Lotless storage of vehicle inventory and test drive vehicle delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10504366-B1
Application number	US-201916267596-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 5, 2019
Priority date	Feb 5, 2019
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

A server device may receive a first request to utilize surplus parking spaces available at one or more locations from a first device associated with an organization having an inventory of vehicles to be stored in the surplus parking spaces. The server device may process, between the organization and one or more parking providers associated with the one or more locations, a transaction allocating the surplus parking spaces to the organization. The server device may receive, from a second device, a second request to use a vehicle in the inventory from a starting location. The server device may determine, from among the surplus parking spaces allocated to the organization, a storage location for the vehicle that differs from the starting location and transmit, to the second device, a notification indicating that the vehicle is ready for use based on the vehicle having been moved to the starting location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, at one or more server devices, information related to surplus parking spaces that are available at a plurality of locations;
receiving, at the one or more server devices, a first request to utilize a quantity of the surplus parking spaces that are available at one or more of the plurality of locations,
wherein the first request is received from a first device associated with a vehicle dealer having an inventory of vehicles to be stored in the surplus parking spaces that are available at the one or more of the plurality of locations;

processing, at the one or more server devices, a transaction between the vehicle dealer and one or more parking providers associated with the one or more of the plurality of locations,
wherein the transaction allocates the quantity of the surplus parking spaces available at the one or more of the plurality of locations to the vehicle dealer;

receiving, at the one or more server devices, a second request to test drive a vehicle in the inventory of vehicles associated with the vehicle dealer,
wherein the second request is received from a second device associated with a customer and identifies a starting location for the test drive;

determining, at the one or more server devices, a storage location for the vehicle from among the quantity of the surplus parking spaces allocated to the vehicle dealer,
wherein the storage location for the vehicle differs from the starting location for the test drive;

orchestrating, by the one or more server devices, delivery of the vehicle from the storage location to the starting location for the test drive; and
transmitting, by the one or more server devices, information to the second device indicating an approximate time when the vehicle will arrive at the starting location for the test drive.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein orchestrating the delivery of the vehicle from the storage location to the starting location for the test drive comprises:
advertising, via a crowd-sourcing interface, an offer to utilize the vehicle,
wherein the offer includes a cost to utilize the vehicle until a specified time and indicates a requirement to leave the vehicle at the starting location for the test drive at or before the specified time;

receiving, via the crowd-sourcing interface, an acceptance of the offer to utilize the vehicle from a third device; and
collecting, from the third device, a payment for the cost to utilize the vehicle until the specified time.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein orchestrating the delivery of the vehicle from the storage location to the starting location for the test drive comprises:
transmitting, to the vehicle, a command that causes the vehicle to autonomously drive from the storage location to the starting location for the test drive.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the first device associated with the vehicle dealer, information indicating that the customer purchased or leased the vehicle from the vehicle dealer; and
collecting a service charge from the vehicle dealer based on the customer purchasing or leasing the vehicle from the vehicle dealer.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the first device associated with the vehicle dealer, a third request for a recommended storage location for a new vehicle to be added to the inventory of vehicles,
wherein the third request includes profile information associated with a likely user of the new vehicle; and

transmitting, to the first device associated with the vehicle dealer, information indicating the recommended storage location for the new vehicle,
wherein the recommended storage location is selected based on a comparison of the profile information associated with the likely user of the new vehicle and profile information associated with clientele at one or more establishments in proximity to the quantity of the surplus parking spaces allocated to the vehicle dealer.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
tracking real-time movement of the vehicle,
wherein the information transmitted to the second device further indicates the real-time movement of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the real-time movement of the vehicle is tracked based on information received from one or more of the vehicle or a third device associated with a user moving the vehicle from the storage location to the starting location for the test drive.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
transmitting, to the second device, a notification indicating that the vehicle is ready to test drive based on the real-time movement indicating that the vehicle has arrived at the starting location for the test drive,
wherein the notification further indicates that the customer can park the vehicle in any of the quantity of the surplus parking spaces allocated to the vehicle dealer after the customer has completed the test drive.

9. A server device, comprising:
one or more memories; and
one or more processors communicatively coupled to the one or more memories, configured to:
receive information related to surplus parking spaces that are available at a plurality of locations;
receive a first request to utilize a quantity of the surplus parking spaces that are available at one or more of the plurality of locations,
wherein the first request is received from a first device associated with a vehicle dealer having an inventory of vehicles to be stored in the surplus parking spaces that are available at the one or more of the plurality of locations;

process a transaction between the vehicle dealer and one or more parking providers associated with the one or more of the plurality of locations,
wherein the transaction allocates the quantity of the surplus parking spaces available at the one or more of the plurality of locations to the vehicle dealer;

receive a second request to test drive a vehicle in the inventory of vehicles associated with the vehicle dealer,
wherein the second request is received from a second device associated with a customer and identifies a starting location for the test drive;

determine a storage location for the vehicle from among the quantity of the surplus parking spaces allocated to the vehicle dealer,
wherein the storage location for the vehicle differs from the starting location for the test drive;

orchestrate delivery of the vehicle from the storage location to the starting location for the test drive; and
transmit information to the second device indicating an approximate time when the vehicle will arrive at the starting location for the test drive.

10. The server device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors, when orchestrating the delivery of the vehicle from the storage location to the starting location for the test drive, are configured to:
advertise, via a crowd-sourcing interface, an offer to utilize the vehicle,
wherein the offer includes a cost to utilize the vehicle until a specified time and indicates a requirement to leave the vehicle at the starting location for the test drive at or before the specified time;

receive, via the crowd-sourcing interface, an acceptance of the offer to utilize the vehicle from a third device; and
collect, from the third device, a payment for the cost to utilize the vehicle until the specified time.

11. The server device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors, when orchestrating the delivery of the vehicle from the storage location to the starting location for the test drive, are configured to:
transmit, to the vehicle, a command that causes the vehicle to autonomously drive from the storage location to the startin

Assignees

• Capital One Services Llc

Inventors

• Dagley Geoffrey
• Hoover Jason
• Price Micah
• Wylie Stephen
• Tang Qiaochu

Classifications

• H04W4/024

  Guidance services · CPC title

• H04W4/35

  for the management of goods or merchandise · CPC title

• H04W4/40

  for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] · CPC title

• G06Q30/0645

  Rental transactions; Leasing transactions · CPC title

• G06Q10/02 Primary

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