# US 12,001,975 B2 · Systems and methods for transporting multiple end users > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,001,975 B2 - Document ID: US12001975B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/965,182 - Filed: 2022-10-13 - Published: 2023-02-09 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2014-05-06 - Assignees: Uber Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Uber Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; Nathan P. Myhrvold; Clarence T. Tegreene - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12001975B2 ## CPC - G06Q 10/06: Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling - G08G 1/205: {Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental} - G06Q 10/025: {Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation} - G06Q 10/047: Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem - G06Q 10/063114: {Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group} - G06Q 10/06315: {Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis} - G06Q 50/14: Travel agencies - G06Q 50/40: Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083) - G08G 1/005: including pedestrian guidance indicator - G08G 1/202: {Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching} - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract Computationally implemented methods and systems that are designed for receiving one or more first directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport a first end user; receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be able to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user; and verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer system comprising: one or more processors; a memory to store instructions; wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to: while a transportation vehicle unit is fulfilling a first directive to transport a first end user to a first destination, make a determination as to whether the transportation vehicle unit is capable of being rerouted to a rendezvous location to pickup and transport a second end user to a second destination without causing the transportation vehicle unit to be in conflict with a set of conditions of the first directive; and based on the determination, transmit a second directive to reroute the first transportation vehicle unit to the rendezvous location before fulfilling the first directive. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the determination includes a determination that the transport vehicle unit has sufficient passenger space to accommodate both the first end user and the second end user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the determination includes a determination as to whether the transport vehicle unit is in sufficient proximity to the rendezvous location. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the determination includes a determination that transporting the first end user at the same time as the second end user is in compliance with a carpooling preference of the first end user. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the determination includes a determination that a first route is sufficiently near to the second destination. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the determination includes a determination that transporting the second end user will not cause a delay that exceeds a threshold to the first end user arriving at the first destination. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the determination includes a determination that transporting the second end user will not cause a total number of stops for the first end user to exceed a given number. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein transmitting the second directive included displaying navigation instructions on an electronic device of the vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle transport unit is a robotic vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the determination is made while the vehicle transport unit transports the first end user to the first destination. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the determination is made while the vehicle transport unit is en route to rendezvous with the first end user. ### Claim 12 A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a computer system, cause the computer system to perform operations that include: while a transportation vehicle unit is fulfilling a first directive to transport a first end user to a first destination, make a determination as to whether the transportation vehicle unit is capable of being rerouted to a rendezvous location to pickup and transport a second end user to a second destination without causing the transportation vehicle unit to be in conflict with a set of conditions of the first directive; and based on the determination, transmit a second directive to reroute the first transportation vehicle unit to the rendezvous location before fulfilling the first directive. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the determination includes a determination that the transport vehicle unit has sufficient passenger space to accommodate both the first end user and the second end user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the determination includes a determination as to whether the transport vehicle unit is in sufficient proximity to the rendezvous location. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the determination includes a determination that transporting the first end user and the second end user is in compliance with a carpooling preference of the first end user. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the determination includes a determination that a first route is sufficiently near to the second destination. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the determination includes a determination that transporting the second end user will not cause a delay that exceeds a threshold to the first end user arriving at the first destination. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the determination includes a determination that transporting the second end user will not cause a total number of stops for the first end user to exceed a given number. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein transmitting the directive included displaying navigation instructions on an electronic device of the vehicle. ### Claim 20 A computer-implemented method comprising: while a transportation vehicle unit is fulfilling a first directive to transport a first end user to a first destination, make a determination as to whether the transportation vehicle unit is capable of being rerouted to a rendezvous location to pickup and transport a second end user to a second destination without causing the transportation vehicle unit to be in conflict with a set of conditions of the first directive; and based on the determination, transmit a second directive to reroute the first transportation vehicle unit to the rendezvous location before fulfilling the first directive.