Patent ID: 8457148

Claim:
A method associated with a transportation system, the method comprising: classifying a first state of the transportation system based on whether an operational constraint of the transportation system is violated while the transportation system operates in the first state, resulting in a classification of the first state; assigning a priority to a first message, wherein the priority is based on an importance of the first message relative to the classification of the first state, and wherein the priority depends on one of: i. the likelihood that the transportation system will transition into a second state when (1) a delivery of the first message is unsuccessful or delayed and (2) a delivery of a second message is successful and timely, and ii. the likelihood that the transportation system will remain in the first state when (1) the delivery of the first message is unsuccessful or delayed and (2) the delivery of the second message is successful and timely; and transmitting the first message in accordance with the assigned priority, wherein messages having a relatively higher priority are transmitted via a first channel and messages having a relatively lower priority are transmitted via a second channel.