Package delivery and carpooling systems and methods

• US 9,488,484 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2014
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Tegreene, Clarence T., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Lord, Robert W., Lord, Richard T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US14/476,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20150323333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 701/410, 705/330, 705/333, 340/10.1, 370/328, 455/456.1
• 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. A system, comprising:

circuitry for determining whether a transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation;

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on whether the transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation; and

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

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

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

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said circuitry for determining presence of one or more available transportation vehicle units 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 transportation vehicle units that are currently not carrying any passengers or that are about to be free of any passenger load in proximate vicinity of the rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the one or more end users.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said circuitry for determining presence of one or more available transportation vehicle units 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 transportation vehicle units that can reach the rendezvous location within a predefined amount of time.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said circuitry for determining presence of one or more available transportation vehicle units in proximate vicinity of a rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for determining which of the one or more available transportation vehicle units are determined 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 available transportation vehicle units.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said circuitry for determining which of the one or more available transportation vehicle units are determined 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 transportation vehicle units comprises:

circuitry for determining which of the one or more available transportation vehicle units are in full or substantial compliance with one or more end user preferences.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on whether the transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation comprises:

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit does de not have any pending package delivery obligations.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on whether the transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation comprises:

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit does not have any pending package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the transportation vehicle unit.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit does not have any pending package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit does not have any package delivery 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 transportation vehicle unit.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit does not have any pending package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit does not have any package delivery 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 transportation vehicle unit.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit does not have any pending package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit does not have any package delivery obligation for delivering one or more packages while in one or more specified environmental conditions.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit does not have any pending package delivery obligation that would be violated if the one or more end users are transported by the transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit at least partially satisfies one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit at least partially satisfies one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit at least partially satisfies 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.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit at least partially satisfies one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit at least partially satisfies 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.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit at least partially satisfies one or more end user preferences of at least one of the one or more end users comprises:

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit at least partially satisfies 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.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit at least partially satisfies 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 assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit at least partially satisfies 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.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on whether the transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation comprises:

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit has 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.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit has 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 assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit has one or more packages for delivery that will not violate one or more spatial requirements for transporting the one or more end users.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit has 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 assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit has one or more packages for delivery that will not violate one or more temporal requirements for transporting the one or more end users.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit has 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 assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit has 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.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit has 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 assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit has 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 transportation vehicle unit in order to be transported to the one or more destination locations.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit has 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 transportation vehicle unit in order to be transported to the one or more destination locations comprises:

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit has 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.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit has 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 transportation vehicle unit in order to be transported to the one or more destination locations comprises:

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit has 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.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit has 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 transportation vehicle unit in order to be transported to the one or more destination locations comprises:

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit has 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.

25. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

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

26. The system of claim 25, 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 transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit have acceptable end user rating or ratings.

27. The system of claim 25, 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 transportation vehicle unit 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 transportation vehicle unit are not a member of or members of a group of one or more end users who have been identified as being banned by the one or more drivers.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on whether the transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation comprises:

circuitry for ascertaining the transportation vehicle unit 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.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for transmitting one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users at at least one rendezvous location 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 transportation vehicle unit.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for transmitting one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users at at least one rendezvous location 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 transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for transmitting one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users at at least one rendezvous location 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 transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users including at least transmitting image data that identifies at least one of the one or more end users.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for transmitting one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users at at least one rendezvous location 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 transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users including one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to deliver one or more packages during transport of the one or more end users.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said circuitry for transmitting the one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users including one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit 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.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein said circuitry for transmitting the one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users including one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit 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 a specific route or routes for delivering the one or more packages to be delivered during the transport of the one or more end users.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein said circuitry for transmitting the one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users including one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit 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.

36. The system of claim 1, wherein circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on whether the transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation comprises:

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on (i) at least one request for transporting one or more end users, the at least one request including at least one indication of at least one of size or shape of one or more pieces of luggage to be transported in association with transporting the one or more end users and (ii) whether the transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on (i) at least one request for transporting one or more end users, the at least one request including at least one indication of at least one of size or shape of one or more pieces of luggage to be transported in association with transporting the one or more end users and (ii) whether the transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation comprises:

at least one image processing subsystem;

circuitry for processing at least one image received in association with the at least one request for transporting one or more end users to determine the at least one indication of at least one of size or shape of one or more pieces of luggage to be transported in association with transporting the one or more end users based, at least in part, on image processing of one or more pieces of luggage imaged within the at least one image; and

circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on (i) whether the transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation and (ii) determining that one or more packages for delivery in association with the at least one pending package delivery obligation will not violate one or more spatial requirements for transporting the one or more end users based, at least in part, on the at least one indication of at least one of size or shape of one or more pieces of luggage to be transported in association with transporting the one or more end users.

38. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a network system, including at least;

at least one hardware network interface, the at least one hardware network interface for at least one of interaction or communication between the network system and at least one of one or more end user devices or one or more transport computing devices at least partially via one or more communications through at least one intermediate network;

a transport request receiving module, including at least;

circuitry for the network system to receive a request for transporting one or more end users, including at least the network system receiving the request via the at least one hardware network interface, the request transmitted by at least one smartphone as at least one end user device through the at least one intermediate network;

a transportation vehicle ascertaining module, including at least;

the circuitry for determining whether a transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation; and

the circuitry for assigning the transportation vehicle unit for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on whether the transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation; and

a directive transmitting module, including at least;

the circuitry for transmitting one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users at at least one rendezvous location in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations, including at least transmitting the one or more directives via the at least one hardware network interface from the network system through the at least one intermediate network to at least one transport computing device associated with the transportation vehicle unit.

39. A system, comprising:

at least one computing device; and

one or more instructions that, when implemented in the at least one computing device, program the at least one computing device for;

determining whether a transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation;

assigning the transportation vehicle unit for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on whether the transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation; and

transmitting one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users at at least one rendezvous location in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations.

40. A server system, comprising:

means for determining whether a transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation;

means for assigning the transportation vehicle unit for transporting one or more end users to one or more destination locations based, at least in part, on whether the transportation vehicle unit has at least one pending package delivery obligation; and

means for transmitting one or more directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the one or more end users at at least one rendezvous location in order to transport the one or more end users to the one or more destination locations.