Enhanced passenger pickup via telematics synchronization

• US 8,082,095 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Sumcad, Anthony J., Patenaude, Russell A.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHONGSVIRAJATI, POONSIN
• Application Number:
  US12/209,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20100070168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701205-213
• US Class Current: 701/206
• 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

Abstract

A system is provided for facilitating passenger pickup via telematic routing. The system includes a call center for receiving a plurality of data feeds indicative of passenger arrival time and location, a vehicle telematics unit for receiving vehicle routing instructions from the call center based at least in part on the passenger arrival time and location, the vehicle routing instructions directed to guiding a vehicle to a passenger meeting location. The system further includes a mobile device associated with the passenger, the mobile device in communication with the call center via one or more wireless networks for receiving an indicator of the passenger meeting location.

Claims

1. An automated system for facilitating passenger pickup via automatic telematic routing, the system comprising:

a call center having therein a computer system and database adapted to receive and integrate a plurality of data feeds including data feeds indicative of passenger arrival time at an airport and location, airport waiting area conditions, local traffic incidents and conditions, passenger waiting area availability, passenger baggage claim location, baggage claim delay associated with the baggage claim location, passenger flight arrival time, roadway traffic, and roadway incidents between the vehicle location and the airport, the integrating of the plurality of data feeds producing a recommended pick-up location and recommended travel directions to the recommended pick-up location, the call center computer system being further adapted to transmit the recommended pick-up location and recommended travel directions to a vehicle telematics unit installed in a remote vehicle;

a mobile wireless communications device associated with the passenger, the mobile device in communication with the call center via one or more wireless networks adapted to receive an indicator of the recommended meeting location, wherein the call center computer system is further adapted access data associated with the communications device and to transmit an indication of the recommended meeting location to the communications device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the call center is adapted to determine the recommended meeting location based on vehicle location and the plurality of indicators.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the recommended meeting location is an airport vehicle waiting area.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications device is a mobile telephone.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications device is a personal digital assistant.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the call center computer system is further adapted to re-route the vehicle to a next proximate passenger meeting location when a recommended meeting location is not available.

7. A method for synchronizing passenger pickup via telematic routing, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of electronic data feeds indicative of passenger arrival time at the airport, passenger location, airport waiting area conditions, local traffic incidents and conditions, passenger waiting area availability, passenger baggage claim location, baggage claim delay associated with the baggage claim location, passenger flight arrival time at an airport, roadway traffic, and roadway incidents between the vehicle location and the airport;

electronically integrating, by a processor, the plurality of data feeds to generate a recommended pick-up location and recommended travel instructions from the vehicle location to the recommended pick-up location;

automatically sending the recommended travel instructions wirelessly to the vehicle to guide the vehicle to the recommended pick-up location; and

wirelessly and automatically sending an indicator of the recommended pick-up location to a mobile device associated with the passenger.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising determining the recommended pick-up location based on vehicle location and the plurality of indicators.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the recommended pick-up location is an airport vehicle waiting area.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the mobile device is a mobile telephone.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the mobile device is a personal digital assistant.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising re-routing the vehicle to a next proximate pick-up location when the recommended pick-up location is not available.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising sending the indicator of the recommended pick-up location to the mobile device when the vehicle is at the recommended pick-up location.