SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING AT LEAST A PORTION OF A TRAVEL PLAN THAT CALLS FOR AT LEAST ONE TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE UNIT

• US 20150323331A1
• Filed: 08/11/2014
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,534,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• 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

Abstract

Computationally implemented methods and systems that are designed for receiving a request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location; presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg; and transmitting a request for one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users at a rendezvous location in order to transport the one or more end users over the at least one transport leg. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.

Claims

1-161. -161. (canceled)

162. A system, comprising:

circuitry for providing at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg; and

circuitry for transmitting a request for one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users at a rendezvous location in order to transport the one or more end users over the at least one transport leg.

163. The system of claim 162, wherein said circuitry for providing at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

circuitry for creating the at least one or more portions of the travel plan.

165. The system of claim 163, wherein said circuitry for developing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining a rendezvous location for the at least one transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users in order to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg.

166. The system of claim 165, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining a rendezvous location for the at least one transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users in order to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

circuitry for estimating arrival time of the one or more end users at the rendezvous location, where the rendezvous location is start of the transport route leg, which follows a preceding route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan.

167. The system of claim 166, wherein said circuitry for estimating arrival time of the one or more end users at the rendezvous location, where the rendezvous location is start of the transport route leg, which follows a preceding route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan comprises:

circuitry for estimating the arrival time of the one or more end users at the rendezvous location, where the preceding route leg along the overall travel route does not call for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the preceding route leg.

168. The system of claim 166, wherein said circuitry for estimating arrival time of the one or more end users at the rendezvous location, where the rendezvous location is start of the transport route leg, which follows a preceding route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan comprises:

circuitry for estimating the arrival time of the one or more end users at the rendezvous location, where the preceding route leg along the overall travel route is a preceding transport route leg that calls for a second transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the preceding transport route leg.

169. The system of claim 163, wherein said circuitry for developing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan comprises:

circuitry for estimating one or more planned arrival times of the one or more end users at one or more intermediate locations of at least one of the route legs of the travel plan, the one or more intermediate locations being one or more locations located between a starting point and an end point for the at least one of the route legs.

170. The system of claim 169, wherein said circuitry for estimating one or more planned arrival times of the one or more end users at one or more intermediate locations of at least one of the route legs of the travel plan, the one or more intermediate locations being one or more locations located between a starting point and an end point for the at least one of the route legs comprises:

circuitry for estimating the one or more planned arrival times of the one or more end users at the one or more intermediate locations of at least one of the route legs of the travel plan, the at least one of the route legs of the travel plan being a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan.

171. The system of claim 170, wherein said circuitry for estimating the one or more planned arrival times of the one or more end users at the one or more intermediate locations of at least one of the route legs of the travel plan, the at least one of the route legs of the travel plan being a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan comprises:

circuitry for estimating the one or more planned arrival times of the one or more end users at the one or more intermediate locations of at least one of the route legs of the travel plan, the at least one of the route legs of the travel plan being a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan and that does not call for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the preceding route leg.

172. The system of claim 170, wherein said circuitry for estimating the one or more planned arrival times of the one or more end users at the one or more intermediate locations of at least one of the route legs of the travel plan, the at least one of the route legs of the travel plan being a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan comprises:

circuitry for estimating the one or more planned arrival times of the one or more end users at the one or more intermediate locations of at least one of the route legs of the travel plan, the at least one of the route legs of the travel plan being a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan and that calls for a second transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the preceding route leg.

173. The system of claim 162, wherein said circuitry for providing at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

circuitry for transmitting a request for the at least one or more portions of the travel plan; and

circuitry for receiving at least the one or more portions of the travel plan.

178. The system of claim 173, wherein said circuitry for transmitting a request for the at least one or more portions of the travel plan comprises:

circuitry for end user preference data that indicates one or more mass transit or ferry preferences of at least one of the one or more end users.

179. The system of claim 173, further comprising:

circuitry for transmitting end user preference data that indicates one or more geographic preferences of at least one of the one or more end users.

180. The system of claim 179, wherein said circuitry for transmitting end user preference data that indicates one or more geographic preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for transmitting end user preference data that indicates one or more geographic preferences of at least one of the one or more end users that relate to one or more geographic locations or roads that the at least one of the one or more end users prefers to be routed through.

181. The system of claim 179, wherein said circuitry for transmitting end user preference data that indicates one or more geographic preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for transmitting end user preference data that indicates one or more geographic preferences of at least one of the one or more end users that relate to one or more geographic locations or roads that the at least one of the one or more end users prefers not to be routed through.

182. The system of claim 179, wherein said circuitry for transmitting end user preference data that indicates one or more geographic preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for transmitting end user preference data that indicates one or more geographic preferences of at least one of the one or more end users that relate to one or more geographic locations that the at least one of the one or more end users prefers to be used for rendezvousing with any transportation vehicle unit.

185. The system of claim 162, wherein said circuitry for providing at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling at least partway between the starting location and the destination location of the travel plan.

186. The system of claim 185, wherein said circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling at least partway between the starting location and the destination location of the travel plan comprises:

circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling at least one of the at least two route legs of the travel plan.

187. The system of claim 186, wherein said circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling at least one of the at least two route legs of the travel plan comprises:

circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling over a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan.

188. The system of claim 187, wherein said circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling over a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan comprises:

circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along the overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location, the preceding route leg does not call for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the preceding travel route.

189. The system of claim 186, wherein said circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling at least one of the at least two route legs of the travel plan comprises:

circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling a subsequent route leg that is subsequent to the transport route leg along overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan.

190. The system of claim 162, wherein said circuitry for providing at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying one or more modes of transporting the one or more end users for each of the at least two route legs.

192. The system of claim 162, wherein said circuitry for providing at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be provided indicating a rendezvous location and/or rendezvous time for the one or more end users to rendezvous with the at least one transportation vehicle unit in order for the one or more end users to be transported over the transport route leg.

193. The system of claim 192, wherein said circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be provided indicating a rendezvous location and/or rendezvous time for the one or more end users to rendezvous with the at least one transportation vehicle unit in order for the one or more end users to be transported over the transport route leg comprises:

circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be provided indicating a rendezvous location for the one or more end users to rendezvous with the at least one transportation vehicle unit in order for the one or more end users to be transported over the transport route leg, the rendezvous location that is indicated being the same as or proximate to the starting location for starting the travel plan.

194. The system of claim 192, wherein said circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be provided indicating a rendezvous location and/or rendezvous time for the one or more end users to rendezvous with the at least one transportation vehicle unit in order for the one or more end users to be transported over the transport route leg comprises:

circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be provided indicating a rendezvous location for the one or more end users to rendezvous with the at least one transportation vehicle unit in order for the one or more end users to be transported over the transport route leg, the rendezvous location that is indicated being an intermediate location located between a starting location for starting the travel plan and the destination location for the travel plan.

197. The system of claim 162, wherein said circuitry for providing at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be provided identifying the at least one transport route leg and a first route leg that is identified as not calling for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the first route leg, the at least one transport route leg being a second route leg that calls for the at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the second route leg.

198. The system of claim 197, wherein said circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be provided identifying the at least one transport route leg and a first route leg that is identified as not calling for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the first route leg, the at least one transport route leg being a second route leg that calls for the at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the second route leg comprises:

circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to provided identifying the first route leg that is identified as not calling for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the first route leg and the second route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the second route leg, the first route leg identified as calling for the one or more end users to travel over the first route leg by walking, by bicycling, by mass transit, and/or by ferry.

199. The system of claim 197, wherein said circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be provided identifying the at least one transport route leg and a first route leg that is identified as not calling for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the first route leg, the at least one transport route leg being a second route leg that calls for the at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the second route leg comprises:

circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be provided identifying the first route leg that is identified as not calling for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the first route leg and the second route leg that calls for the at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end user over the second route leg, the first route leg identified as preceding the second route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan.

200. The system of claim 197, wherein said circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be provided identifying the at least one transport route leg and a first route leg that is identified as not calling for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the first route leg, the at least one transport route leg being a second route leg that calls for the at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the second route leg comprises:

circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be provided identifying the first route leg that is identified as not calling for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the first route leg and the second route leg that calls for the at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the second route leg, the first route leg identified as being immediately following the second route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan.

201. The system of claim 162, wherein said circuitry for providing at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be provided identifying the at least one transport route leg and a first route leg that is identified as calling for another transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the first route leg, the at least one transport route leg being a second route leg that calls for the at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the second route leg.

204. The system of claim 162, wherein said circuitry for providing at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

circuitry for providing at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from the starting location, the travel plan having been developed to minimize total travel costs to be incurred in order for the one or more end users to reach the destination location from the starting location.

205. The system of claim 162, wherein said circuitry for providing at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

circuitry for providing at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from the starting location, the travel plan having been developed to comply with one or more mass transit or ferry preferences of at least one of the one or more end users.

206. The system of claim 162, wherein said circuitry for providing at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

circuitry for providing at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from the starting location, the travel plan having been developed to comply with one or more walking or bicycling preferences of at least one of the one or more end users.

210. The system of claim 162, wherein said circuitry for providing at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

circuitry for providing the at least one or more portions of a travel plan in response, at least in part, to receiving a request for transporting the one or more end users towards the destination location.

211. The system of claim 162, wherein said circuitry for transmitting a request for one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users at a rendezvous location in order to transport the one or more end users over the at least one transport leg comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the request in response to detecting that at least one of the one or more end users is within a predefined distance from the rendezvous location.

212. The system of claim 211, wherein said circuitry for transmitting the request in response to detecting that at least one of the one or more end users is within a predefined distance from the rendezvous location comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the request in response to detecting that at least one of the one or more end users is within a predefined distance from the rendezvous location.

213. The system of claim 211, wherein said circuitry for transmitting the request in response to detecting that at least one of the one or more end users is within a predefined distance from the rendezvous location comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the request in response to detecting that at least one of the one or more end users is within a predefined amount of time from reaching the rendezvous location.

214. The system of claim 211, wherein said circuitry for transmitting the request in response to detecting that at least one of the one or more end users is within a predefined distance from the rendezvous location comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the request in response to detecting that at least one of the one or more end users has reached a particular point along a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from a starting location to the destination location of the travel plan.

164. (canceled)

174-177. -177. (canceled)

183. (canceled)

184. (canceled)

191. (canceled)

195. (canceled)

196. (canceled)

202. (canceled)

203. (canceled)

207-209. -209. (canceled)

215-220. -220. (canceled)

221. A system, comprising:

a travel plan providing module configured to provide at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg; and

a transportation vehicle unit request transmitting module configured to transmit a request for one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users at a rendezvous location in order to transport the one or more end users over the at least one transport leg.

222. A mobile computing device, comprising:

a travel plan providing module configured to provide at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg;

a transportation vehicle unit request transmitting module configured to transmit a request for one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users at a rendezvous location in order to transport the one or more end users over the at least one transport leg;

a user interface; and

a network interface.