SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco-based Uber is looking to patent its controversial surge pricing program, where riders are charged extra during high demand.
Uber first applied for a patent in September 2013 and now the ride sharing service is appealing a rejection of that application. Uber believes recent changes in guidelines might help it get a patent.
Its surge pricing sometimes results in customers paying extremely high prices for rides, unlike local taxis which charge the same price regardless of demand.
FILE - This Friday, Nov. 21, 2014 file photo taken in Newark, N.J., shows smartphones displaying Uber car availability in New York. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)