System for Directing a Driver to a Passenger Based on a Destination Location Specified by the Driver

• US 20170052034A1
• Filed: 08/21/2015
• Published: 02/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Juno Lab, Inc.
• Inventors: Marco, Talmon, Samocha, Ofer, Haparnas, Ziv, Magazinik, Igor, Marueli, Sunny
• Granted Patent: US 9,933,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

In one embodiment an indication of a driver destination location is received from a driver associated with a taxi service. The driver destination location specifies a location that the driver desires to travel to after transporting one or more passengers. A passenger pick-up location of a first passenger is provided. The first passenger is selected based on the driver destination location and a destination location specified by the first passenger.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a driver associated with a taxi service, an indication of a driver destination location, the driver destination location specifying a location that the driver desires to travel to after transporting one or more passengers; and

providing a passenger pick-up location of a first passenger, wherein the first passenger is selected based on the driver destination location and a destination location specified by the first passenger.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first passenger is selected based on a determination that the distance between the destination location of the first passenger and the driver destination location is less than the distance between the passenger pick-up location and the driver destination location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first passenger is selected based on an estimation that the driver may reach the driver destination location by a scheduled time indicated by the driver after completing transportation of the first passenger from the passenger pick-up location to the destination location specified by the first passenger.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the scheduled time is derived from regular working hours specified by the driver and the driver destination location is a residence of the driver.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

notifying the driver that transportation of the first passenger may result in the driver not being able to reach the driver destination location before the scheduled time; and

receiving an indication from the driver that the driver will transport the first passenger.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first passenger is further selected based on an estimated fare for transporting the first passenger from the passenger pick-up location to the destination location specified by the first passenger.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to providing the passenger pick-up location of the first passenger, directing the driver to a passenger pick-up region based on a probability of a prospective passenger requesting transportation from the passenger pick-up region.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the passenger pick-up region is selected based on historical data indicating a likelihood that the driver may pick up, in the passenger pick-up region, a passenger with a desired destination location that will allow the driver to transport the passenger and arrive at the driver destination location by a time indicated by the driver.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the passenger pick-up region is selected based on historical data indicating a likelihood that the driver may pick up, in the passenger pick-up region, a passenger with a desired destination location that is closer to the driver destination location than the distance between the passenger pick-up region and the driver destination location.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the passenger pick-up region is selected based on historical data comprising fares of routes taken by passengers from the passenger pick-up region.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the passenger pick-up region is the first pick-up region and the destination location specified by the first passenger is located within a second pick-up region of a route comprising multiple pick-up regions selected based on a likelihood of the driver transporting passengers from each pick-up region.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the driver destination location is selected based on a calendar entry associated with the driver.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a communication interface; and

a processor to;

receive, from a driver associated with a taxi service, an indication of a driver destination location, the driver destination location specifying a location that the driver desires to travel to after transporting one or more passengers; and

provide a passenger pick-up location of a first passenger, wherein the first passenger is selected based on the driver destination location and a destination location specified by the first passenger.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first passenger is selected based on a determination that the distance between the destination location of the first passenger and the driver destination location is less than the distance between the passenger pick-up location and the driver destination location.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first passenger is selected based on an estimation that the driver may reach the driver destination location by a scheduled time indicated by the driver after completing transportation of the first passenger from the passenger pick-up location to the destination location specified by the first passenger.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further to:

prior to providing the passenger pick-up location of the first passenger, direct the driver to a passenger pick-up region selected based on a probability of a prospective passenger requesting transportation from the passenger pick-up region.

17. At least one computer-readable non-transitory media comprising one or more instructions that when executed by a processor configure the processor to cause the performance of operations comprising:

receiving, from a driver associated with a taxi service, an indication of a driver destination location, the driver destination location specifying a location that the driver desires to travel to after transporting one or more passengers; and

providing a passenger pick-up location of a first passenger, wherein the first passenger is selected based on the driver destination location and a destination location specified by the first passenger.

18. The media of claim 17, wherein the first passenger is selected based on a determination that the distance between the destination location of the first passenger and the driver destination location is less than the distance between the passenger pick-up location and the driver destination location.

19. The media of claim 17, wherein the first passenger is selected based on an estimation that the driver may reach the driver destination location by a scheduled time indicated by the driver after completing transportation of the first passenger from the passenger pick-up location to the destination location specified by the first passenger.

20. The media of claim 17, wherein the instructions when executed are further to cause the performance of:

prior to providing the passenger pick-up location of the first passenger, directing the driver to a passenger pick-up region selected based on a probability of a prospective passenger requesting transportation from the passenger pick-up region.