Method for requesting transportation services

• US 9,646,500 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2016
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Airsmobile Inc.
• Inventors: Hall, John H., LUBECK, Olaf Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, CONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US15/177,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20160293012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 334 Days
• Field of Search: 4554042, 455407, 4554561, 4554563, 4554565-4566, 455457, 705 5, 705 6, 705 13
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/468 by Triangulation, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the bearing, direction or angle to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2240/00 Transportation facility access, e.g. fares, tolls or parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group

Abstract

A method for safely and efficiently requesting transportation services through the use of mobile communications devices capable of geographic location is described. Individual and package transportation may be provided. New customers may be efficiently serviced, and the requester and transportation provider locations may be viewed in real time on the mobile devices.

Claims

1. A computerized method for managing a transportation system, comprising:

receiving, at a computer via a communications network, an identifier of a transportation provider from a first wireless mobile communications device;

receiving, at a computer via a communications network, a request for a transportation from a second wireless mobile communications device of a transportation requester, wherein the request for the transportation includes an initial geographic location of the second wireless mobile communications device automatically determined by the second wireless mobile communications device or manually entered into a screen of the second wireless mobile communications device by the transportation requester;

transmitting, from the computer via the communications network, to the first wireless mobile communications device, the request for the transportation and a geographic location of the second wireless mobile communications device;

receiving, at the computer via the communications network, a confirmation from the first wireless mobile communications device that the transportation will be provided by the transportation provider;

transmitting, from the computer via the communications network, to the second wireless mobile communications device a notification that the transportation will be provided by the transportation provider;

periodically receiving, at the computer, tracking information via the communications network, wherein the tracking information comprises one or more geographic locations of the first wireless mobile communications device; and

transmitting, from the computer via the communications network, to the second wireless mobile communications device, information that can be displayed on the screen of the second wireless mobile communications device, wherein the information includes;

an estimated time of arrival of the transportation provider, and

a geographic location of the transportation provider that can be displayed on a map on the screen of the second wireless mobile communications device, wherein the information is periodically updated to include real time data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information transmitted to the second wireless mobile communications device further includes a telephone number of the transportation provider, which can be displayed on the screen of the second wireless mobile communications device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, from the computer via the communications network, to the transportation provider a telephone number of the transportation requester.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, to the computer via the communications network, a signal from the first wireless mobile communications device that a pickup of the transportation requester has occurred.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, to the computer via the communications network, a signal from the first wireless mobile communications device that a drop off of the transportation requester has occurred; and

communicating a service fare.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for the transportation comprises a request for delivery of an item.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing on the computer different types of transportation providers.

8. A method for managing a transportation service, comprising:

receiving, at a computer system via a network, a request for a transportation from a first wireless device of a transportation requester, wherein the request for the transportation includes a geographic location of the transportation requester automatically determined by the first wireless device or manually entered into a screen of the first wireless device by the transportation requester;

automatically selecting, as a selected transportation provider, one of a plurality of transportation providers;

transmitting, from the computer system via the network, to a second wireless device of the selected transportation provider, the request for the transportation and a geographic location of the transportation requester;

receiving, at the computer system via the network, a confirmation from the second wireless device of the selected transportation provider that transportation can be provided by the selected transportation provider;

automatically and periodically receiving tracking information via the network, wherein the tracking information comprises geographic locations of the first wireless device of the transportation requester;

periodically relaying, via the network, the geographic locations of the first wireless device of the transportation requester to the second wireless device of the selected transportation provider;

automatically and periodically receiving tracking information via the network, wherein the tracking information comprises time-varying geographic locations of the second wireless device of the selected transportation provider; and

periodically relaying, via the network, the time-varying geographic locations of the second wireless device of the selected transportation provider to the first wireless device of the transportation requester.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

causing to be displayed, on a map on the screen of the first wireless device of the transportation requester, the time-varying geographic locations of the second wireless device of the selected transportation provider.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting from the computer system via the network to the transportation requester an estimated time of arrival of the selected transportation provider, wherein the estimated time of arrival is to be displayed on the screen of the first wireless device of the transportation requester.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting from the computer system, via the network, to the transportation requester a telephone number of the selected transportation provider.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting from the computer system, via the network, to the selected transportation provider the telephone number of the transportation requester.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting to the computer system, via the network, a signal from the second wireless device that a pickup of the transportation requester has occurred.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting to the computer system, via the network, a signal from the second wireless device that a drop off of the transportation requester has occurred; and

communicating a service fare.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the request for the transportation comprises a request for delivery of an item.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing on the computer system different types of transportation providers.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the first and second wireless devices each comprise a cell phone.