The service point selection method

Depending on the desired use case (Use cases for the service point selection method), you specify for the decision area whether it is intended to be used as a queue area. The functionality for service point selection is described in the following cases:

Decision area is queue area	Time distribution is defined	Description below
-	-	(Decision area is not a queue area, no time distribution)
-	X	(Decision area is not a queue area, time distribution is defined)
X		(Decision area is queue area without waiting time distribution)
X	X	(Decision area is queue area with waiting time distribution)

The method employed by Viswalk to calculate the best queue is also detailed (Calculation method for finding the best queue).

Decision area is not a queue area, no time distribution

Once a pedestrian belonging to an affected pedestrian class reaches the area, the service point selection is executed, and the pedestrian proceeds on their way.

Decision area is not a queue area, time distribution is defined

A pedestrian belonging to an affected pedestrian class waits until their waiting time has elapsed. Subsequently, the service point selection is executed, and the pedestrian continues on their way. This applies even if the pedestrian has departed the area while waiting.

Decision area is queue area without waiting time distribution

If a queue forms initially on the decision area and later extends to the front of the decision area, pedestrians only join the queue until they have reached the decision area. If a service point is available that meets the requirements for the first pedestrian in the queue, that pedestrian proceeds to the service point on the partial route (Prerequisites and requirements of the service point selection method). If no corresponding service point is available, the pedestrian waits until a suitable service point becomes available and then continues on their way to the service point.

Decision area is queue area with waiting time distribution

• The first pedestrian waits until their waiting time at the decision area has elapsed. A waiting time distribution is specified using the time distribution attribute of the area (Attributes of areas). During this time, the pedestrian checks whether a service point meeting the usage requirements is available (Prerequisites and requirements of the service point selection method).
• If a service point is available that meets the requirements for the first pedestrian in the queue, that pedestrian proceeds to the service point (Prerequisites and requirements of the service point selection method). If there is no available service point that meets the requirements, the pedestrian will wait until a suitable service point is free. Afterward, they will wait for the specified waiting time to pass before proceeding to the service point.
• If there are other partial routing decisions within the area of the partial routing decision for service point selection, the waiting time distribution may result in only the partial routing decision for service point selection being effective. This is because it is executed after the other partial routing decisions.
• If there are service points located in queue areas, and queues can consequently form there, the pedestrian proceeds to the optimal queue on their route (Calculation method for finding the best queue). If all the queues are full, the pedestrian waits until queue space at one of the service points opens up.
• If a queue forms initially on the decision area and later extends to the front of the decision area, this also impacts pedestrians whose pedestrian class is not influenced by the pedestrian partial routing decision, provided their pedestrian route includes an intermediate point on the decision area. These pedestrians also wait in the same queue until they reach the decision area. They then wait for the waiting time specified in the time distribution but do not proceed to a service point; instead, they continue on their original route.

Calculation method for finding the best queue

The best queue has the fewest waiting pedestrians.

• Of all waiting areas the one is selected with no more than n pedestrians waiting in its queue.You define n in the attribute Proceed to service point if no more than __ people are queuing there..
• If there is more than one of these queues, the queue with the fewest pedestrians is selected. It is the shortest queue.
• If there is more than one shortest queue, the one with the shortest direct distance to the end of the routing decision that is closest to the pedestrian's coordinates is selected.

Pedestrians on their way to the service point or ready to join the queue are treated as if they already were in the queue.