Real-time carpooling coordinating systems and methods

• US 9,483,744 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2015
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US14/596,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20150324718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 701/19, 701/20, 701/21, 701/410, 701/533, 701/537, 701/200, 701/209, 340/573.4, 340/990, 455/456.5, 455/552.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

Computationally implemented methods and systems that are designed for transmitting a request for one or more identities of a transportation vehicle unit for transporting a first end user; receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or is currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user; and directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user in order to transport the first end user. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.

Claims

1. A computationally-implemented method, comprising:

transmitting a request for one or more identities of a transportation vehicle unit for transporting a first end user;

receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or is currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user; and

directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user in order to transport the first end user.

2. A computationally-implemented system, comprising:

circuitry for transmitting a request for one or more identities of a transportation vehicle unit for transporting a first end user;

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user during at least a portion of transporting the second end user; and

circuitry for directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user in order to transport the first end user.

3. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for transmitting a request for one or more identities of a transportation vehicle unit for transporting a first end user comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the request electronically to a carpooling management system that is designed to identify one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting one or more first end users based, at least in part, on the carpooling management system ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units are en route to or transporting one or more second end users when the one or more transportation vehicle units are identified for transporting the one or more first end users and that are ascertained to be able to accommodate transport of the one or more first end users while transporting the one or more second end users, the one or more second end users not being affiliated with the one or more first end users.

4. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for transmitting a request for one or more identities of a transportation vehicle unit for transporting a first end user comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the request including transmitting preference data that indicates one or more carpooling preferences of the first end user.

5. The computationally-implemented system of claim 4, wherein circuitry for transmitting the request including transmitting preference data that indicates one or more carpooling preferences of the first end user comprises:

circuitry for transmitting preference data that indicates a carpooling preference that one or more other end users to be transported by a transportation vehicle unit that will be transporting the first end user have one or more specified interests or beliefs.

6. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for transmitting a request for one or more identities of a transportation vehicle unit for transporting a first end user comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the request by transmitting a request for one or more identities of a carpooling vehicle for transporting the first end user and that will be transporting one or more other end users not associated with the first end user.

7. The computationally-implemented system of claim 6, wherein circuitry for transmitting the request by transmitting a request for one or more identities of a carpooling vehicle for transporting the first end user and that will be transporting one or more other end users not associated with the first end user comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the request for one or more identities of a carpooling vehicle for transporting the first end user and that will be transporting one or more other end users not associated with the first end user by transmitting a request that requests, as a first option, one or more identities of a carpooling vehicle for transporting the first end user, and if no carpooling vehicle is found to transport the first end user, a secondary option for one or more identities of a non-carpooling vehicle to transport the first end user that will not be transporting one or more other end users not associated with the first end user while transporting the first end user.

8. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user during at least a portion of transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified within a small predefined time window that starts at a point in time when a request for transporting the second end user is received by a carpooling management system or at a point in time when the second end user has been secured by the transportation vehicle unit, the carpooling management system being designed to identify a carpooling transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user.

9. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user during at least a portion of transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is currently en route to a second end user rendezvous location to rendezvous with the second end user and that was determined to be spatially approaching the second end user rendezvous location.

10. The computationally-implemented system of claim 9, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is currently en route to a second end user rendezvous location to rendezvous with the second end user and that was determined to be spatially approaching the second end user rendezvous location comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is spatially approaching the second end user rendezvous location and that was further determined to be currently within a short predefined distance from the second end user rendezvous location.

11. The computationally-implemented system of claim 9, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is currently en route to a second end user rendezvous location to rendezvous with the second end user and that was determined to be spatially approaching the second end user rendezvous location comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is spatially approaching the second end user rendezvous location and that was further determined to be currently within a short predefined travel time from reaching the second end user rendezvous location.

12. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user during at least a portion of transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that a first end user rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the first end user is the same as a second end user rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the second end user.

13. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the identified transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user during at least a portion of transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that a first end user destination location for the first end user is the same as a second end user destination location for the second end user.

14. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user during at least a portion of transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is currently transporting the second end user and is determined to be currently located near to a first end user rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the first end user.

15. The computationally-implemented system of claim 14, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is currently transporting the second end user and that is determined to be currently located near to a first end user rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the first end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is currently transporting the second end user and is determined to be currently located within a predefined maximum allowable distance from a first end user rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the first end user.

16. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user during at least a portion of transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that transport of the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit will not significantly delay transport of the second end user to a second end user destination location.

17. The computationally-implemented system of claim 16 wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that transport of the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit will not significantly delay transport of the second end user to a second end user destination location comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that transport of the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit will not add more than a predefined amount of permitted delay time for transporting the second end user to a second end user destination location, a delay time being an amount of additional time added to overall travel time for transporting the second end user to the second end user destination location as a result of transporting the first end user.

18. The computationally-implemented system of claim 16 wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that transport of the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit will not significantly delay transport of the second end user to a second end user destination location comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that transport of the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit will not add more than the predefined amount of permitted delay time for transporting the second end user to a second end user destination location, the predefined amount of permitted delay time being defined by the second end user and not being greater than 20 minutes.

19. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user during at least a portion of transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that transport of the first end user to a first end user destination location by the transportation vehicle unit will not result in the transportation vehicle unit to have a total number of passenger drop-offs that exceed a predefined number of maximum passenger drop-offs allowed for the transportation vehicle unit during one trip transporting a group of end users to one or more end user destination locations.

20. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user during at least a portion of transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that transport of the first end user to a first end user destination location by the transportation vehicle unit will not result in the transportation vehicle unit to have an amount of passenger drop-offs that exceed a predefined number of maximum allowable passenger drop-offs permitted for the transportation vehicle unit prior to drop-off of the second end user at a second end user destination location.

21. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user during at least a portion of transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that transport of the first end user and at least the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit will not result in the transportation vehicle unit to have an amount of passenger drop-offs that exceed a predefined number of maximum allowable passenger drop-offs permitted for the transportation vehicle unit prior to drop-off of the first end user at a first end user destination location.

22. The computationally-implemented system of claim 21, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that transport of the first end user and at least the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit will not result in the transportation vehicle unit to have an amount of passenger drop-offs that exceed a predefined number of maximum allowable passenger drop-offs permitted for the transportation vehicle unit prior to drop-off of the first end user at a first end user destination location comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that transport of the first end user and at least the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit will not result in the transportation vehicle unit to have an amount of passenger drop-offs that exceed a predefined number of maximum allowable passenger drop-offs permitted for the transportation vehicle unit prior to drop-off of the first end user at a first end user destination location, the predefined number of maximum allowable passenger drop-offs being defined by the first end user.

23. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user during at least a portion of transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user, the identification having been made only after a determination was made that no non-carpooling vehicle is available for transporting the first end user.

24. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user during at least a portion of transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified by being selected from two or more candidate transportation vehicle units, each of the two or more candidate transportation vehicle units currently en route to or currently transporting one or more other end users, and the two or more candidate transportation vehicle units having been ranked according to their suitability for transporting the first end user.

25. The computationally-implemented system of claim 24, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified by being selected from two or more candidate transportation vehicle units, each of the two or more candidate transportation vehicle units currently en route to or currently transporting one or more other end users, and the two or more candidate transportation vehicle units having been ranked according to their suitability for transporting the first end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified by being selected from two or more candidate transportation vehicle units that were ranked according to their efficiency in transporting the first end user and other end users to their end user destination locations.

26. The computationally-implemented system of claim 25, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified by being selected from two or more candidate transportation vehicle units that were ranked according to their efficiency in transporting the first end user and other end users to their end user destination locations comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified by being selected from two or more candidate transportation vehicle units that were ranked according, at least in part, to the number of passenger drop-offs that each of the candidate transportation vehicle units will have if each of the candidate transportation vehicle units transport the first end user.

27. The computationally-implemented system of claim 25, wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified by being selected from two or more candidate transportation vehicle units that were ranked according to their efficiency in transporting the first end user and other end users to their end user destination locations comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been identified by being selected from two or more candidate transportation vehicle units that were ranked according, at least in part, to the distances that each of the candidate transportation vehicle unit will have to travel in order to drop-off each of their currently assigned end users and if the candidate transportation vehicle units were to transport the first end user.

28. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user in order to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry for directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user by transmitting electronically via one or more of at least one wireless network or at least one wired network one or more directives that instruct the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user.

29. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user in order to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry for directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user including transmitting transport rate data that indicates a discounted transport rate for the first end user, the discounted transport rate for the first end user being based, at least in part, on the total number of end users being transported by the identified transportation vehicle unit while transporting the first end user.

30. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user in order to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry for directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user including transmitting transport rate data that indicates a discounted transport rate for the first end user, the discounted transport rate for the first end user being based, at least in part, on the number of planned passenger drop-offs to be made by the identified transportation vehicle unit prior to the first end user being dropped off at a first end user destination location.

31. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user in order to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry for directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user including transmitting transport rate data that indicates a premium transport rate for the first end user, the premium transport rate for the first end user being a higher transport rate than a transport rate for the second end user for being transported by the identified transportation vehicle unit.

32. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user in order to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry for directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user including transmitting transport rate data that indicates a discounted transport rate for the second end user, the discounted transport rate being as a result of the first end user being assigned to be transported by the identified transportation vehicle unit, the discounted transport rate for the second end user being less than a transport rate for the second end user that was provided prior to assignment of the first end user to the identified transportation vehicle unit.

33. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user in order to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry for directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user including transmitting transport rate data that indicates a discounted transport rate for the second end user, the discounted transport rate being as a result of the identified transportation vehicle unit making an additional passenger drop-off prior to the second end user being dropped-off at a second end user destination location and as a result of the first end user being assigned to be transported by the identified transportation vehicle unit.

34. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for transmitting to one or more end user devices one or more notifications that the identified transportation vehicle unit will be transporting the first end user.

35. The computationally-implemented system of claim 34, wherein circuitry for transmitting to one or more end user devices one or more notifications that the identified transportation vehicle unit will be transporting the first end user comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the one or more notifications to an end user device associated with the second end user.

36. The computationally-implemented system of claim 35, wherein circuitry for transmitting the one or more notifications to an end user device associated with the second end user comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the one or more notifications to the end user device associated with the second end user including transmitting to the end user device one or more notifications that identify a transport rate for transporting the second end user that is discounted as a result, at least in part, of the transportation vehicle unit being assigned to transport the first end user.

37. The computationally-implemented system of claim 34, wherein circuitry for transmitting to one or more end user devices one or more notifications that the identified transportation vehicle unit will be transporting the first end user comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the one or more notifications to an end user device associated with the first end user.

38. The computationally-implemented system of claim 37, wherein circuitry for transmitting the one or more notifications to an end user device associated with the first end user comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the one or more notifications to the end user device associated with the first end user including transmitting to the end user device one or more notifications that identify a number of planned passenger drop-offs to be made by the identified transportation vehicle unit prior to the first end user being dropped-off at an end user destination location.

39. The computationally-implemented system of claim 37, wherein circuitry for transmitting the one or more notifications to an end user device associated with the first end user comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the one or more notifications to the end user device associated with the first end user including transmitting to the end user device one or more notifications that identify a transport rate for transporting the first end user that is a discounted rate for the first end user to be transported by the identified transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the second end user, the discounted rate being a rate that has been discounted from a rate that would be charged if the identified transportation vehicle unit was transporting fewer end users.

40. The computationally-implemented system of claim 37, wherein circuitry for transmitting the one or more notifications to an end user device associated with the first end user comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the one or more notifications to the end user device associated with the first end user including transmitting to the end user device one or more notifications that identify a transport rate for transporting the first end user that is a premium rate for the first end user to be transported by the identified transportation vehicle unit transporting the second end user, the premium rate being a higher rate than a rate that would be charged for transporting the first end user if the identified transportation vehicle unit was not transporting the second end user.

41. The system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for transmitting a request for one or more identities of a transportation vehicle unit for transporting a first end user comprises:

circuitry for transmitting a request for one or more identities of a transportation vehicle unit for transporting a first end user, the transportation vehicle unit driven by a robotic driver.

42. The system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for directing the transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user in order to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry for transmitting at least one of one or more directives or one or more assignments for receipt by at least one transport computing device associated with the transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user in order to transport the first end user.

43. The system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for transmitting a request for one or more identities of a transportation vehicle unit for transporting a first end user comprises:

circuitry for transmitting a request for one or more identities of a transportation vehicle unit that is currently transporting or is currently being driven by a carpooling user for transporting a first end user, and

wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user during at least a portion of transporting the second end user includes at least;

circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently transporting or currently being driven by a carpooling user able to accommodate transport of a first end user while transporting or being driven by the carpooling user.

44. The system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for transmitting a request for one or more identities of a transportation vehicle unit for transporting a first end user comprises:

circuitry for causing at least one user device associated with the first end user to capture an image of the first end user at least partially using at least one image sensor of the at least one user device associated with the first end user; and

circuitry for transmitting, by the at least one user device, the request for the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, including at least transmitting the image of the first end user in association with the request; and

wherein circuitry for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user during at least a portion of transporting the second end user includes at least;

circuitry for processing the image of the first end user to confirm an identity of the first end user; and

circuitry for determining that the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting the second end user is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user including at least determining that transport of the first end user will not violate a ban on transport of the first end user based, at least in part, on the confirming the identity of the first end user.

45. A computer program product, comprising:

at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium including at least;

one or more instructions for transmitting a request for one or more identities of a transportation vehicle unit for transporting a first end user;

one or more instructions for receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user during at least a portion of transporting the second end user; and

one or more instructions for directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user in order to transport the first end user.