SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR VERIFYING THAT ONE OR MORE END USER TRANSPORT DIRECTIVES DO NOT CONFLICT WITH ONE OR MORE PACKAGE DELIVERY DIRECTIVES

• US 20150324735A1
• Filed: 11/10/2014
• 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 9,558,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping

Abstract

Computationally implemented methods and systems that are designed for receiving one or more package delivery directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages; receiving one or more end user transport directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more end users; and verifying that the one or more end user transport directives do not conflict with the one or more package delivery directives such that transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives will not violate one or more package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit to deliver the one or more packages in accordance with the one or more package delivery directives. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.

Claims

1-141. -141. (canceled)

142. A system, comprising:

circuitry for receiving one or more end user transport directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more end users; and

circuitry for confirming that the one or more end user transport directives do not conflict with one or more package delivery directives such that transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives will not violate one or more package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages in accordance with the one or more package delivery directives.

147. The system of claim 142, wherein said circuitry for receiving one or more end user transport directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for receiving one or more end user transport directives that identify one or more deadlines for arriving at one or more destination locations for the one or more end users.

148. The system of claim 142, wherein said circuitry for receiving one or more end user transport directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for receiving one or more end user transport directives that identify at least one package for delivery by the transportation vehicle unit during transport of the one or more end users.

149. The system of claim 148, wherein said circuitry for receiving one or more end user transport directives that identify at least one package for delivery by the transportation vehicle unit during transport of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for receiving one or more end user transport directives that identify two or more packages for delivery by the transportation vehicle unit during transport of the one or more end users, the one or more end user transport directives further identifying order in which each of the two or more packages are to be delivered to two or more package delivery locations.

150. The system of claim 148, wherein said circuitry for receiving one or more end user transport directives that identify at least one package for delivery by the transportation vehicle unit during transport of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for receiving one or more end user transport directives that identify at least one route for delivering the at least one package by the transportation vehicle unit during transport of the one or more end users.

151. The system of claim 142, wherein said circuitry for receiving one or more end user transport directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for receiving one or more end user transport directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more end users and that further identifies at least one package for delivery by the transportation vehicle unit prior to transport of the one or more end users.

152. The system of claim 142, wherein said circuitry for receiving one or more end user transport directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for receiving one or more end user transport directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more end users and that further identifies at least one package for delivery by the transportation vehicle unit following transport of the one or more end users to one or more end user destination locations.

153. The system of claim 142, wherein said circuitry for receiving one or more end user transport directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for receiving end user preference data indicating one or more end user preferences related to package deliveries during transport of the one or more end users.

154. The system of claim 153, wherein said circuitry for receiving end user preference data indicating one or more end user preferences related to package deliveries during transport of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for receiving end user preference data indicating an end user preference that no packages be delivered during transport of the one or more end users.

155. The system of claim 153, wherein said circuitry for receiving end user preference data indicating one or more end user preferences related to package deliveries during transport of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for receiving end user preference data indicating an end user preference that no more than a predefined maximum number of package delivery or deliveries are permitted to be executed during transport of the one or more end users.

156. The system of claim 153, wherein said circuitry for receiving end user preference data indicating one or more end user preferences related to package deliveries during transport of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for receiving end user preference data indicating an end user preference that no more than a predefined maximum amount of time delay is permitted for transporting of the one or more end users and as a result of delivering the one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users.

161. The system of claim 142, wherein said circuitry for receiving one or more end user transport directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for receiving discount transport rate data indicating a discounted transport fee rate for transporting the one or more end users and based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit making one or more package deliveries during transport of the one or more end users, the discount transport fee rate being a reduced fee rate from a transport fee rate that would be charged if the transportation vehicle unit does not execute any package deliveries during transport of the one or more end users.

165. The system of claim 142, wherein said circuitry for confirming that the one or more end user transport directives do not conflict with one or more package delivery directives such that transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives will not violate one or more package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages in accordance with the one or more package delivery directives comprises:

circuitry for confirming that there is no outstanding package delivery obligation that obligates the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages during a projected time span needed for transporting the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit to one or more end user destination locations.

166. The system of claim 142, wherein said circuitry for confirming that the one or more end user transport directives do not conflict with one or more package delivery directives such that transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives will not violate one or more package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages in accordance with the one or more package delivery directives comprises:

circuitry for confirming that there is no outstanding package delivery obligation that obligates the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages by one or more deadlines that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the transportation vehicle unit.

167. The system of claim 142, wherein said circuitry for confirming that the one or more end user transport directives do not conflict with one or more package delivery directives such that transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives will not violate one or more package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages in accordance with the one or more package delivery directives comprises:

circuitry for confirming that there is no outstanding package delivery obligation that obligates the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages in one or more specified environmental conditions that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the transportation vehicle unit.

168. The system of claim 142, wherein said circuitry for confirming that the one or more end user transport directives do not conflict with one or more package delivery directives such that transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives will not violate one or more package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages in accordance with the one or more package delivery directives comprises:

circuitry for confirming that all outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit can be fulfilled even if the transportation vehicle unit transports the one or more end users in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives.

169. The system of claim 168, wherein said circuitry for confirming that all outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit can be fulfilled even if the transportation vehicle unit transports the one or more end users in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives comprises:

circuitry for confirming that one or more of the outstanding package delivery obligations for delivering one or more packages can be fulfilled during transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives.

170. The system of claim 168, wherein said circuitry for confirming that all outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit can be fulfilled even if the transportation vehicle unit transports the one or more end users in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives comprises:

circuitry for confirming that one or more of the outstanding package delivery obligations for delivering one or more packages can be fulfilled before or after transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives.

171. The system of claim 168, wherein said circuitry for confirming that all outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit can be fulfilled even if the transportation vehicle unit transports the one or more end users in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives comprises:

circuitry for confirming that one or more spatial requirements for transporting the one or more end users in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives will not conflict with spatial requirements for transporting the one or more packages in accordance with one or more outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit.

172. The system of claim 168, wherein said circuitry for confirming that all outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit can be fulfilled even if the transportation vehicle unit transports the one or more end users in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives comprises:

circuitry for confirming that one or more end user preferences related to one or more passenger transport environment requirements as defined by the one or more end user transport directives will not conflict with one or more package transport environment requirements as defined by the one or more package delivery directives.

173. The system of claim 142, wherein said circuitry for confirming that the one or more end user transport directives do not conflict with one or more package delivery directives such that transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives will not violate one or more package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages in accordance with the one or more package delivery directives comprises:

circuitry for identifying one or more outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit that can be fulfilled during transport of the one or more end user by the transportation vehicle unit without violating one or more passenger transport requirements as defined by the one or more end user transport directives.

174. The system of claim 173, wherein said circuitry for identifying one or more outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit that can be fulfilled during transport of the one or more end user by the transportation vehicle unit without violating one or more passenger transport requirements as defined by the one or more end user transport directives comprises:

circuitry for identifying one or more outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit that are yet to be fulfilled and that requires delivery of one or more packages to one or more package delivery locations that are determined as being along or proximate to a direct route for transporting, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more end users from one or more rendezvous locations to one or more end user destination locations.

175. The system of claim 173, wherein said circuitry for identifying one or more outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit that can be fulfilled during transport of the one or more end user by the transportation vehicle unit without violating one or more passenger transport requirements as defined by the one or more end user transport directives comprises:

circuitry for identifying the one or more outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit that can be fulfilled during transport of the one or more end user by the transportation vehicle unit based, at least in part, on a determination that fulfilling the one or more outstanding package delivery obligations during transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit will not conflict with one or more end user preferences related to transporting of the one or more end users as defined by the one or more end user transport directives.

176. The system of claim 175, wherein said circuitry for identifying the one or more outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit that can be fulfilled during transport of the one or more end user by the transportation vehicle unit based, at least in part, on a determination that fulfilling the one or more outstanding package delivery obligations during transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit will not conflict with one or more end user preferences related to transporting of the one or more end users as defined by the one or more end user transport directives comprises:

circuitry for identifying the one or more outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit that can be fulfilled during transport of the one or more end user by the transportation vehicle unit based, at least in part, on a determination that fulfilling the one or more outstanding package delivery obligations during transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit will not conflict with one or more end user preferences related to package deliveries during transport of the one or more end users.

177. The system of claim 176, wherein said circuitry for identifying the one or more outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit that can be fulfilled during transport of the one or more end user by the transportation vehicle unit based, at least in part, on a determination that fulfilling the one or more outstanding package delivery obligations during transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit will not conflict with one or more end user preferences related to package deliveries during transport of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for identifying the one or more outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit that can be fulfilled during transport of the one or more end user by the transportation vehicle unit based, at least in part, on a determination that fulfilling the one or more outstanding package delivery obligations during transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit will not conflict with one or more end user preferences that no more than a predefined maximum number of package delivery or deliveries are permitted to be executed during transport of the one or more end users.

178. The system of claim 176, wherein said circuitry for identifying the one or more outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit that can be fulfilled during transport of the one or more end user by the transportation vehicle unit based, at least in part, on a determination that fulfilling the one or more outstanding package delivery obligations during transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit will not conflict with one or more end user preferences related to package deliveries during transport of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for identifying the one or more outstanding package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit that can be fulfilled during transport of the one or more end user by the transportation vehicle unit based, at least in part, on a determination that fulfilling the one or more outstanding package delivery obligations during transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit will not conflict with one or more end user preferences that no more than a predefined maximum amount of time delay is permitted for transporting the one or more end users and as a result of delivering one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users.

179. The system of claim 142, wherein said circuitry for confirming that the one or more end user transport directives do not conflict with one or more package delivery directives such that transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives will not violate one or more package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages in accordance with the one or more package delivery directives comprises:

circuitry for determining that there are multiple outstanding package delivery obligations for the transportation vehicle unit that are yet to be fulfilled and that are determined not to be violated if the transportation vehicle unit transports the one or more end users.

180. The system of claim 179, wherein said circuitry for determining that there are multiple outstanding package delivery obligations for the transportation vehicle unit that are yet to be fulfilled and that are determined not to be violated if the transportation vehicle unit transports the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for determining which of the multiple outstanding package delivery obligations can be potentially fulfilled by the transportation vehicle unit during transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit, the determination being based, at least in part, on one or more package delivery locations for packages to be delivered in accordance with the multiple outstanding package delivery obligations.

181. The system of claim 180, wherein said circuitry for determining which of the multiple outstanding package delivery obligations can be potentially fulfilled by the transportation vehicle unit during transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit, the determination being based, at least in part, on one or more package delivery locations for packages to be delivered in accordance with the multiple outstanding package delivery obligations comprises:

circuitry for determining which of the multiple outstanding package delivery obligations can be potentially fulfilled by the transportation vehicle unit during transport of the one or more end users based, at least in part, on package delivery locations or locations for each package delivery obligation of the multiple outstanding package delivery obligations relative to a direct route for transporting the one or more end users from one or more rendezvous locations to one or more end user destination locations.

182. The system of claim 181, wherein said circuitry for determining which of the multiple outstanding package delivery obligations can be potentially fulfilled by the transportation vehicle unit during transport of the one or more end users based, at least in part, on package delivery locations or locations for each package delivery obligation of the multiple outstanding package delivery obligations relative to a direct route for transporting the one or more end users from one or more rendezvous locations to one or more end user destination locations comprises:

circuitry for selecting a subset of the multiple outstanding package delivery obligations for fulfillment by the transportation vehicle unit during transport of the one or more end users based, at least in part, on package delivery locations or locations for each package delivery obligation of the multiple outstanding package delivery obligations relative to a direct route for transporting the one or more end users from one or more rendezvous locations to one or more end user destination locations.

186. The system of claim 142, wherein said circuitry for confirming that the one or more end user transport directives do not conflict with one or more package delivery directives such that transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives will not violate one or more package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages in accordance with the one or more package delivery directives comprises:

circuitry for determining a discounted transport fee rate to be charged for transporting the one or more end users, the discounted fee rate being based, at least in part, on determining that one or more package deliveries will be made during transport of the one or more end users, and the discounted fee rate being a reduced fee rate from a transport fee rate that would be charged if the transportation vehicle unit does not make any package deliveries during transport of the one or more end users.

187. The system of claim 186, wherein said circuitry for determining a discounted transport fee rate to be charged for transporting the one or more end users, the discounted fee rate being based, at least in part, on determining that one or more package deliveries will be made during transport of the one or more end users, and the discounted fee rate being a reduced fee rate from a transport fee rate that would be charged if the transportation vehicle unit does not make any package deliveries during transport of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for determining the discounted transport fee rate to be charged for transporting the one or more end users, the discounted fee rate being based, at least in part, on a sliding scale where the discounting of a nominal transport fee rate to generate the discounted transport fee rate is greater when there is greater number of package deliveries to be made during transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit.

188. The system of claim 142, further comprising:

circuitry for presenting, in response to verification that the one or more end user transport directives do not conflict with the one or more package delivery directives, one or more instructive directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users.

193. The system of claim 188, wherein said circuitry for presenting, in response to verification that the one or more end user transport directives do not conflict with the one or more package delivery directives, one or more instructive directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for presenting one or more instructive directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users and that further directs the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users.

196. The system of claim 193, wherein said circuitry for presenting one or more instructive directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users and that further directs the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for presenting one or more instructive directives that provide a list of one or more packages that can be selected for delivery or deliveries to one or more package delivery locations during transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit.

197. The system of claim 196, wherein said circuitry for presenting one or more instructive directives that provide a list of one or more packages that can be selected for delivery or deliveries to one or more package delivery locations during transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry for presenting one or more instructive directives that provide a list of two or more packages that can be potentially selected for deliveries to two or more package delivery locations during transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit, the list further ranking the packages based on the package delivery locations associated with each of the listed packages.

199. The system of claim 188, wherein said circuitry for presenting, in response to verification that the one or more end user transport directives do not conflict with the one or more package delivery directives, one or more instructive directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for presenting a discounted transport fee rate for transporting the one or more end users, the discounted fee rate being based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit making one or more package deliveries during transport of the one or more end users, the discounted fee rate being a reduced fee rate from a transport fee rate that would be charged if the transportation vehicle unit does not make any package deliveries during transport of the one or more end users.

143-146. -146. (canceled)

157-160. -160. (canceled)

162-164. -164. (canceled)

183-185. -185. (canceled)

189-192. -192. (canceled)

194-195. -195. (canceled)

198. (canceled)

200-212. -212. (canceled)

213. A system, comprising:

a transport directive receiving module configured to receive one or more end user transport directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more end users;

a non-conflict confirming module configured to confirm that the one or more end user transport directives do not conflict with one or more package delivery directives such that transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives will not violate one or more package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages in accordance with the one or more package delivery directives; and

one or more processors.

214. A robotic driver system, comprising:

a transport directive receiving module configured to receive one or more end user transport directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more end users;

a non-conflict confirming module configured to confirm that the one or more end user transport directives do not conflict with one or more package delivery directives such that transport of the one or more end users by the transportation vehicle unit in accordance with the one or more end user transport directives will not violate one or more package delivery obligations of the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages in accordance with the one or more package delivery directives; and

a navigation system; and

a transportation vehicle control system.