RIDE CHAINING

• US 20180268709A1
• Filed: 05/21/2018
• Published: 09/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Original Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Inventors: Lambert, Chris, Green, Logan, Yoo, Frank Taehyun, Haumann, Marc, Dryjanski, David, Popov, Lev
• Granted Patent: US 10,482,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 21/3446 Details of route searching algorithms, e.g. Dijkstra, A*, arc-flags, using precalculated routes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• 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: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

A system for determining a dispatch includes an input interface, a processor, and an output interface. The input interface is to receive a request for a first pickup including a first pickup location and a first destination. The processor is configured to determining a driver to dispatch to the first pickup location. The output interface is to provide a first pickup indication to the driver to go to the first pickup location. The input interface is further to receive a first pickup arrival indication indicating the driver arrived at the first pickup location. The output interface is further to provide a first destination indication indicating to the driver to go to the first destination. The input interface is further to receive a request for a second pickup including a second pickup location and a second destination.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause a computing device to;

receive, from a first requestor client device, a first request for a first ride associated with a first pickup location;

receive, from a second requestor client device, a second request for a second ride associated with a second pickup location;

determine to combine the first ride with the second ride;

select an alternative pickup location to replace the second pickup location associated with the second ride based on determining to combine the first ride and the second ride;

generate a combined route comprising the alternative pickup location for the second ride; and

provide, to a provider client device associated with a provider vehicle, instructions to travel the combined route comprising the alternative pickup location for the second ride.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein selecting the alternative pickup location for the second ride comprises determining an alternative pickup route that increases a trip efficiency for the combined route compared to an original pickup route that comprises the second pickup location.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:

determine an original trip efficiency corresponding to an original pickup route comprising the second pickup location;

determine one or more alternative trip efficiencies corresponding to one or more alternative pickup routes that each comprise a potential alternative pickup location; and

identify the alternative pickup location based on determining a most efficient alternative pickup route from the one or more alternative pickup routes.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the potential alternative pickup location for each of the one or more alternative pickup routes is within a defined distance from the second pickup location.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to provide, to the provider client device associated with the provider vehicle, instructions to proceed to the first pickup location associated with the first ride prior to receiving the second request for the second ride.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to select an alternative destination location for the first ride to replace a first destination location associated with the first ride request based on determining to combine the first ride and the second ride.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the combined route comprises the first pickup location associated with the first ride, the alternative pickup location for the second ride, the alternative destination location for the first ride, and a second destination location associated with the second ride.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein combining the first ride with the second ride is determined prior to the provider vehicle arriving at the first pickup location associated with the first ride, and further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:

select an alternative pickup location for the first ride to replace the first pickup location; and

wherein the combined route comprises the alternative pickup location for the first ride and the alternative pickup location for the second ride.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the alternative pickup location for the first ride is the same as the alternative pickup location for the second ride.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein determining to combine the first ride with the second ride is based on at least one of:

a first distance criterion between the first pickup location and the second pickup location;

a second distance criterion between a first destination location for the first ride and a second destination location for the second ride;

or

an amount of overlapping route portions between a first route corresponding to the first ride and a second route corresponding to the second ride.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a first requestor client device, a first request for a first ride associated with a first pickup location;

receiving, from a second requestor client device, a second request for a second ride associated with a second pickup location;

determining to combine the first ride with the second ride;

selecting an alternative pickup location to replace the second pickup location associated with the second ride based on determining to combine the first ride and the second ride;

generating a combined route comprising the alternative pickup location for the second ride; and

providing, to a provider client device associated with a provider vehicle, instructions to travel the combined route comprising the alternative pickup location for the second ride.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting the alternative pickup location for the second ride comprises determining an alternative pickup route that increases a trip efficiency for the combined route compared to an original pickup route that comprises the second pickup location.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining an original trip efficiency corresponding to an original pickup route comprising the second pickup location;

determining one or more alternative trip efficiencies corresponding to one or more alternative pickup routes that each comprise a potential alternative pickup location; and

identifying the alternative pickup location based on determining a most efficient alternative pickup route from the one or more alternative pickup routes.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the potential alternative pickup location for each of the one or more alternative pickup routes is within a defined distance from the second pickup location.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing, to the provider client device associated with the provider vehicle, instructions to proceed to the first pickup location associated with the first ride prior to receiving the second request for the second ride.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein determining to combine the first ride with the second ride is based on at least one of:

a first distance criterion between the first pickup location and the second pickup location;

a second distance criterion between a first destination location for the first ride and a second destination location for the second ride;

or

an amount of overlapping route portions between a first route corresponding to the first ride and a second route corresponding to the second ride.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer system to:

receive, from a first requestor client device, a first request for a first ride associated with a first pickup location;

receive, from a second requestor client device, a second request for a second ride associated with a second pickup location;

determine to combine the first ride with the second ride;

select an alternative pickup location to replace the second pickup location associated with the second ride based on determining to combine the first ride and the second ride;

generate a combined route comprising the alternative pickup location for the second ride; and

provide, to a provider client device associated with a provider vehicle, instructions to travel the combined route comprising the alternative pickup location for the second ride.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:

determine an original trip efficiency corresponding to an original pickup route comprising the second pickup location;

determine one or more alternative trip efficiencies corresponding to one or more alternative pickup routes that each comprise a potential alternative pickup location; and

identify the alternative pickup location based on determining a most efficient alternative pickup route from the one or more alternative pickup routes.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the potential alternative pickup location for each of the one or more alternative pickup routes is within a defined distance from the second pickup location.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to provide, to the provider client device associated with the provider vehicle, instructions to proceed to the first pickup location associated with the first ride prior to receiving the second request for the second ride.