Raising User Satisfaction in an Automated Ride Sharing System

• US 20130159028A1
• Filed: 12/19/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: LERENC, Vedran, LEHMANN, Jens, SOMMER, David
• Application Number:
  US13/330,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20130159028A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention may provide a various techniques for raising user satisfaction with an automated ride sharing system. In one embodiment, the system may disqualify potential passengers that will force the driver to return to a previously departed area. In another embodiment, the system may consolidate multiple stop locations to reduce the number and frequency of stops in a scheduled ride. In another embodiment, the system may select a best possible ride from a plurality of calculated rides based on user satisfaction factors.

Claims

1. A processor-implemented method for arranging a ride, comprising:

receiving driver parameters, the driver parameters including driver start and end locations;

receiving passenger parameters, the passenger parameters including passenger start and end locations;

if the passenger parameters overlap with a previously departed stop location in the ride based on a predefined overlap criterion, disqualify the passenger from the ride; and

if the passenger end location does not overlap with a previously departed stop location in the ride based on the predefined overlap criterion, schedule the ride with the driver and the passenger.

2. The processor-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the previously departed stop location is based on the driver start location and the passenger start and end locations.

3. The processor-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the overlap criterion is a predetermined geographic distance.

4. The processor-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the overlap criterion is a predetermined driving distance.

5. The processor-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the overlap criterion is a predefined area.

6. The processor-implemented method of claim 1, further comprises reducing a number of total stops in the ride based on the passenger parameters, wherein the passenger parameters include a walking threshold.

7. A ride arranging system, comprising:

a memory to store driver and possible passenger parameters; and

a processor configured to schedule a ride with the driver and possible passenger if the possible passenger parameters do not overlap with a previously departed stop location in the ride based on a predefined overlap criterion, and to disqualify the possible passenger from the ride if the possible passenger parameters overlap with a previously departed stop location in the ride based on the predefined overlap criterion.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprises a communication interface to receive the driver and possible parameters.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the previously departed stop location is based on a driver start location and a passenger start and end location.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the overlap criterion is a predetermined geographic distance.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the overlap criterion is a predetermined driving distance.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the overlap criterion is a predefined area.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to reduce a number of total stops in the ride based on the passenger parameters, wherein the passenger parameters include a walking threshold.

14. A computer-readable medium storing instructions for execution by a processor, which when executed by the processor perform:

receiving driver parameters, the driver parameters including driver start and end locations for a ride;

receiving passenger parameters, the passenger parameters including passenger start and end locations;

if the passenger parameters overlap with a previously departed stop location in the ride based on a predefined overlap criterion, disqualify the passenger from the ride; and

if the passenger end location does not overlap with a previously departed stop location in the ride based on the predefined overlap criterion, schedule the ride with the driver and the passenger.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the previously departed stop location is based on the driver start location and the passenger start and end locations.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the overlap criterion is a predetermined geographic distance.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the overlap criterion is a predetermined driving distance.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the overlap criterion is a predefined area.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprises matching a driver detour time with the passenger parameters.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprises reducing a number of total stops in the ride based on the passenger parameters, wherein the passenger parameter include a walking threshold.

21. A processor-implemented method for arranging a ride, comprising:

extracting stop coordinates of a possible ride;

extracting walking parameters of at least one passenger on the possible ride, wherein the walking parameters include a walking threshold;

determining if at least two stop coordinates are within the walking threshold of each other;

if at least two stop coordinates are within the walking threshold, consolidating the at least two stop coordinates into one stop coordinate.

22. The processor-implemented method of claim 21, wherein consolidating includes moving a stop coordinate of the at least one passenger to another stop coordinate of the at least two stop coordinates.

23. The processor-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the walking threshold is user defined walking distance.

24. The processor-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the walking threshold is user defined walking time.

25. The processor-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the at least two stop coordinates include a driver start location.

26. The processor-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the at least two stop coordinates include a driver stop location.

27. The processor-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the at least two stop coordinates include a passenger pick-up location.

28. The processor-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the at least two stop coordinates include a passenger drop-off location.

29. A processor-implemented method for arranging a ride, comprising:

based on driver inputted and potential passenger inputted parameters, calculating a plurality of possible ride solutions;

assigning weights to the plurality of possible ride solutions, wherein the weights are based on factors relating to quality of the ride;

ranking the weighted possible ride solutions; and

selecting the top ranked possible ride solution for the ride.

30. The process-implemented method of claim 29, wherein a number of stops is a factor.

31. The process-implemented method of claim 29, wherein walking distance or length is a factor.

32. The process-implemented method of claim 29, wherein overall ride time is a factor.