Identifying matched requestors and providers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10636108-B2
Application number	US-201615396417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2016
Priority date	Sep 30, 2016
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

Embodiments provide techniques, including systems and methods, for identifying and matching requestors and providers. For example, embodiments can display an identification pattern that is unique for a matched requestor and provider to allow the providers and requestors to quickly, easily, and accurately validate one another's identities prior to a service being provided. In some embodiments, the identification element may be presented on a provider communication device to clearly display graphics associated with an identification element to all requestors in an area so that the requestors may easily identify a matched provider.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
sending, by a dynamic transportation matching system, a first transport request to a provider computing device of a first provider vehicle, the first transport request comprising a first request location associated with a requestor computing device;
determining, by the dynamic transportation matching system, a first estimated arrival time for the first provider vehicle arriving at the first request location;
identifying, by the dynamic transportation matching system, a second transport request for a second provider vehicle, the second transport request comprising a second request location;
determining, by the dynamic transportation matching system, a first pickup corresponding to the first transport request conflicts with a second pickup corresponding to the second transport request based on the second request location located within a distance threshold of the first request location and a second estimated arrival time for the second provider vehicle arriving at the second request location within a time threshold of the first estimated arrival time for the first provider vehicle;
assigning, by the dynamic transportation matching system, an identification element to a requestor and the first provider vehicle from one or more available identification elements based on the first pickup conflicting with the second pickup; and
sending the identification element to the requestor computing device and the provider computing device, the identification element enabling a presentation of a visual indicator corresponding to the identification element via a user interface of the requestor computing device and via a display of a provider communication device associated with the provider computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first pickup conflicts with the second pickup further comprises:
determining, by the dynamic transportation matching system, one or more locations within the distance threshold of the first request location;
searching, by the dynamic transportation matching system, one or more data stores including matched rides for one or more matched rides associated with any of the one or more locations within the distance threshold of the first request location;
identifying, by the dynamic transportation matching system, a set of potentially conflicting pickups associated with one of the one or more locations within the distance threshold of the first request location;
determining, by the dynamic transportation matching system, the second pickup corresponding to the second transport request from among the set of potentially conflicting pickups conflicts with the first pickup corresponding to the first transport request based on the second request location being within the distance threshold of the first request location and the second estimated arrival time for the second provider vehicle being within the time threshold of the first estimated arrival time for the first provider vehicle; and
identifying, by the dynamic transportation matching system, the one or more available identification elements based on an assigned identification element associated with the second transport request.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying, by the dynamic transportation matching system, that the second transport request does not have an assigned identification element;
assigning, by the dynamic transportation matching system, a second identification element to a second requestor and the second provider vehicle from the one or more available identification elements, the second requestor and the second provider vehicle corresponding to the second transport request;
identifying, by the dynamic transportation matching system, a second provider computing device associated with the second transport request;
identifying, by the dynamic transportation matching system, a second requestor computing device associated with the second transport request; and
sending the second identification element to the second provider computing device and to the second requestor computing device, the second identification element enabling a presentation of a second visual indicator corresponding to the second identification element via a user interface of the second requestor computing device and via a display of a second provider communication device associated with the second provider computing device.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the second pickup from among the set of potentially conflicting pickups conflicts with the first pickup further comprises:
identifying, by the dynamic transportation matching system, an estimated arrival time for a provider vehicle corresponding to each of the set of potentially conflicting pickups;
determining, by the dynamic transportation matching system, an arrival time difference by comparing the first estimated arrival time for the first provider vehicle to the estimated arrival time for the provider vehicle corresponding to each of the set of potentially conflicting pickups; and
identifying, by the dynamic transportation matching system, a time conflict by determining that the arrival time difference for the second pickup corresponding to the second transport request is within the time threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator comprises at least one of an augmented reality presentation, an audio-visual presentation, a color, a hologram, an image, or a pattern.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein sending the identification element to the requestor computing device and the provider computing device further enables the requestor computing device and the provider computing device to play audio corresponding to one or more sounds on the requestor computing device and the provider computing device, and wherein a volume of the audio, a pitch of the audio, or a rate of play of the audio on each of the requestor computing device and the provider computing device increases as the provider computing device approaches the requestor computing device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising causing, by the dynamic transportation matching system via the provider computing device, a front display of the provider communication device to display the visual indicator corresponding to the identification element.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying the one or more available identification elements by:
identifying, by the dynamic transportation matching system, an assigned identification element associated with each of a plurality of conflicting pickups, the plurality of conflicting pickups comprising the second pickup corresponding to the second transport request;
obtaining, by the dynamic transportation matching system, a list of identification elements associated with the dynamic transportation matching system; and
removing, by the dynamic transportation matching system, each of the assigned identification elements from the list of identification elements.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein assigning the identification element to the requestor and the first provider vehicle from the one or more available identification elements further comprises:
identifying, by the dynamic transportation matching system, a highest ranked identification element from the one or more available identification elements; and
assigning, by the dynamic transportation matching system, the highest ranked identification element to the requestor and the first provider vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first pickup conflicts with the second pickup comprises identifying that the second pickup may cause the requestor to misidentify the second provider vehicle as a match

Assignees

• Lyft Inc

Inventors

• Eyler Ethan Duncan
• Matthiesen Taggart
• Macdonell Martin Conte
• McMillin Jesse Jones
• Brannstrom Sebastian Rolf Johan
• Kuh Christopher
• Lee Sang Ik
• Barrett Nicholas Robert
• Murphy Sean Patrick
• Lowe Edward Stephen

Classifications

• G01C21/3697

  Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level (G01C21/3679 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06Q10/02

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

• G01C21/3438

  Rendezvous; Ride sharing · CPC title

• G06Q50/30 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06Q50/40 Primary

  Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083) · CPC title