US-12617487-B2 - Route guidance for personal transport device based on prosocial behavior costs

US12617487B2US 12617487 B2US12617487 B2US 12617487B2US-12617487-B2

Abstract

A method and system for calculating route guidance for a personal transport device based on prosocial costs is described. In one embodiment, the method includes calculating, by a processor associated with the personal transport device, a plurality of routes from a first location to a second location and determining, by the processor, one or more prosocial factors associated with each route of the plurality of routes. The method also includes calculating, by the processor, a prosocial cost associated with each route of the plurality of routes. Based on the prosocial costs, the method further includes providing, by the processor, route guidance to a user of the personal transport device from the first location to the second location along a selected route from the plurality of routes and displaying the selected route on a display associated with the personal transport device.

Inventors

SIDNEY TAMMIE SCOTT-SHARONI
Shashank Kumar MEHROTRA
Miao Song
Kevin Joel Gabriel Salubre
Kumar Akash
Teruhisa Misu

Assignees

HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20231025

Claims (18)

1 . A method for calculating route guidance for a personal transport device based on prosocial costs, the method comprising: calculating, by a processor associated with the personal transport device, a plurality of routes from a first location to a second location; determining, by the processor, one or more prosocial factors associated with each route of the plurality of routes; calculating, by the processor, a prosocial cost associated with each route of the plurality of routes; based on the prosocial costs, providing, by the processor, route guidance to a user of the personal transport device from the first location to the second location along a selected route from the plurality of routes; displaying the selected route on a display associated with the personal transport device; during travel along the selected route by the personal transport device, the method further comprises: detecting, by at least one of a camera or a sensor associated with the personal transport device, at least one object located on the selected route; detecting, using the camera and/or the sensor, a speed of the at least one object located on the selected route; determining, by a GPS sensor associated with the personal transport device, a speed of the personal transport device; calculating, by the processor associated with the personal transport device, a prosocial yielding behavior parameter associated with the at least one object and the personal transport device, wherein calculating the prosocial yielding behavior parameter by the processor comprises: determining a separation distance between the at least one object and the personal transport device; and calculating the prosocial yielding behavior parameter as a function of the speed of the at least one object, the speed of the personal transport device, and the separation distance, wherein the prosocial yielding behavior parameter comprises: the separation distance between the at least one object and the personal transport device divided by a sum of the speed of the at least one object and the speed of the personal transport device; comparing the calculated prosocial yielding behavior parameter to a threshold value; and based on the comparison of the calculated prosocial yielding behavior parameter to the threshold value, providing real-time feedback to the user of the personal transport device.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises: determining, by the processor, whether a route of the plurality of routes having a shortest distance from the first location to the second location has a lowest prosocial cost; and upon determining that the route having the shortest distance has the lowest prosocial cost, selecting, by the processor, the route having the shortest distance as the selected route.
3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein, upon determining that the route having the shortest distance does not have the lowest prosocial cost, selecting, by the processor, a route of the plurality of routes having the lowest prosocial cost.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more prosocial factors includes a presence of pedestrians along a portion of each route of the plurality of routes.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more prosocial factors includes a presence of one or more cafes or restaurants along a portion of each route of the plurality of routes.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more prosocial factors includes real-time prosocial factors associated with at least a portion of each route of the plurality of routes.
7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the real-time prosocial factors are determined using machine learning or artificial intelligence algorithms implemented by the processor.
8 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the real-time prosocial factors are based on a time of day or day of week.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least the processor, the display, and the camera are associated with a user device in communication with the personal transport device.
10 . A system for calculating route guidance for a personal transport device based on prosocial costs comprising: a personal transport device including a processor, at least one radar or lidar sensor, and two or more wheels; a display associated with the personal transport device; a camera associated with the personal transport device; a GPS sensor associated with the personal transport device; and wherein the processor is configured to: calculate a plurality of routes from a first location to a second location; determine one or more prosocial factors associated with each route of the plurality of routes; calculate a prosocial cost associated with each route of the plurality of routes; based on the prosocial costs, provide route guidance to a user of the personal transport device from the first location to the second location along a selected route from the plurality of routes; display the selected route on the display associated with the personal transport device; and wherein, during travel along the selected route by the personal transport device, the processor is further configured to: detect at least one object located on the selected route using the camera; determine a speed of the at least one object using the at least one radar or lidar sensor; determine a separation distance between the at least one object and the personal transport device; determine a speed of the personal transport device using the GPS sensor; calculate a prosocial yielding behavior parameter associated with the at least one object and the personal transport device as a function of the speed of the at least one object, the speed of the personal transport device, and the separation distance between the object and the personal transport device, wherein the prosocial yielding behavior parameter comprises: the separation distance between the at least one object and the personal transport device divided by a sum of the speed of the at least one object and the speed of the personal transport device; compare the calculated prosocial yielding behavior parameter to a first threshold value; and based on the comparison of the calculated prosocial yielding behavior parameter to the threshold value, provide real-time feedback to the user of the personal transport device.
11 . The system according to claim 10 , further comprising a communication interface disposed on the personal transport device, the communication interface being in communication with a user device; and wherein at least one of the camera and the display is associated with the user device.
12 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the GPS sensor is disposed on the user device.
13 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein, upon determining that the route having the shortest distance does not have the lowest prosocial cost, the processor is further configured to select a route of the plurality of routes having the lowest prosocial cost.
14 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the one or more prosocial factors includes a presence of pedestrians and/or one or more cafes or restaurants along a portion of each route of the plurality of routes.
15 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the one or more prosocial factors includes real-time prosocial factors associated with at least a portion of each route of the plurality of routes.
16 . The system according to claim 15 , wherein the real-time prosocial factors are determined using machine learning or artificial intelligence algorithms implemented by the processor.
17 . The system according to claim 15 , wherein the real-time prosocial factors are based on a time of day or day of week.
18 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to limit the real-time feedback provided to the user of the personal transport device so that the user may reach the second location.

Description

BACKGROUND This disclosure relates generally to vehicles, and in particular to a system and method for providing route guidance for personal transport devices based on prosocial behavior costs associated with a route. With rising prices of gasoline and automobiles, many people may turn to other more cost efficient modes of transportation such as, for example, mopeds, bicycles, scooters and, more recently, personal transport devices, including electrified and non-electrified devices, such as stand-up electric scooters or kick scooters. These personal transport devices may be particularly popular for shorter trips in a city environment due to their compact size, ease of use, mobility, and the fact that they may be folded as needed for ease of portability. They may also be useful for covering the first mile or last mile of a trip which is the link between a user's origin or destination and another transportation means, hub or mass transit network. Various jurisdictions have different rules and regulations that apply to users of personal transport devices, including whether such personal transport devices may be used on roads or whether they must share paths, sidewalks, and trails with pedestrians and other non-roadworthy small vehicles and machines. When users of personal transport devices travel on these shared routes with pedestrians and other small vehicles, their behavior can often have negative effects on fellow users. Prosocial behavior is a way of acting that takes into account one's actions towards others and society in general. It typically includes obeying rules and conforming to socially acceptable standards of kindness and consideration for other people. There is a need in the art for an improved system and method for providing route guidance for personal transport devices based on prosocial behavior costs associated with a route. SUMMARY In one aspect, a method for calculating route guidance for a personal transport device based on prosocial costs is provided. The method includes calculating, by a processor associated with the personal transport device, a plurality of routes from a first location to a second location and determining, by the processor, one or more prosocial factors associated with each route of the plurality of routes. The method also includes calculating, by the processor, a prosocial cost associated with each route of the plurality of routes. Based on the prosocial costs, the method further includes providing, by the processor, route guidance to a user of the personal transport device from the first location to the second location along a selected route from the plurality of routes and displaying the selected route on a display associated with the personal transport device. In another aspect, a system for calculating route guidance for a personal transport device based on prosocial costs is provided. The system includes a personal transport device having a processor and two or more wheels, a display associated with the personal transport device, and a camera associated with the personal transport device. The processor is configured to calculate a plurality of routes from a first location to a second location, determine one or more prosocial factors associated with each route of the plurality of routes, and calculate a prosocial cost associated with each route of the plurality of routes. Based on the prosocial costs, route guidance is provided to a user of the personal transport device from the first location to the second location along a selected route from the plurality of routes. The selected route is displayed on the display associated with the personal transport device. Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the disclosure will be, or will become, apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description and this summary, be within the scope of the disclosure, and be protected by the following claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The disclosure may be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Moreover, in the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. FIG. 1 is a representative view of an example embodiment of a personal transport device in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an example environment in which real-time feedback may be provided to users of personal transport devices based on prosocial behavior in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an example embodiment of a prosocial yielding behavior parameter associated with a personal transport device in accordance with aspec