Method for requesting transportation services
View Patent ↗A method for safely and efficiently requesting transportation services through the use of mobile communications devices capable of geographic location is described. Individual and package transportation may be provided. New customers may be efficiently serviced, and the requester and transportation provider locations may be viewed in real time on the mobile devices.
1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computing device to:
receive, through a wireless communications network and from a first communications device associated with a transportation requester, a geographic location;
receive, through the wireless communications network, geographic location information of at least one transportation vehicle at selected time intervals from a wireless mobile communications device located on the at least one transportation vehicle;
analyze the geographic location information of the at least one transportation vehicle at the selected time intervals;
compare the analyzed geographic location information of the at least one transportation vehicle with a route of the at least one transportation vehicle; and
based on comparing the analyzed geographic location information with the route, calculate a time-of-arrival to the geographic location for the at least one transportation vehicle.
2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the selected time intervals comprise one or more sets of regular time intervals.
3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to receive the geographic location by receiving an indication of a user selection of the geographic location on a map.
4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to receive the geographic location by receiving a textual user entry of the geographic location into a text field displayed on the first communications device.
5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:
provide, to the first communications device, the time-of-arrival for the at least one transportation vehicle at the geographic location;
receive, from the first communications device, a selection of a transportation vehicle of the at least one transportation vehicle; and
transmit, to the selected transportation vehicle, a request for transportation services.
6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the route comprises a transportation service route associated with one or more other transportation requesters.
7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the geographic location comprises a scheduled stop on a scheduled route driven by the at least one transportation vehicle.
8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to permit the transportation requester to track the at least one transportation vehicle on a map or textual display displayed on the first communications device.
9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to receive a geographic location of the first communications device determined by one of:
global positioning;
signal triangulation; or
a description of the geographic location provided by the transportation requester.
10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to provide, in real time, a current geographic location of each transportation vehicle of the at least one transportation vehicle to the first communications device.
11. A system for obtaining time-of-arrival information for at least one transportation vehicle at a location, the system comprising:
at least one processor;
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
receive, through a wireless communications network and from a first communications device associated with a transportation requester, a geographic location;
receive, through the wireless communications network, geographic location information of the at least one transportation vehicle at selected time intervals from a wireless mobile communications device located on the at least one transportation vehicle;
analyze the geographic location information of the at least one transportation vehicle at the selected time intervals;
compare the analyzed geographic location information of the at least one transportation vehicle with a route of the at least one transportation vehicle; and
based on comparing the analyzed geographic location information with the route, calculate a time-of-arrival to the geographic location for the at least one transportation vehicle.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the selected time intervals comprise one or more sets of regular time intervals.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to receive the geographic location by receiving an indication of a user selection of the geographic location on a map.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to receive the geographic location by receiving a textual user entry of the geographic location into a text field displayed on the first communications device.
15. The system of claim 11 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
provide, to the first communications device, the time-of-arrival for each transportation vehicle at the geographic location;
receive, from the first communications device, a selection of a transportation vehicle of the at least one transportation vehicle; and
transmit, to the selected transportation vehicle, a request for transportation services.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the route comprises a transportation service route associated with one or more other transportation requesters.
17. The system of claim 11 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to permit the transportation requester to track the at least one transportation vehicle on a map or textual display displayed on the first communications device.
18. The system of claim 11 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to receive a geographic location of the first communications device determined by one of:
global positioning;
signal triangulation; or
a description of the geographic location provided by the transportation requester.
19. The system of claim 11 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to provide, in real time, a current geographic location of each transportation vehicle of the at least one transportation vehicle to the first communications device.
20. A method for obtaining time-of-arrival information for at least one transportation vehicle at a location, the method comprising:
receiving, through a wireless communications network and from a first communications device associated with a transportation requester, a geographic location;
receiving, through the wireless communications network, geographic location information of at least one transportation vehicle at selected time intervals from a wireless mobile communications device located on the at least one transportation vehicle;
analyzing the geographic location information of the at least one transportation vehicle at the selected time intervals;
comparing the analyzed geographic location information of the at least one transportation vehicle with a route of the at least one transportation vehicle; and
based on comparing the analyzed geographic location information with the route, calculating a time-of-arrival to the geographic location for the at least one transportation vehicle.