System and methods for identifying one or more transportation vehicle units with or without package delivery obligation for transporting one or more end users

• US 9,599,481 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2014
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• 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:
  US14/474,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20150323332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 701/410, 705/330, 705/333, 340/10.1, 370/328, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• 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 a request for transporting one or more end users; identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on determining whether the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more delivery package obligations; and transmitting one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.

Claims

1. A computationally-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a request for transporting one or more end users;

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination by a processor, whether the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations; and

transmitting one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations.

2. A computationally-implemented system, comprising:

at least one computing device; and

one or more instructions that, when implemented in the at least one computing device, program the at least one computing device for;

receiving a request for transporting one or more end users;

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on determining whether the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations; and

transmitting one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations.

3. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein receiving a request for transporting one or more end users comprises:

receiving end user preference data that indicates one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users.

4. The computationally-implemented system of claim 3, wherein receiving end user preference data that indicates one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

receiving end user preference data that indicates one or more end user preferences that a transportation vehicle unit to be used for transporting the one or more end users does not have any currently pending package delivery obligation.

5. The computationally-implemented system of claim 3, wherein receiving end user preference data that indicates one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

receiving end user preference data that indicates one or more end user preferences that no package be delivered by a transportation vehicle unit that is used for transporting the one or more end users during transport of the one or more end users.

6. The computationally-implemented system of claim 3, wherein receiving end user preference data that indicates one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

receiving end user preference data that indicates one or more end user preferences that if one or more packages are to be delivered by a transportation vehicle unit during transport of the one or more end users then a reduced transportation fee be charged for transporting the one or more end users that is a discounted fee reduced from a fee that would be charged for transporting the one or more end users when no packages are delivered during the transport of the one or more end users.

7. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein receiving a request for transporting one or more end users comprises:

receiving a request for transporting one or more end users including passenger rating data indicating one or more ratings associated with at least one of the one or more end users.

8. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on determining whether the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations comprises:

identifying a presence of one or more transportation vehicle units that are available for transporting the one or more end users in proximate vicinity of a rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the one or more end users.

9. The computationally-implemented system of claim 8, wherein identifying a presence of one or more transportation vehicle units that are available for transporting the one or more end users in proximate vicinity of a rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the one or more end users comprises:

identifying a presence of one or more transportation vehicle units that are currently not carrying any passengers or that are about to be free of any passenger load in proximate vicinity of the rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the one or more end users.

10. The computationally-implemented system of claim 8, wherein identifying a presence of one or more transportation vehicle units that are available for transporting the one or more end users in proximate vicinity of a rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the one or more end users comprises:

identifying a presence of one or more transportation vehicle units in proximate vicinity of the rendezvous location that do not have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units.

11. The computationally-implemented system of claim 10, wherein identifying a presence of one or more transportation vehicle units in proximate vicinity of the rendezvous location that do not have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units comprises:

identifying a presence of one or more transportation vehicle units that do not have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more available transportation vehicle units and that are in full or substantial compliance with one or more end user preferences.

12. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on determining whether the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any current package delivery obligations.

13. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on determining whether the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units.

14. The computationally-implemented system of claim 13, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation related to an obligation for delivering one or more packages by one or more time deadlines that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units.

15. The computationally-implemented system of claim 13, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation related to an obligation for delivering one or more packages to one or more specific destinations that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units.

16. The computationally-implemented system of claim 13, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation related to an obligation for delivering one or more packages while in one or more specified environmental conditions.

17. The computationally-implemented system of claim 13, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users.

18. The computationally-implemented system of claim 17, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users that any transportation vehicle unit to be used for transporting the one or more end users not have any currently pending package delivery obligation.

19. The computationally-implemented system of claim 17, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users that no package be delivered by any transportation vehicle unit that is used for transporting the one or more end users during transport of the one or more end users.

20. The computationally-implemented system of claim 17, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users related to one or more preferences for one or more preferred driver characteristics.

21. The computationally-implemented system of claim 20, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users related to one or more preferences for one or more preferred driver characteristics comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users related to a preference for a human driver having one or more preferred ratings.

22. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on determining whether the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations for delivering one or more packages that will not violate one or more requirements for transporting the one or more end users.

23. The computationally-implemented system of claim 22, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations for delivering one or more packages that will not violate one or more requirements for transporting the one or more end users comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery that will not violate one or more spatial requirements for transporting the one or more end users.

24. The computationally-implemented system of claim 22, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations for delivering one or more packages that will not violate one or more requirements for transporting the one or more end users comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery that will not violate one or more temporal requirements for transporting the one or more end users.

25. The computationally-implemented system of claim 22, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations for delivering one or more packages that will not violate one or more requirements for transporting the one or more end users comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery that will not violate one or more requirements that no more than a predefined amount of package deliveries will occur during transport of the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations.

26. The computationally-implemented system of claim 22, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations for delivering one or more packages that will not violate one or more requirements for transporting the one or more end users comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery to one or more delivery locations that are along or proximate to a direct route to the one or more destination locations from a rendezvous location where the one or more end users rendezvous with the one or more transportation vehicle units in order to be transported to the one or more destination locations.

27. The computationally-implemented system of claim 26, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery to one or more delivery locations that are along or proximate to a direct route to the one or more destination locations from a rendezvous location where the one or more end users rendezvous with the one or more transportation vehicle units in order to be transported to the one or more destination locations comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery to one or more delivery locations that are along or proximate to a direct route that is the shortest distance route to the one or more destination locations from the rendezvous location.

28. The computationally-implemented system of claim 26, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery to one or more delivery locations that are along or proximate to a direct route to the one or more destination locations from a rendezvous location where the one or more end users rendezvous with the one or more transportation vehicle units in order to be transported to the one or more destination locations comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery to one or more delivery locations that are along or proximate to a direct route that is the most time efficient route to the one or more destination locations from the rendezvous location.

29. The computationally-implemented system of claim 26, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery to one or more delivery locations that are along or proximate to a direct route to the one or more destination locations from a rendezvous location where the one or more end users rendezvous with the one or more transportation vehicle units in order to be transported to the one or more destination locations comprises:

identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery to one or more delivery locations that do not add more than a predefined amount of time to the total amount of time it would have taken to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations using the direct route and when no packages are being delivered during the transport of the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations.

30. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on determining whether the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations comprises:

determining that the one or more end users satisfies one or more driver preferences of one or more drivers of the one or more transportation vehicle units related to one or more preferences for one or more specified end user characteristics.

31. The computationally-implemented system of claim 30, wherein determining that the one or more end users satisfies one or more driver preferences of one or more drivers of the one or more transportation vehicle units related to one or more preferences for one or more specified end user characteristics comprises:

determining that the one or more end users satisfies one or more driver preferences of the one or more drivers that the one or more end users to be transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units are not member or members of a group of one or more end users who have been identified as being banned by the one or more drivers.

32. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein transmitting one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations comprises:

transmitting the one or more directives to one or more transport computing devices associated with the one or more transportation vehicle units.

33. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein transmitting one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations comprises:

transmitting the one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users by transmitting one or more directives that identify at least one rendezvous location for the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users.

34. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein transmitting one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations comprises:

transmitting the one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users including image data that identifies at least one of the one or more end users.

35. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein transmitting one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations comprises:

transmitting the one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users including one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to deliver one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users.

36. The computationally-implemented system of claim 35, wherein transmitting the one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users including one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to deliver one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users comprises:

transmitting the one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to deliver the one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users by transmitting one or more directives that identify the one or more packages to be delivered during the transport of the one or more end users.

37. The computationally-implemented system of claim 35, wherein transmitting the one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users including one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to deliver one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users comprises:

transmitting the one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to deliver the one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users by transmitting one or more directives that identify specific route or routes for delivering the one or more packages to be delivered during the transport of the one or more end users.

38. The computationally-implemented system of claim 35, wherein transmitting the one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users including one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to deliver one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users comprises:

transmitting the one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to deliver the one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users by transmitting one or more directives that identify one or more routes for delivering the one or more packages and for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations.

39. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, further comprising one or more instructions that, when implemented in the at least one computing device, program the at least one computing device for:

receiving, from an online retailer, a package delivery request for delivery of a package associated with a sale by the online retailer.

40. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, further comprising one or more instructions that, when implemented in the at least one computing device, program the at least one computing device for:

tracking a package delivery obligation.

41. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2, further comprising one or more instructions that, when implemented in the at least one computing device, program the at least one computing device for:

receiving package delivery preference data that indicates at least one user preference associated with delivery of a package.

42. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium bearing;

one or more instructions for receiving a request for transporting one or more end users;

one or more instructions for identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on determining whether the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations; and

one or more instructions for transmitting one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations.