Optimization of network service based on an existing service

• US 10,458,808 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Droege, Jason, Chau, Stephen, Szybalski, Andrew Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q
• Application Number:
  US15/728,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20180189729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 701426
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3605 Destination input or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0834 Choice of carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

A network system can receive, from a user device of a requesting user, a query related to a first service. If the network system determines that a first service provider is in progress of providing a second service for the requesting user, the network system can identify, based on a service location of the second service, a plurality of entities that provide items available for selection in association with the first service. The network system can further determine whether to select the first service provider to fulfill the request for the first service based on an estimated first service duration associated with the first service and an estimated duration remaining for the second service. The first service duration can be estimated based on respective timing information associated one or more items selected by the requesting user. The network system can update a route for the first service provider.

Claims

1. A network 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 network system to;

receive, over one or more networks from a user device of a requesting user, a first set of data corresponding to a query related to a first service;

based on a determination that a first service provider is in progress of providing or scheduled to provide a second service for the requesting user to a service location, perform steps including;

identifying, based on the service location, a plurality of entities that provide items available for selection by the requesting user in association with the first service;

receiving, over the one or more networks from the user device, a second set of data corresponding to a request for the first service, the second set of data indicating one or more selected items from the available items;

determining whether to select the first service provider to fulfill the request for the first service based on an estimated first service duration associated with the first service and an estimated duration remaining for the second service, wherein the first service duration is estimated based on respective timing information associated with the one or more selected items; and

in response to determining to select the first service provider to fulfill the request for the first service, updating a route of navigation for the first service provider based at least in part on a current location of the first service provider, mapping information accessed from a map database, and respective timing information associated with the one or more selected items.

2. The network system of claim 1, wherein determining whether to select the first service provider to fulfill the request for the first service is further based on receiving a third set of data over the one or more networks from the user device, the third set of data corresponding to a confirmation by the requesting user of a suggested service mode.

3. The network system of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further cause the network system, in response to determining not to select the first service provider to fulfill the request for the first service, to:

select a second service provider from a plurality of service providers;

determine a second route of navigation, the second route of navigation including at least a route segment from a current location of the second service provider to a location of a first entity the plurality of entities;

transmit, to a provider device of the second service provider, a fourth set of data including data corresponding to the second route of navigation.

4. The network system of claim 3, wherein the second route of navigation is determined based on respective timing information associated with the one or more selected items.

5. The network system of claim 4, wherein selecting the second service provider from the plurality of service providers comprises determining an appropriate service provider type from a number of available service provider types.

6. The network system of claim 4, wherein selecting the second service provider from the plurality of service providers is based on respective timing information associated with the one or more selected items.

7. The network system of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further cause the network system, in response to determining to select the first service provider to fulfill the request for the first service, to transmit a fifth set of data to a provider device of the first service provider, the fifth set of data including data corresponding to the updated route of navigation.

8. The network system of claim 1, wherein a second network system performs functions to manage the second service and the network system is communicatively coupled to the second network system via the one or more networks.

9. The network system of claim 8, wherein the determination that a first service provider is in progress of providing or scheduled to provide a second service for the requesting user to a service location is based on data received from the second network system.

10. The network system of claim 8, wherein the network system communicates with the user device via a first user application executing on the user device and the second network system communicates with the user device via a second user application.

11. The network system of claim 1, wherein the first set of data includes an indication that the first service provider is in progress of providing the second service for the requesting user, and wherein the determination that a first service provider is in progress of providing or scheduled to provide a second service for the requesting user to a service location is based on the indication.

12. The network system of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further cause the network system to identify a sub-set of a plurality of items offered by the plurality of entities as the available items.

13. The network system of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further cause the network system to determine respective values for the available items.

14. The network system of claim 13, wherein the respective values for the available items are determined based on one or more of:

(i) a number of queries related to the first service received by the network system, or (ii) historical data.

15. The network system of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further cause the network system to maintain a user profile for the requesting user and identify recommended items from the available items based on the user profile.

16. The network system of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further cause the network system to transmit content data to the user device, the content data causing the user device to display content regarding the available items.

17. A computer-implemented method, the method being performed by a network system and comprising:

receiving, over one or more networks from a user device of a requesting user, a first set of data corresponding to a query related to a first service;

based on a determination that a first service provider is in progress of providing or scheduled to provide a second service for the requesting user to a service location, performing steps including;

identifying, based on the service location, a plurality of entities that provide items available for selection by the requesting user in association with the first service;

receiving, over the one or more networks from the user device, a second set of data corresponding to a request for the first service, the second set of data indicating one or more selected items from the available items;

determining whether to select the first service provider to fulfill the request for the first service based on an estimated first service duration associated with the first service and an estimated duration remaining for the second service, wherein the first service duration is estimated based on respective timing information associated with the one or more selected items; and

in response to determining to select the first service provider to fulfill the request for the first service, updating a route of navigation for the first service provider based at least in part on a current location of the first service provider, mapping information accessed from a map database, and respective timing information associated with the one or more selected items.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising, in response to determining not to select the first service provider to fulfill the request for the first service:

selecting a second service provider from a plurality of service providers;

determining a second route of navigation, the second route of navigation including at least a route segment from a current location of the second service provider to a location of a first entity the plurality of entities;

transmitting, to a provider device of the second service provider, a fourth set of data including data corresponding to the second route of navigation.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising, in response to determining not to select the first service provider to fulfill the request for the first service:

selecting a second service provider from a plurality of service providers;

determining a second route of navigation, the second route of navigation including at least a route segment from a current location of the second service provider to a location of a first entity the plurality of entities;

transmitting, to a provider device of the second service provider, a fourth set of data including data corresponding to the second route of navigation.

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

receive, over one or more networks from a user device of a requesting user, a first set of data corresponding to a query related to a first service;

based on a determination that a first service provider is in progress of providing or scheduled to provide a second service for the requesting user to a service location, perform steps including;

identifying, based on the service location, a plurality of entities that provide items available for selection by the requesting user in association with the first service;

receiving, over the one or more networks from the user device, a second set of data corresponding to a request for the first service, the second set of data indicating one or more selected items from the available items;

determining whether to select the first service provider to fulfill the request for the first service based on an estimated first service duration associated with the first service and an estimated duration remaining for the second service, wherein the first service duration is estimated based on respective timing information associated with the one or more selected items; and

in response to determining to select the first service provider to fulfill the request for the first service, updating a route of navigation for the first service provider based at least in part on a current location of the first service provider, mapping information accessed from a map database, and respective timing information associated with the one or more selected items.