System for connecting a driver and a rider

Abstract

A system for connecting a driver and a rider comprises a processor and an interface. The processor is configured to select a driver for a requested ride from the rider. The interface is configured to, in the event that the driver accepts the rider, provide a connect notification to the rider. The connect notification comprises an image associated with the driver, an image associated with the driver's car, and an anonymized interface for contacting the driver.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 generating, via one or more servers, a plurality of pickup location clusters from historical events comprising historical pickup locations corresponding to requestor computing devices by utilizing a clustering algorithm to cluster the historical events according to relationships between the historical pickup locations and stored locations associated with user accounts;   generating, via the one or more servers, a plurality of lead locations for the plurality of pickup location clusters by determining event weights for the historical events and combining the historical events corresponding to the plurality of pickup location clusters according to the event weights;   receiving, via the one or more servers from a requestor computing device, a ride request indicating a requested pickup location;   determining that the requested pickup location corresponds to a pickup location cluster from the plurality of pickup location clusters;   based on determining that the requested pickup location corresponds to the pickup location cluster, selecting, via the one or more servers, a lead location for the pickup location cluster from the plurality of lead locations as a pickup location for the ride request; and   providing, for display on the requestor computing device, a pickup location pin indicating the pickup location for the ride request.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the plurality of pickup location clusters comprises clustering the historical pickup locations based on distances between the historical pickup locations. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the ride request indicating the requested pickup location comprises one or more of:
 receiving an indication of user input placing a pin on a digital map displayed on the requestor computing device;   receiving an indication of user input entering a typed address in an address entry field displayed on the requestor computing device;   receiving in indication of user input selecting an address from a list of commonly used pickup addresses presented via the requestor computing device; or   determining a global positioning location of the requestor computing device for the ride request.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the plurality of lead locations comprises:
 determining, for a certain pickup location cluster from among the plurality of pickup location clusters, a first location weight for a first historical pickup location and a second location weight for a second historical pickup location within the certain pickup location cluster; and   selecting the second historical pickup location as a lead location for the certain pickup location cluster based on determining that the second location weight is greater than the first location weight.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , further comprising determining the first location weight and the second location weight by combining individual weights associated with historical events that occurred at the first historical pickup location and the second historical pickup location, respectively. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing, within a computer database, an account location for a user account associated with the requestor computing device;   generating an additional pickup location cluster from a plurality of historical pickup locations of previous ride requests received from the requestor computing device of the user account, wherein the plurality of historical pickup locations occur within a distance of the account location; and   selecting the account location as a lead location for the additional pickup location cluster.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the requested pickup location corresponds to the pickup location cluster comprises determining that the requested pickup location is within a distance of the lead location of the pickup location cluster. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
 generate, via one or more servers, a plurality of pickup location clusters from historical events comprising historical pickup locations corresponding to requestor computing devices by utilizing a clustering algorithm to cluster the historical events according to relationships between the historical pickup locations and stored locations associated with user accounts; 
 generate, via the one or more servers, a plurality of lead locations for the plurality of pickup location clusters by determining event weights for the historical events and combining the historical events corresponding to the plurality of pickup location clusters according to the event weights; 
 receive, via the one or more servers from a requestor computing device, a ride request indicating a requested pickup location; 
 determine that the requested pickup location corresponds to a pickup location cluster from the plurality of pickup location clusters; 
 based on determining that the requested pickup location corresponds to the pickup location cluster, select, via the one or more servers, a lead location for the pickup location cluster from the plurality of lead locations as a pickup location for the ride request; and 
 provide, for display on the requestor computing device, a pickup location pin indicating the pickup location for the ride request. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to generate the plurality of pickup location clusters comprises clustering the historical pickup locations based on distances between the historical pickup locations. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 : further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to receive the ride request indicating the requested pickup location by one or more of:
 receiving an indication of user input placing a pin on a digital map displayed on the requestor computing device;   receiving an indication of user input entering a typed address in an address entry field displayed on the requestor computing device;   receiving in indication of user input selecting an address from a list of commonly used pickup addresses presented via the requestor computing device; or   determining a global positioning location of the requestor computing device for the ride request.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to generate the plurality of lead locations comprises:
 determining, for a certain pickup location cluster from among the plurality of pickup location clusters, a first location weight for a first historical pickup location and a second location weight for a second historical pickup location within the certain pickup location cluster; and   selecting the second historical pickup location as a lead location for the certain pickup location cluster based on determining that the second location weight is greater than the first location weight.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine the first location weight and the second location weight by combining individual weights associated with historical events that occurred at the first historical pickup location and the second historical pickup location, respectively. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
 storing, within a computer database, an account location for a user account associated with the requestor computing device;   generating an additional pickup location cluster from a plurality of historical pickup locations of previous ride requests received from the requestor computing device of the user account, wherein the plurality of historical pickup locations occur within a distance of the account location; and   selecting the account location as a lead location for the additional pickup location cluster.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine that the requested pickup location corresponds to the pickup location cluster by determining that the requested pickup location is within a distance of the lead location of the pickup location cluster. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer system to:
 generate, via one or more servers, a plurality of pickup location clusters from historical events comprising historical pickup locations corresponding to requestor computing devices by utilizing a clustering algorithm to cluster the historical events according to relationships between the historical pickup locations and stored locations associated with user accounts;   generate, via the one or more servers, a plurality of lead locations for the plurality of pickup location clusters by determining event weights for the historical events and combining the historical events corresponding to the plurality of pickup location clusters according to the event weights;   receive, via the one or more servers from a requestor computing device, a ride request indicating a requested pickup location;   determine that the requested pickup location corresponds to a pickup location cluster from the plurality of pickup location clusters;   based on determining that the requested pickup location corresponds to the pickup location cluster, select, via the one or more servers, a lead location for the pickup location cluster from the plurality of lead locations as a pickup location for the ride request; and   provide, for display on the requestor computing device, a pickup location pin indicating the pickup location for the ride request.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to generate the plurality of pickup location clusters comprises clustering the historical pickup locations based on distances between the historical pickup locations. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to receive the ride request indicating the requested pickup location by one or more of:
 receiving an indication of user input placing a pin on a digital map displayed on the requestor computing device;   receiving an indication of user input entering a typed address in an address entry field displayed on the requestor computing device;   receiving in indication of user input selecting an address from a list of commonly used pickup addresses presented via the requestor computing device; or   determining a global positioning location of the requestor computing device for the ride request.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to generate the plurality of lead locations comprises:
 determining, for a certain pickup location cluster from among the plurality of pickup location clusters, a first location weight for a first historical pickup location and a second location weight for a second historical pickup location within the certain pickup location cluster; and   selecting the second historical pickup location as a lead location for the certain pickup location cluster based on determining that the second location weight is greater than the first location weight.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to generate the plurality of lead locations comprises:
 determining, for a certain pickup location cluster from among the plurality of pickup location clusters, a first location weight for a first historical pickup location and a second location weight for a second historical pickup location within the certain pickup location cluster; and   selecting the second historical pickup location as a lead location for the certain pickup location cluster based on determining that the second location weight is greater than the first location weight.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:
 storing, within a computer database, an account location for a user account associated with the requestor computing device;   generating an additional pickup location cluster from a plurality of historical pickup locations of previous ride requests received from the requestor computing device of the user account, wherein the plurality of historical pickup locations occur within a distance of the account location; and   selecting the account location as a lead location for the additional pickup location cluster.