Method for requesting transportation services

• US 8,131,307 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2009
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Original Assignee: John H. Hall, Olaf M. Lubeck
• Inventors: Hall, John H., Lubeck, Olaf M.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, CONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US12/348,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20090176508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/67.11, 455/404.2, 455/407, 455/414.2, 455/456.3, 455/457, 705/5, 705/6, 705/7.11, 705/7.12, 705/1.13
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/468 by Triangulation, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the bearing, direction or angle to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2240/00 Transportation facility access, e.g. fares, tolls or parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group

Abstract

A method for safely and efficiently requesting transportation services through the use of mobile communications devices capable of geographic location is described. Individual and package transportation may be provided. New customers may be efficiently serviced, and the requester and transportation provider locations may be viewed in real time on the mobile devices.

Claims

1. A method for requesting transportation services, comprising:

providing a wireless communications network for routing messages;

providing a computer for processing information in cooperation with the wireless communications network;

sending a request for transportation services to the computer through the communications network using a first communications device having geographic location;

sending the geographic location of the first communications device to the computer through the wireless communications network;

storing the request and the determined location on the computer;

transmitting the stored location of the first communications device to at least one transportation provider having a wireless mobile communications device through the wireless communications network;

generating a first confirmation signal on the wireless communications network from the at least one transportation provider;

selecting one transportation provider from the at least one transportation provider using the computer on the basis of at least one chosen criterion; and

generating a second confirmation signal from the computer to the transportation requester using the wireless communications network notifying the transportation requester that transportation service has been arranged.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of selecting one transportation provider from the at least one transportation provider is performed using the earliest confirmation signal received from the at least one transportation provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of selecting one transportation provider from the at least one transportation provider is performed by a dispatcher.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of notifying the requester of transportation services of the time-of-arrival of the selected transportation provider.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transportation service comprises transportation of at least one individual.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transportation service comprises transportation of at least one package.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the transportation of at least one individual is performed using a taxi or limousine.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the transportation of at least one package is performed using a truck.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication device comprises a mobile telephone.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of obtaining the identity of the requester of transportation;

and storing the identity of the requester on the computer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the identity of the requester has not previously been submitted to the computer.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of notifying all transportation providers from the at least one transportation provider that a transportation provider has been selected.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of permitting the requester of transportation services to track the selected transportation provider on a map or textual display disposed on the first communications device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic location of the first communications device is selected from the group chosen from global positioning, signal triangulation and verbal description.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of tracking the location of the requester of transportation services using the geographic location.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the telephone number of the wireless communications device of the selected transportation provider on the first communications device, whereby the requester of transportation services can identify the selected transportation provider subsequent to the performance of the transportation services.

17. A method for obtaining time-of-arrival information for at least one transportation vehicle following a predetermined route at a chosen location on the route, comprising:

providing a wireless communications network for routing messages;

providing a computer for processing information in cooperation with the wireless communications network;

sending the geographic location of the chosen location on the route using a first communications device;

sending the geographic location for each vehicle of the at least one transportation vehicle at selected time intervals using a wireless mobile communications device located thereon to the computer through the wireless communications network;

analyzing the geographic location information at the selected time intervals using the computer;

comparing the analyzed location information with the scheduled location of the at least one vehicle along the predetermined route; and

calculating the time-of-arrival of the at least one vehicle at the chosen location.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first communication device comprises a mobile telephone.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of permitting the requester of transportation services to track the at least one vehicle on a map or textual display disposed on the first communications device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the geographic location of the first communications device is selected from the group chosen from global positioning, signal triangulation and verbal description.