SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING AT LEAST A PORTION OF A TRAVEL PLAN THAT CALLS FOR AT LEAST ONE TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE UNIT

• US 20150323327A1
• Filed: 08/08/2014
• Published: 11/12/2015
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 9,581,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route

Abstract

Computationally implemented methods and systems that are designed for receiving a request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location; presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg; and transmitting a request for one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users at a rendezvous location in order to transport the one or more end users over the at least one transport leg. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.

Claims

1. A computationally-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location; and

presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg.

2-80. -80. (canceled)

81. A computationally-implemented system, comprising:

means for receiving a request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location; and

means for presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg.

87. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for receiving a request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location comprises:

means for receiving a request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location, the request to be received identifying the destination location.

88. The computationally-implemented system of claim 87, wherein said means for receiving a request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location, the request to be received identifying the destination location comprises:

means for receiving a request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location, the request to be received identifying the destination location and a preferred arrival time at the destination location.

96. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for receiving a request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location comprises:

means for receiving the request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location including receiving one or more end user preferences that indicates one or more mass transit or ferry preferences for at least one of the one or more end users.

97. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for receiving a request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location comprises:

means for receiving the request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location including receiving one or more end user preferences that indicates one or more walking or bicycling preferences for at least one of the one or more end users.

98. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for receiving a request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location comprises:

means for receiving the request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location including receiving one or more end user preferences that indicates one or more geographic preferences for at least one of the one or more end users.

100. The computationally-implemented system of claim 98, wherein said means for receiving the request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location including receiving one or more end user preferences that indicates one or more geographic preferences for at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

means for receiving the one or more end user preferences that indicates one or more geographic preferences for at least one of the one or more end users, the one or more end user preferences relating to one or more geographic locations or roads that the at least one of the one or more end users prefers to be not routed through.

103. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan including developing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan.

105. The computationally-implemented system of claim 103, wherein said means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan including developing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan comprises:

means for developing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan including determining a rendezvous location for the at least one transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users in order to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg.

106. The computationally-implemented system of claim 105, wherein said means for developing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan including determining a rendezvous location for the at least one transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users in order to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

means for estimating arrival time of the one or more end users at the rendezvous location, where the rendezvous location is start of the transport route leg, which follows a preceding route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan.

107. The computationally-implemented system of claim 106, wherein said means for estimating arrival time of the one or more end users at the rendezvous location, where the rendezvous location is start of the transport route leg, which follows a preceding route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan comprises:

means for estimating the arrival time of the one or more end users at the rendezvous location, where the preceding route leg along the overall travel route does not call for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the preceding route leg.

108. The computationally-implemented system of claim 106, wherein said means for estimating arrival time of the one or more end users at the rendezvous location, where the rendezvous location is start of the transport route leg, which follows a preceding route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan comprises:

means for estimating the arrival time of the one or more end users at the rendezvous location, where the preceding route leg along the overall travel route is a preceding transport route leg that calls for a second transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the preceding transport route leg.

109. The computationally-implemented system of claim 103, wherein said means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan including developing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan comprises:

means for developing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan including estimating one or more planned arrival times of the one or more end users at one or more intermediate locations of at least one of the route legs of the travel plan, the one or more intermediate locations being one or more locations located between a starting point and an end point for the at least one of the route legs.

110. The computationally-implemented system of claim 109, wherein said means for developing the at least one or more portions of the travel plan including estimating one or more planned arrival times of the one or more end users at one or more intermediate locations of at least one of the route legs of the travel plan, the one or more intermediate locations being one or more locations located between a starting point and an end point for the at least one of the route legs comprises:

means for estimating the one or more planned arrival times of the one or more end users at the one or more intermediate locations of at least one of the route legs of the travel plan, the at least one of the route legs of the travel plan being a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan.

111. The computationally-implemented system of claim 110, wherein said means for estimating the one or more planned arrival times of the one or more end users at the one or more intermediate locations of at least one of the route legs of the travel plan, the at least one of the route legs of the travel plan being a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan comprises:

means for estimating the one or more planned arrival times of the one or more end users at the one or more intermediate locations of at least one of the route legs of the travel plan, the at least one of the route legs of the travel plan being a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan and that does not call for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the preceding route leg.

112. The computationally-implemented system of claim 110, wherein said means for estimating the one or more planned arrival times of the one or more end users at the one or more intermediate locations of at least one of the route legs of the travel plan, the at least one of the route legs of the travel plan being a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan comprises:

means for estimating the one or more planned arrival times of the one or more end users at the one or more intermediate locations of at least one of the route legs of the travel plan, the at least one of the route legs of the travel plan being a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan and that calls for a second transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the preceding route leg.

113. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

means for transmitting a request for the at least one or more portions of the travel plan; and

means for receiving at least the one or more portions of the travel plan.

118. The computationally-implemented system of claim 113, wherein said means for transmitting a request for the at least one or more portions of the travel plan comprises:

means for transmitting the request for the at least one or more portions of the travel plan including transmitting end user preference data that indicates one or more mass transit or ferry preferences of at least one of the one or more end users.

119. The computationally-implemented system of claim 113, wherein said means for transmitting a request for the at least one or more portions of the travel plan comprises:

means for transmitting the request for the at least one or more portions of the travel plan including transmitting end user preference data that indicates one or more geographic preferences of at least one of the one or more end users.

122. The computationally-implemented system of claim 119, wherein said means for transmitting the request for the at least one or more portions of the travel plan including transmitting end user preference data that indicates one or more geographic preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

means for transmitting end user preference data that indicates one or more geographic preferences of at least one of the one or more end users that relate to one or more geographic locations that the at least one of the one or more end users prefers to be used for rendezvousing with any transportation vehicle unit.

125. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling at least partway between the starting location and the destination location of the travel plan.

126. The computationally-implemented system of claim 125, wherein said means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling at least partway between the starting location and the destination location of the travel plan comprises:

means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling at least one of the at least two route legs of the travel plan.

127. The computationally-implemented system of claim 126, wherein said means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling at least one of the at least two route legs of the travel plan comprises:

means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling over a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan.

128. The computationally-implemented system of claim 127, wherein said means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling over a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan comprises:

means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along the overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location, the preceding route leg does not call for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the preceding travel route.

129. The computationally-implemented system of claim 126, wherein said means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling at least one of the at least two route legs of the travel plan comprises:

means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying a detailed planned travel route for traveling a subsequent route leg that is subsequent to the transport route leg along overall travel route for traveling from the starting location to the destination location of the travel plan.

130. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan identifying one or more modes of transporting the one or more end users for each of the at least two route legs.

132. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be presented indicating a rendezvous location and/or rendezvous time for the one or more end users to rendezvous with the at least one transportation vehicle unit in order for the one or more end users to be transported over the transport route leg.

137. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be presented identifying the at least one transport route leg and a first route leg that is identified as not calling for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the first route leg, the at least one transport route leg being a second route leg that calls for the at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the second route leg.

138. The computationally-implemented system of claim 137 wherein said means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be presented identifying the at least one transport route leg and a first route leg that is identified as not calling for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the first route leg, the at least one transport route leg being a second route leg that calls for the at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the second route leg comprises:

means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan, the at least one or more portions of the travel plan to be presented identifying the first route leg that is identified as not calling for any transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over any portion of the first route leg and the second route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the second route leg, the first route leg identified as calling for the one or more end users to travel over the first route leg by walking, by bicycling, by mass transit, and/or by ferry.

144. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan by presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from the starting location, the travel plan having been developed to minimize total travel costs to be incurred in order for the one or more end users to reach the destination location from the starting location.

145. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan by presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from the starting location, the travel plan having been developed to comply with one or more mass transit or ferry preferences of at least one of the one or more end users.

146. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, wherein said means for presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg comprises:

means for presenting the at least one or more portions of the travel plan by presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from the starting location, the travel plan having been developed to comply with one or more walking or bicycling preferences of at least one of the one or more end users.

150. The computationally-implemented system of claim 81, further comprising:

means for transmitting a request for one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users at a rendezvous location in order to transport the one or more end users over the at least one transport leg.

151. The computationally-implemented system of claim 150, wherein said means for transmitting a request for one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users at a rendezvous location in order to transport the one or more end users over the at least one transport leg comprises:

means for transmitting the request in response to detecting that at least one of the one or more end users is in proximity of the rendezvous location.

152. The computationally-implemented system of claim 151, wherein said means for transmitting the request in response to detecting that at least one of the one or more end users is in proximity of the rendezvous location comprises:

means for transmitting the request in response to detecting that at least one of the one or more end users is within a predefined distance from the rendezvous location.

153. The computationally-implemented system of claim 151, wherein said means for transmitting the request in response to detecting that at least one of the one or more end users is in proximity of the rendezvous location comprises:

means for transmitting the request in response to detecting that at least one of the one or more end users is within a predefined amount of time from reaching the rendezvous location.

154. The computationally-implemented system of claim 151, wherein said means for transmitting the request in response to detecting that at least one of the one or more end users is in proximity of the rendezvous location comprises:

means for transmitting the request in response to detecting that at least one of the one or more end users has reached a particular point along a preceding route leg that precedes the transport route leg along an overall travel route for traveling from a starting location to the destination location of the travel plan.

82-86. -86. (canceled)

89-95. -95. (canceled)

99. (canceled)

101. (canceled)

102. (canceled)

104. (canceled)

114-117. -117. (canceled)

120. (canceled)

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131. (canceled)

133-136. -136. (canceled)

139-143. -143. (canceled)

147-149. -149. (canceled)

155-160. -160. (canceled)

161. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium bearing;

one or more instructions for receiving a request for transporting one or more end users towards a destination location; and

one or more instructions for presenting at least one or more portions of a travel plan for facilitating the one or more end users to travel to the destination location from a starting location, the travel plan identifying at least two route legs including at least one transport route leg that calls for at least one transportation vehicle unit to transport the one or more end users over the transport route leg.