Method for requesting transportation services

• US 10,708,714 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2018
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Original Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Inventors: Lubeck, Olaf Martin, Hall, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Congvan
• Application Number:
  US15/986,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20180268713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 455 42, 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 method for managing transportation services, the method comprising:

receiving, from a requester device associated with a requester, a transportation request;

identifying a first set of transporters available for the transportation request and a second set of transporters available for the transportation request, wherein the first set of transporters is associated with a first mode of transportation and the second set of transporters is associated with a second mode of transportation;

computing a time-of-arrival for at least one transporter from the second set of transporters based on comparing time-varying geographic locations for the second set of transporters to a schedule;

providing the time-of-arrival to the requester device;

providing, to the requester device, location information for a plurality of transportation vehicles associated with the second mode of transportation for display within a map interface before a selection of a transporter for the transportation request;

determining the selection of the transporter from the first set of transporters or the second set of transporters; and

providing, to the requester device, an acknowledgment message based on the selected transporter.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the requester device, one or more characteristics associated with the transportation request; and

selecting the transporter based on the one or more characteristics associated with the transportation request.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more characteristics associated with the transportation request comprise at least one of a number of individuals to be transported, a number of packages to be delivered, or a type of material to be transported.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mode of transportation comprises private transportation, and wherein the second mode of transportation comprises public transportation.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the requester device, a selection of the first mode of transportation; and

providing, to the requester device, location information for a plurality of transportation vehicles associated with the first mode of transportation for display within a map interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transportation vehicles associated with the second mode of transportation comprise at least one of buses, trains, or ferries.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of transportation vehicles associated with the second mode of transportation travels along a predetermined route.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the first set of transporters and the second set of transporters comprises identifying all available transporters within at least one of a city, a county, or a borough.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transportation vehicles associated with the second mode of transportation comprises transportation vehicles associated with the second set of transporters available for the transportation request.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium for managing transportation services, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer device to:

receive, from a requester device associated with a requester, a transportation request;

identify a first set of transporters available for the transportation request and a second set of transporters available for the transportation request, wherein the first set of transporters is associated with a first mode of transportation and the second set of transporters is associated with a second mode of transportation;

compute a time-of-arrival for at least one transporter from the second set of transporters based on comparing time-varying geographic locations for the second set of transporters to a schedule;

provide the time-of-arrival to the requester device;

provide, to the requester device, location information for a plurality of transportation vehicles associated with the second mode of transportation for display within a map interface before a selection of a transporter for the transportation request;

determine the selection of the transporter from the first set of transporters or the second set of transporters; and

provide, to the requester device, an acknowledgment message based on the selected transporter.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer device to:

receive, from the requester device, one or more characteristics associated with the transportation request, wherein the one or more characteristics comprise at least one of a number of individuals to be transported, a number of packages to be delivered, or a type of material to be transported; and

select the transporter based on the one or more characteristics associated with the transportation request.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer device to:

receive, from the requester device, a selection of the first mode of transportation; and

provide, to the requester device, location information for a plurality of transportation vehicles associated with the first mode of transportation for display within a map interface.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the first mode of transportation comprises private transportation, and wherein the second mode of transportation comprises public transportation.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality of transportation vehicles associated with the second mode of transportation comprise at least one of buses, trains, or ferries.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality of transportation vehicles associated with the second mode of transportation comprises transportation vehicles associated with the second set of transporters available for the transportation request.

16. A system for managing transportation services, the system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to;

receive, from a requester device associated with a requester, a transportation request;

identify a first set of transporters available for the transportation request and a second set of transporters available for the transportation request, wherein the first set of transporters is associated with a first mode of transportation and the second set of transporters is associated with a second mode of transportation;

compute a time-of-arrival for at least one transporter from the second set of transporters based on comparing time-varying geographic locations for the second set of transporters to a schedule;

provide the time-of-arrival to the requester device;

provide, to the requester device, location information for a plurality of transportation vehicles associated with the second mode of transportation for display within a map interface before a selection of a transporter for the transportation request;

determine the selection of the transporter from the first set of transporters or the second set of transporters; and

provide, to the requester device, an acknowledgment message based on the selected transporter.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

receive, from the requester device, one or more characteristics associated with the transportation request, wherein the one or more characteristics comprise at least one of a number of individuals to be transported, a number of packages to be delivered, or a type of material to be transported; and

select the transporter based on the one or more characteristics associated with the transportation request.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

receive, from the requester device, a selection of the first mode of transportation; and

provide, to the requester device, location information for a plurality of transportation vehicles associated with the first mode of transportation for display within a map interface.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the first mode of transportation comprises private transportation, and wherein the second mode of transportation comprises public transportation.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of transportation vehicles associated with the second mode of transportation comprises transportation vehicles associated with the second set of transporters available for the transportation request.