Requesting transportation services

Abstract

A method is described for safely and efficiently requesting transportation services through the user of mobile communications devices capable of geographic location determination. 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 method of operating a wireless communication device associated with a transportation provider, wherein the wireless communication device is a first node in a distributed computing network that manages requests for transportation services, comprising:
 sharing, at the wireless communication device associated with the transportation provider, at least one task performed by the distributed computing network that manages requests for transportation services;   receiving, from a second node in the distributed computing network, a request for transportation service from a transportation requester, wherein the request includes a time limit to accept the request for transportation service.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining, by the wireless communication device associated with the transportation provider, whether or not the provider desires to service the request; 
 in response to determining that the provider desires to service the request, sending, over the distributed computing network, a confirmation indicating that the provider desires to service the request. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein in said determining whether or not the provider desires to service the request, the wireless communication device determines that the provider does not desire to service the request if the wireless communication device does not receive an indication, within said time limit, that the provider desires to service the request. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising, after sending the confirmation, receiving, by the wireless communication device, a positive or negative acknowledgement in response to the confirmation, the positive or negative acknowledgement indicating, respectively, that the provider has or has not been selected to service the request. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising, in response to the positive acknowledgement, the wireless communication device disabling itself from sending another confirmation to a request for a transportation service. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising, after the positive acknowledgement, signaling that a pickup has occurred and that servicing the request has begun. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising periodically sending by the wireless communication device, to the second node, a message with information including the provider's most recent location. 
     
     
         8 . A wireless communication device configured for operation as a first node, associated with a transportation provider, in a distributed computing network that manages requests for transportation services, wherein said operation of the wireless communication device comprises:
 sharing at least one task performed by the distributed computing network that manages requests for transportation services;   receiving, from a second node in the distributed computing network, a request for transportation service from a transportation requester, wherein the request includes a time limit to accept the request for transportation service.   
     
     
         9 . The wireless communication device of  claim 8  wherein said opera on of the wireless communication device further comprises:
 determining whether or not the provider desires to service the request; 
 in response to determining that the provider desires to service the request, sending, over the distributed computing network, a confirmation indicating that the provider desires to service the request. 
 
     
     
         10 . The wireless communication device of  claim 9  wherein in said determining whether or not the provider desires to service the request, the wireless communication device determines that the provider does not desire to service the request if the wireless communication device does not receive an indication, within said time limit, that the provider desires to service the request. 
     
     
         11 . The wireless communication device of  claim 9  wherein said operation of the wireless communication device further comprises, after sending the confirmation, receiving a positive or negative acknowledgement in response to the confirmation, the positive or negative acknowledgement indicating, respectively, that the provider has or has not been selected to service the request. 
     
     
         12 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11  wherein said operation of the wireless communication device further comprises, in response to the positive acknowledgement, disabling the wireless communication device from sending another confirmation to a request for a transportation service. 
     
     
         13 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11  wherein said operation of the wireless communication device further comprises, after the positive acknowledgement, signaling that a pickup has occurred and that servicing the request has begun. 
     
     
         14 . The wireless communication device of  claim 8 , wherein said operation of the wireless communication device further comprises periodically sending by the wireless communication device, to the second node, a message with information including the provider's most recent location. 
     
     
         15 . A method by a dispatch system for managing a transportation service, comprising:
 receiving from a wireless mobile device of a transportation requester a message initializing communication with the dispatch system;   receiving from a wireless mobile device of each of a plurality of transportation providers a message initializing communication with the dispatch system;   automatically and periodically receiving messages including the geographic location of the wireless mobile device of the transportation requester after receiving the message initializing communication with the dispatch system from the wireless mobile device of the transportation requester;   storing, at the dispatch system, the messages including the geographic location of the wireless mobile device of the transportation requester;   transmitting the most recent geographic locations of the plurality of transportation providers to the wireless mobile device of the requester;   receiving, from a wireless mobile device of the transportation requester, a request for transportation service, wherein the request includes a geographic location of the wireless mobile device that was determined by the wireless mobile device;   selecting as a selected transportation provider one of the plurality of transportation providers based on at least provider availability;   transmitting to the wireless mobile device of the selected transportation provider a message identifying the request for the transportation service, wherein the message includes (i) the geographic location of the transportation requester and (ii) a time limit for confirming that the selected transportation provider will service the transportation request;   receiving a message from the selected transportation provider confirming that the selected transportation provider will provide the requested transportation service;   after receiving the confirmation message from the selected transportation provider, automatically and periodically transmitting time-varying geographic location information with respect to the selected transportation provider to the wireless mobile device of the transportation requester; and   receiving from the wireless mobile device of the transportation requester a message signaling the end of communication with the dispatch system.   
     
     
         16 . A dispatch system for managing a transportation service, the dispatch system being configured to perform a method comprising:
 receiving from a wireless mobile device of a transportation requester a message initializing communication with the dispatch system;   receiving from a wireless mobile device of each of a plurality of transportation providers a message initializing communication with the dispatch system;   automatically and periodically receiving messages including the geographic location of the wireless mobile device of the transportation requester after receiving the message initializing communication with the dispatch system from the wireless mobile device of the transportation requester;   storing, at the dispatch system, the messages including the geographic location of the wireless mobile device of the transportation requester;   transmitting the most recent geographic locations of the plurality of transportation providers to the wireless mobile device of the requester;   receiving, from a wireless mobile device of the transportation requester, a request for transportation service, wherein the request includes a geographic location of the wireless mobile device that was determined by the wireless mobile device;   selecting as a selected transportation provider one of the plurality of transportation providers based on at least provider availability;   transmitting to the wireless mobile device of the selected transportation provider a message identifying the request for the transportation service, wherein the message includes (i) the geographic location of the transportation requester and (ii) a time limit for confirming that the selected transportation provider will service the transportation request;   receiving a message from the selected transportation provider confirming that the selected transportation provider will provide the requested transportation service;   after receiving the confirmation message from the selected transportation provider, automatically and periodically transmitting time-varying geographic location information with respect to the selected transportation provider to the wireless mobile device of the transportation requester; and   receiving from the wireless mobile device of the transportation requester a message signaling the end of communication with the dispatch system.