RIDESHARE SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHODOLOGY

• US 20100207812A1
• Filed: 02/18/2009
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kalik, Steve F., Demirdjian, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,285,571 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/825 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A rideshare system and associated methodology for recommending rideshares to prospective riders and drivers uses itineraries and personal affinities to make the recommendations. The rideshare system computes a cost value by comparing the search criteria submitted by a user to stored user profiles. Results of the comparison are displayed in order of highest match to lowest match, according to the cost values computed. Further, the system also adaptively updates the stored profiles according to rideshare history. Lastly, the system includes a real-time user localization unit to locate prospective riders and drivers in real time, making just in time or unplanned rideshares possible.

Claims

1. A method of causing a computer system to recommend a rideshare, comprising:

generating, in a data processor, a search criteria according to user-defined inputs including at least one itinerary and at least one personal affinity category;

storing a plurality of user profiles in a memory associated with the data processor;

generating, in the data processor, a cost value for each of the plurality of stored user profiles according to the search criteria, each stored user profile including at least one itinerary and one personal affinity category;

displaying anonymously at least one of the stored user profiles a corresponding cost value on a display device;

transmitting a first anonymous message to a communication address corresponding to a selected user profile, the anonymous message requesting a rideshare;

receiving a second anonymous message from the communication address corresponding to the selected user profile, the second anonymous message indicating one of acceptance or rejection of the rideshare; and

displaying, on the display device, one of a rideshare finalizing information and an anonymous denial message upon receipt of a rejection,

wherein the at least one itinerary and the at least one personal affinity category of the search criteria are weighted to generate the cost values according to a plurality of user-defined priorities.

2. The method of causing a computer system to recommend a rideshare according to claim 1, further comprising:

comparing, in the data processor, the generated cost values corresponding to the stored user profiles to a predetermined threshold,

wherein only the stored user profiles having a cost value below the predetermined threshold are displayed.

3. The method of causing a computer system to recommend a rideshare according to claim 1, further comprising:

updating, in the data processor, a user profile according to at least one other profile corresponding to a history of past rideshare acceptances.

4. The method of causing a computer system to recommend a rideshare according to claim 3, wherein updating a user profile includes:

identifying other user profiles, stored in the memory, corresponding to a rideshare history of the user profile,

determining, in the data processor, matching personal affinity categories between the other user profiles and the user profile,

updating, in the user profile, values corresponding to the matching personal affinity categories according to the other user profiles, and

updating, in the user profile, at least one itinerary according to itineraries corresponding to the other user profiles.

5. The method of causing a computer system to recommend a rideshare according to claim 4, wherein updating the user profile also includes adding at least one of a new personal affinity category and a new itinerary.

6. The method of causing a computer system to recommend a rideshare according to claim 1, wherein the generating a cost value step further includes:

computing, in the data processor, an itinerary cost value by determining a detour required to establish the rideshare between an itinerary in a stored profile and the itinerary in the search criteria;

weighting the computed itinerary cost according to the user-defined priorities;

identifying at least one matching personal affinity category between the search criteria and the stored profile;

computing, for every matching personal affinity category, a personal affinity cost corresponding to a relative distance between values corresponding to the search criteria and values corresponding to the stored profile;

weighting the personal affinity costs according to the user-defined priorities; and

combining, in the data processor, the itinerary cost and personal affinity costs to generate the cost value.

7. The method of causing a computer system to recommend a rideshare according to claim 6, wherein the detour is determined relative to an overall distance traveled.

8. The method of causing a computer system to recommend a rideshare according to claim 6, wherein the detour is determined as an absolute distance value.

9. The method of causing a computer system to recommend a rideshare according to claim 6, wherein the detour is determined as an amount of time.

10. The method of causing a computer system to recommend a rideshare according to claim 6, wherein the detour is determined as a relative amount of time.

11. The method of causing a computer system to recommend a rideshare according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a review of a past rideshare; and

appending the review of the past rideshare to at least one of the stored profiles associated with the past rideshare.

12. The method of causing a computer system to recommend a rideshare according to claim 11, wherein the review of a past rideshare includes reviewing at least one of punctuality, dependability and safety.

13. The method of causing a computer system to recommend a rideshare according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a user current position using a real-time user localization source; and

overlaying the user current position on an electronic map display.

26. The method of recommending a rideshare according to claim 1, further comprising:

exchanging, between at least two of a credit account of a rider, a credit account of a driver and a third-party credit account, a credit corresponding to a rideshare in which the driver and the rider participated.

28. The method according to claim 1, wherein the rideshare finalizing information includes contact information corresponding to the selected user profile.

29. The method according to claim 1, wherein the rideshare finalizing information includes a predetermined meeting location and time.

14. A system for recommending a rideshare, comprising:

an electronic storage device configured to store a plurality of user profiles;

a receiver configured to receive a search criteria including at least one itinerary and at least one personal affinity category, the at least one itinerary and at least one personal affinity category being weighted according to user-defined priorities;

a processor configured to generate a cost value for each of the plurality of user profiles stored in the electronic storage device, and configured to determine a display list of user profiles and corresponding cost values;

a transmitter configured to transmit the user profiles corresponding to the display list over a communications network,

wherein the transmitter sends an anonymous message requesting a rideshare to a communications address of a selected profile, and transmits one of an anonymous denial message in response to a rideshare rejection or a rideshare finalizing information in response to a rideshare acceptance.

15. The system for recommending a rideshare according to claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the generated cost values corresponding to the stored user profiles to a predetermined threshold, and only the stored user profiles having a cost value below the predetermined threshold are displayed.

16. The system for recommending a rideshare according to claim 14, further comprising:

a real-time user localization unit configured to receive a current position of a user,

wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit a graphical interface including an electronic map showing the current position of the user.

17. The system for recommending a rideshare according to claim 16, wherein the electronic map also displays a current capacity of a user corresponding to the current position.

18. The system for recommending a rideshare according to claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to account for a user travel direction and speed in computing the cost value.

30. The system according to claim 14, wherein the rideshare finalizing information includes contact information corresponding to the selected user profile.

31. The system according to claim 14, wherein the rideshare finalizing information includes a predetermined meeting location and time.

19. A computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions thereon, the computer readable instructions when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for rideshare recommendation, comprising:

generating a search criteria according to user-defined inputs including at least one itinerary and at least one personal affinity category;

generating, in the data processor, a cost value for each of a plurality of stored user profiles according to the search criteria, each stored user profile including at least one itinerary and one personal affinity category;

displaying anonymously at least one of the stored user profiles a corresponding cost value on a display;

transmitting a first anonymous message to a communication address corresponding to a selected user profile, the anonymous message requesting a rideshare;

receiving a second anonymous message from the communication address corresponding to the selected user profile, the second anonymous message indicating one of acceptance or rejection of the rideshare; and

displaying, on the display, one of a contact information included in the selected user profile upon receipt of an acceptance and an anonymous denial message upon receipt of a rejection,

wherein the at least one itinerary and the at least one personal affinity category of the search criteria are weighted to generate the cost values according to a plurality of user-defined priorities.

20. The computer-readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising:

comparing, in the data processor, the generated cost values corresponding to the stored user profiles to a predetermined threshold,

wherein only the stored user profiles having a cost value below the predetermined threshold are displayed.

21. The computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the generating a cost value step further includes:

computing, in the data processor, an itinerary cost value by determining a detour required to establish the rideshare between an itinerary in a stored profile and the itinerary in the search criteria;

weighting the computed itinerary cost according to the user-defined priorities;

identifying at least one matching personal affinity category between the search criteria and the stored profile;

computing, for every matching personal affinity category, a personal affinity cost corresponding to a relative distance between values corresponding to the search criteria and values corresponding to the stored profile;

weighting the personal affinity costs according to the user-defined priorities; and

combining the itinerary cost and personal affinity costs to generate the cost value.

22. The computer-readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising:

updating a user profile according to at least one other profile corresponding to a history of past rideshare acceptances.

23. The computer-readable medium according to claim 21, wherein updating a user profile includes:

identifying other user profiles corresponding to a rideshare history of the user profile,

determining, in the data processor, matching personal affinity categories between the other user profiles and the user profile,

updating, in the user profile, values corresponding to the matching personal affinity categories according to the other user profiles, and

updating, in the user profile, at least one itinerary according to itineraries corresponding to the other user profiles.

24. The computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein updating the user profile also includes adding at least one of a new personal affinity category and a new itinerary.

25. The computer-readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a review of a past rideshare; and

appending the review of the past rideshare to at least one of the stored profiles associated with the past rideshare.

27. The computer-readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising:

exchanging, between at least two of a credit account of a rider, a credit account of a driver and a third-party credit account, a credit corresponding to a rideshare in which the driver and the rider participated.