Providing route information to devices during a shared transport service

• US 10,212,556 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2017
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Tao, Christine, Jacobs, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweeney, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US15/612,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20170272918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 701410
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]

Abstract

A system and method of providing information about a transport service to user devices are described. The system arranges a transport service for a first user and a second user. The system determines first data corresponding to a first route from a location of a driver device of the driver to a first pickup location of the first user and second data corresponding to a second route from the first pickup location to a second pickup location of the second user. A combined route is determined based on the first data and the second data. The system transmits data associated with the first data without transmitting the data corresponding to the combined route to a first user device of the first user, and transmits data corresponding to the combined route to a second user device of the second user.

Claims

1. A method of providing information about a transport service to user devices, the method being performed by a computing device and comprising:

arranging a transport service for a first user and a second user by selecting a driver to concurrently provide transport for the first user and the second user for at least a portion of the transport service;

tracking a location of a driver device of the driver using a location detection mechanism of the driver device;

during a first duration of time;

(i) determining first data corresponding to a first route from a first location of the driver device to a first pickup location of the first user;

(ii) determining second data corresponding to a second route from the first pickup location to a second pickup location of the second user;

(iii) determining a first combined route corresponding to the first route and the second route based on the first data and the second data; and

(iv) transmitting (a) the first data corresponding to the first route without transmitting data corresponding to the first combined route to a first user device of the first user, and (b) the data corresponding to the first combined route to a second user device of the second user; and

during a second duration of time after the first duration of time;

(i) determining third data corresponding to a third route from a second location of the driver device to the second pickup location;

(ii) determining fourth data corresponding to a fourth route from the second pickup location to a first destination location of the first user;

(iii) determining a second combined route corresponding to the third route and the fourth route based on the third data and the fourth data; and

(iv) transmitting (a) data corresponding to the second combined route to the first user device, and (b) the third data corresponding to the third route without transmitting the data corresponding to the second combined route to the second user device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein arranging the transport service for the first user and the second user includes receiving a first transport request from the first user device and receiving a second transport request from the second user device, the first transport request including information about the first pickup location and the second transport request including information about the second pickup location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first transport request includes information about the first destination location and the second transport request includes information about a second destination location, and wherein arranging the transport service for the first user and the second user includes determining that the driver is to pick up the first user before picking up the second user based on the first pickup location, the second pickup location, the first destination location, and the second destination location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein arranging the transport service for the first user and the second user includes (i) transmitting a first invitation to the driver device along with information about the first pickup location, (ii) receiving an acceptance from the driver device, the acceptance being received in response to the driver providing input on the driver device, and (iii) transmitting a second invitation to the driver device along with information about the second pickup location to the driver device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first data includes receiving the first data from the driver device, and wherein the driver device receives the first data from a first mapping service.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the second data includes using a second mapping service that operates independently from the first mapping service, and wherein the computing device operates the second mapping service or has access to the second mapping service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first duration of time corresponds to a time when the driver is traveling to the first pickup location, and wherein the second duration of time corresponds to a time after the driver has traveled to the first pickup location.

8. A system for providing information about a transport service, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

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

arrange a transport service for a first user and a second user by selecting a driver to concurrently provide transport for the first user and the second user for at least a portion of the transport service;

track a location of a driver device of the driver using a location detection mechanism of the driver device;

during a first duration of time;

(i) determine first data corresponding to a first route from a first location of the driver device to a first pickup location of the first user;

(ii) determine second data corresponding to a second route from the first pickup location to a second pickup location of the second user;

(iii) determine a first combined route corresponding to the first route and the second route based on the first data and the second data; and

(iv) transmit (a) the first data corresponding to the first route without transmitting data corresponding to the first combined route to a first user device of the first user, and (b) the data corresponding to the first combined route to a second user device of the second user; and

during a second duration of time after the first duration of time;

(i) determine third data corresponding to a third route from a second location of the driver device to the second pickup location;

(ii) determine fourth data corresponding to a fourth route from the second pickup location to a first destination location of the first user;

(iii) determine a second combined route corresponding to the third route and the fourth route based on the third data and the fourth data; and

(iv) transmit (a) data corresponding to the second combined route to the first user device, and (b) the third data corresponding to the third route without transmitting the data corresponding to the second combined route to the second user device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein arranging the transport service for the first user and the second user includes receiving a first transport request from the first user device and receiving a second transport request from the second user device, the first transport request including information about the first pickup location and the second transport request including information about the second pickup location.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first transport request includes information about the first destination location and the second transport request includes information about a second destination location, and wherein arranging the transport service for the first user and the second user includes determining that the driver is to pick up the first user before picking up the second user based on the first pickup location, the second pickup location, the first destination location, and the second destination location.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein arranging the transport service for the first user and the second user includes (i) transmitting a first invitation to the driver device along with information about the first pickup location, (ii) receiving an acceptance from the driver device, the acceptance being received in response to the driver providing input on the driver device, and (iii) transmitting a second invitation to the driver device along with information about the second pickup location to the driver device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein determining the first data includes receiving the first data from the driver device, and wherein the driver device receives the first data from a first mapping service.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein determining the second data includes using a second mapping service that operates independently from the first mapping service, and wherein the system operates the second mapping service or has access to the second mapping service.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the first duration of time corresponds to a time when the driver is traveling to the first pickup location, and wherein the second duration of time corresponds to a time after the driver has traveled to the first pickup location.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the computing device to:

arrange a transport service for a first user and a second user by selecting a driver to concurrently provide transport for the first user and the second user for at least a portion of the transport service;

track a location of a driver device of the driver using a location detection mechanism of the driver device;

during a first duration of time;

(i) determine first data corresponding to a first route from a first location of the driver device to a first pickup location of the first user;

(ii) determine second data corresponding to a second route from the first pickup location to a second pickup location of the second user;

(iii) determine a first combined route corresponding to the first route and the second route based on the first data and the second data; and

(iv) transmit (a) the first data corresponding to the first route without transmitting data corresponding to the first combined route to a first user device of the first user, and (b) the data corresponding to the first combined route to a second user device of the second user; and

during a second duration of time after the first duration of time;

(i) determine third data corresponding to a third route from a second location of the driver device to the second pickup location;

(ii) determine fourth data corresponding to a fourth route from the second pickup location to a first destination location of the first user;

(iii) determine a second combined route corresponding to the third route and the fourth route based on the third data and the fourth data; and

(iv) transmit (a) data corresponding to the second combined route to the first user device, and (b) the third data corresponding to the third route without transmitting the data corresponding to the second combined route to the second user device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein arranging the transport service for the first user and the second user includes receiving a first transport request from the first user device and receiving a second transport request from the second user device, the first transport request including information about the first pickup location and the second transport request including information about the second pickup location.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the first transport request includes information about the first destination location and the second transport request includes information about a second destination location, and wherein arranging the transport service for the first user and the second user includes determining that the driver is to pick up the first user before picking up the second user based on the first pickup location, the second pickup location, the first destination location, and the second destination location.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein arranging the transport service for the first user and the second user includes (i) transmitting a first invitation to the driver device along with information about the first pickup location, (ii) receiving an acceptance from the driver device, the acceptance being received in response to the driver providing input on the driver device, and (iii) transmitting a second invitation to the driver device along with information about the second pickup location to the driver device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein determining the first data includes receiving the first data from the driver device, and wherein the driver device receives the first data from a first mapping service, and wherein determining the second data includes using a second mapping service that operates independently from the first mapping service, and wherein the computing device operates the second mapping service or has access to the second mapping service.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first duration of time corresponds to a time when the driver is traveling to the first pickup location, and wherein the second duration of time corresponds to a time after the driver has traveled to the first pickup location.