Network computer system to arrange pooled transport services

• US 10,731,998 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2018
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Rahematpura, Miraj, Nickels, John Mark, O'Mahony, Eoin, Guo, Danhua, Sundaresan, Vishnu, Seeman, Lior, Vosoughpour, Meisam
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamara, Mohamed A
• Application Number:
  US16/179,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20190137288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• 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: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A network computer system operates to receive a plurality of service requests over a given time interval, where individual service requests specify a respective target destination and a current location of a respective requester device. For each service request, the network computer system arranges a pooled transport service for the corresponding requester by selecting a service start location, and instructions for enabling the requester to travel to the service start location. The network computer system may select the service provider based on a variety of considerations, including the service start location, the current location of the corresponding service provider, and the determined time interval.

Claims

1. A network computer system comprising:

a memory to store instructions;

one or more processors that access the instructions to;

receive a plurality of service requests over a given time interval, each of the plurality of service requests specifying a respective target destination and a current location of a respective requester device;

for each service request of the plurality of service requests, arrange a pooled transport service for a corresponding requester by;

selecting a service start location for the service request based at least in part on the current location of the respective requester device and the respective target destination of the service request;

providing instructions to the respective requester device to enable the corresponding requester to travel to the service start location;

determining a time interval for the corresponding requester to arrive at the service start location; and

selecting a service provider for the service request, based at least in part on the service start location, a current location of the service provider, and the determined time interval;

wherein for at least a first and second service request of the plurality of service requests, the one or more processors select the service start location by matching the first and second service requests, based at least in part on a proximity of a current location of a first requester device of the first service request to the service start location, and a proximity of a current location of a second requester device of the second service request to the service start location.

2. The network computer system of claim 1, wherein for each of the plurality of service requests, the one or more processors select the service start location by determining a heading corresponding to the service request.

3. The network computer system of claim 2, wherein for each of the plurality of service requests, the one or more processors determine the heading based at least in part on the respective target destination of the service request.

4. The network computer system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors select the service start location from multiple candidate service start locations that are pre-selected for a region in which the corresponding requester is located.

5. The network computer system of claim 1, wherein for the first and second service requests, the one or more processors select the service provider by matching the first and second service requests, based at least in part on a proximity between a first target destination of the first service request and a second target destination of the second service request.

6. The network computer system of claim 1, wherein for the first service request of the plurality of service requests, the one or more processors provide instructions to the respective requester device by transmitting navigation instructions to the respective requester device, and monitoring a location of the respective requester device as the corresponding requester travels towards the service start location.

7. The network computer system of claim 6, wherein the navigation instructions are transmitted to the respective requester device before the service provider is selected for the first service request.

8. The network computer system of claim 6, wherein the navigation instructions comprise walking instructions.

9. The network computer system of claim 1, wherein for the first service request the one or more processors select the service start location for the first service request by identifying the service start location from a set of service start locations that are within a distance threshold of a current location corresponding to the first service request.

10. The network computer system of claim 5, wherein for the first service request, the one or more processors select the service start location by selecting an intersection corner of an intersection as the service start location based on (i) a proximity of the selected intersection corner to the current location of the respective requester device of the first service request, as compared to other intersection corners, and (ii) a direction of travel to the first target destination of the first service request.

11. The network computer system of claim 1, wherein for the first service request, the one or more processors determine the time interval by estimating a time of arrival for a requester corresponding to the first service request to travel to the service start location.

12. The network computer system of claim 5, wherein for the first service request, the one or more processors determine the time interval by (i) determining a target arrival time for a requester corresponding to the first service request to arrive at the service start location, and (ii) estimating a trip time from the service start location to a vehicle disembark location for the first service request, the vehicle disembark location being different than the first target destination.

13. The network computer system of claim 12, wherein for the first service request, the one or more processors determine the time interval by determining a travel time of the corresponding requester from the vehicle disembark location to the first target destination.

14. The network computer system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors select the vehicle disembark location for the first service request based at least in part on a proximity of the vehicle disembark location to the first target destination of the first service request.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein for each of the plurality of service requests, selecting the service start location includes determining a heading corresponding to the service request.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein for each of the plurality of service requests, determining the heading is based at least in part on the respective target destination of the service request.

15. A method for providing on-demand, pooled transport services, the method being implemented by one or more processors of a network computer system and comprising:

receiving a plurality of service requests over a given time interval, each of the plurality of service requests specifying a respective target destination and a current location of a respective requester device;

for each service request of the plurality of service requests, arranging a pooled transport service for a corresponding requester by;

selecting a service start location for the service request based at least in part on the current location of the respective requester device and the respective target destination of the service request;

providing instructions to the respective requester device to enable the corresponding requester to travel to the service start location;

determining a time interval for the corresponding requester to arrive at the service start location; and

selecting a service provider for the service request, based at least in part on the service start location, a current location of the service provider, and the determined time interval;

wherein for at least a first and second service request of the plurality of service requests, the one or more processors select the service start location by matching the first and second service requests, based at least in part on a proximity of a current location of a first requester device of the first service request to the service start location, and a proximity of a current location of a second requester device of the second service request to the service start location.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein selecting the service provider includes matching the first and second service requests, based at least in part on a proximity between a first target destination of the first service request and a second target destination of the second service request.

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

receive a plurality of service requests over a given time interval, each of the plurality of service requests specifying a respective target destination and a current location of a respective requester device;

for each service request of the plurality of service requests, arrange a pooled transport service for a corresponding requester by;

selecting a service start location for the service request based at least in part on the current location of the respective requester device and the respective target destination of the service request;

providing instructions to the respective requester device to enable the corresponding requester to travel to the service start location;

determining a time interval for the corresponding requester to arrive at the service start location; and

selecting a service provider for the service request, based at least in part on the service start location, a current location of the service provider, and the determined time interval;

wherein for at least a first and second service request of the plurality of service requests, the one or more processors select the service start location by matching the first and second service requests, based at least in part on a proximity of a current location of a first requester device of the first service request to the service start location, and a proximity of a current location of a second requester device of the second service request to the service start location.