User-configurable indication device for use with an on-demand transport service

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9536271-B2
Application number	US-201514604573-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2015
Priority date	May 16, 2014
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A system and method for configuring an indication device is described. An on-demand service system arranges a transport service for a user to be provided by a driver. The system determines whether the user has specified an output configuration for an indication device in an account of the user. In response to determining that the user has specified an output configuration for the indication device, the system identifies data corresponding to the output configuration and transmits the data to a driver device of the driver to enable the driver device to control the indication device of the driver based on the data.

First claim

What is being claimed is:

1. A method for configuring an indication device, the method being performed by one or more processors of a computing system and comprising:
arranging a transport service for a user by (i) receiving a transport request from a user device operated by the user, and (ii) selecting a driver to provide the transport service from a plurality of drivers, each of the plurality of drivers being associated with a vehicle, a driver device, and an indication device;
determining that the user has specified an output configuration for an indication device in an account of the user, the output configuration being configurable by the user;
in response to determining that the user has specified the output configuration, identifying, from a memory resource accessible by the computing system, data corresponding to the output configuration specified by the user; and
transmitting, over one or more networks, the data to at least one of the driver device or the indicator device associated with the selected driver to configure how the indication device of the driver operates when the driver is selected for the customer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output configuration for the indication device specifies a user preference as to a manner in which the indication device is to output or emit light, including at least one of (i) one or more colors of light to be outputted from the indication device, (ii) one or more patterns in which light is to be outputted from the indication device, or (iii) one or more sequences of illumination in which light is to be outputted from the indication device so that different portions of the indication device are illuminated at different instances of time.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring, at the computing system, the transport service to determine a state of the transport service, wherein monitoring the transport service includes receiving information from the driver device; and
wherein transmitting the data to the driver device includes transmitting the data during a duration of the transport service and before the driver arrives at a pickup location specified by the user.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the driver device runs a driver application that communicates with the computing system over the one or more networks, the driver application being stored in a memory resource of the driver device, and wherein the driver application communicates with the indication device, over a communication interface, with the indication device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the driver application determines a state of the transport service of a plurality of states, and wherein transmitting the data includes triggering the device of the driver to operate the driver application in order to transmit one or more control signals to the indication device based on the state of the transport service.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the driver application determines the state of the transport service by at least one or more of (i) receiving input from the driver operating the driver device, (ii) receiving one or more messages from the computing system over the one or more networks, or (iii) determining a location of the driver device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of states of the transport service includes at least (i) the driver traveling to a pickup location of the user, (ii) the driver determining that the driver is approaching the pickup location of the user, (iii) the driver being positioned within a predetermined distance of the pickup location, or (iv) the driver being positioned within the predetermined distance of the pickup location and being stationary for a predetermined amount of time.

Assignees

• Uber Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Kalanick Travis
• Amin Shalin

Classifications

• G06Q10/02

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

• B60Q1/0094

  Arrangement of electronic circuits separated from the light source, e.g. mounting of housings for starter circuits for discharge lamps (arrangements being part of the light source holder F21V17/06, F21S43/195) · CPC title

• G07B13/045

  with indicating means on the outside of the vehicle · CPC title

• B60Q1/2611

  Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle · CPC title

• G06Q50/10 Primary

  Services · CPC title