Intermediate rendezvous location identifier application

• US 9,080,876 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2012
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Findaspot, LLC
• Original Assignee: Denicola, Derrick
• Inventors: Denicola, Derrick
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US13/532,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20130345964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 701/422, 701/32.2, 701/32, 701/465, 705/7.19, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 340/905, 340/573.4, 715/751, 709/206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• 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

Abstract

A system for determining a suitable geographic rendezvous location for a plurality of geographically separated participants, preferably realized as a computer application which may be entered into devices such as Smartphones. The system inputs initial locations of the participants, determines a location which is intermediate the participants, and communicates the determined location to the participants. Optionally, the system may generate graphic displays on screens of the Smartphones, showing identification of the determined location, travel directions such as maps, warnings of impediments to travel, and supplementary information pertaining to the determined location such as addresses and contact data. The system may accept conditions influencing determination of a suitable location, may offer a choice of determined locations, and may draw on internet based sources for background information necessary for determining the determined location and for generating the displays. Some processing may be sourced remotely rather than within a participating Smartphone.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of communicating a suitable geographic rendezvous point to a plurality of geographically separated participants, by a wireless communications data processing device, which is configured with a display screen, and further configured to implement data processing steps for receiving inputs identifying initial geographically separated locations for each one of said participants by a server, comprising:

identifying initial geographically separated locations for each one of the participants utilizing said wireless communications data processing device;

determining an intermediate geographic location which is intermediate relative to the initial geographic locations of the participants utilizing said wireless communications data processing device;

imposing constraints by said wireless communications data processing device to select the determined intermediate geographic location based on at least one personal preference of at least one of the participants, wherein said constraints implement a plurality of modes of travel;

wherein the constraint comprises limiting potential determined intermediate geographic locations to those which are separated from the initial geographically separated locations of the participants by equal travel time; and

wherein the constraint comprises limiting potential determined intermediate geographic locations to those which are separated from the initial geographically separated locations of the participants by equal travel time regardless of geographic travel distances;

communicating the determined intermediate geographic location to said wireless communications data processing devices; and

displaying the determined intermediate geographic location to said wireless communications data processing devices via said display screen.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein imposing constraints on selecting the determined intermediate geographic location further comprises limiting potential determined intermediate geographic locations to those to which travel avoids identifiable travel delays.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining an intermediate geographic location which is intermediate relative to the initial geographic locations of the participants further comprises wirelessly querying publicly available information sources which routinely identify to the public intermediate location candidates meeting the specified criteria, and selecting the intermediate geographic location based results of querying the publicly available information sources.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein communicating the determined intermediate geographic location to wireless communications data processing devices further comprises communicating travel directions to the determined intermediate geographic location.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein communicating travel directions further comprises including warnings of high traffic density or slow conditions along the intended route, emergency situations along the intended route, construction activity delays along the intended route, closures of normally available roads along the intended route, and one way restrictions of roads impinging upon the intended route.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein communicating travel directions further comprises proposing at least one of a plurality modes of travel which are offered by the system method, including driving, public transportation, and walking.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining an intermediate geographic location further comprises determining a plurality of intermediate geographic locations and presenting the plurality of intermediate geographic locations simultaneously.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein communicating the determined intermediate geographic location further comprises communicating at least one of the group including address, telephone number, website, hours of operation, and estimate of relative costliness of commercial offerings of the determined intermediate geographic location.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a participant having control access to the system method to modify previously entered constraints so as to expand the number of potential candidate determined intermediate geographic locations.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modes of travel is selected from a group consisting of:

walking,

driving, and

taking public transportation.