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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9937857-B2
Application number	US-201715615678-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2017
Priority date	May 16, 2014
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

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 claimed is:

1. A computer system comprising:
a non-transitory memory to store instructions;
one or more processors to access the instructions to:
determine that a transport service vehicle is within a threshold distance of a location where a transport service is to be received by a given user; and
trigger an indication device that is externally visible from the transport service vehicle to illuminate in accordance with an output configuration as the transport service vehicle progresses to the location, wherein the output configuration is selected based on data associated with the given user.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system corresponds to a mobile computing device of a driver of the transport service vehicle.

3. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system corresponds to an in-vehicle computer system.

4. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors trigger the indication device in response to determining that the transport service vehicle is within the threshold distance of the location.

5. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors determine that the transport service vehicle is within the threshold distance by communicating with a network service system that arranges for the transport service vehicle to provide the given user with the transport service.

6. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the output configuration includes at least one of a color, text, or pattern.

7. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors communicate with a network service system to receive information for determining the output configuration.

8. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors receive, via one or more networks, an input from a driver of the transport service vehicle to associate the output configuration with the given user.

9. A method for providing transport services, the method being implemented by one or more processors and comprising:
determining that a transport service vehicle is within a threshold distance of a location where a transport service is to be received by a given user; and
triggering an indication device that is externally visible from the transport service vehicle to illuminate in accordance with an output configuration as the transport service vehicle progresses to the location, wherein the output configuration is selected based on data associated with the given user.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method is performed on a mobile computing device of a driver of the transport service vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method is performed on an in-vehicle computer system.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein triggering the indication device is performed in response to determining that the transport service vehicle is within the threshold distance of the location.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining that the transport service vehicle is within the threshold distance includes communicating with a network service system that arranges for the transport service vehicle to provide the given user with the transport service.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the output configuration includes at least one of a color, text, or pattern.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors communicate with a network service system to receive information for determining the output configuration.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors receive, via one or more networks, an input from a driver of the transport service vehicle to associate the output configuration with the given user.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a computer system, causes the computer system to perform operations that include:
determining that a transport service vehicle is within a threshold distance of a location where a transport service is to be received by a given user; and
triggering an indication device that is externally visible from the transport service vehicle to illuminate in accordance with an output configuration as the transport service vehicle progresses to the location, wherein the output configuration is selected based on data associated with the given user.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the computer system includes a mobile computing device of a driver of the transport service vehicle.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the computer system includes an in-vehicle computer system.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the output configuration includes at least one of a color, text, or pattern.

Assignees

• Uber Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Kalanick Travis
• Amin Shalin

Classifications

• 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

• G06Q10/02

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

• B60Q1/2611

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

• G07B13/045

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

• G06Q50/10 Primary

  Services · CPC title