System and method for delivering departure notifications

• US 8,103,443 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Triangle Software LLC (Pelmorex, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tash, Jonathan, Hubbard, Jonathan, Kantarjiev, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US12/763,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20100268456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 701117-119, 701200-202, 701/25, 701/204
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/012 from other sources than vehicle or roadside beacons, e.g. mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0145 for active traffic flow control

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for determining the necessary departure time to allow for an on-time or desired arrival time at a particular location over a particular route based on the evaluation of historic, present, and predicted road conditions.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a departure notification to a user, the method comprising:

receiving alert attributes provided by an authenticated user, the alert attributes including a starting location of the authenticated user and a desired travel destination;

executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor generates a departure notification for the desired travel destination based on the alert attributes, and the departure notification includes both a preliminary travel route to the desired travel destination and a recommended departure time for traversing the preliminary travel route;

receiving user approval of the generated departure notification; and

delivering the departure notification to the authenticated user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated departure notification is further based on a plurality of data sets including delayed batch traffic data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the delayed batch traffic data includes historically observed data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the delayed batch traffic data includes data extrapolated from existing traffic data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated departure notification is further based on a plurality of data sets including real-time traffic data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert attributes further include a desired speed for traveling to the desired travel destination.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert attributes further include a desired arrival time at the desired travel destination.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert attributes further include a desired protocol for delivery of the generated departure notification.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the departure notification further includes an advertisement.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising reassessing the approved generated departure notification to determine that the preliminary travel route will allow for an on-time arrival at the desired travel destination.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein reassessing the approved generated departure notification results in an identification of a material change in the preliminary travel route or recommended departure time.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating a second departure notification after identification of the material change in the preliminary travel route or recommended departure time, the second departure notification including an alternative travel route to the desired travel destination and an alternative recommended departure time.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the preliminary travel route is the quickest route between the starting location of the authenticated user and the desired travel destination.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising billing the authenticated user for the departure notification delivered to the user.

15. A system for delivering a departure notification to a user, the system comprising:

a data aggregation server for managing a plurality of data sets, wherein the plurality of data sets is used to generate a departure notification;

a routine engine stored in memory and executable by a processor to calculate a departure time based on a prediction of average speed and a preliminary travel route to a desired travel destination; and

a departure notification module stored in memory and executable by a processor to;

receive alert attributes provided by an authenticated user, the alert attributes including a starting location of the authenticated user and a desired travel destination,

generate the departure notification for the desired travel destination based on the alert attributes, wherein the departure notification includes a preliminary travel route to the desired travel destination and a recommended departure time for traversing the preliminary travel route,

receive user approval of the generated departure notification, and

deliver the departure notification to the authenticated user.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for delivering a departure notification to a user, the method comprising:

receiving alert attributes provided by an authenticated user, the alert attributes including a starting location of the authenticated user and a desired travel destination;

generating a departure notification for the desired travel destination based on the alert attributes, wherein the departure notification includes a preliminary travel route to the desired travel destination and a recommended departure time for traversing the preliminary travel route;

receiving user approval of the generated departure notification; and

delivering the departure notification to the authenticated user.