Integrating ride hailing services into a navigation application

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10168164-B2
Application number	US-201615274536-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2016
Priority date	Jun 11, 2016
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

In some implementations, a navigation application can integrate third party services into the navigation application in an easy to use and convenient manner. For example, the navigation application can receive user input indicating that the user is interested obtaining transportation from a ride hailing service. In response to receiving the indication, the navigation application can invoke an application extension for a third party ride hailing application. The navigation application and ride hailing application can then communicate to provide the ride hailing service through the navigation application.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method implemented by a computing device, the computing device comprising a display, one or more processors and a memory device, the method comprising:
receiving, by a mapping application running on a computing device, a first user input specifying a route from a start location to a destination location;
presenting, by the mapping application, the route and a ride hailing transportation option corresponding to a ride hailing service on the display of the computing device;
receiving, by the mapping application, a second user input selecting the ride hailing transportation option;
invoking, by the mapping application, a ride hailing extension corresponding to a ride hailing application of the ride hailing service, where the mapping application remains on the display of the computing device; and
reserving, by the mapping application, via the ride hailing extension, a ride with the ride hailing service without displaying the ride hailing application on the display.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the mapping application, whether the ride hailing application is currently installed on the computing device; and
invoking, by the mapping application, the ride hailing extension when the ride hailing application is currently installed on the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
installing a ride hailing application bundle on the computing device, the ride hailing application bundle including the ride hailing extension;
determining, by the mapping application, whether the ride hailing application is currently installed on the computing device; and
prompting, by the mapping application, the user to install the ride hailing application on the computing device when the ride hailing application is not currently installed on the computing device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending, by the mapping application to the ride hailing extension, the start location and the destination location specified by the user; and
receiving, by the mapping application from the ride hailing extension, data describing transportation offered to take the user from the start location to the destination location, the transportation offer provided by a ride hailing service associated with the ride hailing application.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
invoking, by the mapping application, a plurality of ride hailing extensions corresponding to a plurality of ride hailing applications currently installed on the computing device;
receiving, by the mapping application, fare information from each of the plurality of ride hailing extensions indicating how much it will cost the user to travel from the start location to the destination location using a ride hailing service corresponding to each of the ride hailing extensions;
presenting, by the mapping application, the fare information received from each of the plurality of ride hailing extensions contemporaneously on a display of the computing device.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
receiving, by the mapping application, a third user input selecting a public transit option; and
presenting, by the mapping application, public transit fare information indicating how much it will cost the user to travel from the start location to the destination location using public transportation, wherein the public transit fare information and the ride hailing fare information are both presented by the mapping application.

7. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes:
receiving, by a mapping application running on a computing device, a first user input specifying a route from a start location to a destination location;
presenting, by the mapping application, the route and a ride hailing transportation option corresponding to a ride hailing service on the display of the computing device;
receiving, by the mapping application, a second user input selecting the ride hailing transportation option;
invoking, by the mapping application, a ride hailing extension corresponding to a ride hailing application of the ride hailing service, where the mapping application remains on the display of the computing device; and
reserving, by the mapping application, via the ride hailing extension, a ride with the ride hailing service without displaying the ride hailing application on the display.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions cause:
determining, by the mapping application, whether the ride hailing application is currently installed on the computing device; and
invoking, by the mapping application, the ride hailing extension when the ride hailing application is currently installed on the computing device.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions cause:
installing a ride hailing application bundle on the computing device, the ride hailing application bundle including the ride hailing extension;
determining, by the mapping application, whether the ride hailing application is currently installed on the computing device; and
prompting, by the mapping application, the user to install the ride hailing application on the computing device when the ride hailing application is not currently installed on the computing device.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions cause:
sending, by the mapping application to the ride hailing extension, the start location and the destination location specified by the user; and
receiving, by the mapping application from the ride hailing extension, data describing transportation offered to take the user from the start location to the destination location, the transportation offer provided by a ride hailing service associated with the ride hailing application.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions cause:
invoking, by the mapping application, a plurality of ride hailing extensions corresponding to a plurality of ride hailing applications currently installed on the computing device;
receiving, by the mapping application, fare information from each of the plurality of ride hailing extensions indicating how much it will cost the user to travel from the start location to the destination location using a ride hailing service corresponding to each of the ride hailing extensions;
presenting, by the mapping application, the fare information received from each of the plurality of ride hailing extensions contemporaneously on a display of the computing device.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause:
receiving, by the mapping application, a third user input selecting a public transit option; and
presenting, by the mapping application, public transit fare information indicating how much it will cost the user to travel from the start location to the destination location using public transportation, wherein the public transit fare information and the ride hailing fare information are both presented by the mapping application.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes:
receiving, by a mapping application running on a computing device, a first user input specifying a route from a start location to a destination location;
presenting, by the mapping application, the route and a ride hailing transportation option corresponding to a ride hailing service on the display of the computing device;
receiving, by the mapping application, a second user input selecting the ride hailing transportat

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Shelby Ryan
• Albert Eric
• Hodge David
• Galloway Curtis
• Teich Tara
• Iglesias Sam
• Ioveva Maria D

Classifications

• G01C21/3667

  Display of a road map (G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635) · CPC title

• G01C21/3407 Primary

  specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title

• G06Q50/12

  Hotels or restaurants · CPC title

• G06Q10/02 Primary

  Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events · CPC title

• G06Q30/0284

  Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters · CPC title