Theory of Huff's model derived by the occurrence probability maximizing entropy model

Abstract

In this paper, production-constrained gravity model for urban trip pattern, that is Huff's model, is formulated according to the entropy maximizing framework. Some characteristics useful to understand the structure of the model were found by a precise observation on an analytical aspect on it. A new method for parameter estimation for Huff's model is also proposed in our study: the distance decay parameter for the Huff's model can be estimated just by solving a non-linear equation which is derived by the constrained entropy maximization problem, and the uniqueness of the estimator has been verified mathematically.