Data processing system intended to facilitate confronting an offer and a demand

Abstract

A data processing system (X) is adapted to confront an offer (O) and a demand (D), in particular in the field of transportation of travelers or goods. The system (X) receives requests corresponding to new offers/demands, formulated by users (C.) of the data processing system and data corresponding to offers/demands not yet satisfied from a plurality of secondary data processing servers (A, B, C, E) themselves adapted to confront an offer and a demand. After receiving a request corresponding to a new offer/demand formulated by a user (C.) of the data processing system (X), the system (X) verifies if there is an offer/demand (OA, DA, OB, DB, OC, OB, DB) not yet satisfied, received from a secondary data processing server (A, B, C, E) or transmitted previously by a user of the data processing system, that can respond to the request. If not, the system (X) stores the request in the data processing system and/or sends data corresponding to the new request to at least one of the secondary data processing servers (A, B, C, E) to enable confrontation with an offer/demand responding to the new request received subsequently by the secondary data processing server (A, B, C, E).

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A method for facilitating confronting demands and offers for transportation services, the method comprising:
 a. receiving, from a user of a subscription-based, on-demand transportation system, a user-formulated request corresponding to a demand for point-to-point transportation services;   b. receiving, from an in-vehicle device borne by a vehicle, respective vehicle location and ancillary information, the vehicle-borne device including a GPS receiver and being operable to receive information about the user-transmitted request; and   c. responding to the request, each responding including one of (i) sending information about a vehicle available to provide the requested transportation services or (ii) sending an alert that the request is not being satisfied immediately,   wherein:
 i. the user-formulated request is sent from a user-operated communication device adapted for transmitting data messages and operable to transmit requests for point-to-point personal transportation services to the data processing system and to receive therefrom corresponding responses, and 
 ii. the user-formulated request is received by a data processing system comprising (A) an electronic communications apparatus operable to (I) receive the user-formulated requests and (II) send corresponding responses to the respective users who formulated the requests, and (B) a data-storage apparatus operable to store information about the user-transmitted requests. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the transportation services include transporting freight. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the transportation services include transporting a traveler. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the transportation services additionally include transporting freight. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the request for transporting the freight is formulated by a user who is not a traveler. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the request for the transporting of the traveler is formulated by the traveler. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the request for the transporting of the traveler is formulated by a user who is not the traveler. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the information about a vehicle available to provide the requested transportation services includes information about a plurality of vehicles, each of which is available to provide the requested transportation services. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the information about a plurality of vehicles includes, respective of each vehicle, at least one of price, and transport terms and conditions. 
     
     
         16 . A subscription-based, on-demand transportation system wherein user-formulated requests for point-to-point transportation services are computer-matched with vehicles that are available to provide the transportation services, the transportation system comprising:
 a. A data processing system operable to respond to user-formulated requests for point-to-point transportation services, wherein each responding includes one of (i) sending information about a vehicle available to provide the requested transportation services or (ii) sending an alert that the request is not being satisfied immediately, the data processing system comprising:
 i. an electronic communications apparatus operable to (A) receive the user-formulated requests and (B) send corresponding responses to the respective users who formulated the requests; and 
 ii. a data-storage apparatus operable to store information about the user-transmitted requests; 
   b. a plurality of user-operated communication devices adapted for transmitting data messages and operable to transmit requests for point-to-point personal transportation services to the data processing system and to receive therefrom corresponding responses; and   c. a plurality of in-vehicle terminals borne by a respective plurality of vehicles, each of the vehicle-borne terminals including a GPS receiver and being operable to (i) transmit respective vehicle locations and ancillary information to the data processing system and (ii) receive information about user-transmitted requests from the data processing system.   
     
     
         17 . The transportation system of  claim 16 , wherein the transportation services include transporting freight. 
     
     
         18 . The transportation system of  claim 16 , wherein the transportation services include transporting a traveler. 
     
     
         19 . The transportation system of  claim 18 , wherein the transportation services additionally include transporting freight. 
     
     
         20 . The transportation system of  claim 19 , wherein the request for transporting the freight is formulated by a user who is not a traveler. 
     
     
         21 . The transportation system of  claim 18 , wherein the request for the transporting of the traveler is formulated by the traveler. 
     
     
         22 . The transportation system of  claim 18 , wherein the request for the transporting of the traveler is formulated by a user who is not the traveler. 
     
     
         23 . The transportation system of  claim 16 , wherein the sending information about a vehicle available to provide the requested transportation services includes sending information about a plurality of vehicles, each of which is available to provide the requested transportation services. 
     
     
         24 . The transportation system of  claim 23 , wherein the information about a plurality of vehicles includes, respective of each vehicle, at least one of price, and transport terms and conditions. 
     
     
         25 . The transportation system of  claim 16 , additionally comprising the respective plurality of vehicles.