Routing of vehicle for hire to dynamic pickup location

• US 9,702,714 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2015
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maplebear Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Botea, Adi, Xie, Fan
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAIGE, TYLER D
• Application Number:
  US14/958,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20170160092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 701423, 705338
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• 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: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09

Abstract

A method for routing a vehicle for hire includes receiving a request to pick up a passenger at a predetermined time. Information indicating a first location of the passenger is received. The vehicle is routed to the first location at the calculated dispatch time. Information indicating a second location of the passenger is received. It is determined whether the second location jeopardized a timely pickup. The vehicle is rerouted to the second location when it is determined that the second location does not jeopardize the timely pickup. A notification is sent to the passenger warning that the second present location jeopardizes the timely pickup and the passenger is provided with directions on how to move to a location that does not jeopardize the timely pickup when it is determined that the second location of the passenger does jeopardize the timely pickup.

Claims

1. A method for routing a vehicle for hire, comprising:

receiving a request to pick up a predetermined passenger at a predetermined time;

receiving location information indicating a first present location of the predetermined passenger from an electronic mobile device carried by the predetermined passenger;

calculating a dispatch time based on a location of the vehicle for hire, and the first present location of the predetermined passenger;

routing the vehicle for hire to the first present location of the predetermined passenger, at the calculated dispatch time;

receiving location information indicating that the predetermined passenger has moved from the first present location to a second present location that is different from the first present location, from the electronic mobile device carried by the predetermined passenger;

determining whether the second present location of the predetermined passenger jeopardized a timely pickup of the predetermined passenger at the predetermined time;

rerouting the vehicle for hire, while in route to the first location to the predetermined passenger at the second location when it is determined that the second present location of the predetermined passenger does not jeopardize the timely pickup of the predetermined passenger at the predetermined time; and

sending a notification to the predetermined passenger warning the predetermined passenger that the second present location jeopardizes the timely pickup and providing the predetermined passenger with directions on how to move to a location that does not jeopardize the timely pickup of the predetermined passenger when it is determined that the second present location of the predetermined passenger does jeopardize the timely pickup of the predetermined passenger at the predetermined time.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising receiving real-time traffic condition information, and wherein the received real-time traffic condition information is used in calculating the dispatch time, routing the vehicle for hire to the first present location of the predetermined passenger, and determining whether the second present location of the predetermined passenger jeopardized a timely pickup of the predetermined passenger at the predetermined time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the real-time traffic condition information is received from a traffic monitoring service over an electronic computer network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time is either specified by the predetermined passenger or computed based on a desired arrival time at a destination and an estimated driving time required to arrive at the destination.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to pick up the predetermined passenger at the predetermined time is received from the electronic mobile device carried by the predetermined passenger.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information indicating the first and second present locations of the predetermined passenger are calculated by a global positioning service (GPS) receiver disposed within the electronic mobile device carried by the predetermined passenger.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic mobile device carried by the predetermined passenger counts down a present length of time until the calculated dispatch time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic mobile device carried by the predetermined passenger displays a map differentiating between a first set of locations that the predetermined passenger can travel to without jeopardizing the timely pickup of the predetermined passenger at the predetermined time and a second set of locations that the predetermined passenger cannot travel to timely pickup of the predetermined passenger at the predetermined time, the map being generated based on received the real-time traffic information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the displayed map is updated based on changes to the real-time traffic information or the present location of the predetermined passenger.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving location information indicating a third present location of the predetermined passenger different from the second present location of the predetermined passenger from the electronic mobile device carried by the predetermined passenger;

determining whether the third present location of the predetermined passenger jeopardizes the timely pickup of the predetermined passenger at the predetermined time based on received real-time traffic condition information;

rerouting the vehicle for hire to the predetermined passenger at the third location when it is determined that the third present location of the predetermined passenger does not jeopardize the timely pickup of the predetermined passenger at the predetermined time; and

sending a notification to the predetermined passenger warning the predetermined passenger that the third present location jeopardizes the timely pickup and providing the predetermined passenger with directions on how to move to a location that does not jeopardize the timely pickup of the predetermined passenger when it is determined that the third present location of the predetermined passenger does jeopardize the timely pickup of the predetermined passenger at the predetermined time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein when sending the notification to the predetermined passenger warning the predetermined passenger that the second present location jeopardizes the timely pickup, the predetermined passenger is given an opportunity to accept a delayed pickup time.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second present location information is acquired by an application executing on the electronic mobile device carried by the predetermined passenger and the application displays the map and the notification.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of the method are performed by a central server in communication with:

the electronic mobile device carried by the predetermined passenger;

the vehicle for hire; and

a service providing real-time traffic information, over a computer network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the present location of the predetermined passenger is continuously or periodically monitored from a time prior to the dispatch of the vehicle for hire till a time at which the predetermined passenger is picked up.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing of the vehicle for hire to the first and second present location is performed using route information from a compressed path database.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the map illustrates the locations of various attractions or waiting spots that the predetermined passenger can travel to without jeopardizing the timely pickup of the predetermined passenger.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing of the vehicle for hire to the first and second present location of the predetermined passenger is performed using a multi-hunter, multi-prey search algorithm.

18. A computer system comprising:

a processor, and

a non-transitory, tangible, program storage medium, readable by the computer system, embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform method steps for routing a vehicle for hire, the method comprising;

receiving a request to pick up a predetermined passenger at a predetermined time from a mobile application executing on an electronic mobile device of the predetermined passenger;

receiving real-time traffic condition information from a traffic information service;

receiving location information indicating a first present location of the predetermined passenger from the mobile application;

calculating a dispatch time based on a location of the vehicle for hire, the first present location of the predetermined passenger, and the real-time traffic information;

routing the vehicle for hire to the first present location of the predetermined passenger, at the calculated dispatch time, based on the real-time traffic condition information;

receiving location information indicating that the predetermined passenger has moved from the first present location to a second present location that is different from the first present location, from the mobile application;

determining whether the second present location of the predetermined passenger jeopardized a timely pickup of the predetermined passenger at the predetermined time using the real-time traffic condition information;

rerouting the vehicle for hire, while in route to the first location, to the predetermined passenger at the second location when it is determined that the second present location of the predetermined passenger does not jeopardize the timely pickup of the predetermined passenger at the predetermined time; and

displaying a notification to the mobile application warning the predetermined passenger that the second present location jeopardizes the timely pickup and displaying directions on how to move to a location that does not jeopardize the timely pickup of the predetermined passenger when it is determined that the second present location of the predetermined passenger does jeopardize the timely pickup of the predetermined passenger at the predetermined time.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the mobile application displays a map differentiating between a first set of locations that the predetermined passenger can travel to without jeopardizing the timely pickup of the predetermined passenger at the predetermined time and a second set of locations that the predetermined passenger cannot travel to timely pickup of the predetermined passenger at the predetermined time, the map being generated based on the real-time traffic information.

20. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the mobile application displays a user interface element for permitting the predetermined passenger to accept a delayed pickup time when it is determined that the second present location of the predetermined passenger jeopardized a timely pickup of the predetermined passenger.