Configurable push notifications for a transport service

• US 10,198,700 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2014
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Farrelly, Stacey, Amin, Shalin, Marshall, Robert, Novak, Kevin, Sweeney, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrington, Michael P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walsh, Emmett K.
• Application Number:
  US14/547,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20150262430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 705 13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system and method are provided for generating and transmitting push notifications in connection with a transport service. Push notification triggers can be configured by a user via an application-based user interface corresponding to an application specific to the transport service. A user profile associated with the user can be accessed to detect one or more preconfigured push notification triggers, and thereafter transport service activity can be dynamically monitored for trigger events. Such trigger events can cause the system to generate and transmit push notifications to the user'"'"'s mobile device.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

a network communication interface providing network connectivity, over one or more networks, to a service application executing on mobile computing devices of users of a transport service;

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computer system to;

receive, over the one or more networks, location data obtained from a location detection component of a mobile computing device of the mobile computing devices of users of the transport service, the location data indicating a current location of the mobile computing device;

communicate, over the one or more networks, with a calendar application executing on the mobile computing device, to access and obtain a schedule of a user of the mobile computing device, the schedule including one or more calendar-based events;

based on the schedule of the user, determine a calendar-based event from the one or more calendar-based events that is likely to require the transport service for the user;

based on the determined calendar-based event, automatically initiate a transport service process for the user by;

obtaining transport service data corresponding to at least one of (i) a number of service requests from a plurality of computing devices of other users of the transport service or (ij) a number of transportation providers in a specified service area associated with the transport service;

based on the transport service data, monitoring one or more service conditions that affect the transport service that is available at the current location of the mobile computing device;

detecting a triggering event from the monitored one or more service conditions; and

in response to detecting the triggering event, generating and transmitting, over the one or more networks, an availability push notification to the service application of the mobile computing device, the availability push notification including content to indicate that the transport service is available;

wherein the availability push notification causes the service application of the mobile computing device to present the content as a selectable feature to transmit, over the one or more networks, a transport service request for the transport service that is available.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computer system to:

receive, over the one or more networks, information associated with a user profile from one or more resources that are accessible on the mobile computing device, the user profile including a set of user-configured preferences that includes one or more specified triggering events, the one or more specified triggering events including the detected triggering event.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the one or more specified triggering events includes a price factor threshold, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computer system to:

dynamically determine a price factor for the transport service based on one or more service conditions of the specified service area; and

automatically generate and transmit a price factor push notification, over the one or more networks via the service application, to the mobile computing device when the price factor crosses the price factor threshold.

4. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computer system to:

determine whether the set of user-configured preferences includes a triggering event indicating a desire to rideshare;

monitor location-based data corresponding to the other users within the specified service area;

access additional user profiles of the other users to determine whether one or more of the additional user profiles also include the triggering event indicating the desire to rideshare; and

in response to determining that the one or more additional user profiles corresponding to one or more rideshare users does include the triggering event indicating the desire to rideshare, generate and transmit, over the one or more networks via the service application, a rideshare push notification to the mobile computing device.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computer system to:

in response to a selection of the rideshare push notification, generate and transmit, over the one or more networks via the service application, a map feature to the mobile computing device, the map feature indicating one or more current locations corresponding to the one or more rideshare users.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the map feature includes a communication interface to enable the user to communicate with the one or more rideshare users within the specified service area.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a network computer system, cause the network computer system to:

provide network connectivity, over one or more networks, to a service application executing on mobile computing devices of users of a transport service;

receive, over the one or more networks, location data obtained from a location detection component of a mobile computing device of the mobile computing device of users of the transport service, the location data indicating a current location of the mobile computing device;

communicate, over the one or more networks, with a calendar application executing on the mobile computing device, to access and obtain a schedule of a user of the mobile computing device, the schedule including one or more calendar-based events;

based on the schedule of the user, determine a calendar-based event from the one or more calendar-based events that is likely to require the transport service for the user;

based on the determined calendar-based event, automatically initiate a transport service process for the user by;

obtaining transport service data corresponding to at least one of (i) a number of service requests from a plurality of computing devices of other users of the transport service or (ii) a number of transportation providers in a specified service area associated with the transport service;

based on the transport service data, monitoring one or more service conditions that affect the transport service that is available at the current location of the mobile computing device;

detecting a triggering event from the monitored one or more service conditions; and

in response to detecting the triggering event, generating and transmitting, over the one or more networks, an availability push notification to the service application of the mobile computing device, the availability push notification including content to indicate that the transport service is available;

wherein the availability push notification causes the service application of the mobile computing device to present the content as a selectable feature to transmit, over the one or more networks, a transport service request for the transport service that is available.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further causes the network computer system to:

receive, over the one or more networks, information associated with a user profile from one or more resources that are accessible on the mobile computing device, the user profile including a set of user-configured preferences that includes one or more specified triggering events, the one or more specified triggering events including the detected triggering event.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more specified triggering events includes a price factor threshold, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the network computer system to:

dynamically determine a price factor for the transport service based on one or more service conditions of the specified service area; and

automatically generate and transmit a price factor push notification, over the one or more networks via the service application, to the mobile computing device when the price factor crosses the price factor threshold.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the network computer system to:

determine whether the set of user-configured preferences includes a triggering event indicating a desire to rideshare;

monitor location-based data corresponding to the other users within the specified service area;

access additional user profiles of the other users to determine whether one or more of the additional user profiles also include the triggering event indicating the desire to rideshare; and

in response to determining that the one or more additional user profiles corresponding to one or more rideshare users does include the triggering event indicating the desire to rideshare, generate and transmit, over the one or more networks via the service application, a rideshare push notification to the mobile computing device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computer system to:

in response to a selection of the rideshare push notification, generate and transmit, over the one or more networks via the service application, a map feature to the mobile computing device, the map feature indicating one or more current locations corresponding to the one or more rideshare users.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the map feature includes a communication interface to enable the user to communicate with the one or more rideshare users within the specified service area.

13. A method comprising:

providing network connectivity, over one or more networks, to a service application executing on mobile computing devices of users of a transport service;

receiving, over the one or more networks, location data obtained from a location detection component of a mobile computing device of the mobile computing devices of users of the transport service, the location data indicating a current location of the mobile computing device;

communicating, over the one or more networks, with a calendar application executing on the mobile computing device, to access and obtain a schedule of a user of the mobile computing device, the schedule including one or more calendar-based events;

based on the schedule of the user, determining a calendar-based event from the one or more calendar-based events that is likely to require the transport service for the user;

based on the determined calendar-based event, automatically initiating a transport service process for the user by;

obtaining transport service data corresponding to at least one of (i) a number of service requests from a plurality of computing devices of other users of the transport service or (ii) a number of transportation providers in a specified service area associated with the transport service;

based on the transport service data, monitoring one or more service conditions that affect the transport service that is available at the current location of the mobile computing device;

detecting a triggering event from the monitored one or more service conditions; and

in response to detecting the triggering event, generating and transmitting, over the one or more networks, an availability push notification to the service application of the mobile computing device, the availability push notification including content to indicate that the transport service is available;

wherein the availability push notification causes the service application of the mobile computing device to present the content as a selectable feature to transmit, over the one or more networks, a transport service request for the transport service that is available.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, over the one or more networks, information associated with a user profile from one or more resources that are accessible on the mobile computing device, the user profile including a set of user-configured preferences that includes one or more specified triggering events, the one or more specified triggering events including the detected triggering event.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more specified triggering events includes a price factor threshold, and the method further comprising:

dynamically determining a price factor for the transport service based on one or more service conditions of the specified service area; and

automatically generating and transmit a price factor push notification, over the one or more networks via the service application, to the mobile computing device when the price factor crosses the price factor threshold.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining whether the set of user-configured preferences includes a triggering event indicating a desire to rideshare;

monitoring location-based data corresponding to the other users within the specified service area;

accessing additional user profiles of the other users to determine whether one or more of the additional user profiles also include the triggering event indicating the desire to rideshare; and

in response to determining that the one or more additional user profiles corresponding to one or more rideshare users does include the triggering event indicating the desire to rideshare, generating and transmitting, over the one or more networks via the service application, a rideshare push notification to the mobile computing device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

in response to a selection of the rideshare push notification, generating and transmitting, over the one or more networks via the service application, a map feature to the mobile computing device, the map feature indicating one or more current locations corresponding to the one or more rideshare users.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the map feature includes a communication interface to enable the user to communicate with the one or more rideshare users within the specified service area.