

wherein the predetermined message is associated with at least one of:

the condition that impedes the route; or

a change of mode of transportation.

21 . The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the program code that, when executed, causes the electronic device to:

receive, from an external device located at the building, a passenger arrival indication that the passengers seeking to enter the building includes a passenger who has arrived at the building and who is ticketed for a transport vehicle scheduled to depart from the building; and

increment a count of N on-time passengers for the transport vehicle, based on the passenger arrival indicator received and an estimated travel time from a location of the external device through the at least one access point to a boarding location inside the building for the transport vehicle.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (97)