Integrating ride hailing services into a navigation application

• US 10,168,164 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2016
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Shelby, Ryan, Albert, Eric, Hodge, David, Galloway, Curtis, Teich, Tara, Iglesias, Sam, Ioveva, Maria D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutchinson, Alan D
• Application Number:
  US15/274,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20170356749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

In some implementations, a navigation application can integrate third party services into the navigation application in an easy to use and convenient manner. For example, the navigation application can receive user input indicating that the user is interested obtaining transportation from a ride hailing service. In response to receiving the indication, the navigation application can invoke an application extension for a third party ride hailing application. The navigation application and ride hailing application can then communicate to provide the ride hailing service through the navigation application.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a computing device, the computing device comprising a display, one or more processors and a memory device, the method comprising:

receiving, by a mapping application running on a computing device, a first user input specifying a route from a start location to a destination location;

presenting, by the mapping application, the route and a ride hailing transportation option corresponding to a ride hailing service on the display of the computing device;

receiving, by the mapping application, a second user input selecting the ride hailing transportation option;

invoking, by the mapping application, a ride hailing extension corresponding to a ride hailing application of the ride hailing service, where the mapping application remains on the display of the computing device; and

reserving, by the mapping application, via the ride hailing extension, a ride with the ride hailing service without displaying the ride hailing application on the display.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the mapping application, whether the ride hailing application is currently installed on the computing device; and

invoking, by the mapping application, the ride hailing extension when the ride hailing application is currently installed on the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

installing a ride hailing application bundle on the computing device, the ride hailing application bundle including the ride hailing extension;

determining, by the mapping application, whether the ride hailing application is currently installed on the computing device; and

prompting, by the mapping application, the user to install the ride hailing application on the computing device when the ride hailing application is not currently installed on the computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the mapping application to the ride hailing extension, the start location and the destination location specified by the user; and

receiving, by the mapping application from the ride hailing extension, data describing transportation offered to take the user from the start location to the destination location, the transportation offer provided by a ride hailing service associated with the ride hailing application.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

invoking, by the mapping application, a plurality of ride hailing extensions corresponding to a plurality of ride hailing applications currently installed on the computing device;

receiving, by the mapping application, fare information from each of the plurality of ride hailing extensions indicating how much it will cost the user to travel from the start location to the destination location using a ride hailing service corresponding to each of the ride hailing extensions;

presenting, by the mapping application, the fare information received from each of the plurality of ride hailing extensions contemporaneously on a display of the computing device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving, by the mapping application, a third user input selecting a public transit option; and

presenting, by the mapping application, public transit fare information indicating how much it will cost the user to travel from the start location to the destination location using public transportation, wherein the public transit fare information and the ride hailing fare information are both presented by the mapping application.

7. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes;

receiving, by a mapping application running on a computing device, a first user input specifying a route from a start location to a destination location;

presenting, by the mapping application, the route and a ride hailing transportation option corresponding to a ride hailing service on the display of the computing device;

receiving, by the mapping application, a second user input selecting the ride hailing transportation option;

invoking, by the mapping application, a ride hailing extension corresponding to a ride hailing application of the ride hailing service, where the mapping application remains on the display of the computing device; and

reserving, by the mapping application, via the ride hailing extension, a ride with the ride hailing service without displaying the ride hailing application on the display.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause:

determining, by the mapping application, whether the ride hailing application is currently installed on the computing device; and

invoking, by the mapping application, the ride hailing extension when the ride hailing application is currently installed on the computing device.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause:

installing a ride hailing application bundle on the computing device, the ride hailing application bundle including the ride hailing extension;

determining, by the mapping application, whether the ride hailing application is currently installed on the computing device; and

prompting, by the mapping application, the user to install the ride hailing application on the computing device when the ride hailing application is not currently installed on the computing device.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause:

sending, by the mapping application to the ride hailing extension, the start location and the destination location specified by the user; and

receiving, by the mapping application from the ride hailing extension, data describing transportation offered to take the user from the start location to the destination location, the transportation offer provided by a ride hailing service associated with the ride hailing application.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause:

invoking, by the mapping application, a plurality of ride hailing extensions corresponding to a plurality of ride hailing applications currently installed on the computing device;

receiving, by the mapping application, fare information from each of the plurality of ride hailing extensions indicating how much it will cost the user to travel from the start location to the destination location using a ride hailing service corresponding to each of the ride hailing extensions;

presenting, by the mapping application, the fare information received from each of the plurality of ride hailing extensions contemporaneously on a display of the computing device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions cause:

receiving, by the mapping application, a third user input selecting a public transit option; and

presenting, by the mapping application, public transit fare information indicating how much it will cost the user to travel from the start location to the destination location using public transportation, wherein the public transit fare information and the ride hailing fare information are both presented by the mapping application.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes:

receiving, by a mapping application running on a computing device, a first user input specifying a route from a start location to a destination location;

presenting, by the mapping application, the route and a ride hailing transportation option corresponding to a ride hailing service on the display of the computing device;

receiving, by the mapping application, a second user input selecting the ride hailing transportation option;

invoking, by the mapping application, a ride hailing extension corresponding to a ride hailing application of the ride hailing service, where the mapping application remains on the display of the computing device; and

reserving, by the mapping application, via the ride hailing extension, a ride with the ride hailing service without displaying the ride hailing application on the display.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause:

determining, by the mapping application, whether the ride hailing application is currently installed on the computing device; and

invoking, by the mapping application, the ride hailing extension when the ride hailing application is currently installed on the computing device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause:

installing a ride hailing application bundle on the computing device, the ride hailing application bundle including the ride hailing extension;

determining, by the mapping application, whether the ride hailing application is currently installed on the computing device; and

prompting, by the mapping application, the user to install the ride hailing application on the computing device when the ride hailing application is not currently installed on the computing device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause:

sending, by the mapping application to the ride hailing extension, the start location and the destination location specified by the user; and

receiving, by the mapping application from the ride hailing extension, data describing transportation offered to take the user from the start location to the destination location, the transportation offer provided by a ride hailing service associated with the ride hailing application.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause:

invoking, by the mapping application, a plurality of ride hailing extensions corresponding to a plurality of ride hailing applications currently installed on the computing device;

receiving, by the mapping application, fare information from each of the plurality of ride hailing extensions indicating how much it will cost the user to travel from the start location to the destination location using a ride hailing service corresponding to each of the ride hailing extensions;

presenting, by the mapping application, the fare information received from each of the plurality of ride hailing extensions contemporaneously on a display of the computing device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions cause:

receiving, by the mapping application, a third user input selecting a public transit option; and

presenting, by the mapping application, public transit fare information indicating how much it will cost the user to travel from the start location to the destination location using public transportation, wherein the public transit fare information and the ride hailing fare information are both presented by the mapping application.