INTEGRATED RIDE SHARING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FLEET MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

• US 20170091891A1
• Filed: 05/14/2015
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ilan Van Der Berg
• Original Assignee: Ilan Van Der Berg
• Inventors: VAN DER BERG, Ilan
• Granted Patent: US 10,915,978 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 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 13/00 Taximeters measuring distance travelled G01C; measuring time G04
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

An integrated transportation system (TIS) that comprises at least one Fleet Management System (FMS), Ride Sharing (RS) module and Administrator of the TIS that is configured to supervise and mediate communication between the FMS and RS module upon uploading transportation service offers through the RS module to potential passengers and cargo. The TIS comprises functionalities that enable establishing FMS on the TIS, enabling the FMS to offer transportation service offers to TIS users through the RS module, receiving requests for such services through the RS module and supervising their execution. The TIS also maintains a database relating to transportation services carried out through it and offers access to such database to interested parties.

Claims

1. A Transportation Integrated System (TIS) comprising:

at least one Fleet Management System (FMS);

a Ride Sharing (RS) module; and

TIS administrator configured to supervise and mediate communication between said at least one FMS and RS module and between users of said TIS and functionalities of said TIS,

wherein said TIS is configured to provide management functionalities for said at least one FMS comprising uploading transportation service offers to said TIS;

communicating said offers to said RS module;

receiving transportation requests from said RS module;

supervising transportation activities negotiated through said RS module;

supervising transportation execution in vehicles of said at least one FMS; and

supervising payment execution and distribution for said transportation activities;

said RS module is configured to receive transportation requests from users of said TIS;

issue said transportation requests to said at least one FMS;

receive transportation offers from said at least one FMS;

transmit said transportation offers to said users; and

confirm transportation execution and transaction approved by said users and at least one FMS.

2. The TIS according to claim 1, further comprising communication functionalities configured for communicating with communication means in said vehicles of said at least one FMS and with FMSs outside said TIS and communicating with said TIS.

3. The TIS according to claim 2, wherein said communication means are Vehicle Systems (VSs) installed in said vehicles of said at least one FMS.

4. The TIS according to claim 2, wherein said communication means are selected from GPS, satellite and wireless mobile phones, wherein said mobile phones comprising mobile application version of said TIS.

5. The TIS according to claim 2, wherein communication between said communication functionalities of said TIS and communication means in said vehicles is real-time communication.

6. The TIS according to claim 2, wherein said communication functionalities further configured to communicate between said vehicles of said at least one FMS and FMSs outside said TIS and administrators of said at least one FMS and FMSs outside said TIS.

7. The TIS according to claim 2, wherein said communication functionalities further configured to enable communication between a plurality of FMSs, wherein communication enables cooperation between said plurality of FMSs.

8. The TIS according to claim 1, wherein said at least one FMS is Mirror-FMS (M-FMS), said M-FMS configured to be in communication with FMS outside said TIS, retrieve ride offers from said FMS and transmit said ride offers to said RS module.

9. The TIS according to claim 1, further comprising capabilities for establishing FMS on said TIS by vehicle owners.

10. The TIS according to claim 1, further configured to enable communication between passengers for forming shared ride negotiated through said RS module.

11. The TIS according to claim 1, further configured to filter communication between said at least one FMS and said RS module and said RS module and said users.

12. The TIS according to claim 1, further comprising a database, said database is configured to store accumulated data related to said transportation activities communicated and executed through said TIS;

communicate with databases external to said TIS for retrieving information required for execution of said transportation activities; and

provide data accumulated to users of said TIS.

13. The TIS according to claim 12, further comprising data analysis functionalities for analyzing said data in said database according to selected parameters in response to requests issued by said users of said TIS.

14. The TIS according to claim 1, wherein said RS module is configured to provide alternative transportation trips in response to request for transportation service offers submitted by said users to said RS module, wherein said transportation trips comprise data relating to trip route, intermediate points of stop, time length, estimated times of departure and arrival, type of transportation, transportation service providers and fees.

15. The TIS according to claim 14, wherein said trip route is segmented trip route.

16. The TIS according to claim 15, wherein said trip route is inter-continental, continental, country, county or city trip route.

17. The TIS according to claim 14, wherein said trip route is local trip route.

18. The TIS according to claim 1, wherein said transportation execution comprising receiving identification of passengers boarding said vehicles;

and sending said identification to Administrator of said at least one FMS.

19. The TIS according to claim 18, wherein said identification is carried out with photographic means, RF tag means, GPS or satellite means communicating with wireless devices of said passengers.

20. The TIS according to claim 18, wherein said photographic means are selected from camera of smartphone mobile communication or camera installed in said vehicle.

21. The TIS according to claim 18, wherein said wireless devices of said passengers are smartphone mobile communication devices.

22. The TIS according to claim 1, wherein said payment execution and distribution for said transportation activities comprises:

recording passengers boarding said vehicles;

recording destination and departure of trip ordered by said passengers;

calculating fees for said trip;

collecting said fees;

recording drop-off point of said passengers and distributing payment received from said passengers between said at least one FMS, Administrator of said TIS and vehicle drivers.

23. The TIS according to claim 22, wherein said payment execution and distribution for said transportation activities further comprises:

recording extended destination of passengers not dropping-off of said vehicles;

re-calculating supplemental fees for additional section of extended trip;

collecting said supplemental fees; and

distributing payment of said supplemental fees between said at least one FMS;

Administrator of said TIS and vehicle drivers;

24. The TIS according to claim 22, wherein said payment is made at arrival to said departure or destination.

25. The TIS according to claim 22, wherein said payment is made in online transfer, credit card charging, virtual money transfer or cash.

26. The TIS according to claim 22, wherein said payment is registered by Administrator of said TIS.

27. The TIS according to claim 1, wherein said RS module is configured to upload transportation requests submitted by said users in an auction, transmit said transportation requests to a plurality of FMSs, receive transportation offers for said transportation requests from said plurality of FMSs, display said transportation offers to said users and communicate transportation offer elected by said users to FMS corresponding to said transportation offer.

28. The TIS according to claim 22, wherein said payment execution and distribution is transparent to administrator of said FMS, Administrator of said TIS and vehicle driver.

29. The TIS according to claim 1, wherein said transportation offers comprise cargo shipping, wherein said cargo is tracked by Customized ID (CID) provided by sender, recorded by said Administrator of said TIS and at least one FMS.

30. The TIS according to claim 1, wherein said transportation offers comprise cargo shipping, wherein said cargo is tracked by GPS tracking chip or barcode.

31. The TIS according to claim 1, wherein said Administrator of said TIS enables communication and cooperation between a plurality of FMS operating on said TIS for submitting transportation service offers, wherein said Administrator supervises said communication and cooperation.

32. The TIS according to claim 1, further configured to apply security and authentication protocols for said users.

33. The TIS according to claim 1, further configured to apply filtering protocol between said users and said at least one FMS.

34. The TIS according to claim 1, wherein said at least one FMS is selected from Cargo companies, Shipping companies, Private and public bus companies, Public and private transportation companies, Companies maintaining field workers, salesmen, service personnel, workers provided with transportation to, from and during work, Companies maintaining field workers for different tasks using company dedicated service vehicles, Cab drivers, car service drivers, Cooperative companies with a plurality of users sharing several vehicles, Private and public marine vehicles for cargo shipping and people transportation, Rental marine vehicles, Aerial vehicles for cargo and people, Rental and leasing aerial vehicles, Other transportation means related or customized user companies, Industries and factories requiring distribution lines for their goods, Industries and factories managing distribution fleet of vehicles for their goods, Courier companies for post office and packages, Logistic companies and Individuals owning private vehicles, which they lend for ride sharing and cargo shipping.

35. The TIS according to claim 1, wherein said TIS is configured to connect with platforms providing services interfacing with services of said TIS through ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) configuration, wherein connection between said TIS and said platforms enables integration of said TIS with said platforms in a unified integrated system.