RIDESHARE SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHODOLOGY
First Claim
1. A method of causing a computer system to recommend a rideshare, comprising:
- generating, in a data processor, a search criteria according to user-defined inputs including at least one itinerary and at least one personal affinity category;
storing a plurality of user profiles in a memory associated with the data processor;
generating, in the data processor, a cost value for each of the plurality of stored user profiles according to the search criteria, each stored user profile including at least one itinerary and one personal affinity category;
displaying anonymously at least one of the stored user profiles a corresponding cost value on a display device;
transmitting a first anonymous message to a communication address corresponding to a selected user profile, the anonymous message requesting a rideshare;
receiving a second anonymous message from the communication address corresponding to the selected user profile, the second anonymous message indicating one of acceptance or rejection of the rideshare; and
displaying, on the display device, one of a rideshare finalizing information and an anonymous denial message upon receipt of a rejection,wherein the at least one itinerary and the at least one personal affinity category of the search criteria are weighted to generate the cost values according to a plurality of user-defined priorities.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A rideshare system and associated methodology for recommending rideshares to prospective riders and drivers uses itineraries and personal affinities to make the recommendations. The rideshare system computes a cost value by comparing the search criteria submitted by a user to stored user profiles. Results of the comparison are displayed in order of highest match to lowest match, according to the cost values computed. Further, the system also adaptively updates the stored profiles according to rideshare history. Lastly, the system includes a real-time user localization unit to locate prospective riders and drivers in real time, making just in time or unplanned rideshares possible.
-
Citations
31 Claims
-
1. A method of causing a computer system to recommend a rideshare, comprising:
-
generating, in a data processor, a search criteria according to user-defined inputs including at least one itinerary and at least one personal affinity category; storing a plurality of user profiles in a memory associated with the data processor; generating, in the data processor, a cost value for each of the plurality of stored user profiles according to the search criteria, each stored user profile including at least one itinerary and one personal affinity category; displaying anonymously at least one of the stored user profiles a corresponding cost value on a display device; transmitting a first anonymous message to a communication address corresponding to a selected user profile, the anonymous message requesting a rideshare; receiving a second anonymous message from the communication address corresponding to the selected user profile, the second anonymous message indicating one of acceptance or rejection of the rideshare; and displaying, on the display device, one of a rideshare finalizing information and an anonymous denial message upon receipt of a rejection, wherein the at least one itinerary and the at least one personal affinity category of the search criteria are weighted to generate the cost values according to a plurality of user-defined priorities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 26, 28, 29)
-
-
14. A system for recommending a rideshare, comprising:
-
an electronic storage device configured to store a plurality of user profiles; a receiver configured to receive a search criteria including at least one itinerary and at least one personal affinity category, the at least one itinerary and at least one personal affinity category being weighted according to user-defined priorities; a processor configured to generate a cost value for each of the plurality of user profiles stored in the electronic storage device, and configured to determine a display list of user profiles and corresponding cost values; a transmitter configured to transmit the user profiles corresponding to the display list over a communications network, wherein the transmitter sends an anonymous message requesting a rideshare to a communications address of a selected profile, and transmits one of an anonymous denial message in response to a rideshare rejection or a rideshare finalizing information in response to a rideshare acceptance. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 30, 31)
-
-
19. A computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions thereon, the computer readable instructions when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for rideshare recommendation, comprising:
-
generating a search criteria according to user-defined inputs including at least one itinerary and at least one personal affinity category; generating, in the data processor, a cost value for each of a plurality of stored user profiles according to the search criteria, each stored user profile including at least one itinerary and one personal affinity category; displaying anonymously at least one of the stored user profiles a corresponding cost value on a display; transmitting a first anonymous message to a communication address corresponding to a selected user profile, the anonymous message requesting a rideshare; receiving a second anonymous message from the communication address corresponding to the selected user profile, the second anonymous message indicating one of acceptance or rejection of the rideshare; and displaying, on the display, one of a contact information included in the selected user profile upon receipt of an acceptance and an anonymous denial message upon receipt of a rejection, wherein the at least one itinerary and the at least one personal affinity category of the search criteria are weighted to generate the cost values according to a plurality of user-defined priorities. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27)
-
Specification