Dynamic taxi-sharing system and sharing method thereof

• US 8,799,038 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2011
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
• Original Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
• Inventors: Chen, Wen-Tsuen, Chen, Po-Yu, Liu, Je-Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): NELSON, FREDA ANN
• Application Number:
  US13/227,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20130060586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705/5, 705/6, 705/14.14, 705/14.19, 701/201
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

A dynamic taxi-sharing system and a sharing method thereof. A ride-sharing service provider carries at least one passenger from the first current location to the first travel destination through a route in an area and sends registration information to a service server. A plurality of ride-sharing requests is sent to the service server, and each of the ride-sharing requests comprises the second current location and the second travel destination. The service server divides the area into n by n blocks. A ride-matching module of the service server chooses a destination area in which the first travel destination is a center point and divides the destination area into k by k blocks. According to the registration information and the ride-sharing requests, the ride-matching module matches at least one ride-sharing traveler to the ride-sharing service provider to achieve a goal of fuel-saving and pollution-reducing.

Claims

1. A dynamic taxi-sharing system, comprising:

a ride-sharing service provider carrying at least one passenger from a first current location to a first travel destination through a route in an area and sending registration information to a service server computer;

a plurality of ride-sharing requests being sent to the service server computer, each of the ride-sharing requests comprising a second current location and a second travel destination; and

the service server computer dividing the area into n by n blocks, n being an integer greater than 1, the service server computer choosing a destination area in which the first travel destination is a center point and dividing the destination area into k by k blocks, k being an integer greater than 1 and smaller than n, according to the registration information and the ride-sharing requests, service server computer matching at least one ride-sharing traveler, having the second current location close to the route and the second travel destination inside the destination area, to the ride-sharing service provider;

wherein the n×

n blocks are represented by a matrix, and each element of the matrix represents a transit time of a corresponding road section of the area for obtaining a fastest path to the first travel destination and the second travel destination.

2. The dynamic taxi-sharing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the registration information comprising a number of available seats, the ride-sharing request comprising a number of ride-sharing travelers, and the service server computer matching the at least one ride-sharing traveler to the ride-sharing service provider based on a condition that the number of available seats is greater than or equal to the number of ride-sharing travelers.

3. The dynamic taxi-sharing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the registration information further comprises an identity of the ride-sharing service provider.

4. The dynamic taxi-sharing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of ride-sharing requests are sent to the service server by a plurality of cellular phones or a plurality of Wi-Fi handheld devices.

5. The dynamic taxi-sharing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the service server computer chooses a most fuel-saving route for both the ride-sharing service provider and the at least one ride-sharing traveler being matched to the ride-sharing service provider.

6. The dynamic taxi-sharing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the service server computer further comprises a backup system giving an alternative way for the at least one ride-sharing traveler using public transportation to the second travel destination.

7. The dynamic taxi-sharing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the service server computer further comprises a fare system being responsible for a distribution of the ride-sharing service provider'"'"'s fare.

8. The dynamic taxi-sharing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the registration information comprising a first preference, the ride-sharing request comprising a second preference, and the service server computer matching the at least one ride-sharing traveler to the ride-sharing service provider based on the first preference and the second preference.

9. A computer-implemented dynamic taxi-sharing method, comprising the following steps:

carrying at least one passenger from a first current location to a first travel destination through a route in an area by a ride-sharing service provider;

sending registration information to a service server computer by the ride-sharing service provider;

sending a plurality of ride-sharing requests to the service server computer, each of the ride-sharing requests comprising a second current location and a second travel destination;

dividing by the service server computer, the area into n by n blocks by the service server, n being an integer greater than 1;

choosing a destination area in which the first travel destination is a center point by a ride-matching module of the service server computer;

dividing, by the service server computer, the destination area into k by k blocks by the ride-matching module, k being an integer greater than 1 and smaller than n; and

matching at least one ride-sharing traveler, having the second current location close to the route and the second travel destination inside the destination area, to the ride-sharing service provider by the service server computer according to the registration information and the ride-sharing requests;

wherein the n×

n blocks are represented by a matrix, and each element of the matrix represents a transit time of a corresponding road section of the area for obtaining a fastest path to the first travel destination and the second travel destination.

10. The computer-implemented dynamic taxi-sharing method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the following step:

matching the at least one ride-sharing traveler to the ride-sharing service provider by the service server computer based on a condition that a number of available seats of the registration information is greater than or equal to a number of ride-sharing travelers of the ride-sharing request.

11. The computer-implemented dynamic taxi-sharing method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the registration information further comprises an identity of the ride-sharing service provider.

12. The computer-implemented dynamic taxi-sharing method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the following step:

sending the plurality of ride-sharing requests to the service server computer by a plurality of cellular phones or a plurality of Wi-Fi handheld devices.

13. The computer-implemented dynamic taxi-sharing method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the following step:

choosing a most fuel-saving route for both the ride-sharing service provider and the at least one ride-sharing traveler being matched to the ride-sharing service provider by the service server computer.

14. The computer-implemented dynamic taxi-sharing method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the following step:

giving an alternative way for the at least one ride-sharing traveler using public transportation to the second travel destination by a backup system of the service server computer.

15. The computer-implemented dynamic taxi-sharing method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the following step:

calculating a distribution of the ride-sharing service provider'"'"'s fare by a fare system of the service server computer.

16. The computer-implemented dynamic taxi-sharing method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the following step:

matching the at least one ride-sharing traveler to the ride-sharing service provider by the service server computer based on a first preference of the registration information and a second preference of the ride-sharing request.