METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PASSENGER TRANSPORT

Abstract

A user books passenger transportation in a ride sourcing system that selects a motor vehicle from a fleet of vehicles belonging to a passenger transportation provider. The system assigns the selected motor vehicle to the passenger transportation booking of the user and registers an entertainment option booking as assigned to the passenger transportation booking of the user. This enables the user to play an entertainment option, corresponding to the entertainment option booking, by an output device in the selected motor vehicle while the user is being transported as a passenger in the selected motor vehicle.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A method for passenger transport obtained by ride sourcing, comprising: registering a passenger transportation booking of a user; selecting a motor vehicle from among a fleet of vehicles belonging to a passenger transportation provider; assigning the motor vehicle to the passenger transportation booking; offering bookable entertainment options, matched to at least one of length of a route, duration of the route and route characteristics, during the passenger transportation booking; registering an entertainment option booking, selected by the user from among the bookable entertainment options, as assigned to the passenger transportation booking of the user; and playing back an entertainment option, corresponding to the entertainment option booking, by an output device in the motor vehicle while the user is being transported as a passenger by the motor vehicle.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the entertainment option booking and the passenger transportation booking are made in a joint booking process, and wherein the selecting of the motor vehicle selects one of the vehicles in the fleet having an output device designed for providing the entertainment option booking.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the registering of the passenger transportation booking includes an app, installed on a mobile terminal, transmitting the passenger transportation booking to a server device of the passenger transportation provider.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the entertainment option is displayed in the motor vehicle, by one of virtual reality glasses, augmented reality glasses and mixed reality glasses.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the motor vehicle includes at least one of an interface for connection of electronic data glasses and the electronic data glasses permanently connected in the motor vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein motion data of the motor vehicle are included in a presentation of the entertainment option to prevent the user of the electronic data glasses from becoming nauseous.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the offering of the bookable entertainment options occurs during the passenger transportation booking.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein costs of the passenger transportation booking and the entertainment option booking are billed jointly.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the registering of the passenger transportation booking includes an app, installed on a mobile terminal, transmitting the passenger transportation booking to a server device of the passenger transportation provider.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein the entertainment option is displayed in the motor vehicle, by one of virtual reality glasses, augmented reality glasses and mixed reality glasses.

21. A system for passenger transport by a passenger transportation provider of ride sourcing that maintains a fleet of vehicles, comprising a server configured to provide a passenger transportation booking to a user, offer bookable entertainment options, matched to at least one of length of a route, duration of the route and route characteristics, register the passenger transportation booking of the user and an entertainment option booking, selected by the user from among the bookable entertainment options, as assigned to the passenger transportation booking, select a motor vehicle from among the vehicles in the fleet of the passenger transportation provider, and assign the motor vehicle to the passenger transportation booking; and entertainment delivery systems in at least some of the vehicles in the fleet, including the motor vehicle selected by the server, configured to play back an entertainment option identified in the entertainment option booking while the user is being transported as a passenger by the motor vehicle.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the server is further configured to offer the bookable entertainment options during the passenger transportation booking by the user, and select the motor vehicle based capability of the motor vehicle to play back the entertainment option.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein the system communications with mobile terminals, and wherein the server is further configured to receive the passenger transportation booking from an app installed on one of the mobile terminals.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the entertainment delivery systems include at least one of virtual reality glasses, augmented reality glasses and mixed reality glasses permanently connected inside the motor vehicle.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein the entertainment delivery systems include an interface for connection of at least one of virtual reality glasses, augmented reality glasses and mixed reality glasses.

26. The system according to claim 21, wherein the system communications with mobile terminals, and wherein the server is further configured to receive the passenger transportation booking from an app installed on one of the mobile terminals.

27. The system according to claim 21, wherein the entertainment delivery systems include at least one of virtual reality glasses, augmented reality glasses and mixed reality glasses permanently connected inside the motor vehicle.

28. The system according to claim 21, wherein the entertainment delivery systems include an interface for connection of at least one of virtual reality glasses, augmented reality glasses and mixed reality glasses.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In the drawing, the single FIGURE shows a schematic block diagram of a system for passenger transportation within the scope of ride sourcing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

[0025] A system 1 for passenger transportation within the scope of ride sourcing is shown in a highly schematic illustration in the single FIGURE. The system 1 has a plurality of motor vehicles 2, wherein only one is illustrated. The system 1 additionally further includes a server device 3 of a passenger transportation provider. In addition, the system 1 further includes a plurality of smartphones 4 on which an app by which different users can book ride sources is installed.

[0026] A passenger transportation booking of a user is initially registered by the smartphone 4 on which a suitable app via which the booking can be made is installed. The registered passenger transportation booking is transmitted to the server device 3 by the smartphone 4. It goes without saying that other booking options are also conceivable. Therefore, it is possible, for example, for the person to make the passenger transportation booking, for example, in a browser-based manner or else in other ways.

[0027] One of the motor vehicles 2 of the fleet of vehicles belonging to the passenger transportation provider is selected and the selected motor vehicle 2 is assigned to the passenger transportation booking. In addition, an entertainment option booking, which is assigned to the passenger transportation booking, of the user is registered. This can once again be done via the app which is installed on the smartphone 4.

[0028] The motor vehicle 2 then collects the user and drives them to their desired destination. During this process, an entertainment option which corresponds to the entertainment option booking is output or played back by an output device 5, in the motor vehicle 2, while the user is being transported as a passenger.

[0029] It is possible for the entertainment option booking and the passenger transportation booking to be made in a joint booking process, such as by using the smartphone 4. In this case, the selection of the motor vehicle 2 from the entire fleet of vehicles belonging to the passenger transportation provider is made in such a way that the motor vehicle 2 also has an output device 5 which is designed for playing back the booked entertainment option. Different bookable entertainment options may be displayed or offered during the passenger transportation booking, for example by the smartphone 4. In so doing, it is possible for the entertainment options to already be pre-filtered, specifically so as to match a length or else duration of a route of the desired passenger transportation. In addition, it is also possible for the entertainment options to be filtered in respect of how well they match specific route characteristics of the passenger transportation.

[0030] The booked entertainment option can be displayed by electronic data glasses, for example in the form of virtual reality glasses, augmented reality glasses or mixed reality glasses. Here, it is possible for the output device 5 in the motor vehicle 2 to be permanently installed electronic data glasses. Therefore, the user who has booked the passenger transportation within the scope of ride sourcing does not have to bring along their own output means. As an alternative, it is also possible for some or all of the motor vehicles 2 of the fleet of vehicles in question to have an interface, not illustrated in any detail here, for connection of the electronic data glasses. Therefore, it is possible for respective users to be able to bring along their own electronic data glasses for the trip and connect the electronic data glasses in the motor vehicle 2 in order to consume their booked entertainment option.

[0031] In order to prevent the respective users of the electronic data glasses in the motor vehicle 2 from becoming nauseous, motion data of the motor vehicle 2 may be included in a presentation of the booked entertainment option. Therefore, discrepancies between the visual perception of the entertainment option and feedback from the respective organ of balance of the user of the electronic data glasses can be resolved. So-called simulator sickness can therefore be counteracted. Here, the electronic data glasses themselves can have suitable sensors for registering movements of the motor vehicle 2 and generating motion data which are included in the presentation of the entertainment option in question from the movements. As an alternative or in addition, it is also possible for the movement data to be provided directly by the motor vehicle 2 and transmitted to the electronic data glasses. This can be done via cables or else in a cable-free or wire-free manner.

[0032] The costs of the passenger transportation and the entertainment option booking or entertainment playback can be billed jointly. Therefore, it is possible, for example, for user data and bank account data to be stored in the app of the respective smartphone 4, so that trips and entertainment options which are booked with the passenger transportation provider can be billed in one step, for example when the trip is complete.

[0033] By the described method and the system 1, it is possible for users when sourcing a ride to be able to select and consume entertainment options which match the respective trip in a simple and convenient manner. The motor vehicles 2 of the fleet of vehicles may also be autonomous vehicles, so that the autonomous vehicles can take respective users to their respective destinations in a driverless manner. As an alternative or in addition, it is also possible for the motor vehicles 2 to be moved in a conventional manner by drivers.

[0034] A description has been provided with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof and examples, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the claims which may include the phrase “at least one of A, B and C” as an alternative expression that means one or more of A, B and C may be used, contrary to the holding in Superguide v. DIRECTV, 358 F3d 870, 69 USPQ2d 1865 (Fed. Cir. 2004).