Granted Patent B2

US 7,869,945 · App. 12/834,818 · Granted Jan 11, 2011

Abstract

Claims (50)

1. A method for monitoring participant security in a rideshare environment, comprising:

making available a rideshare participant device to at least one rideshare participant during a rideshare;

triggering a security check while the rideshare is in progress; and

taking action based on the security check, comprising:

communicating a security inquiry message to the rideshare participant via the rideshare participant device;

requesting a reply to the security inquiry message from the rideshare participant; and

contacting a security response provider during at least one of when the reply indicates that there is a security problem and when the rideshare participant does not respond within a predefined response time threshold.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the reply comprises at least one of the rideshare participant's perception of a security situation, an identity token, or biometric confirmation of the rideshare participant.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the security check is triggered during at least one of periodic, random, and scheduled intervals.

4. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

further contacting the security response provider when requested by the rideshare participant via an emergency button on the rideshare participant device.

5. A method according to claim 1 , comprising:

making available a further rideshare participant device to another rideshare participant;

tracking the rideshare participant device and the further rideshare participant device;

determining a location of each of the devices and identifying a separation in location of the rideshare participant device and the further rideshare participant device; and

contacting the security response provider when the location separation is at least one of early and unexplained.

6. A method for monitoring participant security in a rideshare environment, comprising:

making available a rideshare participant device to at least one rideshare participant during a rideshare;

collecting location information for the rideshare participant device while the rideshare is in progress and monitoring the location information for abnormalities indicating a security alert; and

taking a security action in response to the security alert, comprising:

communicating a security inquiry message to the rideshare participant device;

requesting a reply from the rideshare participant; and

contacting a security response provider during at least one of when the reply indicates that there is a security problem and when the rideshare participant did not respond within a predefined response time threshold.

7. A method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

tracking a signal of the rideshare participant device and determining whether the signal is available; and

contacting the security response provider when the signal is unavailable.

8. A method according to claim 7 , further comprising:

determining a status of the unavailable signal by requesting signal information from the rideshare participant.

9. A method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

analyzing the location information to determine movement of the rideshare participant device; and

contacting the security response provider when at least one of an early and unexplained stop of the rideshare participant device has been made.

10. A method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

comparing the location information to a predetermined route for that rideshare participant; and

contacting the security response provider when the location information deviates a threshold distance from the predetermined route.

11. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the predetermined route is determined by at least one of the rideshare participant, agreement with another rideshare participant, and safety factors.

12. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the location information is collected during at least one of periodic, random, and scheduled intervals.

13. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the reply comprises at least one of the rideshare participant's perception of a security situation, an identify token, or biometric confirmation of the rideshare participant.

14. A method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

measuring a vehicle speed based on the location information;

comparing the vehicle speed with speed parameters; and

contacting the security response provider when the vehicle speed deviates a threshold distance from the speed parameters.

15. A system for monitoring participant security in a rideshare environment, comprising:

a rideshare participant device associated with a rideshare participant during a rideshare;

a rideshare security timer to trigger a security check while the rideshare is in progress; and

a rideshare security module to take an action based on the security check, comprising communicating a security inquiry message to the rideshare participant via the rideshare participant device, requesting a reply to the security inquiry message from the rideshare participant, and contacting a security response provider during at least one of when the reply indicates that there is a security problem or when the rideshare participant does not respond within a predefined response time threshold.

16. A system according to claim 15 , comprising:

a further rideshare participant device to another rideshare participant;

a safety monitor to track the rideshare participant device and the further rideshare participant device;

a location monitor to determine a location of each of the devices and identifying a separation in location of the rideshare participant device and the further rideshare participant device; and

the rideshare security module to contact the security response provider when the location separation is at least one of early and unexplained.

Assignments (8)