SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GLOBAL TRANSPORTATION,VETTING, AND PAYMENT

• US 20100153279A1
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Walter Zahn
• Original Assignee: Walter Zahn
• Inventors: Zahn, Walter
• Application Number:
  US12/571,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20100153279A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/30 Transportation; Communications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for use and payment of global transportation and vetting systems and methods.

Claims

1. A computerized method for generating a transportation schedule comprising:

receiving one or more ride requests;

generating the transportation schedule based on the one or more ride requests, wherein for each passenger associated with each of the one or more ride requests, the transportation schedule comprises one or more of a pick-up location, a pick-up departure time, a drop-off location, and route information;

transmitting the transportation schedule to one or more transportation service providers;

receiving a bid from each of the one or more transportation service providers; and

selecting a transportation service provider for the transportation schedule based on the bids.

2. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising:

confirming the transportation schedule with each passenger associated with the one or more ride requests and confirming the transportation schedule with the transportation service provider for the transportation schedule.

3. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising automatically calculating a best fitting bid for a transportation service provider from the one or more transportation service providers based on one or more bidding criteria.

4. The computerized method of claim 3, wherein the bidding criteria is one or more of price, rating, location, destination, type of transportation, and availability.

5. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising categorizing the one or more ride requests.

6-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A computerized method for providing a global transportation vetting and payment system, the method comprising vetting a member, storing vetted information in a subscriber database, storing a trip detail, wherein the trip detail is based on a trip performed by a transportation provider, calculating a cost based on the trip information, and automatically transmitting a payment for the cost.

13. The computerized method of claim 12, further comprising verifying a status of the member in real time.

14. The computerized method of claim 13, wherein verifying comprises assessing one or more attributes of the member.

15. The computerized method of claim 14, wherein the one or more attributes are selected from the group consisting of account status, vetting status, account balance, and member rating.

16. The computerized method of claim 15, wherein the member rating is an automatic member rating.

17. The computerized method of claim 16, further comprising automatically calculating the member rating based on a number of trips, a ratio of complaints, or both.

18. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein calculating comprises automatically calculating the cost based on a trip distance or a trip duration.

19. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein calculating comprises calculating a load factor, wherein the load factor is based on a number of passengers associated with the trip.

24. The computerized method of claim 12 further comprising either performing an auto-recharge of a member account, performing an auto-discharge of the member account, or both.

26. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein the transportation provider is a public transportation system, a commercial transportation system, or a ride share transportation system.

20. (canceled)

21. The computerized method of claim 20, wherein the trip detail further comprises a driver membership number, a passenger membership number, and leg information for each leg of one or more legs of the trip.

22. The computerized method of claim 21, wherein the leg information comprises a load factor, a location information, a time information, and a distance information.

23. The computerized method of claim 22, wherein the location information comprises a start point and an end point, and the time information comprises a start time and an end time.

25. (canceled)

27-33. -33. (canceled)

34. A computer program product for generating a transportation schedule, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product including instructions being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to receive one or more ride requests, generate the transportation schedule based on the one or more ride requests, wherein for each passenger associated with each of the one or more ride requests, the transportation schedule comprises one or more of a pick-up location, a pick-up departure time, a drop-off location, and route information,

transmit the transportation schedule to one or more transportation service providers, receive a bid from each of the one or more transportation service providers, and select a transportation service provider for the transportation schedule based on the bids.

35. (canceled)

36. A computer program product for providing a global transportation vetting and payment system, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product including instructions being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to vet a member, wherein vetted information is stored in a subscriber database, store a trip detail, wherein the trip detail is based on a trip performed by a transportation provider, wherein the transportation provider is a public transportation system, a commercial transportation system, or a ride share transportation system, calculate a cost based on the trip information, and automatically transmit a payment for the cost.