Route Preview Segmentation for Driver Navigation and Destination Privacy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transportation management systems face challenges in providing navigation route guidance to drivers without revealing rider destinations prematurely, leading to driver discrimination and inefficient route adherence due to lack of pre-pickup planning, which can result in unsatisfactory trip experiences for both drivers and riders.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that dynamically determines and provides a limited initial portion of the navigation route to drivers based on the navigational complexity, including alternative maneuvers, to facilitate informed decision-making and efficient route adherence.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the full navigation route is revealed to the driver before pickup, then the driver can plan the route in advance, but the rider's destination is exposed prematurely which may encourage driver discrimination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute planning capabilityVSAvoiddestination privacy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation route is divided into segments: the initial portion leading to the pickup location is revealed to the driver before pickup, while the remaining portion leading to the destination is concealed until after pickup. This segmentation allows the driver to plan the approach to pickup without exposing the rider's destination, thereby resolving the contradiction between route planning capability and destination privacy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of information

If the full navigation route is concealed from the driver before pickup, then destination privacy is maintained, but the driver cannot plan the route in advance which may lead to inefficient route adherence

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedestination privacyVSAvoidroute adherence efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by providing the driver with the initial portion of the navigation route before pickup occurs. This allows the driver to plan and prepare for the approach to the pickup location in advance, improving route adherence efficiency for the initial segment, while the remaining route is concealed to maintain destination privacy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the initial portion of the route is displayed before pickup, then driver discrimination is reduced, but there is a risk the driver may deviate from the efficient route

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute adherenceVSAvoidroute management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by monitoring the driver's actual route adherence and comparing it with the planned initial portion of the route. When deviations are detected, the system can provide corrective feedback or alerts to the driver, ensuring reliable route adherence while managing the complexity of providing partial route information before pickup.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3574488B1Dynamic display of route preview information
Publication Date: 2025.12.10 UBER TECHNOLOGIES INC
  • EP3574488B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3574488B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3574488B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A transportation management system matches drivers with riders. After a rider has been picked up by a driver, a navigation route from the rider's pickup location to the driver's next stop is displayed to the driver on a mobile computing device. Prior to picking up the rider, only an initial portion of the navigation route is displayed to the driver. The amount of the initial portion displayed to the driver is dynamically determined according to its navigational complexity.