Method and server

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022042811-A1
Application number	US-202117394945-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 5, 2021
Priority date	Aug 7, 2020
Publication date	Feb 10, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method executed by a terminal apparatus includes transmitting and receiving one or more instant messages among a plurality of users, acquiring a period for sharing positional information among the plurality of users, the period being determined based on a meeting time for the plurality of users that is acquired from the instant messages, activating a function of sharing positional information among the plurality of users, when the period starts, and deactivating the function when the period ends.

First claim

1 . A method executed by a terminal apparatus, the method comprising:
transmitting and receiving one or more instant messages among a plurality of users; acquiring a period for sharing positional information among the plurality of users, the period being determined based on a meeting time for the plurality of users that is acquired from the instant messages; activating a function of sharing positional information among the plurality of users, when the period starts; and deactivating the function when the period ends.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising displaying positional information for the plurality of users on a screen when the function is active.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the terminal apparatus displays the positional information for the plurality of users on the screen except for a user who has not allowed positional information to be shared.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising implementing, to a first user of the terminal apparatus, a first proposal to dispatch a drop-off/pick-up vehicle for the first user and/or a second user different from the first user based on time variation of positional information for the first user and the second user, the meeting time, and a meeting place for the plurality of users that is acquired from the instant messages.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , further comprising selecting a payer of a usage fee of the drop-off/pick-up vehicle when implementing the first proposal.

6 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the terminal apparatus implements the first proposal in a case in which it is determined that the first user and/or the second user cannot arrive at the meeting place by the meeting time based on the time variation of the positional information for the first user and the second user.

7 . The method according to claim 4 , further comprising implementing, to the first user, a second proposal to rearrange the meeting time and/or the meeting place in a case in which it is determined that the first user and/or the second user cannot arrive at the meeting place by the meeting time based on the time variation of the positional information for the first user and the second user.

8 . A method executed by a server, the method comprising:
acquiring one or more instant messages transmitted and received among a plurality of users; acquiring a meeting time for the plurality of users from the instant messages; activating a function of sharing positional information among the plurality of users, when a period for sharing positional information among the plurality of users starts, the period being determined based on the meeting time; and deactivating the function when the period ends.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , further comprising transmitting positional information for the plurality of users to a terminal apparatus when the function is active.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the server transmits the positional information for the plurality of users to the terminal apparatus except for a user who has not allowed positional information to be shared.

11 . The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
acquiring a meeting place for the plurality of users from the instant messages; and notifying a terminal apparatus of a first user of a first proposal to dispatch a drop-off/pick-up vehicle for the first user and/or a second user based on time variation of positional information for the first user and the second user, the meeting time, and the meeting place.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising implementing electronic payment of a usage fee of the drop-off/pick-up vehicle using payment information for a payer selected by the terminal apparatus of the first user in response to the first proposal.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the server notifies the terminal apparatus of the first user of the first proposal in a case in which it is determined that the first user and/or the second user cannot arrive at the meeting place by the meeting time based on the time variation of the positional information for the first user and the second user.

14 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising notifying the terminal apparatus of the first user of a second proposal to rearrange the meeting time and/or the meeting place in a case in which it is determined that the first user and/or the second user cannot arrive at the meeting place by the meeting time based on the time variation of the positional information for the first user and the second user.

15 . A server comprising:
a communication interface; and a controller configured to communicate via the communication interface, wherein the controller is configured to: acquire one or more instant messages transmitted and received among a plurality of users; acquire a meeting time for the plurality of users from the instant messages; activate a function of sharing positional information among the plurality of users, when a period for sharing positional information among the plurality of users starts, the period being determined based on the meeting time; and deactivate the function when the period ends.

16 . The server according to claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit positional information for the plurality of users to a terminal apparatus when the function is active.

17 . The server according to claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit the positional information for the plurality of users to the terminal apparatus except for a user who has not allowed positional information to be shared.

18 . The server according to claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to:
acquire a meeting place for the plurality of users from the instant messages; and notify a terminal apparatus of a first user of a proposal to dispatch a drop-off/pick-up vehicle for the first user and/or a second user based on time variation of positional information for the first user and the second user, the meeting time, and the meeting place.

19 . The server according to claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to implement electronic payment of a usage fee of the drop-off/pick-up vehicle using payment information for a payer selected by the terminal apparatus of the first user in response to the proposal.

20 . The server according to claim 18 , wherein the controller notifies the terminal apparatus of the first user of the proposal in a case in which it is determined that the first user and/or the second user cannot arrive at the meeting place by the meeting time based on the time variation of the positional information for the first user and the second user.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Okamoto Tetsushi
• Aono Kazumi
• Uenoyama Naoki
• Tompkins Equan

Classifications

• H04L51/04 Primary

  Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] · CPC title

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title

• G01C21/3438 Primary

  Rendezvous; Ride sharing · CPC title

• 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