Method for requesting transportation services

• US 9,984,575 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2017
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Prosper Technology, LLC
• Inventors: Lubeck, Olaf Martin, Hall, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Cong
• Application Number:
  US15/470,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20170200375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 428 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 portable device comprising:

at least one wireless transceiver for transmitting a first request for transportation service from a transportation requester, receiving confirmation that the transportation service will be provided by a transportation provider, automatically determining a geographic location of the portable device, and automatically and periodically transmitting the geographic location of the portable device to a dispatch computer;

software stored on the portable device for preventing a transportation requester from making a second request for transportation service after transmitting the first request; and

a touchscreen display configured to display, after the first request for transportation service has been made, a map, which is updated automatically and periodically, showing the geographic location of the transportation provider;

wherein the touchscreen display is further configured to display, after the first request for transportation service has been made, a textual message, which is updated automatically and periodically, regarding the geographic location of the transportation provider.

2. The portable device of claim 1 further comprising software stored on the portable device to signal the end of communication with the dispatch computer.

3. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the touchscreen display is further configured to display the cellular telephone number of the transportation provider.

4. The portable device of claim 3, wherein the portable device is configured to store the cellular telephone number of the transportation provider.

5. The portable device of claim 1, further comprising software stored on the portable device configured to receive a message from a dispatch computer that no transportation provider was available to service a transportation request within a chosen time limit.

6. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the touchscreen display is further configured to allow a transportation requester to specify a future time that a transportation request will be serviced.

7. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the touchscreen display is further configured to display a button for requesting transportation service from a transportation provider unknown to the transportation requester.

8. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is for periodically receiving a message from the dispatch computer requesting the geographic location of the transportation requester.

9. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the touchscreen is further configured to display a consolidated view of transportation providers on a map before the first request for transportation has been made.

10. The portable device of claim 1, further comprising software configured to allow transportation requests without requiring the transportation requester to provide preference information.

11. The portable device of claim 1, further comprising software configured to allow transportation requests without requiring the transportation requester to provide profile information.

12. The portable device of claim 1 wherein the portable device is a smartphone.