Abstract: In some embodiments, the present invention provides a computer-implemented transportation system which can include at least the following components: a specialized computer machine, including: a non-transient memory, electronically storing particular computer executable program code; a specifically programmed computer processor of the specialized computer machine of the computer-implemented transportation system that is configured to perform at least the following operations: electronically receiving, in real-time, via a computer network, a plurality of electronic riding requests from a plurality of electronic computing devices operated by a plurality of ride-sharing requesting passengers; where each electronic riding request from each ride-sharing requesting passenger includes: a passenger-requested origin point, and a passenger-requested destination point; for a particular electronic riding request, dynamically determining, in real-time, from a plurality of candidate vehicles an assigned vehicle for picking

Abstract: An automated ridesharing dispatch system includes a communications interface configured to electronically receive ride requests from a plurality of users and a memory configured to store a capacity threshold for each of a plurality of ridesharing vehicles. The system also includes at least one processor configured to process the ride requests received from the communications interface and to assign to a single ridesharing vehicle the plurality of users for pick up at a plurality of differing pick-up locations and for delivery to a plurality of differing drop-off locations, determine a route for the ridesharing vehicle, receive from at least one sensor within the ridesharing vehicle, information indicative of a current number of passengers in the ridesharing vehicle, and determine whether to assign additional users to the ridesharing vehicle based on the received information from the sensor and the capacity threshold associated with the ridesharing vehicle.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing and routing ridesharing vehicles. In some implementations, the systems and methods may count the number of passengers entering a ridesharing vehicle, distribute vehicles in need of charge to charging stations based on predicted future demand, manage a fleet of petrol and electric ridesharing vehicles, route autonomous and non-autonomous vehicles, automatically adjust drop-off locations based on safety constraints, and preschedule a rideshare with an unknown pick-up location.

Abstract: A ridesharing vehicle, comprising a vehicle body; a communications interface within the vehicle body for wirelessly communicating with a remote server configured to electronically receive shared-ride requests from a plurality of users; at least one sensor associated with the vehicle body and configured to detect entry of passengers from the ridesharing vehicle; at least one processor within the vehicle body, the at least one processor being programmed to receive, via the communications interface, information about passengers to be picked up, the received information including a pick-up location and a scheduled number of passengers expected to be picked up at the pick-up location; after arriving at the pick-up location, receive from the at least one sensor a number of passengers actually picked up at the pick-up location; compare the actual number of passengers picked up at the pick-up location with the scheduled number of passengers; and initiate a remedial action when a difference exists between the schedule

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing a fleet of ridesharing vehicles. In one implementation, the system may include a communications interface configured to receive requests for shared rides from a plurality of users; a memory configured to store indications of passenger-capacity for specific ridesharing vehicles in the fleet; and at least one processor configured to receive information from the communications interface and access the memory The at least one processor may be further configured to assign, to ridesharing vehicles already transporting users, additional users for simultaneous transportation in the ridesharing vehicles; track a current utilized capacity of each specific ridesharing vehicle; and implement a threshold block that prevents assignment of additional users to a ridesharing vehicle when the ridesharing vehicle's current utilized capacity is above a threshold being less than the ridesharing vehicle's passenger-capacity.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing and routing ridcsharing vehicles. In some implementations, the systems and methods may count the number of passengers entering a ridcsharing vehicle, distribute vehicles in need of charge to charging stations based on predicted future demand, manage a fleet of petrol and electric ridcsharing vehicles, route autonomous and non-autonomous vehicles, automatically adjust drop-off locations based on safety constraints, and preschedule a ridcsharc with an unknown pick-up location.

Abstract: A system for directing an electric vehicle to a charging station, the system comprising memory for storing historical data associated with past demand for ridesharing vehicles in a geographical area and locations of a plurality of charging stations in the geographical area; a communication interface for communicating with a fleet of ridesharing vehicles including a plurality of electric vehicles; at least one processor programmed to access the memory and to receive, via the communications interface, current battery-charge data for the plurality of electric vehicles, wherein the current battery-charge data is reflective of a distance that each electric vehicle can operate before recharging; identify, from the current battery-charge data, a specific electric vehicle traveling in the geographic area and in need of a charge; receive current vehicle location data for the specific electric vehicle, wherein the current vehicle location data includes global positioning system (GPS) data generated by at least one GPS

Abstract: A system for enabling varied ridesharing services is provided. The system may include: a communications interface; a memory for storing accounts of the users including a restriction associated with a user, the restriction including limiting a distance from a starting point to a pick-up location and limiting a distance from a drop-off location to a destination; and a processor configured to: receive a request for a shared-ride from the user, the request including an indication of a starting point and a destination; access the database to retrieve the restriction; receive vehicle location data for a fleet of vehicles; identify candidate vehicles to pick up the user based on location information and an ability of candidate vehicles to comply with the restriction; provide to the user offers associated with candidate vehicles; receive a selection of an offer; and direct a vehicle associated with the offer to pick up the user.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing a fleet of ridesharing vehicles. In one implementation, the system may include a communications interface configured to receive a ride request from a user and receive, from a plurality of communication devices associated with a plurality of vehicles-for-hire, indications of current locations of the vehicles-for-hire. The system may further include at least one processor configured to: receive real time traffic data including information about at least one of street blockages and atypical congestion; identify an area of traffic obstruction in a vicinity of the user's starting point; select a vehicle-for-hire to pick up the user; identify a pick-up location, remote from the user's starting point, peripheral to the area of obstruction; send to the user information about the pick-up location; and send to the selected vehicle-for-hire driving directions to the pick-up location that substantially avoid the area of obstruction.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for planning transportation routes. In one implementation, a method for simulating vehicle ridesharing is provided. The method may include receiving a first input of a geographical area and accessing map information of roadways in the geographical area. The method may also include receiving a second input indicative of at least one scenario of ridesharing demand in the geographical area and receiving a third input indicative of virtual vehicles designated to transport virtual passengers associated with the scenario. The method may further include initiating a transportation simulation of scenario to simulate rides of the virtual vehicles transporting the virtual passengers along the roadways. The method may also include determining, based on the transportation simulation, a performance level associated with the virtual vehicles and providing an output representative of the determined performance level.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present invention provides a computer-implemented transportation system which can include at least the following components: a specialized computer machine, including: a non-transient memory, electronically storing particular computer executable program code; a specifically programmed computer processor of the specialized computer machine of the computer-implemented transportation system that is configured to perform at least the following operations: electronically receiving, in real-time, via a computer network, a plurality of electronic riding requests from a plurality of electronic computing devices operated by a plurality of ride-sharing requesting passengers; where each electronic riding request from each ride-sharing requesting passenger includes: a passenger-requested origin point, and a passenger-requested destination point; for a particular electronic riding request, dynamically determining, in real-time, from a plurality of candidate vehicles an assigned vehicle for picking

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing a fleet of ridesharing vehicles. In one implementation, the system may include a communications interface and at least one processor configured to: identify a first ridesharing vehicle and a second ridesharing vehicle currently without passengers; receive a first request from a first user; receive a second request from a second user; assign the first and second users to the first vehicle; generate a route for picking up and dropping off the first and second users; receive a third request from a third user; calculate a first arrival time of the first vehicle and a second arrival time of the second vehicle at the third pick-up location; when both the first arrival time and the second arrival time are below a predetermined threshold, assign the third user to the first vehicle; and generate an updated route to pick-up the third user.

Abstract: An automated ridesharing dispatch system includes a communications interface configured to receive ride requests from a plurality of users and to receive from a plurality of communication devices associated with a plurality of ridesharing vehicles, indications of current locations of the plurality of ridesharing vehicles. The system also includes a memory configured to store a plurality of rules including a rule to select a fastest route for guiding a ridesharing vehicle, and a rule for reducing backtracking, even in instances where backtracking would result in shorter travel time. The system also includes at least one processor configured to assign the plurality of users to a common ridesharing vehicle, use the stored plurality of rules to determine a route for the ridesharing vehicle other than the fastest route, and in order to reduce backtracking, direct the ridesharing vehicle along the determined route other than the fastest route.

Abstract: An automated ridesharing dispatch system includes a communications interface configured to receive ride requests, each ride request including a starting point and a desired destination, and to receive from a mobile communications device associated with a ridesharing vehicle, a current location of the ridesharing vehicle. The system also includes at least one processor configured to send the ridesharing vehicle to pick up the plurality of users, determine based on a known passenger capacity of the ridesharing vehicle, a capacity status of the ridesharing vehicle. If the capacity status is below a capacity threshold, the processor directs the ridesharing vehicle along a first route, and if the capacity threshold is met, directs the ridesharing vehicle along a second route.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing a fleet of ridesharing vehicles. In one implementation, the system may include a communications interface configured to receive a ride request from a user and receive, from a plurality of communication devices associated with a plurality of vehicles-for-hire, indications of current locations of the vehicles-for-hire. The system may further include at least one processor configured to: receive real time traffic data including information about at least one of street blockages and atypical congestion; identify an area of traffic obstruction in a vicinity of the user's starting point; select a vehicle-for-hire to pick up the user; identify a pick-up location, remote from the user's starting point, peripheral to the area of obstruction; send to the user information about the pick-up location; and send to the selected vehicle-for-hire driving directions to the pick-up location that substantially avoid the area of obstruction.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing a fleet of ridesharing vehicles. In one implementation, the system may include a communications interface configured to receive ride requests and location information and at least one processor configured to assign a first ridesharing vehicle to pick-up a first group of users; determine pick-up locations for the first group; send data to guide each user to a respective pick-up location; predict when a first user will arrive at a first pick-up location; prior to the first user arriving, cancel the assignment of the first ridesharing vehicle to the first user while maintaining the assignment to others of the first group; predict when a second ridesharing vehicle may pass the first pick-up location; and re-assign the first user to the second ridesharing vehicle when the predicted passing time is after the predicted arrival time.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing a fleet of ridesharing vehicles. In one implementation, the system may include a communications interface and at least one processor configured to: identify a first ridesharing vehicle and a second ridesharing vehicle currently without passengers; receive a first request from a first user; receive a second request from a second user; assign the first and second users to the first vehicle; generate a route for picking up and dropping off the first and second users; receive a third request from a third user; calculate a first arrival time of the first vehicle and a second arrival time of the second vehicle at the third pick-up location; when both the first arrival time and the second arrival time are below a predetermined threshold, assign the third user to the first vehicle; and generate an updated route to pick-up the third user.

Abstract: An automated ridesharing dispatch system includes a communications interface configured to receive ride requests from a plurality of users and to receive from a plurality of communication devices associated with a plurality of ridesharing vehicles, indications of current locations of the plurality of ridesharing vehicles. The system also includes a memory configured to store a plurality of rules including a rule to select a fastest route for guiding a ridesharing vehicle, and a rule for reducing backtracking, even in instances where backtracking would result in shorter travel time. The system also includes at least one processor configured to assign the plurality of users to a common ridesharing vehicle, use the stored plurality of rules to determine a route for the ridesharing vehicle other than the fastest route, and in order to reduce backtracking, direct the ridesharing vehicle along the determined route other than the fastest route.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing a fleet of ridesharing vehicles. In one implementation, the system may include a communications interface configured to receive requests for shared rides from a plurality of users; a memory configured to store indications of passenger-capacity for specific ridesharing vehicles in the fleet; and at least one processor configured to receive information from the communications interface and access the memory The at least one processor may be further configured to assign, to ridesharing vehicles already transporting users, additional users for simultaneous transportation in the ridesharing vehicles; track a current utilized capacity of each specific ridesharing vehicle; and implement a threshold block that prevents assignment of additional users to a ridesharing vehicle when the ridesharing vehicle's current utilized capacity is above a threshold being less than the ridesharing vehicle's passenger-capacity.

Abstract: An automated ridesharing dispatch system includes a memory configured to store historical data associated with past demand for ridesharing vehicles in a geographical area and a communications interface. The system also includes at least one processor configured to access the memory and to use the historical data to predict imminent demand of ridesharing requests including predicting general zones in the geographical area associated with imminent demand, select a holding zone for prepositioning empty ridesharing vehicles in order to expedite satisfaction of the predicted imminent demand, and send, via the communications interface, to a mobile communications device in a specific ridesharing vehicle, instructions directing the specific ridesharing vehicle to the holding zone.