# How Uber Updates App Features for Specific Groups of Users

> A system that automatically changes how an app looks or behaves for some users based on their location or device, while leaving other users' apps unchanged.

- **Patent:** US 9888087
- **Original title:** Adjusting attributes for an on-demand service system based on real-time information
- **Owner:** Uber Technologies Inc
- **Granted:** 2018
- **Status:** Active
- **Times cited:** 2
- **Field:** consumer_electronics, software, telecommunications, ai_ml

## What it does

This patent describes a way for a central server to push updates to a specific subset of users without updating everyone at once. The system collects real-time data, such as GPS location or device type, from various phones running a specific app. It then automatically triggers a change—like showing a different graphic image on the screen—only for the devices that meet certain criteria. For example, Uber could use this to show a special 'surge pricing' icon only to users in a specific neighborhood while keeping the standard interface for everyone else.

## What it does NOT cover

- Does not cover updates that are pushed to all users simultaneously.
- Does not cover manual updates where the user must download a new version of the app from an app store.
- Does not cover systems that lack a mechanism to differentiate between two sets of users based on device data.

## The clever bit

The system treats the app's interface as a dynamic variable controlled by a remote configuration database rather than a static piece of code, allowing for surgical, real-time UI changes based on user context.

## Real-world examples

1. Uber's phased rollout of new ride-type icons.
2. Targeted promotional banners in ride-sharing apps.
3. Dynamic UI changes based on a user's city or region.

## Why it matters

This technology is the backbone of modern A/B testing and phased feature rollouts. It allows companies to test new interface designs or pricing models on small groups of people in real-time to see how they react before committing to a global change. It is essential for managing the complexity of large-scale, location-based services like ride-sharing or food delivery.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does How Uber Updates App Features for Specific Groups of Users cover?

A system that automatically changes how an app looks or behaves for some users based on their location or device, while leaving other users' apps unchanged.

### Who owns patent US 9888087?

Uber Technologies Inc owns this patent, granted in 2018.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent is expected to expire on February 6, 2038, when the invention enters the public domain.

### What is patent US 9888087 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 2 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

This technology is the backbone of modern A/B testing and phased feature rollouts. It allows companies to test new interface designs or pricing models on small groups of people in real-time to see how they react before committing to a global change. It is essential for managing the complexity of large-scale, location-based services like ride-sharing or food delivery.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Does not cover updates that are pushed to all users simultaneously.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9888087/uber-pool

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US9888087

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._