SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR VERIFYING THAT ONE OR MORE DIRECTIVES THAT DIRECT TRANSPORT OF A SECOND END USER DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH ONE OR MORE OBLIGATIONS TO TRANSPORT A FIRST END USER

• US 20150324729A1
• Filed: 02/11/2015
• 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 9,552,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

Computationally implemented methods and systems that are designed for receiving one or more first directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport a first end user; receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be able to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user; and verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.

Claims

1. A computationally-implemented method, comprising:

receiving one or more first directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport a first end user;

receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be able to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user; and

verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit.

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81. A computationally-implemented system, comprising:

means for receiving one or more first directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport a first end user

means for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be able to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user; and

means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit.

84. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for receiving one or more first directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport a first end user comprises:

means for receiving the one or more first directives including means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences associated with transport of the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit.

86. The computationally-implemented system of claim 84, wherein said means for receiving the one or more first directives including means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences associated with transport of the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of one or more other end users not affiliated with the first end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized.

87. The computationally-implemented system of claim 86, wherein said means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of one or more other end users not affiliated with the first end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user so long as transport of the one or more other users by the transportation vehicle unit does not cause a delay in transporting the first end user to a first end user destination location that is greater than a predefined amount of maximum permitted delay.

89. The computationally-implemented system of claim 86, wherein said means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of one or more other end users not affiliated with the first end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user so long as transport of the one or more other end users by the transportation vehicle unit does not cause the transportation vehicle unit to have a number of end user drop-offs prior to the first end user being dropped-off that is greater than a predefined amount of maximum permitted end user drop-offs permitted before the first end user is dropped-off.

91. The computationally-implemented system of claim 86, wherein said means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of one or more other end users not affiliated with the first end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user so long as transport of the one or more other users by the transportation vehicle unit does not cause any end user drop-off to occur prior to drop-off of the first end user.

96. The computationally-implemented system of claim 86, wherein said means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of one or more other end users not affiliated with the first end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user, the one or more carpooling preferences including a preference that all other end users to be transported by the transportation vehicle unit while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user share at least one specified common interest.

103. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be able to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user comprises:

means for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, the one or more second directives including means for receiving the one or more second directives when the transportation vehicle unit is spatially moving towards a first end user rendezvous location in order to rendezvous with the first end user.

105. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be able to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user comprises:

means for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, the one or more second directives including means for receiving the one or more second directives when the transportation vehicle unit has already secured the first end user.

106. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be able to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user comprises:

means for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, the one or more second directives by receiving the one or more second directives when the transportation vehicle unit is within 15 minutes or less from rendezvousing with the first end user.

112. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be able to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user comprises:

means for receiving the one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user including means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences of the second end user.

113. The computationally-implemented system of claim 112, wherein said means for receiving the one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user including means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences of the second end user comprises:

means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences of the second end user that indicates maximum number of end user drop-offs permitted prior to the second end user being dropped-off.

114. The computationally-implemented system of claim 112, wherein said means for receiving the one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user including means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences of the second end user comprises:

means for receiving one or more carpooling preferences of the second end user that indicate maximum amount of time delay permitted in transporting the second end user to a second end user destination location and as a result of the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the first end user.

115. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be able to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user comprises:

means for receiving the one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user including means for receiving transport rate data that indicates a transport rate for transporting the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit.

118. The computationally-implemented system of claim 115, wherein said means for receiving the one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user including means for receiving transport rate data that indicates a transport rate for transporting the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

means for receiving transport rate data that indicates a discounted transport rate for the second end user, the discount transport rate for the second end user being based, at least in part, on the number of planned end user drop-offs to be made by the transportation vehicle unit prior to the second end user being dropped-off at a second end user destination location.

119. The computationally-implemented system of claim 115, wherein said means for receiving the one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user including means for receiving transport rate data that indicates a transport rate for transporting the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

means for receiving transport rate data that indicates a premium transport rate for the second end user, the premium transport rate for the second end user being a higher transport rate than a transport rate for the first end user for being transported by the transportation vehicle unit.

120. The computationally-implemented system of claim 115, wherein said means for receiving the one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user including means for receiving transport rate data that indicates a transport rate for transporting the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

means for receiving transport rate data that indicates a discounted transport rate for the first end user, the discounted transport rate being as a result of the second end user being assigned to be transported by the transportation vehicle unit, the discounted transport rate for the first end user being less than a transport rate for the first end user that was provided prior to assignment of the second end user to the transportation vehicle unit.

121. The computationally-implemented system of claim 115, wherein said means for receiving the one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user including means for receiving transport rate data that indicates a transport rate for transporting the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

means for receiving transport rate data that indicates a discounted transport rate for the first end user, the discounted transport rate being as a result of the transportation vehicle unit making an additional passenger drop-off prior to the first end user being dropped-off at a first end user destination location and as a result of the second end user being assigned to be transported by the transportation vehicle unit.

125. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be able to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user comprises:

means for receiving the one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined, when the one or more second directives are received, scheduled for traveling near to a second end user destination location of the second end user when transporting one or more other end users including the first end user.

128. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more other end users including the second end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized.

129. The computationally-implemented system of claim 128, wherein said means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more other end users including the second end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the second end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if transport of the one or more other end users including the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit does not cause a delay in transporting the first end user to a first end user destination location that is greater than a predefined amount of maximum permitted delay.

131. The computationally-implemented system of claim 128, wherein said means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more other end users including the second end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the second end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if transport of the one or more other end users including the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit does not cause the transportation vehicle unit to have a number of end user drop-offs prior to the first end user being dropped-off that is greater than a predefined amount of maximum permitted end user drop-offs permitted before the first end user is dropped-off.

132. The computationally-implemented system of claim 131, wherein said means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the second end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if transport of the one or more other end users including the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit does not cause the transportation vehicle unit to have a number of end user drop-offs prior to the first end user being dropped-off that is greater than a predefined amount of maximum permitted end user drop-offs permitted before the first end user is dropped-off comprises:

means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users including the second end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if transport of the one or more other end users including the second user by the transportation vehicle unit does not cause the transportation vehicle unit to have a number of end user drop-offs prior to the first end user being dropped-off that is greater than a maximum of three end user drop-offs permitted before the first end user is dropped-off.

133. The computationally-implemented system of claim 128, wherein said means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more other end users including the second end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users including the second end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if transport of the one or more other end users including the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit does not cause any end user drop-off to occur prior to drop of the first end user.

136. The computationally-implemented system of claim 128, wherein said means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more other end users including the second end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users including the second end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if the one or more other end users including the second end user will be rendezvousing with the transportation vehicle unit at a rendezvous location that is the designating location for the first end user to rendezvousing with the transportation vehicle unit.

137. The computationally-implemented system of claim 128, wherein said means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more other end users including the second end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users including the second end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if the one or more other end users including the second end user are to be transported to a destination location that is the same as the destination location for the first end user.

138. The computationally-implemented system of claim 128, wherein said means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more other end users including the second end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users including the second end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the first end user only if the one or more other end users including the second end user have at least one specified common interest with the first end user.

139. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

means for verifying that the transportation vehicle unit is in the proximate vicinity of a second end user rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the second end user.

141. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

means for verifying that the transportation vehicle unit is scheduled for traveling near to a second end user destination location of the second end user when transporting one or more other end users including the first end user.

142. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with the one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit including means for verifying that transport of the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit while transporting the first end user will not violate one or more carpooling preferences of the first end user.

143. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with the one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit by including means for verifying that transport of the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit while transporting the first end user will not violate one or more carpooling preferences of the second end user.

144. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

means for determining a transport rate for the first end user that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the second end user while transporting the first end user.

145. The computationally-implemented system of claim 144, wherein said means for determining a transport rate for the first end user that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the second end user while transporting the first end user comprises:

means for determining a transport rate for the first end user that is based, at least in part, on the number of other end users that the transportation vehicle unit will be transporting while transporting the first end user, the other end users not being affiliated with the first end user.

147. The computationally-implemented system of claim 144, wherein said means for determining a transport rate for the first end user that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the second end user while transporting the first end user comprises:

means for determining a discounted transport rate for the first end user, the discounted transport rate being as a result of the second end user being assigned to be transported by the transportation vehicle unit, the discounted transport rate for the first end user being less than a transport rate for the first end user that was provided prior to assignment of the second end user to the transportation vehicle unit.

148. The computationally-implemented system of claim 144, wherein said means for determining a transport rate for the first end user that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the second end user while transporting the first end user comprises:

means for determining a discounted transport rate for the first end user, the discounted transport rate being as a result of the transportation vehicle unit making an additional passenger drop-off prior to the first end user being dropped-off at a first end user destination location and as a result of the second end user being assigned to be transported by the transportation vehicle unit.

149. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

means for determining a transport rate for the second end user that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the first end user while transporting the second end user.

151. The computationally-implemented system of claim 149, wherein said means for determining a transport rate for the second end user that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the first end user while transporting the second end user comprises:

means for determining a discounted transport rate for the second end user, the discount transport rate for the second end user being based, at least in part, on the number of planned end user drop-offs to be made by the transportation vehicle unit prior to the second end user being dropped off at a second end user destination location.

152. The computationally-implemented system of claim 149, wherein said means for determining a transport rate for the second end user that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the first end user while transporting the second end user comprises:

means for determining a premium transport rate for the second end user, the premium transport rate for the second end user being a higher transport rate than a transport rate for the first end user for being transported by the transportation vehicle unit.

155. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, further comprising:

means for presenting, in response to verification that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, one or more instructive directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user.

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161. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium bearing;

one or more instructions for receiving one or more first directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport a first end user;

one or more instructions for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be able to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user; and

one or more instructions for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit.