Method and apparatus for ridesharing pickup wait time prediction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12123726-B2
Application number	US-202117474891-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2021
Priority date	Sep 15, 2020
Publication date	Oct 22, 2024
Grant date	Oct 22, 2024

Abstract

An approach is provided for accurate travel time prediction. The approach involves, for example, determining probe data collected within a threshold proximity of a vehicle location and a pickup location. The probe data may be collected, for example, from a location sensor of at least one probe vehicle that has previously traversed the vehicle location and the pickup location. The approach also involves processing the probe data to identify a travel time of a route taken by the at least one probe vehicle from the vehicle location to the pickup location. The approach also involves providing the travel time as an output indicating a wait time for a vehicle at the vehicle location to reach the pickup location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining, by a mapping platform configured to collect probe data from a geographic area, probe data collected within a first threshold proximity of a vehicle location in the geographic area and a second threshold proximity of a pickup location in the geographic area, the probe data being collected from a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver of at least one probe vehicle that has previously traversed between the first proximity of the vehicle location and the second threshold proximity of the pickup location, wherein an extent of the first threshold proximity, the second threshold proximity, or a combination thereof is selected based on a sparsity of the probe data, a wait time prediction accuracy, or a combination thereof, wherein the probe data is divided into spatial partitions to provide the probe data with real-time speed and to reduce computational resources, memory resources, bandwidth resources, or a combination thereof;
processing, by the mapping platform, the probe data in real time to identify a travel time of a route taken by the at least one probe vehicle from the first proximity threshold of the vehicle location to the second threshold proximity of the pickup location to represent a current travel condition; and
providing, by the mapping platform, the travel time as an output indicating a wait time for a vehicle at the vehicle location to reach the pickup location based on determining that the travel time is less than a maximum wait time.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the probe data is further determined based on a ride request timestamp.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the probe data are within a predefined time interval, and wherein the predefined time interval is based on a ride request timestamp.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the route is selected from one or more candidate routes represented in the probe data based on a ride request timestamp.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the route is a candidate route represented in the probe data that has a start time that is closest to a ride request timestamp.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the route is selected based on determining the travel time of the route is less than a predefined travel time interval.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pickup location is a geographic area within a predefined distance of a ride requestor location.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
periodically adjusting the wait time; and
providing the adjusted wait time as an updated output.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending the route associated with the travel time to a driver of the vehicle at the vehicle location.

10. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least on processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,
determine, by a mapping platform configured to collect probe data from a geographic area, probe data collected within a first threshold proximity of a vehicle location in the geographic area and a second threshold proximity of a pickup location in the geographic area, the probe data being collected from a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver of at least one probe vehicle that has previously traversed between the first proximity of the vehicle location and the second threshold proximity of the pickup location, wherein an extent of the first threshold proximity, the second threshold proximity, or a combination thereof is selected based on a sparsity of the probe data, a wait time prediction accuracy, or a combination thereof, wherein the probe data is divided into spatial partitions to provide the probe data with real-time speed and to reduce computational resources, memory resources, bandwidth resources, or a combination thereof;
process, by the mapping platform, the probe data in real time to identify a travel time of a route taken by the at least one probe vehicle from the first proximity threshold of the vehicle location to the second threshold proximity of the pickup location to represent a current travel condition, the travel time representing a wait time for a vehicle at the first proximity threshold of the vehicle location to reach the second threshold proximity of the pickup location; and
provide, by the mapping platform, the route as an output based on determining that the travel time is less than a maximum wait time.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the output is sent to a driver of the vehicle, the vehicle, or a combination thereof.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the probe data is further determined based on a ride request timestamp.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the route is selected from one or more candidate routes represented in the probe data based on a ride request timestamp.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the route is a candidate route represented in the probe data that has a start time that is closest to a ride request timestamp.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the route is selected based on determining the route has a length less than a predefined length.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for predicting a pickup wait time, carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to perform:
determining, by a mapping platform configured to collect probe data from a geographic area, probe data collected within a first threshold proximity of a vehicle location in the geographic area and a second threshold proximity of a pickup location in the geographic area, the probe data being collected from a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver of at least one probe vehicle that has previously traversed between the first proximity of the vehicle location and the second threshold proximity of the pickup location, wherein an extent of the first threshold proximity, the second threshold proximity, or a combination thereof is selected based on a sparsity of the probe data, a wait time prediction accuracy, or a combination thereof, wherein the probe data is divided into spatial partitions to provide the probe data with real-time speed and to reduce computational resources, memory resources, bandwidth resources, or a combination thereof;
processing, by the mapping platform, the probe data to identify a travel time of a route taken by the at least one probe vehicle from the first proximity threshold of the vehicle location to the second threshold proximity of the pickup location to represent a current travel condition; and
providing, by the mapping platform, the travel time as an output indicating a wait time for a vehicle at the vehicle location to reach the pickup location based on determining that the travel time is less than a maximum wait time.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the probe data is further determined based on a ride request timestamp.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the probe data are within a predefined time interval, and wherein the predefined time interval is based on a ride request timestamp.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the route is selected from one or more candidate routes represented in the probe data based on a ride request timestamp.

20. The non-tr

Assignees

• Here Global Bv

Inventors

• Radakovic Daniela
• Sheynman Arnold
• Jackson Kyle

Classifications

• G01C21/3605

  Destination input or retrieval · CPC title

• G01C21/3492

  employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical (traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968) · CPC title

• G01C21/3461

  Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types or segments such as motorways, toll roads or ferries · CPC title

• G01C21/3691

  Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions (arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09) · CPC title

• G01C21/3438 Primary

  Rendezvous; Ride sharing · CPC title