ENHANCED PASSENGER PICKUP VIA TELEMATICS SYNCHRONIZATION

• US 20100070168A1
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Sumcad, Anthony J., Patenaude, Russell A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,082,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/206
• 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: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

A system is provided for facilitating passenger pickup via telematic routing. The system includes a call center for receiving a plurality of data feeds indicative of passenger arrival time and location, a vehicle telematics unit for receiving vehicle routing instructions from the call center based at least in part on the passenger arrival time and location, the vehicle routing instructions directed to guiding a vehicle to a passenger meeting location. The system further includes a mobile device associated with the passenger, the mobile device in communication with the call center via one or more wireless networks for receiving an indicator of the passenger meeting location.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating passenger pickup via telematic routing, the system comprising:

a call center for receiving a plurality of data feeds indicative of passenger arrival time and location;

a vehicle telematics unit for receiving vehicle routing instructions from the call center based at least in part on the passenger arrival time and location, the vehicle routing instructions directed to guiding a vehicle to a passenger meeting location; and

a mobile device associated with the passenger, the mobile device in communication with the call center via one or more wireless networks for receiving an indicator of the passenger meeting location.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the data feeds comprise a plurality of indicators selected from the group consisting of:

passenger location, passenger waiting area availability, passenger baggage claim location, baggage claim delay associated with the baggage claim location, passenger flight arrival time, roadway traffic, and roadway incidents.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the call center determines the passenger meeting location based on vehicle location and the plurality of indicators.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the passenger meeting location is an airport vehicle waiting area.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a mobile telephone.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a personal digital assistant.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the call center re-routes the vehicle to the next proximate passenger meeting location when the passenger meeting location is not available.

8. A method for synchronizing passenger pickup via telematic routing, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of data feeds indicative of passenger arrival time and location;

sending vehicle routing instructions based at least in part on the passenger arrival time and location, the vehicle routing instructions directed to guiding a vehicle to a passenger meeting location; and

sending an indicator of the passenger meeting location to a mobile device associated with the passenger.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the data feeds comprise a plurality of indicators selected from the group consisting of:

passenger location, passenger waiting area availability, passenger baggage claim location, baggage claim delay associated with the baggage claim location, passenger flight arrival time, roadway traffic, and roadway incidents.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining the passenger meeting location based on vehicle location and the plurality of indicators.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the passenger meeting location is an airport vehicle waiting area.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the mobile device is a mobile telephone.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the mobile device is a personal digital assistant.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising re-routing the vehicle to the next proximate passenger meeting location when the passenger meeting location is not available.

15. The method of claim 8 further comprising sending the indicator of the passenger meeting location to the mobile device when the vehicle is at the passenger meeting location.

16. A method for notifying of a passenger meeting location via a vehicle telematics unit, the method comprising:

during a vehicle routing session, receiving vehicle routing instructions based at least in part on passenger arrival time and location, the vehicle routing instructions directed to guiding a vehicle to the passenger meeting location;

displaying, via the telematics unit, the passenger arrival location and the passenger meeting location; and

ending the vehicle routing session when the passenger arrives at the passenger meeting location.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the passenger meeting location is an airport vehicle waiting area.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising re-routing the vehicle to the next proximate passenger meeting location when the passenger meeting location is not available.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising sending an indicator of the passenger meeting location to a passenger'"'"'s mobile device when the vehicle is at the passenger meeting location.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the mobile device is a mobile telephone.