System and methods for facilitating real-time carpooling

• US 9,671,239 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2014
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): ANTONUCCI, ANNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US14/563,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20150323335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 701410
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• 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 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• 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 transport of a first end user; selecting, in response to the received request, a transportation vehicle unit that is currently en route to or is currently transporting a second end user for transporting the first end user, the selection of the transportation vehicle unit being based, at least in part, on ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user; and transmitting one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating real-time carpooling, comprising:

receiving a request for transport of a first end user;

selecting, in response to the received request, a transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user that, at a point in time when the selecting occurs, is en route to or is currently transporting a second end user, the selection of the transportation vehicle unit being based, at least in part, on (i) a location of the transportation vehicle unit sensed via at least one satellite positioning sensor of a transport computing device within the transportation vehicle unit and (ii) ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user;

providing at least one option to the second end user to at least one of accept or reject the assignment of the first end user to the selected transportation vehicle unit; and

determining whether to transmit one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user.

2. A system for facilitating real-time carpooling, comprising:

circuitry configured for receiving a request for transport of a first end user;

circuitry configured for selecting, in response to the received request, a transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user that, at a point in time when the selecting occurs, is en route to or is currently transporting a second end user, the selection of the transportation vehicle unit being based, at least in part, on (i) a location of the transportation vehicle unit sensed via at least one satellite positioning sensor of a transport computing device within the transportation vehicle unit and (ii) ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user;

circuitry configured for providing at least one option to the second end user to at least one of accept or reject the assignment of the first end user to the selected transportation vehicle unit; and

circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user.

3. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving a request for transport of a first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving preference data that indicates one or more carpooling preferences of the first end user.

4. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 3, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving preference data that indicates one or more carpooling preferences of the first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving the preference data indicative of the one or more carpooling preferences of the first end user prior to reception of the request for transport of the first end user.

5. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving a request for transport of a first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving a request for a carpooling vehicle to transport the first end user and that will be transporting one or more other end users not associated with the first end user.

6. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for selecting, in response to the received request, a transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user that, at a point in time when the selecting occurs, is en route to or is transporting a second end user, the selection of the transportation vehicle unit based, at least in part, on (i) a location of the transportation vehicle unit sensed via at least one satellite positioning sensor of a transport computing device within the transportation vehicle unit and (ii) ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry configured for ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit, at the point in time when the selecting occurs, is transporting the second end user and located near to a first end user rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the first end user.

7. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 6, wherein the circuitry configured for ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit, at the point in time when the selecting occurs, is transporting the second end user and located near to a first end user rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit, at the point in time when the selecting occurs, is transporting the second end user and located within a predefined maximum distance from a first end user rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the first end user.

8. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 6, wherein the circuitry configured for ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit, at the point in time when the selecting occurs, is transporting the second end user and located near to a first end user rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit, at the point in time when the selecting occurs, is transporting the second end user and located within a predefined maximum travel time away from a first end user rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the first end user based, at least in part, on the location of the transportation vehicle unit sensed via the at least one satellite positioning sensor of a transport computing device within the transportation vehicle unit and based, at least in part, on at least one indication of one or more real-time traffic conditions.

9. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for selecting, in response to the received request, a transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user that, at a point in time when the selecting occurs, is en route to or is transporting a second end user, the selection of the transportation vehicle unit based, at least in part, on (i) a location of the transportation vehicle unit sensed via at least one satellite positioning sensor of a transport computing device within the transportation vehicle unit and (ii) ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry configured for ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit, at the point in time when the selecting occurs, is transporting the second end user and that the transportation vehicle unit transporting the second end user is located, at the point in time when the selecting occurs, at a location that is also a first end user rendezvous location for rendezvousing with the first end user.

10. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for selecting, in response to the received request, a transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user that, at a point in time when the selecting occurs, is en route to or is transporting a second end user, the selection of the transportation vehicle unit based, at least in part, on (i) a location of the transportation vehicle unit sensed via at least one satellite positioning sensor of a transport computing device within the transportation vehicle unit and (ii) ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry configured for ascertaining that transport of the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit will not add more than a predefined amount of permitted additional distance for transporting the second end user to a second end user destination location and as a result of transporting the first end user.

11. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for selecting, in response to the received request, a transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user that, at a point in time when the selecting occurs, is en route to or is transporting a second end user, the selection of the transportation vehicle unit being based, at least in part, on (i) a location of the transportation vehicle unit sensed via at least one satellite positioning sensor of a transport computing device within the transportation vehicle unit and (ii) ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry configured for ascertaining that transport of the first end user to a first end user destination location by the transportation vehicle unit will not result in the transportation vehicle unit to have a total number of passenger drop offs that exceed a predefined number of maximum passenger drop offs allowed for the transportation vehicle unit during one trip transporting a group of end users to one or more end user destination locations.

12. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for selecting, in response to the received request, a transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user that, at a point in time when the selecting occurs, is en route to or is transporting a second end user, the selection of the transportation vehicle unit being based, at least in part, on (i) a location of the transportation vehicle unit sensed via at least one satellite positioning sensor of a transport computing device within the transportation vehicle unit and (ii) ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry configured for ascertaining that transport of the first end user to a first end user destination location by the transportation vehicle unit will not result in the transportation vehicle unit to have an amount of passenger drop offs that exceed a predefined number of maximum passenger drop offs allowed for the transportation vehicle unit prior to drop off of the second end user at a second end user destination location.

13. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for selecting, in response to the received request, a transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user that, at a point in time when the selecting occurs, is en route to or is transporting a second end user, the selection of the transportation vehicle unit being based, at least in part, on (i) a location of the transportation vehicle unit sensed via at least one satellite positioning sensor of a transport computing device within the transportation vehicle unit and (ii) ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry configured for ascertaining that transport of the first end user and at least the second end user by the transportation vehicle unit will not result in the transportation vehicle unit to have an amount of passenger drop offs that exceed a predefined number of maximum passenger drop offs allowed for the transportation vehicle unit prior to drop off of the first end user at a first end user destination location.

14. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for selecting, in response to the received request, a transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user that, at a point in time when the selecting occurs, is en route to or is transporting a second end user, the selection of the transportation vehicle unit being based, at least in part, on (i) a location of the transportation vehicle unit sensed via at least one satellite positioning sensor of a transport computing device within the transportation vehicle unit and (ii) ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry configured for selecting the transportation vehicle unit that is currently en route to or is currently transporting a second end user for transporting the first end user only after ascertaining that no non-carpooling vehicle is available for transporting the first end user.

15. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for selecting, in response to the received request, a transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user that, at a point in time when the selecting occurs, is en route to or is transporting a second end user, the selection of the transportation vehicle unit being based, at least in part, on (i) a location of the transportation vehicle unit sensed via at least one satellite positioning sensor of a transport computing device within the transportation vehicle unit and (ii) ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry configured for providing at least one transport rate for transporting the second end user that is discounted as a result, at least in part, of the transportation vehicle unit being assigned to transport the first end user.

16. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for selecting, in response to the received request, a transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user that, at a point in time when the selecting occurs, is en route to or is transporting a second end user, the selection of the transportation vehicle unit being based, at least in part, on (i) a location of the transportation vehicle unit sensed via at least one satellite positioning sensor of a transport computing device within the transportation vehicle unit and (ii) ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry configured for providing at least one transport rate for transporting the first end user that is a discounted rate for the first end user to be transported by the selected transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the second end user, the discounted rate being a rate that has been discounted from a rate that would be charged if the selected transportation vehicle unit was transporting fewer end users.

17. The of claim 16, wherein circuitry configured for providing at least one transport rate for transporting the first end user that is a discounted rate for the first end user to be transported by the selected transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the second end user, the discounted rate being a rate that has been discounted from a rate that would be charged if the selected transportation vehicle unit was transporting fewer end users comprises:

circuitry configured for providing at least one transport rate for transporting the first end user that is a discounted rate for the first end user to be transported by the selected transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the second end user, the discounted rate being based, at least in part, on the number of passenger drop offs that are scheduled to occur prior to drop off of the first end user at a first end user destination location.

18. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for selecting, in response to the received request, a transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user that, at a point in time when the selecting occurs, is en route to or is transporting a second end user, the selection of the transportation vehicle unit being based, at least in part, on (i) a location of the transportation vehicle unit sensed via at least one satellite positioning sensor of a transport computing device within the transportation vehicle unit and (ii) ascertaining that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user comprises:

circuitry configured for providing at least one transport rate for transporting the first end user that is a premium rate for the first end user to be transported by the selected transportation vehicle unit transporting the second end user, the premium rate being a higher rate than a rate that would be charged if the selected transportation vehicle unit was not transporting the second end user.

19. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for transmitting, if a determination is made to transmit the one or more directives electronically to at least one of a passenger/vehicle coordinating network system or a transport computing device associated with the selected transportation vehicle unit via at least one of one or more wireless networks or one or more wired networks.

20. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for transmitting, if a determination is made to transmit, at least some transport rate data that indicates at least one transport rate for the first end user being transported by the transportation vehicle unit and that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the second end user.

21. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 20, wherein circuitry configured for transmitting, if a determination is made to transmit, at least some transport rate data that indicates at least one transport rate for the first end user being transported by the transportation vehicle unit and that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the second end user comprises:

circuitry configured for transmitting, if a determination is made to transmit, at least some transport rate data that indicates at least one discounted transport rate for the first end user being transported by the transportation vehicle unit, the discounting of the at least one discounted transport rate being based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the second end user.

22. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for transmitting, if a determination is made to transmit, at least some transport rate data that indicates at least one transport rate for the second end user and that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting the first end user.

23. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 22, wherein circuitry configured for transmitting, if a determination is made to transmit, at least some transport rate data that indicates at least one transport rate for the second end user and that is based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting the first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for transmitting, if a determination is made to transmit, at least some transport rate data that indicates at least one discounted transport rate for the second end user being transported by the transportation vehicle unit, the discounting of the at least one discounted transport rate being based, at least in part, on the transportation vehicle unit transporting one or more other end users including the first end user.

24. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein circuitry configured for providing at least one option to the second end user to at least one of accept or reject the assignment of the first end user to the selected transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry configured for transmitting one or more notifications that the selected transportation vehicle unit has been selected to transport the first end user.

25. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 24, further comprising:

circuitry configured for transmitting to an end user device associated with the first end user at least one notification that the selected transportation vehicle unit has been selected to transport the first end user if a determination has been made to transmit the one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user.

26. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 25, wherein circuitry configured for transmitting to an end user device associated with the first end user at least one notification that the selected transportation vehicle unit has been selected to transport the first end user if a determination has been made to transmit the one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for transmitting to the end user device associated with the first end user at least some transport rate data that indicates at least one transport rate for the first end user that is based, at least in part, on the selected transporting the second end user.

27. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit to the transport computing device associated with the selected transportation vehicle unit at least one notification that the selected transportation vehicle unit has been selected to transport the first end user.

28. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 27, wherein circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit to the transport computing device associated with the selected transportation vehicle unit at least one notification that the selected transportation vehicle unit has been selected to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit to an end user device associated with the second end user at least some transport rate data that indicates at least one transport rate for the second end user that is based, at least in part, on the selected transportation vehicle unit being selected for transporting the first end user.

29. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 28, wherein circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit to an end user device associated with the second end user at least some transport rate data that indicates at least one transport rate for the second end user that is based, at least in part, on the selected transportation vehicle unit being selected for transporting the first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit to the end user device associated with the second end user at least some transport rate data that indicates at least one transport rate for the second end user that is a revised version of at least one original transport rate that was previously provided for the second end user, the revision of the at least one original transport rate being based, at least in part, on the selected transportation vehicle unit being selected for transporting the first end user.

30. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for providing at least one option to the second end user to at least one of accept or reject the assignment of the first end user to the selected transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry configured for transmitting to an end user device associated with the second end user the at least one option to at least one of accept or reject the transport of the first end user by the selected transportation vehicle unit, the transport of the first end user by the selected transportation vehicle unit to occur while the selected transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the second end user if the second end user accepts the assignment.

31. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving a request for transport of a first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving the request for transport of a first end user by receiving the request electronically.

32. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 31, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving the request for transport of a first end user by receiving the request electronically comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving the request electronically from at least one of one or more wireless networks or one or more wired networks.

33. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 31, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving the request for transport of a first end user by receiving the request electronically comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving the request electronically from an end user computing device associated with the first end user.

34. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 31, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving the request for transport of a first end user by receiving the request electronically comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving the request electronically from a passenger/vehicle coordinating network system that is in communication with an end user computing device associated with the first end user.

35. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving a request for transport of a first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving the request for transport of a first end user including receiving location data associated with a rendezvous location for a vehicle to rendezvous with the first end user.

36. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving a request for transport of a first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for receiving the request for transport of a first end user by receiving a request that indicates a destination location for the first end user.

37. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for providing at least one option to the second end user to at least one of accept or reject the assignment of the first end user to the selected transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry configured for notifying the second end user of a delay in getting to a the destination of the second end user as a result of the assignment of the first end user to the selected transportation vehicle unit while transporting the second end user; and

circuitry configured for providing at least one option to the second end user to reject the assignment of the first end user to the selected transportation vehicle unit in view of the delay in getting to the destination of the second end user resulting from the assignment.

38. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for providing at least one option to the second end user to at least one of accept or reject the assignment of the first end user to the selected transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry configured for providing at least one option to the second end user to at least one of accept or reject the assignment of the first end user to the selected transportation vehicle unit, including an option for accepting the assignment of the first end user to the transportation vehicle unit in association with accepting a reduced fare for transport of the second end user and an option for rejecting the assignment of the first end user to the transportation vehicle unit in association with maintaining a previous fare for transport of the second end user.

39. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for providing at least one option to the second end user to at least one of accept or reject the assignment of the first end user to the selected transportation vehicle unit comprises:

circuitry configured for providing at least one option to the second end user to at least one of accept or reject the assignment of the first end user to the selected transportation vehicle unit, the assignment of the first end user including at least transport of the first end user while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the second end user.

40. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user, including at least transmitting the one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user subsequent to receiving an indication that the second end user has accepted the assignment of the first end user to the transportation vehicle unit.

41. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user, including at least transmitting the one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user subsequent to an expiration of a time period with no response from the second end user related to the at least one option to the second end user to at least one of accept or reject the assignment of the first end user to the selected transportation vehicle unit.

42. The system for facilitating real-time carpooling of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user comprises:

circuitry configured for determining whether to transmit one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user, including at least selecting an alternate transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user subsequent to receiving an indication that the second end user has rejected the assignment of the first end user to the transportation vehicle unit and transmitting one or more directives that direct that alternate transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user.

43. A system for facilitating real-time carpooling, comprising:

circuitry configured for receiving a request for transport of a first end user;

circuitry configured for ranking, in response to the received request, two or more candidate transportation vehicle units including at least a first candidate transportation vehicle unit and a second candidate transportation vehicle unit that, at a point in time when the ranking occurs, are en route to or are transporting one or more other end users, the ranking according at least in part to suitability of the two or more candidate transportation vehicle units for transporting the first end user, the suitability based, at least in part, on (i) a location of a candidate transportation vehicle unit sensed via at least one satellite positioning sensor of a transport computing device within the candidate transportation vehicle unit and (ii) ascertaining that a candidate transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting another end user transported by the candidate transportation vehicle unit;

circuitry configured for transmitting to an end user device associated with an end user transported by the first candidate transportation vehicle unit a notification of a delay in getting to an end user destination as a result of an assignment of the first end user to the first candidate transportation vehicle unit;

circuitry configured for providing an option to the end user transported by the first candidate transportation vehicle unit to reject transport of the first end user by the first candidate transportation vehicle unit;

circuitry configured for selecting, in response to the system receiving a rejection indicated as originating from the end user transported by the first candidate transportation vehicle unit, the second candidate transportation vehicle unit as the selected transportation vehicle unit for transport of the first end user; and

circuitry configured for transmitting one or more directives that direct the selected transportation vehicle unit to transport the first end user.