IP Library Granted Patent US 11,716,408
Granted Patent B2
US 11,716,408 · App. 17/343,419 · Granted Aug 1, 2023

Navigation using proximity information

Inventors: Taggart Matthiesen (San Francisco, CA); Sergey Shlykovich (San Francisco, CA); Ethan Eyler (San Francisco, CA); Sebastian Brannstrom (San Francisco, CA); Jesse McMillin (San Francisco, CA); Sean Murphy (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Lyft, Inc.
H04L67/63H04L67/10H04L67/12H04L67/52H04W4/70H04W4/80H04W8/005
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,716,408
App. No.
17/343,419
Granted
Aug 1, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments provide techniques, including systems and methods, for locating and navigating to the location of a requestor based on proximity between a requestor device and a provider device. For example, embodiments display proximity indicators to allow a provider to quickly, easily, and safely locate a requestor upon arrival near a request location. Further, in some embodiments, graphics associated with a proximity vector may be presented on a provider communication device to clearly display the navigation directions to the provider so that the provider may easily find their matched requestor without requiring additional communication between the provider and the requestor. Additionally, embodiments provide efficient navigation to riders by limiting display of proximity indicators for navigation until the provider is within a threshold distance to the request location to conserve system resources and communication between an on-demand matching system and the provider computing device.

Claims (63)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

associating a plurality of transportation requests to generate a combined ride, wherein each transportation request of the plurality of transportation requests corresponds to a different destination location;

sending, to a provider computing device, instructions to provide transportation for the plurality of transportation requests in the combined ride;

determining, based on the different destination location of each transportation request, a sequence of destination locations for the combined ride;

generating, for the combined ride, a requestor information sequence that associates requestor information for each requestor participating in the combined ride with a corresponding destination location of the combined ride; and

causing a provider communication device to communicate a status of the combined ride using the requestor information sequence to indicate a next drop-off by displaying the requestor information of a next requestor of the combined ride to be dropped off, wherein the provider communication device is a separate device from the provider computing device and a requestor computing device associated with each requestor participating in the combined ride.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein causing the provider communication device to display the requestor information sequence during the combined ride by displaying the requestor information of the next requestor of the combined ride to be dropped off comprises:

determining a requestor that is associated with a next destination location from the sequence of destination locations; and

causing the provider communication device to display the requestor information of the requestor during the combined ride based on determining that the requestor is associated with the next destination location.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that a drop-off of the requestor at the next destination location is complete; and

causing the provider communication device to remove the requestor information from display based on determining that the drop-off is complete.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 ,

further comprising determining an occurrence of an event corresponding to the next destination location, the occurrence of the event comprising one of arriving at the next destination location, traveling within a threshold distance of the next destination location, or completing a drop-off at a destination location that precedes the next destination location within the sequence of destination locations,

wherein causing the provider communication device to display the requestor information of the requestor during the combined ride comprises causing the provider communication device to display the requestor information based on the occurrence of the event.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein causing the provider communication device to display the requestor information of the requestor during the combined ride comprises causing the provider communication device to display an animation that includes the requestor information.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 ,

further comprising determining a navigation route based on the different destination location of each transportation request,

wherein determining, based on the different destination location of each transportation request, the sequence of destination locations for the combined ride comprises determining the sequence of destination locations using the navigation route.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein determining the navigation route based on the different destination location of each transportation request comprises:

determining a plurality of navigation routes based on the different destination location of each transportation request; and

selecting the navigation route from the plurality of navigation routes based on a measure of efficiency associated with each navigation route from the plurality of navigation routes.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein causing the provider communication device to display the requestor information sequence during the combined ride comprises causing the provider communication device to display customized requestor information received via at least one requestor computing device associated with the plurality of transportation requests.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the requestor information for each requestor participating in the combined ride comprises at least one of a destination address, a profile picture, a pattern, or a color associated with each requestor.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computing device to:

associate a plurality of transportation requests to generate a combined ride, wherein each transportation request of the plurality of transportation requests corresponds to a different destination location;

send, to a provider computing device, instructions to provide transportation for the plurality of transportation requests in the combined ride;

determine, based on the different destination location of each transportation request, a sequence of destination locations for the combined ride;

generate, for the combined ride, a requestor information sequence that associates requestor information for each requestor participating in the combined ride with a corresponding destination location of the combined ride; and

cause a provider communication device to communicate a status of the combined ride using the requestor information sequence to indicate a next drop-off by displaying the requestor information of a next requestor of the combined ride to be dropped off, wherein the provider communication device is a separate device from the provider computing device and a requestor computing device associated with each requestor participating in the combined ride.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to cause the provider communication device to display the requestor information sequence during the combined ride by displaying the requestor information of the next requestor of the combined ride to be dropped off by:

determining a requestor that is associated with a next destination location from the sequence of destination locations; and

causing the provider communication device to display the requestor information of the requestor during the combined ride based on determining that the requestor is associated with the next destination location.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:

determine that a drop-off of the requestor at the next destination location is complete; and

cause the provider communication device to remove the requestor information from display based on determining that the drop-off is complete.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 ,

further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to determine an occurrence of an event corresponding to the next destination location, the occurrence of the event comprising one of arriving at the next destination location, traveling within a threshold distance of the next destination location, or completing a drop-off at a destination location that precedes the next destination location within the sequence of destination locations,

wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to cause the provider communication device to display the requestor information of the requestor during the combined ride by causing the provider communication device to display the requestor information based on the occurrence of the event.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to cause the provider communication device to display the requestor information of the requestor during the combined ride by causing the provider communication device to display an animation that includes the requestor information.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 ,

further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to determine a navigation route based on the different destination location of each transportation request,

wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to determine, based on the different destination location of each transportation request, the sequence of destination locations for the combined ride by determining the sequence of destination locations using the navigation route.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to determine the navigation route based on the different destination location of each transportation request by:

determining a plurality of navigation routes based on the different destination location of each transportation request; and

selecting the navigation route from the plurality of navigation routes based on a measure of efficiency associated with each navigation route from the plurality of navigation routes.

17. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

associate a plurality of transportation requests to generate a combined ride, wherein each transportation request of the plurality of transportation requests corresponds to a different destination location;

send, to a provider computing device, instructions to provide transportation for the plurality of transportation requests in the combined ride;

determine, based on the different destination location of each transportation request, a sequence of destination locations for the combined ride;

generate, for the combined ride, a requestor information sequence that associates requestor information for each requestor participating in the combined ride with a corresponding destination location of the combined ride; and

cause a provider communication device to communicate a status of the combined ride using the requestor information sequence to indicate a next drop-off by displaying the requestor information of a next requestor of the combined ride to be dropped off, wherein the provider communication device is a separate device from the provider computing device and a requestor computing device associated with each requestor participating in the combined ride.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to cause the provider communication device to display the requestor information sequence during the combined ride by displaying the requestor information of the next requestor of the combined ride to be dropped off by:

determining a requestor that is associated with a next destination location from the sequence of destination locations; and

causing the provider communication device to display the requestor information of the requestor during the combined ride based on determining that the requestor is associated with the next destination location.

19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

determine that a drop-off of the requestor at the next destination location is complete; and

cause the provider communication device to remove the requestor information from display based on determining that the drop-off is complete.

20. The system of claim 18 ,

further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine an occurrence of an event corresponding to the next destination location, the occurrence of the event comprising one of arriving at the next destination location, traveling within a threshold distance of the next destination location, or completing a drop-off at a destination location that precedes the next destination location within the sequence of destination locations,

wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to cause the provider communication device to display the requestor information of the requestor during the combined ride by causing the provider communication device to display the requestor information based on the occurrence of the event.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CONVEYING PARTY DATA PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 057536 FRAME 0573. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jul 6, 2023
From: MATTHIESEN, TAGGART; SHLYKOVICH, SERGEY; EYLER, ETHAN; BRANNSTROM, SEBASTIAN; MCMILLIN, JESSE; MURPHY, SEAN
To: LYFT, INC.
Reel/Frame 064453/0497 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2022
From: LYFT, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061880/0237 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 20, 2021
From: MATTHIESEN, TAGGART; SCHLYKOVICH, SERGEY; EYLER, ETHAN; BRANNSTROM, SEBASTIAN; MCMILLAN, JESSE; MURPHY, SEAN
To: LYFT, INC.
Reel/Frame 057536/0573 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16749798 · Jan 22, 2020
Continuation 15396390 · Dec 30, 2016
Related Publication 20210409513A1 · Dec 30, 2021