Data exchange platform for managing vehicles used for personal transpotation

Abstract

A fleet management system has a communication and positioning module associated with each fleet vehicle, and a backend monitoring and control system located at a fleet data center in communication with each vehicle. The system monitors each trip automatically and generates time stamps at the start of a trip, a pick up location, a drop off location, and return of the vehicle to a garage at the end of a trip. Vehicle status information is collected and stored along with timestamps. The information is used to generate billing and payroll accounts, and also in monitoring conditions of fleet vehicles and generating alerts as needed. Tum-by-tum route instructions are provided to each vehicle.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for exchanging data for managing vehicles operated by a plurality of affiliates, comprising:
 transmitting from a smartphone a request by an end user for a vehicle to be provided to a predetermined location for personal transportation of the end user;   receiving the request by a first affiliate;   transforming the request received by the first affiliate to a first data format;   comparing the transformed request to a database representing the location of at least one first affiliate vehicle operated by the first affiliate, the database also including the location of at least one second affiliate vehicle operated by a second affiliate;   determining from said comparing that the at least one second affiliate vehicle should be dispatched to the predetermined location;   retransforming the request to a second data format used by the second affiliate;   transmitting the request in the second data format to the second affiliate; and   transmitting to the smartphone a confirmation that the second affiliate vehicle is being dispatched to the predetermined location.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said transforming the request is by a server in electronic communication with the first affiliate and the second affiliate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said retransforming the request is by the server and said transmitting the request is by the server. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said comparing is by the first affiliate and said determining is by the first affiliate. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said retransforming the request is by the first affiliate and said transmitting the request is by the first affiliate. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said retransforming is of the request in the first data format to the second data format. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said transmitting to the smartphone is by the second affiliate. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16  which further comprises transmitting to the smartphone by the first affiliate that the first affiliate will not dispatch the first vehicle. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said transmitting from a smartphone includes the location of the end user. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16  which further comprises establishing by the user a prepaid account for personal transportation and automatically billing the prepaid account by the second affiliate. 
     
     
         26 . A method for managing a plurality of vehicles for personal transportation of users, comprising:
 providing a software application for a smartphone having a touchscreen, the software application being adapted and configured to communicate with a server of a transportation company managing a plurality of vehicles;   storing on the server the locations of the plurality of vehicles;   displaying in real time the vehicle locations on a touchscreen of a user smartphone operating the software application;   selecting by the user with the touchscreen a specific vehicle from the plurality of vehicles;   requesting to the server by said selecting by the user the dispatch of the selected vehicle to the location of the user;   dispatching the selected vehicle to the user location;   transporting the user with the selected vehicle to a user-selected location; and   automatically debiting by the server a prepaid account of the user after said transporting.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  which further comprises establishing with the software application a prepaid account of the user for use of the vehicles. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  which further comprises automatically transmitting the location of the user by the software application to the server. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26  wherein said displaying the vehicle locations is on a street map. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26  which further comprises contacting the driver of the selected vehicle by the user by touching the touchscreen. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein said touching the touchscreen is touching an icon representing the selected vehicle. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26  which further comprises displaying on the touchscreen the types of vehicles in the plurality of vehicles for selection by the user and dispatching a selected type of vehicle to the user location.