System and methods for verifying that one or more directives that direct transport of a second end user does not conflict with one or more obligations to transport a first end user

• US 9,552,559 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2015
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• 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:
  US14/619,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20150324729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 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 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• 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 receiving one or more first directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport a first end user; receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be able to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user; and verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.

Claims

1. A computationally-implemented method, comprising:

receiving at least one first directive that directs a transportation vehicle unit to transport at least one first end user;

receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the at least one first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more second end users while transporting the at least one first end user; and

verifying that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of at least one of the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user,

wherein at least one of the receiving or verifying is at least partially implemented using at least one processing device.

2. A computationally-implemented system, comprising:

circuitry configured for receiving at least one first directive that directs a transportation vehicle unit to transport at least one first end user,

circuitry configured for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the at least one first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more second end users while transporting the at least one first end user; and

circuitry configured for verifying that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of at least one of the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user.

3. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for receiving at least one first directive that directs a transportation vehicle unit to transport at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving at least one carpooling preference associated with transport of the at least one first end user by the transportation vehicle unit.

4. The computationally-implemented system of claim 3, wherein circuitry configured for receiving at least one carpooling preference associated with transport of the at least one first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving at least one carpooling preference that permits transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of one or more other end users not affiliated with the at least one first end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized.

5. The computationally-implemented system of claim 4, wherein circuitry configured for receiving at least one carpooling preference that permits transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of one or more other end users not affiliated with the at least one first end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving at least one carpooling preference that permits transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user so long as transport of the one or more other end users by the transportation vehicle unit does not cause a delay in transporting the at least one first end user to at least one first end user destination location that is greater than a predefined amount of maximum permitted delay.

6. The computationally-implemented system of claim 4, wherein circuitry configured for receiving at least one carpooling preference that permits transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of one or more other end users not affiliated with the at least one first end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving at least one carpooling preference that permits transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user so long as transport of the one or more other end users by the transportation vehicle unit does not cause the transportation vehicle unit to have a number of end user drop-offs prior to the at least one first end user being dropped-off that is greater than a predefined amount of maximum permitted end user drop-offs permitted before the at least one first end user is dropped-off.

7. The computationally-implemented system of claim 4, wherein circuitry configured for receiving at least one carpooling preference that permits transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of one or more other end users not affiliated with the at least one first end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving at least one carpooling preference that permits transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user so long as transport of the one or more other end users by the transportation vehicle unit does not cause any end user drop-off to occur prior to drop-off of the at least one first end user.

8. The computationally-implemented system of claim 4, wherein circuitry configured for receiving at least one carpooling preference that permits transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of one or more other end users not affiliated with the at least one first end user while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving at least one carpooling preference that permits transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user, the one or more carpooling preferences including a preference that all other end users to be transported by the transportation vehicle unit while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user share at least one specified common interest.

9. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the at least one first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more second end users while transporting the at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving the one or more second directives when the transportation vehicle unit is spatially moving towards at least one first end user rendezvous location in order to rendezvous with the at least one first end user.

10. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the at least one first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more second end users while transporting the at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving the one or more second directives when the transportation vehicle unit has already secured the at least one first end user.

11. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the at least one first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more second end users while transporting the at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving the one or more second directives when the transportation vehicle unit is within a threshold time period from rendezvousing with the at least one first end user.

12. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the at least one first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more second end users while transporting the at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving one or more carpooling preferences of the one or more second end users.

13. The computationally-implemented system of claim 12, wherein circuitry configured for receiving one or more carpooling preferences of the one or more second end users comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving one or more carpooling preferences of the one or more second end users that indicate at least one of (a) a maximum amount of time delay permitted in transporting the one or more second end users to one or more second end user destination locations and as a result of the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the at least one first end user or (b) a maximum number of end user drop-offs permitted prior to the one or more second end users being dropped-off.

14. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the at least one first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more second end users while transporting the at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving transport rate data that indicates a transport rate for transporting the one or more second end users by the transportation vehicle unit.

15. The computationally-implemented system of claim 14, wherein circuitry configured for receiving transport rate data that indicates a transport rate for transporting the one or more second end users by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving transport rate data that indicates a discounted transport rate for the one or more second end users, the discounted transport rate for the one or more second end users based, at least in part, on the number of planned end user drop-offs to be made by the transportation vehicle unit prior to the one or more second end users being dropped-off at one or more second end user destination locations.

16. The computationally-implemented system of claim 14, wherein circuitry configured for receiving transport rate data that indicates a transport rate for transporting the one or more second end users by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving transport rate data that indicates a premium transport rate for the one or more second end users, the premium transport rate for the one or more second end users including at least a higher transport rate than a transport rate for the at least one first end user for being transported by the transportation vehicle unit.

17. The computationally-implemented system of claim 14, wherein circuitry configured for receiving transport rate data that indicates a transport rate for transporting the one or more second end users by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving transport rate data that indicates a discounted transport rate for the at least one first end user, the discounted transport rate based, at least in part, on the one or more second end users being assigned to be transported by the transportation vehicle unit, the discounted transport rate for the at least one first end user being less than a transport rate for the at least one first end user that was provided prior to assignment of the one or more second end users to the transportation vehicle unit.

18. The computationally-implemented system of claim 14, wherein circuitry configured for receiving transport rate data that indicates a transport rate for transporting the one or more second end users by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving transport rate data that indicates a discounted transport rate for the at least one first end user, the discounted transport rate based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit making an additional passenger drop-off prior to the at least one first end user being dropped-off at least one first end user destination location and as a result of the one or more second end users being assigned to be transported by the transportation vehicle unit.

19. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the at least one first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more second end users while transporting the at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving the one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more second end users, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined, when the one or more second directives are received, to be traveling near to one or more second end user destination locations of the one or more second end users when transporting one or more other end users including the at least one first end user.

20. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for verifying that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of at least one of the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the at least one first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more other end users including the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized.

21. The computationally-implemented system of claim 20, wherein circuitry configured for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the at least one first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more other end users including the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

circuitry configured for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the at least one first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user only if (a) transport of the one or more other end users including the one or more second end users by the transportation vehicle unit does not cause a delay in transporting the at least one first end user to at least one first end user destination location that is greater than a predefined amount of maximum permitted delay or (b) transport of the one or more other end users including the one or more second end users by the transportation vehicle unit does not cause the transportation vehicle unit to have a number of end user drop-offs prior to the at least one first end user being dropped-off that is greater than a predefined amount of maximum permitted end user drop-offs permitted before the at least one first end user is dropped-off.

22. The computationally-implemented system of claim 20, wherein circuitry configured for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the at least one first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more other end users including the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

circuitry configured for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the at least one first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users including the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user only if transport of the one or more other end users including the one or more second end users by the transportation vehicle unit does not cause any end user drop-off to occur prior to drop of the at least one first end user.

23. The computationally-implemented system of claim 20, wherein circuitry configured for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the at least one first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more other end users including the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

circuitry configured for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the at least one first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users including the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user only if the one or more other end users including the one or more second end users will be rendezvousing with the transportation vehicle unit at a rendezvous location that is the designating location for the at least one first end user to rendezvous with the transportation vehicle unit.

24. The computationally-implemented system of claim 20, wherein circuitry configured for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the at least one first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport one or more other end users including the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

circuitry configured for verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the at least one first end user by the transportation vehicle unit, the one or more obligations defining one or more conditional directives that permit transport, by the transportation vehicle unit, of the one or more other end users including the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user only if the one or more other end users including the one or more second end users are to be transported to a destination location that is the same as the destination location for the at least one first end user.

25. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for verifying that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of at least one of the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for verifying that the transportation vehicle unit is in the proximate vicinity of one or more second end user rendezvous locations for rendezvousing with the one or more second end users.

26. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for verifying that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of at least one of the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for verifying that the transportation vehicle unit is scheduled for traveling near to one or more second end user rendezvous locations of the one or more second end users when transporting one or more other end users including the at least one first end user.

27. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for verifying that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of at least one of the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for verifying that transport of the one or more second end users by the transportation vehicle unit while transporting the at least one first end user will not violate one or more carpooling preferences of at least one of the at least one first end user or the one or more second end users.

28. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for verifying that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of at least one of the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for determining a transport rate for the at least one first end user based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the one or more second end users while transporting the at least one first end user.

29. The computationally-implemented system of claim 28, wherein circuitry configured for determining a transport rate for the at least one first end user based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the one or more second end users while transporting the at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for determining a transport rate for the at least one first end user based, at least in part, on the number of other end users that the transportation vehicle unit will be transporting while transporting the at least one first end user, the other end users not being affiliated with the at least one first end user.

30. The computationally-implemented system of claim 28, wherein circuitry configured for determining a transport rate for the at least one first end user based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the one or more second end users while transporting the at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for determining a discounted transport rate for the at least one first end user, the discounted transport rate being as a result of the one or more second end users being assigned to be transported by the transportation vehicle unit, the discounted transport rate for the at least one first end user being less than a transport rate for the at least one first end user that was provided prior to assignment of the one or more second end users to the transportation vehicle unit.

31. The computationally-implemented system of claim 28, wherein circuitry configured for determining a transport rate for the at least one first end user based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the one or more second end users while transporting the at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for determining a discounted transport rate for the at least one first end user, the discounted transport rate being as a result of the transportation vehicle unit making an additional passenger drop-off prior to the at least one first end user being dropped-off at a first end user destination location and as a result of the one or more second end users being assigned to be transported by the transportation vehicle unit.

32. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for verifying that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of at least one of the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for determining a transport rate for the one or more second end users that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the at least one first end user while transporting the one or more second end users.

33. The computationally-implemented system of claim 32, wherein circuitry configured for determining a transport rate for the one or more second end users that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the first end user while transporting the one or more second end users comprises:

circuitry configured for determining a discounted transport rate for the one or more second end users, the discounted transport rate for the one or more second end users being based, at least in part, on the number of planned end user drop-offs to be made by the transportation vehicle unit prior to the one or more second end users being dropped off at one or more second end user destination locations.

34. The computationally-implemented system of claim 32, wherein circuitry configured for determining a transport rate for the one or more second end users that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the first end user while transporting the one or more second end users comprises:

circuitry configured for determining a premium transport rate for the one or more second end users, the premium transport rate for the one or more second end users being a higher transport rate than a transport rate for the at least one first end user for being transported by the transportation vehicle unit.

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

circuitry configured for presenting, in response to verification that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of at least one of the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user, one or more instructive directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the at least one of the one or more second end users.

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

circuitry configured for rejecting at least one of the one or more second directives in response to determining that the transportation vehicle unit is unable to accommodate transport of at least one of the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit is transporting the at least one first end user.

37. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for receiving at least one first directive that directs a transportation vehicle unit to transport at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for causing at least one display unit within the at least one transportation vehicle unit to display at least one request for transport of the at least one first user, the displayed at least one request for transport of the at least one first user perceivable by a human driver of the transportation vehicle unit.

38. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for receiving at least one first directive that directs a transportation vehicle unit to transport at least one first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for commanding a robotic driver of the transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the at least one first end user for transport the at least one first end user.

39. A transport computing device, comprising:

at least one processing device; and

one or more instructions which, when executed by the at least one processing device, cause the at least one processing device to perform one or more operations including at least;

receiving at least one first directive that directs a transportation vehicle unit associated with the transport computing device to transport at least one first end user;

receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit associated with the transport computing device is en route to or is transporting the at least one first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit associated with the transport computing device to transport one or more second end users while transporting the at least one first end user; and

verifying that the transportation vehicle unit associated with the transport computing device is able to accommodate transport of at least one of the one or more second end users while the transportation vehicle unit associated with the transport computing device is transporting the at least one first end user.

40. The transport computing device of claim 39, wherein the transport computing device includes at least one of a smartphone or a tablet computer.

41. The transport computing device of claim 40, wherein the at least one of a smartphone or a tablet computer is associated with a human driver of the transportation vehicle unit.