Rules-Based Ride Security

• US 20170127215A1
• Filed: 10/28/2016
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zemcar, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Zemcar, Inc.
• Inventors: Khan, Bilal W.
• Granted Patent: US 10,972,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1172 using fingerprinting
• 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: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/61 Time-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

A method includes receiving, through the user interface of a user device of a user, a request for a ride from the user; assigning a driver to provide the ride for the user; according to one or more application rules associated with the request for the ride, providing the driver with access to information uniquely identifying the user or a rider.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, through the user interface of a user device of a user, a request for a ride from the user;

assigning a driver to provide the ride for the user;

according to one or more application rules associated with the request for the ride, providing the driver with access to information uniquely identifying the user or a rider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the driver with access to the information comprises providing the driver with access based on a location of the driver, in which the application rules define the location at which the driver is to be provided with access.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising providing the driver with access to the information at a pick-up location for the ride.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the driver with access to the information comprises providing the driver with access for a limited period of time, the limited period of time being specified by one or more of the application rules.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising causing destruction of the information according to one or more of the application rules.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising causing destruction of the information after the driver has accessed the information.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving, from a mobile device operated by the driver, a current fingerprint of the user;

and

in which providing the driver with access to the information comprises providing the driver with information indicative of results of a comparison between the current fingerprint of the user or rider and a stored fingerprint of the user or rider.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising providing the driver with access to one or more instructions associated with the ride according to one or more of the application rules.

9. The method of claim 8, in which the instructions comprise one or more of audio instructions, video instructions, image instructions, and text instructions.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, through the user interface of a user device of a user, a request for a ride from the user;

assigning a driver to provide the ride for the user;

according to one or more application rules associated with the request for the ride, providing the user with access to information uniquely identifying the driver.

11. The method of claim 10, in which the information uniquely identifying the driver comprises a visual code.

12. The method of claim 11, in which the visual code comprises a pattern of colors.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising providing the visual code to a mobile device associated with the driver.

14. The method of claim 13, in which the visual code is randomly generated based on the one or more application rules and in which the randomly generated visual code is synchronized between the mobile device associated with the driver and a mobile device associated with the user.

15. The method of claim 13, in which the visual code provided to the mobile device is configured to be displayed with one or more lights mounted on a vehicle operated by the driver.

16. The method of claim 10, comprising receiving, from a mobile device operated by the user, a current fingerprint of the driver;

and

in which providing the driver with access to the information comprises providing the driver with information indicative of results of a comparison between the current fingerprint of the driver and a stored fingerprint of the driver.

17. A method comprising:

during transportation of a rider by a driver in a ride arranged by a computer-implemented driver assignment platform, implementing one or more rules to enable an image of the rider to be transmitted to one or more of an operator of the computer-implemented driver assignment platform and a supervisor of the rider.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein enabling an image of the rider to be transmitted comprises streaming a live video of the rider.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising adjusting the bandwidth of the streaming video by upscaling or downscaling of video during live video streaming.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein enabling an image of the rider to be transmitted comprises capturing pictures or bursts of pictures of the rider and the car and transmitting the pictures or the bursts of pictures.

21. The method of claim 17, comprising enabling transmission of a map depicting a predicted route of the ride and a current approximate location of the rider on the map.

22. The method of claim 17, comprising preventing one or more functions of a device of the driver from being operational during the ride.

23. The method of claim 17, comprising enabling the rider to generate a panic alert, using a rider device, responsive to a distress situation occurring during the ride.

24. A method comprising:

during transportation of a user by a driver in a ride arranged by a computer-implemented driver assignment platform, receiving information indicative of a location of the ride;

implementing one or more application rules to compare the received information indicative of a location of the ride with information indicative of an allowed boundary of the ride; and

generating an alert when the location of the ride deviates from the allowed boundary of the ride.

25. The method of claim 24, comprising:

establishing a geo-fence for the ride defining an area around the expected path of the ride, the geo-fence being based on the one or more application rules associated with the rider; and

generating the alarm when the ride leaves the area defined by the geo-fence.