Uber Pushing For Patent On Surge Pricing

mpicpp sends news that Uber is renewing its push for a patent on "surge pricing," the practice of increasing rider fees when many people are trying to find transportation. The system measures supply (Uber drivers) and demand (passengers hailing rides with smartphones), and prices fares accordingly. It’s one of at least 13 U.S. patent applications filed by Uber or its founders to give it an edge over potential rivals ahead of a potential initial public offering. So far, Uber hasn’t had any luck. Ten applications were initially rejected by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for “obviousness” or for covering something not eligible for protection.

Comments

not original

[bloodhawk]

Surge pricing I would have thought falls under the obvious category. It is simply pricing for supply and demand. higher prices bring in more suppliers and reduce the buyers. most businesses don't do it because it is difficult to manage and can cause a lot of customer aggro not because they are not aware of the supply and demand models.

Re:not original

[houstonbofh]

Ticket scalpers will sell you prior art for $100 over face value.

Re: not original

[rtb61]

I hope one day you find yourself hanging from a cliff and just before the person reaches down to help you they say, agree to hand over all your assets or I will divert my resources to else where and assure you, that you can always wait for a more competitive offer. Perhaps a fire brigade that agrees to buy your house for 50% of it's value or they will not put out the fire. Price gouging practices inevitably leads to people creating disasters in order to exploit them. Creating monopolies are the same idea. So no, your ideas suck and they are grossly anti-social and have no place in a modern society.

Surge pricing during security incident

[Harlequin80]

They could patent surge pricing during terrorist or hostage activities.

Uber managed to get some bad press here in Australia when their price went up to $100 for a callout to get out of Sydney when the guy took hostages in the Lindt Cafe there.

Patenting Supply & Demand?

[BoRegardless]

Adam Smith disclosed that centuries ago.

Surge pricing london style

[Anonymous Coward]

I used to use uber in London a lot even with surge pricing it was cheaper than a london taxi, and I could also get one. After a few months it became clear that some thing strange was happening with the surge pricing.

After working late one night I requested a cab, it looked like it was going to be there in about 10 minutes. It was really late and there wasnt much traffic, but car stayed at about 10 minute away for some time. I could see where it was so I started walking a way that would put me in front of it. There were some closed roads and I could move around quicker than a car through the inner city.

Eventually I am in the same street as the car, which is weird, because there is no traffic and no cars on the road, plenty parked though. My phone goes ding and the driver has canceled. I walk up to where the car was meant to be and find the car, parked on the side of the road. Swearing I pull out my phone and use uber, again surge pricing f#!k it I want to go home. I book, the car behind my driver pulls out and immediately picks me up.

The street I was in was quite near my work and its once I was familiar with, at 3am in the morning it wasn't normally full but this night it was. I wonder how long it took them to game the system?