User-configurable indication device for use with an on-demand transport service

• US 10,688,919 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2019
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Kalanick, Travis, Amin, Shalin
• Primary Examiner(s): Bee, Andrew W
• Application Number:
  US16/253,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20190152382A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0094 Arrangement of electronic circuits separated from the light source, e.g. mounting of housings for starter circuits for discharge lamps arrangements being part of the light source holder F21V17/06, F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/50 for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/5035 electronic displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/543 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/00 Special features or arrangements of exterior signal lamps for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/50 Arrangements to reconfigure features of lighting or signalling devices, or to choose from a list of pre-defined settings
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 13/045 with indicating means on the outside of the vehicle

Abstract

A computing system is configured to receive a request for a transport service from a user device of a requesting user. In response to receiving the request, the computing system identifies a service provider to fulfill the request and determines a state for the service provider. The computing system transmits, to a provider device of the service provider, configuration data indicating an output configuration for the request. The provider device is communicatively coupled to an indication device to cause the indication device to transition from displaying a default configuration to displaying the output configuration for the request based on the determined state of the service provider.

Claims

1. A computing system for managing a transport service, comprising:

one or more processors;

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

receive, from a user device of a requesting user, a request for the transport service;

in response to receiving the request from the user device, identify a service provider from a plurality of service providers to fulfill the request, the service provider operating a transport service vehicle;

transmit, to a provider device of the service provider, configuration data indicating an output configuration for the request, the provider device being communicatively coupled to an indication device to cause the indication device to transition from displaying a default configuration to displaying the output configuration for the request based on a determined state of the service provider or the transport service; and

in response to receiving a set of data from the provider device, communicate with the provider device to cause the indication device to cease displaying the output configuration for the request.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the indication device is caused to transition from displaying the default configuration to displaying the output configuration in response to the determined state of the service provider or the transport service being a first state corresponding to the service provider being located within a predetermined distance of a start location indicated by the request.

3. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the indication device is caused to transition from displaying the default configuration to displaying the output configuration in response to the determined state of the service provider or the transport service being a first state that is determined based on provider input received via a provider application executing on the provider device.

4. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the set of data is transmitted by the provider device to the computing system in response to provider input received via a provider application executing on the provider device.

5. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further cause the computing system to:

determine the state for the service provider or the transport service as one of a plurality of states that includes one or more of;

(i) an unavailable state, (ii) an available state, (iii) an en-route state corresponding to the service provider being en-route to a start location indicated by the request, (iv) an on-trip state corresponding to the service provider providing the transport service, or (v) an arriving state corresponding to the service provider being positioned within a predetermined distance of the start location.

6. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further cause the computing system to transmit, to the user device, a set of content data to cause the user device to display content relating to the output configuration.

7. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further cause the computing system to determine the output configuration for the request by:

determining, based on a user identifier associated with the requesting user, whether a user profile associated with the requesting user includes a user-specified configuration; and

in response to determining that the user profile associated with the requesting user includes the user-specified configuration, retrieving the user-specified configuration as the output configuration for the request.

8. The computing system of claim 7, wherein the executed instructions further cause the computing system to:

in response to determining that the user profile associated with the requesting user does not include the user-specified configuration, cause the user device to display a prompt for the requesting user to specify the output configuration for the request.

9. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the default configuration includes a default color and the output configuration includes an output color.

10. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the output configuration for the request comprises one or more of:

an output pattern, output text, or an output illumination sequence.

11. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the output configuration is specified by the requesting user via a user application executing on the user device.

12. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the indication device is communicatively coupled to the provider device via a bi-directional wireless communication link over which:

(i) the indication device is configured to receive control data to control a display of the indication device, and (ii) the provider device is configured to receive data from the indication device.

13. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the indication device comprises a battery for powering the indication device, including for powering a display of the indication device.

22. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further cause the computing system to:

in response to receiving the set of data from the provider device, communicate with the provider device to cause the indication device to transition from displaying the output configuration for the request to displaying the default configuration.

14. A computer-implemented method of managing a transport service, comprising:

receiving, from a user device of a requesting user, a request for the transport service;

in response to receiving the request from the user device, identifying a service provider from a plurality of service providers to fulfill the request, the service provider operating a transport service vehicle;

transmitting, to a provider device of the service provider, configuration data indicating an output configuration for the request, the provider device being communicatively coupled to an indication device to cause the indication device to transition from displaying a default configuration to displaying the output configuration for the request based on a determined state of the service provider or the transport service; and

in response to receiving a set of data from the provider device, communicating with the provider device to cause the indication device to cease displaying the output configuration for the request.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the indication device is caused to transition from displaying the default configuration to displaying the output configuration in response to the determined state of the service provider or the transport service being a first state corresponding to the service provider being located within a predetermined distance of a start location indicated by the request.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the indication device is caused to transition from displaying the default configuration to displaying the output configuration in response to the determined state of the service provider or the transport service being a first state that is determined based on provider input received via a provider application executing on the provider device.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the indication device is communicatively coupled to the provider device via a bi-directional wireless communication link over which;

(i) the indication device is configured to receive control data to control a display of the indication device, and (ii) the provider device is configured to receive data from the indication device; and

the indication device comprises a battery for powering the indication device, including for powering the display of the indication device.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the set of data is transmitted by the provider device in response to provider input received via a provider application executing on the provider device.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

in response to receiving the set of data from the provider device, communicating with the provider device to cause the indication device to transition from displaying the output configuration for the request to displaying the default configuration.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the default configuration includes a default color and the output configuration includes an output color.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, that when executed by a computing system, causes the computing system to:

receive, from a user device of a requesting user, a request for a transport service;

in response to receiving the request from the user device, identify a service provider from a plurality of service providers to fulfill the request, the service provider operating a transport service vehicle;

transmit, to a provider device of the service provider, configuration data indicating an output configuration for the request, the provider device being communicatively coupled to an indication device to cause the indication device to transition from displaying a default configuration to displaying the output configuration for the request based on a determined state of the service provider or the transport service; and

in response to receiving a set of data from the provider device, communicate with the provider device to cause the indication device to cease displaying the output configuration for the request.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the indication device is caused to transition from displaying the default configuration to displaying the output configuration in response to the determined state of the service provider or the transport service being a first state corresponding to the service provider being located within a predetermined distance of a start location indicated by the request.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the indication device is caused to transition from displaying the default configuration to displaying the output configuration in response to the determined state of the service provider or the transport service being a first state that is determined based on provider input received via a provider application executing on the provider device.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein:

the indication device is communicatively coupled to the provider device via a bi-directional wireless communication link over which;

(i) the indication device is configured to receive control data to control a display of the indication device, and (ii) the provider device is configured to receive data from the indication device; and

the indication device comprises a battery for powering the indication device, including for powering the display of the indication device.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the set of data is transmitted by the provider device to the computing system in response to provider input received via a provider application executing on the provider device.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the executed instructions further cause the computing system to:

in response to receiving the set of data from the provider device, communicate with the provider device to cause the indication device to transition from displaying the output configuration for the request to displaying the default configuration.