The Seminal Ride Sharing Patent Doesn't Belong to Uber or Lyft

Earlier this week a man claimed that Uber stole an idea that he originally hatched in 2002. While that case rests on anecdotal evidence, it brings to light another situation which may have a much bigger impact on major ride sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft. In 2002 Sidecar founder Sunil Paul was granted US Patent 6,356,838 - System and method for determining an efficient transportation route, which is considered a seminal innovation in the ride sharing space. When asked about the litigation or licensing potential of the patent Paul is on record saying that he prefers to focus and grow his company rather than strictly enforce his patent.