Method for requesting transportation services

• US 9,392,418 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2015
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Airsmobile Inc.
• Inventors: Hall, John H., LUBECK, Olaf Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, CONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US14/745,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20150289109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/407, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 4554565-4566, 455/457, 455/9, 705/5, 705/6, 705/13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

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 system comprising:

a network connection to communicate wirelessly with a wireless mobile device of a transportation requester and with respective wireless mobile devices of a plurality of transportation providers;

a data processing system configured to

store a transportation request message according to a message protocol of the transportation requester received via the network connection;

automatically and periodically track a geographic location of the transportation requester using messages containing geographic location information according to the message protocol provided by the wireless mobile device of the transportation requester via the network connection;

select as a selected transportation provider one of the plurality of transportation providers;

automatically and periodically track a time-varying geographic location of the selected transportation provider using messages containing time-varying geographic location information according to the message protocol provided by the wireless mobile device of the selected transportation provider via the network connection;

send via the network connection a confirmation message according to the message protocol to the transportation requester that transportation has been arranged;

automatically and periodically send via the network connection to the transportation requester time-varying geographic location information with respect to the selected transportation provider.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the message protocol comprises rules regarding messages received by the data processing system and sent by the data processing system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the message protocol comprises message types that are decoded and acted upon by the data processing system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the message protocol comprises formats regarding messages received by the data processing system and sent by the data processing system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein according to the message protocol each message includes an identifier and a time indication.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the transportation request message comprises a cell phone number of the transportation requester.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the data processing system is further configured to

automatically and periodically calculate time-of-arrival information of the selected transportation provider based on the geographic location information of the transportation requester and the time-varying geographic location information of the selected transportation provider;

automatically and periodically send via the network connection to the transportation requester the time-of-arrival information of the selected transportation provider.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the confirmation message includes an identification of the selected transportation provider.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the confirmation message includes a telephone number of the selected transportation provider.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the data processing system is further configured to send via the network connection a positive acknowledgement message according to the message protocol to the selected transportation provider.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected transportation provider is a taxi cab.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected transportation provider is a bus.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the time-varying geographic location information with respect to the selected transportation provider that is sent to the transportation requester is displayed on a map displayed on the wireless mobile device of the transportation requester.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the data processing system is further configured to

send via the network connection a signal from the transportation provider that a pickup of the transportation requester has occurred.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the data processing system is further configured to

send via the network connection a signal from the transportation provider that a drop off of the transportation requester has occurred;

and

send via the network connection a service fare.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the transportation request message comprises a request for delivery of an item.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the data processing system is configured to store different types of transportation providers.

18. A system comprising:

a network connection to communicate wirelessly with a wireless mobile device of a transportation requester and with respective wireless mobile devices of a plurality of transportation providers;

a data processing system configured to

store a transportation request message according to a message protocol of the transportation requester received via the network connection;

send via the network connection a request to the plurality of transportation providers to provide transportation services to the transportation requester;

automatically and periodically track a geographic location of the transportation requester using messages containing geographic location information according to the message protocol provided by the wireless mobile device of the transportation requester via the network connection;

select as a selected transportation provider one of the plurality of transportation providers;

automatically and periodically track a time-varying geographic location of the selected transportation provider using messages containing time-varying geographic location information according to the message protocol provided by the wireless mobile device of the selected transportation provider via the network connection;

send via the network connection a confirmation message according to the message protocol to the transportation requester that transportation has been arranged; and

automatically and periodically send via the network connection to the transportation requester time-varying geographic location information with respect to the selected transportation provider.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the message protocol comprises rules regarding messages received by the data processing system and sent by the data processing system.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the message protocol comprises message types that are decoded and acted upon by the data processing system.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the message protocol comprises formats regarding messages received by the data processing system and sent by the data processing system.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein according to the message protocol each message includes an identifier and a time indication.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the transportation request message comprises a cell phone number of the transportation requester.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the data processing system is further configured to:

automatically and periodically calculate time-of-arrival information of the selected transportation provider based on the geographic location information of the transportation requester and the time-varying geographic location information of the selected transportation provider;

automatically and periodically send via the network connection to the transportation requester the time-of-arrival information of the selected transportation provider.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the confirmation message includes an identification of the selected transportation provider.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the confirmation message includes a telephone number of the selected transportation provider.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein the data processing system is further configured to send via the network connection a positive acknowledgement message according to the message protocol to the selected transportation provider.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein the selected transportation provider is a taxi cab.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein the selected transportation provider is a bus.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein the time-varying geographic location information with respect to the selected transportation provider that is sent to the transportation requester is displayed on a map displayed on the wireless mobile device of the transportation requester.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein the data processing system is further configured to

send via the network connection a signal from the transportation provider that a pickup of the transportation requester has occurred.

32. The system of claim 18, wherein the data processing system is further configured to

send via the network connection a signal from the transportation provider that a drop off of the transportation requester has occurred;

and

send via the network connection a service fare.

33. The system of claim 18, wherein the transportation request message comprises a request for a delivery of an item.

34. The system of claim 18, wherein the data processing system is configured to store different types of transportation providers.