System And Method For Setting A Rideshare Transaction Fee

• US 20110196709A1
• Filed: 04/14/2011
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Fork, David K., Weinerth, Dave, Huang, Qingfeng, Plurkowski, Luke
• Granted Patent: US 8,036,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• 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 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A system and method for setting a rideshare transaction fee is provided. Data is maintained for rideshare transactions, each associated with a route. At least one rideshare transaction that travels along a particular route is identified. A number of drivers offering transportation on that particular route and a number of passengers seeking transportation on the particular route are determined. A transaction fee for the rideshare transaction along the particular route is set. The transaction fee is increased when there are more passengers seeking transportation than drivers offering transportation. The transaction fee is decreased when there are more drivers offering transportation than passengers seeking transportation.

Claims

1. A system for setting a rideshare transaction fee, comprising:

a database to maintain data for rideshare transactions, each associated with a route;

a rideshare identification module to identify at least one rideshare transaction that travels along a particular route;

a participant determination module to determine a number of drivers offering transportation on that particular route and a number of passengers seeking transportation on the particular route; and

a fee module to set a transaction fee for the at least one rideshare transaction along the particular route by increasing the transaction fee when there are more passengers seeking transportation than drivers offering transportation and decreasing the transaction fee when there are more drivers offering transportation than passengers seeking transportation.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an insurance module to offer insurance policies for the rideshare transactions based on at least one of a monthly unlimited basis and a per rideshare transaction basis.

3. A system according to claim 2, further comprising at least one of:

a policy module to provide the insurance policies; and

a revenue module to share in revenue generated from the insurance policies, which are provided by a third party.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a participant selection module to select at least one of the passengers seeking transportation for inclusion in the at least one rideshare transaction along the particular route.

5. A system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a participant matching module to identify the selected passenger by determining a participant rating for each of the passengers seeking transportation and matching the selected participant to the rideshare transaction based at least in part on the assigned participant rating.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the participant rating is based upon at least one of a metric associated with those rideshare transactions that the selected passenger participated in as a driver, a metric associated with those rideshare transactions that the selected passenger participated in as a passenger, a metric associated with a feedback rating from one or more other participants regarding a prior rideshare transaction with the selected passenger, a rating of common interests shared by the selected passenger and other participants assigned to the at least one rideshare transaction along the particular route, and a relationship based on a social network system.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the transaction fee comprises at least one of a recurring monthly fee and a per rideshare transaction fee.

8. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a compensation module to receive compensation in exchange for at least one of providing sponsorships and providing advertising space to third parties.

9. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a membership module to offer memberships to potential participants who purchase particular third party products.

10. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rideshare incentive module to provide incentives to potential participants comprising at least one of third party products, insurance, wireless communication plans, vehicle cleaning services, cash payments, recognition, carbon credits, and graduated fee credits.

11. A method for setting a rideshare transaction fee, comprising:

maintaining data for rideshare transactions, each associated with a route;

identifying at least one rideshare transaction that travels along a particular route;

determining a number of drivers offering transportation on that particular route and a number of passengers seeking transportation on the particular route;

setting a transaction fee for the rideshare transaction along the particular route, comprising at least one of;

increasing the transaction fee when there are more passengers seeking transportation than drivers offering transportation; and

decreasing the transaction fee when there are more drivers offering transportation than passengers seeking transportation.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

offering insurance policies for the rideshare transactions based on at least one of a monthly unlimited basis and a per rideshare transaction basis.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising at least one of:

providing the insurance policies; and

sharing in revenue generated from the insurance policies, which are provided by a third party.

14. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

selecting at least one of the passengers seeking transportation for inclusion in the rideshare transaction along the particular route.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

identifying the selected passenger, comprising;

determining a participant rating for each of the passengers seeking transportation; and

matching the selected participant to the rideshare transaction based at least in part on the assigned participant rating.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the participant rating is based upon at least one of a metric associated with those rideshare transactions that the selected passenger participated in as a driver, a metric associated with those rideshare transactions that the selected passenger participated in as a passenger, a metric associated with a feedback rating from one or more other participants regarding a prior rideshare transaction with the selected passenger, a rating of common interests shared by the selected passenger and other participants assigned to the at least one rideshare transaction along the particular route, and a relationship based on a social network system.

17. method according to claim 11, wherein the transaction fee comprises at least one of a recurring monthly fee and a per rideshare transaction fee.

18. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

receiving compensation in exchange for at least one of providing sponsorships and providing advertising space to third parties.

19. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

offering memberships to potential participants who purchase particular third party products.

20. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

providing incentives to potential participants comprising at least one of third party products, insurance, wireless communication plans, vehicle cleaning services, cash payments, recognition, carbon credits, and graduated fee credits.