SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SPLITTING A FEE FOR AN ON-DEMAND SERVICE

• US 20150012341A1
• Filed: 06/23/2014
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Amin, Shalin
• Granted Patent: US 10,121,287 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• 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 2240/00 Transportation facility access, e.g. fares, tolls or parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00

Abstract

A method for determining a fare for a transport service is provided. One or more processors determine that the transport service is in progress for a first user. A request to share the fare for the transport service in progress with a second user is received over a network from a first computing device of the first user. A confirmation that indicates that the second user is to share the fare is received over the network from a second computing device of the second user. A first amount of the fare for the first user and a second amount of the fare for the second user is determined.

Claims

1. A method for determining a fare for a transport service, the method being performed by a processor and comprising:

determining that the transport service is in progress for a first user;

receiving, over a network from a first computing device of the first user, a request to share the fare for the transport service in progress with a second user;

receiving, over the network from a second computing device of the second user, a confirmation that indicates that the second user is to share the fare for the transport service in progress; and

determining a first amount of the fare for the first user and a second amount of the fare for the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the transport service is in progress for the first user includes (i) arranging the transport service for the first user with a service provider, and (ii) associating an account identifier of the first user with a transport service identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in response to receiving the confirmation, associating an account identifier of the second user with the transport service identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the fare for the transport service upon completion of the transport service.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the first amount of the fare for the first user and the second amount of the fare for the second user includes dividing the fare substantially evenly upon completion of the transport service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to share the fare includes an identifier corresponding to the second user, and further comprising:

in response to receiving the request to share the fare for the transport service in progress, transmitting, over the network, a message to the second computing device using the identifier corresponding to the second user, wherein the message notifies the second user that the first user requested to share the fare for the transport service in progress.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to share the fare includes an identifier corresponding to the second user, and further comprising:

in response to receiving the request to share the fare for the transport service in progress, searching a database using the identifier corresponding to the second user to determine whether the second user has an existing account.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining that the second user has an existing account in the database;

transmitting, to the second computing device over the network, a text message that includes a numeric or alphanumeric code;

wherein receiving the confirmation includes receiving a reply text message from the second computing device that includes the code.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a temporary code for the first user, the temporary code being provided to the first computing device of the first user; and

wherein receiving the confirmation includes receiving the temporary code from the second computing device of the second user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the temporary code is valid until the transport service is completed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first amount of the fare for the first user and the second amount of the fare for the second user includes receiving, from the first computing device of the first user, a designated ratio for splitting the fare for the transport service, the designated ratio identifying a proportion of the fare for the first amount or the second amount.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

charging the first amount to a first account of the first user and the second amount to a second account of the second user upon completion of the transport service.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

determining that the transport service is in progress for a first user;

receiving, over a network from a first computing device of the first user, a request to share the fare for the transport service in progress with a second user;

receiving, over the network from a second computing device of the second user, a confirmation that indicates that the second user is to share the fare for the transport service in progress; and

determining a first amount of the fare for the first user and a second amount of the fare for the second user.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the processor to determine that the transport service is in progress for the first user by (i) arranging the transport service for the first user with a service provider, and (ii) associating an account identifier of the first user with a transport service identifier.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

in response to receiving the confirmation, associating an account identifier of the second user with the transport service identifier.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

determine the fare for the transport service upon completion of the transport service;

wherein the instructions cause the processor to determine the first amount of the fare for the first user and the second amount of the fare for the second user by dividing the fare substantially evenly upon completion of the transport service.

17. A method for determining a fare for a transport service, the method being performed by a processor and comprising:

determining that the transport service is in progress for two or more users;

determining that the fare for the transport service is to be shared by the two or more users by receiving user inputs from two or more computing devices of the two or more users;

determining one or more parameters for the fare based, at least in part, on a distance traveled for the transport service; and

determining respective amounts for the fare for each of the two or more users based on the one or more parameters.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

charging the respective amounts for the fare to corresponding accounts for each of the two or more users upon completion of the transport service.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more parameters is also based on at least one of a pick-up location for each of the two or more users, a drop-off location for each of the two or more users, or a duration of the transport service.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

transmitting a prompt to the two or more computing devices.