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 9,715,667 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2015
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• 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:
  US14/621,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20150323336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 701 19, 701 20, 701 21, 701410, 701533, 701537, 701200, 701209, 701117, 3405734, 340990, 4554565, 4555521, 705 713, 705 715, 705330
• 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 system, comprising:

circuitry for receiving, while a transportation vehicle unit is en route to rendezvousing with a first end user or is transporting the first end user, one or more 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

circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for receiving, while a transportation vehicle unit is en route to rendezvousing with a first end user or is transporting the first end user, one or more 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 comprises:

circuitry for receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is spatially moving towards a first end user rendezvous location in order to rendezvous with the first end user, one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for receiving, while a transportation vehicle unit is en route to rendezvousing with a first end user or is transporting the first end user, one or more 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 comprises:

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

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for receiving, while a transportation vehicle unit is en route to rendezvousing with a first end user or is transporting the first end user, one or more 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 comprises:

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

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for receiving, while a transportation vehicle unit is en route to rendezvousing with a first end user or is transporting the first end user, one or more 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 comprises:

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

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said circuitry for receiving one or more carpooling preferences of the second end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving one or more carpooling preferences of the second end user that indicate a maximum number of end user drop-offs permitted prior to the second end user being dropped-off.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said circuitry for receiving one or more carpooling preferences of the second end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving one or more carpooling preferences of the second end user that indicate a maximum amount of time delay permitted in transporting the second end user to a second end user destination location and as a result of the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the first end user.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for receiving, while a transportation vehicle unit is en route to rendezvousing with a first end user or is transporting the first end user, one or more 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 comprises:

circuitry for receiving transport rate data that indicates a transport rate for transporting the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said circuitry for receiving transport rate data that indicates a transport rate for transporting the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry for receiving transport rate data that indicates a discounted transport rate for the second end user 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 second end user being dropped-off at a second end user destination location.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said circuitry for receiving transport rate data that indicates a transport rate for transporting the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry for receiving transport rate data that indicates a premium transport rate for the second end user that is higher than a transport rate for the first end user for being transported by the transportation vehicle unit.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said circuitry for receiving transport rate data that indicates a transport rate for transporting the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry for receiving transport rate data that indicates a discounted transport rate for the first end user that is less than a transport rate for the first end user that was provided prior to assignment of the second end user to the transportation vehicle unit.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said circuitry for receiving transport rate data that indicates a transport rate for transporting the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

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

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for receiving, while a transportation vehicle unit is en route to rendezvousing with a first end user or is transporting the first end user, one or more 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 comprises:

circuitry for receiving the one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be scheduled for traveling near to a second end user destination location of the second end user when transporting the first end user.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to not cause a delay in transporting the first end user to a first end user destination location that is greater than a predefined amount of maximum permitted delay.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to not cause the transportation vehicle unit to have a number of end user drop-offs prior to the first end user being dropped-off that is greater than a predefined amount of maximum permitted end user drop-offs permitted before the first end user is dropped-off.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to not cause the transportation vehicle unit to have a number of end user drop-offs prior to the first end user being dropped-off that is greater than a predefined amount of maximum permitted end user drop-offs permitted before the first end user is dropped-off comprises:

circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to not cause the transportation vehicle unit to have a number of end user drop-offs prior to the first end user being dropped-off that is greater than a maximum of three end user drop-offs permitted before the first end user is dropped-off.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein said circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to not cause any end user drop-off to occur prior to drop of the first end user.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations for end users to rendezvous at a location where the first end user is rendezvousing with the transportation vehicle unit.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein said circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to only transport end users to the destination location for the first end user.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein said circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more conditional directives that permit the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user only if one or more specified conditions can be or have already been realized comprises:

circuitry for confirming that the second end user has at least one specified common interest with the first end user.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry for confirming that the transportation vehicle unit is in the proximate vicinity of a second end user rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the second end user.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry for confirming that the transportation vehicle unit is scheduled for traveling within a threshold distance to a second end user destination location of the second end user when transporting one or more other end users including the first end user.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

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

25. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

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

26. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining a transport rate for the first end user that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting the second end user while transporting the first end user.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining a transport rate for the first end user that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting the second end user while transporting the first end user comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining a transport rate for the first end user that is based, at least in part, on the number of other end users that the transportation vehicle unit will be transporting while transporting the first end user.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining a transport rate for the first end user that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting the second end user while transporting the first end user comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining a discounted transport rate for the first end user as a result of the transportation vehicle unit making an additional passenger drop-off prior to the first end user being dropped-off at a first end user destination location.

33. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry for transmitting one or more confirmations that the one or more directives have been accepted for execution by the transportation vehicle unit.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said circuitry for transmitting one or more confirmations that the one or more directives have been accepted for execution by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the one or more confirmations in response to verification that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for receiving, while a transportation vehicle unit is en route to rendezvousing with a first end user or is transporting the first end user, one or more 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 comprises:

receiving, while a robotic transportation vehicle unit is en route to rendezvousing with a first end user or is transporting the first end user, one or more directives that direct the robotic transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user, the robotic transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be able to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user.

28. The system wherein said circuitry for causing a transport computing device associated with the transportation vehicle unit to display at least a portion of the one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user while transporting the first end user and at least a portion of the at least one image associated with the second end user comprises:

circuitry for causing the transport computing device associated with the transportation vehicle unit to provide at least one indication of at least one address associated with at least one pickup location of the second end user;

circuitry for determining based, at least in part, on at least one hardware-based position sensor of the transport computing device, that the transportation vehicle unit is within at least one proximity of the at least one pickup location of the second end user; and

circuitry for causing the transport computing device to display the at least a portion of the at least one image associated with the second end user, the display enabling a human driver of the transportation vehicle unit to recognize the second end user.

30. The system wherein said circuitry for receiving, while a transportation vehicle unit is en route to rendezvousing with a first end user or is transporting the first end user, one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user including at least receiving at least one indication of at least one image associated with the second end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to have available interior space to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving, while a transportation vehicle unit is en route to rendezvousing with a first end user or is transporting the first end user, one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user including at least receiving at least one indication of at least one image associated with the second end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to have available interior space to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user based, at least in part, on verifying using at least one image processing system that the at least one image associated with the second end user does not include an end user who has previously been banned.

31. The system wherein said circuitry for receiving, while a transportation vehicle unit is en route to rendezvousing with a first end user or is transporting the first end user, one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user including at least receiving at least one indication of at least one image associated with the second end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to have available interior space to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user comprises:

circuitry for receiving, while a transportation vehicle unit is en route to rendezvousing with a first end user or is transporting the first end user, one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user including at least receiving at least one indication of at least one image associated with the second end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to have available interior space to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user based, at least in part, on determining using at least one image processing system that at least one image of an interior portion of the transportation vehicle unit indicates the available interior space.

32. The system wherein said circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit based, at least in part, on determining using at least one image processing system that transport of the first end user will not violate at least one second end user preference for at least one common interest.

36. A system, comprising:

circuitry for receiving, while a transportation vehicle unit is en route to rendezvousing with a first end user or is transporting the first end user, one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user including at least receiving at least one indication of at least one image associated with the second end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to have available interior space to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user;

circuitry for confirming that compliance with the one or more directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit; and

circuitry for causing a transport computing device associated with the transportation vehicle unit to display at least a portion of the one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport the second end user while transporting the first end user and at least a portion of the at least one image associated with the second end user.