System and method for predicted pins

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12411015-B2
Application number	US-202217843718-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2022
Priority date	Jun 21, 2021
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

Techniques are provided for determining and updating locations in databases for providing to transport user devices to facilitate picking up (retrieving) an item and delivery. Location points (e.g., for retrieval or delivery) can be measured by transporter devices when an item is retrieved, and a central value can be determined from the measured location points. The central value can be used to update a pin location in a database for a destination, e.g., when more paths by the transport user devices cross a boundary (geofence) around then central value than a boundary around an existing pin location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising performing, by a server computer:
storing, in a location database, a pin location in association with an identifier for a retrieval location;
receiving, over a network, a plurality of requests from end user devices running a user application that interfaces with the server computer, the plurality of requests are for items from the retrieval location;
for each of the plurality of requests, designating one of a plurality of transporter devices of transporters to retrieve one or more items at the retrieval location, the plurality of transporter devices running a transporter application that interfaces with the server computer;
providing, over the network, the pin location to the plurality of transporter devices of transporters;
receiving, over the network, retrieval signals from the plurality of transporter devices, wherein a retrieval signal provides information for a retrieval location point measured by a transporter device, the retrieval signal generated responsive to an input at the transporter device, the input indicating retrieval of the one or more items at the retrieval location;
determining a central value of the retrieval location points, as a candidate new pin location for the retrieval location;
determining a first geofence surrounding the pin location, wherein the pin location is within the first geofence;
determining a second geofence surrounding the candidate new pin location, wherein the candidate new pin location is within the second geofence;
determining a first number of paths intersecting the first geofence, each of the first number of the paths corresponding to a path of each individual transporter device of first transporter devices;
determining a second number of paths intersecting the second geofence, each of the second number of the paths corresponding to a path of each individual transporter device of second transporter devices;
determining that the second number of the paths intersecting the second geofence is greater than the first number of the paths intersecting the first geofence; and
assigning the identifier to the central value to replace the pin location of the retrieval location in the location database with a new pin location corresponding to the central value, in response to the second number of the paths being greater than the first number of the paths,
wherein the first transporter devices and the second transporter devices are included in the plurality of transporter devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the plurality of transporter devices, path location information measured along paths of the plurality of transporter devices prior to measurement of the retrieval location points,
wherein the first number of the paths and the second number of the paths are determined using the path location information.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to determining the central value, identifying and filtering out a portion of the retrieval location points.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the central value includes a longitude median of the retrieval location points and a latitude median of the retrieval location points.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input is received when the transporter device is at the retrieval location but before retrieval of the one or more items.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retrieval signal includes the retrieval location point measured by the transporter device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retrieval signal includes a first time stamp, the method further comprising: receiving a plurality of location points and corresponding time stamps from the transporter device; and determining the retrieval location point by selecting one of the plurality of location points, the selecting determined by comparing the first time stamp to the corresponding time stamps.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a new request for an item from the retrieval location; and
providing, to a designated transporter device, the central value as the pin location for the retrieval location.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the identifier to the central value includes:
adding the central value in the location database; and
updating the identifier in a database record corresponding to the retrieval location, wherein the identifier is updated to point to the central value in the location database.

10. A method comprising performing, by a server computer:
storing, in a location database, a pin location in association with an identifier for a delivery location;
receiving, over a network, a plurality of requests from end user devices running an application that interfaces with the server computer, the plurality of requests are for items to deliver to the delivery location;
for each of the plurality of requests, designating one of a plurality of transporter devices of transporters to deliver one or more items to the delivery location, the plurality of transporter devices running the application that interfaces with the server computer;
providing, over the network, the pin location to the plurality of transporter devices of transporters;
receiving, over the network, delivery signals from the plurality of transporter devices, wherein a delivery signal indicates a delivery location point measured by a transporter device, the delivery signal generated responsive to an input at the transporter device, the input indicating delivery of the one or more items to the delivery location;
determining a central value of the delivery location points, as a candidate new pin location for the delivery location;
determining a first geofence surrounding the pin location, wherein the pin location is within the first geofence;
determining a second geofence surrounding the candidate new pin location, wherein the candidate new pin location is within the second geofence;
determining a first number of paths intersecting the first geofence, each of the first number of the paths corresponding to a path of each individual transporter device of first transporter devices;
determining a second number of paths intersecting the second geofence, each of the second number of the paths corresponding to a path of each individual transporter device of second transporter devices;
determining that the second number of the paths intersecting the second geofence is greater than the first number of the paths intersecting the first geofence; and
assigning the identifier to the central value to replace the pin location of the delivery location in the location database with a new pin location corresponding to the central value, in response to the second number of the paths being greater than the first number of the paths,
wherein the first transporter devices and the second transporter devices are included in the plurality of transporter devices.

11. A server computer comprising:
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer readable medium, the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, executable by the processor, for implementing operations including:
storing, in a location database, a pin location in association with an identifier for a retrieval location;
receiving, over a network, a plurality of requests from end user devices running a user application that interfaces with the server computer, the plurality of requests are for items from the retrieval location;
for each of the plurality of requests, designating one of a plurality of transporter devices of transporters to retrieve one or more items at the retrieval location, the plurality of transporter devices running a transporter application that interfaces

Assignees

• Doordash Inc

Inventors

• Chon William
• Ma Michelle
• Patil Aniket
• Peng Li

Classifications

• G06Q30/0635

  replenishment orders; recurring orders · CPC title

• G01C21/3476

  using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs · CPC title

• G08G1/202

  Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching · CPC title

• H04W4/025

  using location based information parameters · CPC title

• G06Q10/083

  Shipping · CPC title