System and method for coordinating personal transportation
First Claim
1. A system for coordinating substantially on-demand transportation, comprising:
- means for receiving at least one request for a ride, said request specifying a pick-up location and a destination location;
means for storing a route for each of a plurality of vehicles;
means for monitoring at least a present position of each of said vehicles and the traffic conditions existing along their respective routes; and
means for developing and updating a path for said ride as a function of current factors including (i) said pick-up location, (ii) said destination location, (iii) said present position of said vehicles, (iv) said route for each of said vehicles, and (v) said traffic conditions, and on changes in the current factors;
said path for said ride specifying an ordered arrangement of at least one of said vehicles and the locations of any required transfers.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Door-to-door transportation is provided in a nearly on-demand manner by employing a set of multipassenger vehicles, e.g., vans, whose routes are continuously updated. The position of each multipassenger vehicle, as well as the traffic conditions along the projected route of each multipassenger vehicle, are constantly monitored. Upon receiving a request for a ride, e.g., via telephone, which specifies a) the pick-up location, b) the destination and, optionally, c) a desired time of arrival thereat and d) the number of people, a suitable "path" to the destination which satisfies the request is determined, if possible. A "path" for a ride is a specification of the particular multipassenger vehicles, and the location and nature of any required transfers for a person'"'"'s requested ride. A path may also include the streets over which the rider will pass and any scheduled stops. The path is developed as a function of (i) the pick-up location of all riders requesting rides, (ii) the destinations of the riders, (iii) the present position of each multipassenger vehicle, (iv) the presently scheduled routes of each multipassenger vehicle, and (v) the traffic conditions. Optionally, a rider'"'"'s developed path may also be a function of his desired arrival time. The routes for each multipassenger vehicle affected by the developed path are accordingly updated.
236 Citations
39 Claims
-
1. A system for coordinating substantially on-demand transportation, comprising:
-
means for receiving at least one request for a ride, said request specifying a pick-up location and a destination location; means for storing a route for each of a plurality of vehicles; means for monitoring at least a present position of each of said vehicles and the traffic conditions existing along their respective routes; and means for developing and updating a path for said ride as a function of current factors including (i) said pick-up location, (ii) said destination location, (iii) said present position of said vehicles, (iv) said route for each of said vehicles, and (v) said traffic conditions, and on changes in the current factors;
said path for said ride specifying an ordered arrangement of at least one of said vehicles and the locations of any required transfers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A method for dispatching vehicles and coordinating on-demand, door-to-door rides, the method comprising the steps of:
-
receiving at least one request for a ride, said request specifying a pick-up location and a destination location; and developing and updating a path for said ride, said path specifying the roads over which a rider will travel as well as the particular ones of said vehicles that said rider will ride in and the locations of any transfers that said rider must take; wherein said path is developed as a function of current factors including (i) said pick-up location, (ii) said destination location, (iii) a present position of said vehicles, (iv) paths presently scheduled, and (v) traffic conditions along routes presently projected to be traversed by said vehicles, and on changes in the current factors. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A system for coordinating substantially on-demand transportation, comprising:
-
means for receiving a request for a ride, said request specifying a pick-up location and a destination location; means for storing a route for each of a plurality of vehicles; means for monitoring at least a present position of each of said vehicles and the traffic conditions existing along their respective routes; means for developing and updating a path for said ride as a function of (i) said pick-up location, (ii) said destination location, (iii) said present position of said vehicles, (iv) said route for each of said vehicles, and (v) said traffic conditions, said path for said ride specifying an ordered arrangement of at least one of said vehicles and the locations of any required transfers; and means in at least one of said vehicles for communicating a change of said destination location while en route, wherein; said means for developing is responsive to said communication for developing an updated present path; and said updated present path is communicated to said at least one of said vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (34)
-
-
35. A system for coordinating substantially on-demand transportation, comprising:
-
means for receiving a request for a ride, said request specifying a pick-up location and a destination location; means for storing a route for each of a plurality of vehicles; means for monitoring at least a present position of each of said vehicles and the traffic conditions existing along their respective routes; means for developing and updating a path for said ride as a function of (i) said pick-up location, (ii) said destination location, (iii) said present position of said vehicles, (iv) said route for each of said vehicles, and (v) said traffic conditions, said path for said ride specifying an ordered arrangement of at least one of said vehicles and the locations of any required transfers; and means for modifying said route of at least one of said vehicles to incorporate changes necessary to accommodate said ride according to said developed path. - View Dependent Claims (36)
-
-
37. A system for coordinating substantially on-demand transportation, comprising:
-
means for receiving a request for a ride, said request specifying a pick-up location and a destination location; means for storing a route for each of a plurality of vehicles; means for monitoring at least a present position of each of said vehicles and the traffic conditions existing along their respective routes; means for developing and updating the path for said ride as a function of (i) said pick-up location, (ii) said destination location, (iii) said present position of said vehicles, (iv) said route for each of said vehicles, and (v) said traffic conditions, said path for said ride specifying an ordered arrangement of at least one of said vehicles and the locations of any required transfers; means for communicating to at least one of said vehicles that a delay in the arrival time of at least one of said rides is presently likely; means for receiving a response from said at least one vehicle that said at least one ride agrees to pay a premium rate to have a new path developed so that said likely delay is avoided; and means for modifying said route of said at least one vehicle to incorporate changes necessary to accommodate said ride according to said developed path. - View Dependent Claims (38)
-
-
39. A method for dispatching vehicles and coordinating on-demand, door-to-door rides, the method comprising the steps of:
-
receiving a request for a ride, said request specifying a pick-up location and a destination location; developing and updating a path for said ride, said path specifying the roads over which a rider will travel as well as the particular ones of said vehicles that said rider will ride in and the locations of any transfers that said rider must take; communicating to at least one of said vehicles that a delay in the arrival time of at least one of said riders is presently likely; receiving a response from said at least one vehicle that said at least one rider agrees to pay a premium rate to have a new path developed so that said likely delay is avoided; and modifying said route of said at least one vehicle to incorporate changes necessary to accommodate said rider according to said developed path; wherein said path is developed as a function of (i) said pick-up location, (ii) said destination location, (iii) a present position of said vehicles, (iv) paths presently scheduled, and (v) traffic conditions along routes presently projected to be traversed by said vehicles.
-
Specification