Estimating Time Of Arrival

• US 20100179753A1
• Filed: 01/15/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jain, Mudit, Bahl, Paramvir, Chandra, Ranveer, Agarwal, Sharad, Wolman, Alastair
• Application Number:
  US12/353,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20100179753A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/204
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

Described herein is a system that includes a location determiner component that receives a first geographic location of a personal computing device of a first individual, wherein the first geographic location is indicative of a current geographic location of the first individual. The system also includes an estimator component that receives a second geographic location that is different from the first geographic location. The estimator component determines an estimated time of arrival for the first individual at the second geographic location based at least in part upon the received first geographic location, wherein the estimator component outputs the estimated time of arrival to a second individual.

Claims

1. A method comprising the following computer-executable acts:

receiving an indication of a first geographic location;

automatically determining a second geographic location of a personal computing device of a first individual upon receipt of a request from a second individual, wherein the second geographic location is indicative of a current geographic location of the first individual; and

outputting, to the second individual, an expected time of arrival of the first individual at the first geographic location based at least in part upon the determined second geographic location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the expected time of arrival to the second individual comprises causing a graphical indication to be displayed on a display screen of a personal computing device of the second individual.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the computing device of the second individual is a mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of the first geographic location comprises accessing calendar data, wherein the calendar data includes meeting data, wherein the meeting data indicates that the first individual and the second individual are scheduled for a meeting at the first geographic location.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving contextual data pertaining to the first individual; and

determining the expected time of arrival based at least in part upon the received contextual data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the expected time of arrival is based at least in part upon a route that the first individual is expected to take from the second geographic location to the first geographic location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the expected time of arrival is based at least in part upon historical travel data of the first individual.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting the estimated time of arrival to the second individual in response to receipt of a request from the second individual.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the first individual with scheduling assistance based at least in part upon the expected time of arrival.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting the expected time of arrival to a plurality of individuals that are scheduled to meet with the first individual at a particular time at the first geographic location.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising pinging the personal computing device of the first individual to request the second geographic location.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising pinging a second computing device of the first individual if the mobile computing device is turned off or static.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the personal computing device is pinged within a threshold amount of time prior to a scheduled meeting between at least the first individual and the second individual at the first geographic location.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving permission from the first individual to determine the second geographic location.

15. A system comprising the following computer-executable components:

a location determiner component that receives a first geographic location of a personal computing device of a first individual in response to receipt of a request from a second individual, wherein the first geographic location is indicative of a current geographic location of the first individual; and

an estimator component that receives a second geographic location that is different from the first geographic location, wherein the estimator component determines an estimated time of arrival of the first individual at the second geographic location based at least in part upon the received first geographic location, wherein the estimator component outputs the estimated time of arrival to the second individual.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the estimator component outputs the estimated time of arrival to a display screen of a personal computing device of the second individual.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising a pinger component that pings the personal computing device of the first individual for the first geographic location, wherein the personal computing device of the first individual outputs the first geographic location responsive to receipt of a ping from the pinger component.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the pinger component pings a second personal computing device of the first individual if it is determined that the first personal computing device is turned off or static.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the estimator component is configured to receive contextual data pertaining to a route between the second geographic location and the first geographic location, wherein the estimator component determines the estimated time of arrival based at least in part upon the received contextual data.

20. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the following acts:

extract a location of a meeting and attendees of the meeting from calendar data, wherein the attendees of the meeting include at least a first attendee and a second attendee;

determine a geographic location of a personal computing device of the first attendee in response to receipt of a request from the second attendee;

determine an estimated time of arrival of the first attendee to the location of the meeting based at least in part upon the determined geographic location of the personal computing device of the first attendee; and

output the estimated time of arrival of the first attendee to a personal computing device of the second attendee.