ARRANGING A TRANSPORT SERVICE FOR A USER BASED ON THE ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL OF THE USER

• US 20180211351A1
• Filed: 01/18/2018
• Published: 07/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Nuri, Haugli, Christopher, Lin, Rachel, Godil, Hasrat, Wolski, Jeffrey, Barreto, Amos
• Granted Patent: US 10,572,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

A system and method of arranging a transport service for a user is described. The system determines a first estimated time of arrival (ETA) of a user to a specified location data point based, at least in part, on a position of a user device operated by the user. The system also determines a second ETA of a vehicle of a set of vehicles to the specified location data point. When the first ETA and the second ETA are within a predetermined amount of time of each other, the system can select a driver to provide a transport service for the user based, at least in part, on the specified location data point.

Claims

1. A method of arranging a transport service for a user, the method being performed by a computing device and comprising:

remotely and securely monitoring a user device for position information as the user travels to a pickup location;

periodically determining, from the monitoring, (i) a first estimated time of arrival (ETA) of a user to a specified location data point based, at least in part, on the position of a user device operated by the user, and (ii) a second ETA of a vehicle of a set of vehicles to the specified location data point;

determining when the first ETA and the second ETA are within a predetermined amount of time of each other; and

in response to determining that the first ETA and the second ETA are within the predetermined amount of time of each other, selecting a driver to provide a transport service for the user based, at least in part, on the specified location data point, without communicating to the driver in advance of the selection about the rider or pickup location.