SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING ONE OR MORE TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE UNITS WITH OR WITHOUT PACKAGE DELIVERY OBLIGATION FOR TRANSPORTING ONE OR MORE END USERS

• US 20150323333A1
• Filed: 09/03/2014
• 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 9,488,484 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 21/3438 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

Computationally implemented methods and systems that are designed for receiving a request for transporting one or more end users; identifying one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on determining whether the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more delivery package obligations; and transmitting one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.

Claims

1-121. -121. (canceled)

122. A system, comprising:

circuitry for ascertaining one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations, the ascertainment being based, at least in part, on a determination as to whether or not the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more delivery package obligations; and

circuitry for transmitting one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users at one or more rendezvous locations in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations.

123. The system of claim 122, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations, the ascertainment being based, at least in part, on a determination as to whether or not the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more delivery package obligations comprises:

circuitry for determining presence of one or more available transportation vehicle units that are available for transporting the one or more end users in proximate vicinity of a rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the one or more end users.

124. The system of claim 123, wherein said circuitry for determining presence of one or more available transportation vehicle units that are available for transporting the one or more end users in proximate vicinity of a rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for determining presence of one or more available transportation vehicle units that are currently not carrying any passengers or that are about to be free of any passenger load and that are ascertained to be in the proximate vicinity of the rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the one or more end users.

126. The system of claim 123, wherein said circuitry for determining presence of one or more available transportation vehicle units that are available for transporting the one or more end users in proximate vicinity of a rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for determining presence of one or more available transportation vehicle units that are available for transporting the one or more end users and that can reach the rendezvous location within a predefined amount of time.

127. The system of claim 123, wherein said circuitry for determining presence of one or more available transportation vehicle units that are available for transporting the one or more end users in proximate vicinity of a rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for determining which of one or more available transportation vehicle units are non-violating available transportation vehicle units that are determined to be in the proximate vicinity of the rendezvous location and that are ascertained not to have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more non-violating available transportation vehicle units.

128. The system of claim 127, wherein said circuitry for determining which of one or more available transportation vehicle units are non-violating available transportation vehicle units that are determined to be in the proximate vicinity of the rendezvous location and that are ascertained not to have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more non-violating available transportation vehicle units comprises:

circuitry for determining which of one or more non-violating available transportation vehicle units that are determined to not have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more non-violating available transportation vehicle units are one or more best-fit transportation vehicle units that are in full or substantial compliance with one or more end user preferences.

129. The system of claim 122, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations, the ascertainment being based, at least in part, on a determination as to whether or not the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more delivery package obligations comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any current package delivery obligations.

130. The system of claim 122, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations, the ascertainment being based, at least in part, on a determination as to whether or not the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more delivery package obligations comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units.

131. The system of claim 130, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation related to an obligation for delivering one or more packages by one or more time deadlines that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units.

132. The system of claim 130, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation related to an obligation for delivering one or more packages to one or more specific destinations that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units.

133. The system of claim 130, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation related to an obligation for delivering one or more packages while in one or more specified environmental conditions.

134. The system of claim 130, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units do not have any package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users.

136. The system of claim 134, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users that any transportation vehicle unit to be used for transporting the one or more end users not have any currently pending package delivery obligation.

137. The system of claim 134, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users that no package be delivered by any transportation vehicle unit that is used for transporting the one or more end users during transport of the one or more end users.

138. The system of claim 134, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users related to one or more preferences for one or more preferred driver characteristics.

139. The system of claim 138, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users related to one or more preferences for one or more preferred driver characteristics comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units at least partially satisfy one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users related to a preference for a human driver having one or more preferred ratings.

143. The system of claim 122, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations, the ascertainment being based, at least in part, on a determination as to whether or not the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more delivery package obligations x comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations for delivering one or more packages that will not violate one or more requirements for transporting the one or more end users.

144. The system of claim 143, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations for delivering one or more packages that will not violate one or more requirements for transporting the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery that will not violate one or more spatial requirements for transporting the one or more end users.

145. The system of claim 143, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations for delivering one or more packages that will not violate one or more requirements for transporting the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery that will not violate one or more temporal requirements for transporting the one or more end users.

146. The system of claim 143, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations for delivering one or more packages that will not violate one or more requirements for transporting the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery that will not violate one or more requirements that no more than a predefined amount of package deliveries will occur during transport of the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations.

147. The system of claim 143, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more package delivery obligations for delivering one or more packages that will not violate one or more requirements for transporting the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery to one or more delivery locations that are along or proximate to a direct route to the one or more destination locations from a rendezvous location where the one or more end users rendezvous with the one or more transportation vehicle units in order to be transported to the one or more destination locations.

148. The system of claim 147, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery to one or more delivery locations that are along or proximate to a direct route to the one or more destination locations from a rendezvous location where the one or more end users rendezvous with the one or more transportation vehicle units in order to be transported to the one or more destination locations comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery to one or more delivery locations that are along or proximate to a direct route that is the shortest distance route to the one or more destination locations from the rendezvous location.

149. The system of claim 147, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery to one or more delivery locations that are along or proximate to a direct route to the one or more destination locations from a rendezvous location where the one or more end users rendezvous with the one or more transportation vehicle units in order to be transported to the one or more destination locations comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery to one or more delivery locations that are along or proximate to a direct route that is the most time efficient route to the one or more destination locations from the rendezvous location.

150. The system of claim 147, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery to one or more delivery locations that are along or proximate to a direct route to the one or more destination locations from a rendezvous location where the one or more end users rendezvous with the one or more transportation vehicle units in order to be transported to the one or more destination locations comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on a determination that the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more packages for delivery to one or more delivery locations that do not add more than a predefined amount of time to the total amount of time it would have taken to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations using the direct route and when no packages are being delivered during the transport of the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations.

151. The system of claim 122, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations, the ascertainment being based, at least in part, on a determination as to whether or not the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more delivery package obligations comprises:

circuitry for determining that the one or more end users satisfies one or more driver preferences of one or more drivers of the one or more transportation vehicle units related to one or more preferences for one or more specified end user characteristics.

152. The system of claim 151, wherein said circuitry for determining that the one or more end users satisfies one or more driver preferences of one or more drivers of the one or more transportation vehicle units related to one or more preferences for one or more specified end user characteristics comprises:

circuitry for determining that the one or more end users satisfies one or more driver preferences of the one or more drivers that the one or more end users to be transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units have acceptable end user rating or ratings.

153. The system of claim 151, wherein said circuitry for determining that the one or more end users satisfies one or more driver preferences of one or more drivers of the one or more transportation vehicle units related to one or more preferences for one or more specified end user characteristics comprises:

circuitry for determining that the one or more end users satisfies one or more driver preferences of the one or more drivers that the one or more end users to be transported by the one or more transportation vehicle units are not member or members of a group of one or more end users who have been identified as being banned by the one or more drivers.

154. The system of claim 122, wherein said circuitry for ascertaining one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations, the ascertainment being based, at least in part, on a determination as to whether or not the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more delivery package obligations comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations in response, at least in part, to reception of a request for transporting the one or more end users.

156. The system of claim 122, wherein said circuitry for transmitting one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users at one or more rendezvous locations in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the one or more directives to one or more transport computing devices associated with the one or more transportation vehicle units.

158. The system of claim 122, wherein said circuitry for transmitting one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users at one or more rendezvous locations in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations comprises:

circuitry for transmitting one or more directives that identify at least one rendezvous location for the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users.

159. The system of claim 122, wherein said circuitry for transmitting one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users at one or more rendezvous locations in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users including circuitry for transmitting image data that identifies at least one of the one or more end users.

160. The system of claim 122, wherein said circuitry for transmitting one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users at one or more rendezvous locations in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations comprises:

circuitry for transmitting the one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users including one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to deliver one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users.

161. The system of claim 160, wherein said circuitry for transmitting the one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users including one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to deliver one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for transmitting one or more directives that identify the one or more packages to be delivered during the transport of the one or more end users.

162. The system of claim 160, wherein said circuitry for transmitting the one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users including one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to deliver one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for transmitting one or more directives that identify specific route or routes for delivering the one or more packages to be delivered during the transport of the one or more end users.

163. The system of claim 160, wherein said circuitry for transmitting the one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users including one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to deliver one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for transmitting one or more directives that identify one or more routes for delivering the one or more packages and for transporting the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations.

125. (canceled)

135. (canceled)

140-142. -142. (canceled)

155. (canceled)

157. (canceled)

164. A system, comprising:

a transportation vehicle unit ascertaining module configured to ascertain one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations, the ascertainment being based, at least in part, on a determination as to whether or not the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more delivery package obligations; and

a directive transmitting module configured to transmit one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users at one or more rendezvous locations in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations.

165. A server system, comprising:

a transportation vehicle unit ascertaining module configured to ascertain one or more transportation vehicle units for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations, the ascertainment being based, at least in part, on a determination as to whether or not the one or more transportation vehicle units have one or more delivery package obligations;

a directive transmitting module configured to transmit one or more directives that direct the one or more transportation vehicle units to rendezvous with the one or more end users at one or more rendezvous locations in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations; and

a network interface.