Method and system for anticipatory deployment of autonomously controlled vehicles

Abstract

A method and system for management and anticipatory deployment of autonomously controlled vehicles are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method may include calculating the geographic locations and periods of time where self-driving vehicles might experience the greatest probability of being requested to provide transportation services to passengers or cargo, and then communicating the resulting locations and times to self-driving vehicles, causing the vehicles to deploy themselves to those certain locations at those certain times, all prior to and in anticipation of specific requests being initiated by users or entities for such transport.

1 - 9 : (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A computer-accessible medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to:
 determine the probability that users will require transportation services at respective geographical areas at respective times by using input data including prior use patterns, user behaviors, and a plurality of real-time input factors;   determine hierarchical matrices of geographic locations and times by highest probability of users requiring transportation services at respective geographical areas at respective times;   determine the optimum distribution of autonomously driven vehicles by geographic locations and times so that vehicles can be pre-deployed to those geographic locations and times where transportation services are most anticipated to be needed.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-accessible medium as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the optimum distribution of autonomously driven vehicles is determined by:
 factoring in pricing data obtained via an on-line, live, electronic marketplace where bidding for services occurs between buyers and sellers and,   factoring in pricing to include using real time pricing data generated from an electronic marketplace, to adjust the distribution of the vehicles.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-accessible medium as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the optimum distribution of autonomously driven vehicles is determined by factoring in routing data obtained from user defined routing data generated through a user interface on a digital media, including user defined routing data created to facilitate route preferences, ride sharing, and flexible scheduling. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-accessible medium as recited in  claim 11 , wherein factoring in pricing data comprises determining a cost associated with the anticipatory deployment of autonomous vhicles to provide transportation services at the lowest cost. 
     
     
         14 - 18 : (canceled)