CONTEXT-SENSITIVE ROUTE GENERATION SYSTEM

• US 20100205060A1
• Filed: 02/09/2009
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Excalibur IP, LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Churchill, Elizabeth F., Athsani, Athellina
• Application Number:
  US12/368,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20100205060A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.580
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention describe systems and methods for automatically generating route(s) based on users'"'"' trip intent and conditions. A user enters his/her trip intent and conditions. A context-sensitive route generation system generates one or more routes based on information surrounding the user'"'"'s trip intent, such as destination, time, means of transportation, purpose and identity(ies) of traveler(s), and conditions, such as user'"'"'s limitations, needs, and preferences, for the user. Once the user chooses a route to follow, context-sensitive route generation system (CRGS) keeps track of user'"'"'s movement and can modify the user'"'"'s route when a need arises. The CRGS searches one or more networks and the system database(s) for profile and real-time (or instant) information for route generation, and continues to mine networks for information related to the trip to ensure the best route is recommended to the user. In one embodiment, profile and real-time information relevant to the trip is used in generating and modifying the route. In addition to generation, monitoring and updating route(s) for the user, the CRGS also can present advertisements of interest to the user for business and services along user'"'"'s route.

Claims

1. An electronic device implemented method for generating a route for a trip, comprising:

receiving a request for the trip from a user, the trip defining an origination location and a destination location;

receiving conditions of the trip from the user;

searching a network and system database for profile and real-time data to identify status information related to the user, the request for the trip, and the conditions of the trip;

generating a route for the trip, the route being adjusted based upon the identified status information of the user; and

presenting the route to the user on a display.

2. The electronic device implemented method of claim 1, wherein searching the network including searching a communication network that collects and tracks relationships of real-world entities (RWEs) and information objects (IOs) accessible to the communication network, wherein the relationships of RWEs and IOs tracked by the communication network enable identifying status information related to the user, the request for the trip, and the conditions of the trip.

3. The electronic device implemented method of claim 1, wherein the system database is searched to determine if there is a previously stored route relevant to the trip and conditions.

4. The electronic device implemented method of claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet or a network connected to the Internet.

5. The electronic device implemented method of claim 1, wherein the status information includes at least one of spatial data, temporal data, social data, or topical data related to the user, the trip, and the conditions.

6. The electronic device implemented method of claim 1, wherein the conditions force paths for the route that are indirect of the destination location.

7. The electronic device implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request for the trip includes user'"'"'s trip intent, and wherein the trip intent includes at least one selected from the group consisting of an identification of the user, the purpose of the trip, the method of transportation, the start and end point of the trip, the time of the trip.

8. The electronic device implemented method of claim 1, wherein the conditions of the trip include at least one selected from the group consisting of physical need, mental need, and social need of the user.

9. The electronic device implemented method of claim 7, wherein the conditions of the trip further include at least one selected from the group consisting of physical need, mental need, and social need of a companion of the user.

10. The electronic device implemented method of claim 1, wherein electronic device implemented method utilizes a context-sensitive route generation system (CRGS) to generate the route for the trip, and wherein the CRGS processes the context of the trip based on the user'"'"'s trip intent and conditions received from the user and also based on user profile and travel history of the user stored in the CRGS.

11. The electronic device implemented method of claim 10, wherein the CRGS further processes the context of the trip by accessing Internet for user profile and travel history of the user.

12. The electronic device implemented method of claim 11, wherein the real-time status information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of latest road conditions, weather, traffic, and hot spots.

13. An electronic device implemented method for generating a route for a trip, comprising:

receiving a request for the trip from a user, the trip defining an origination location and a destination location;

receiving conditions of the trip from the user;

searching a network and system database for profile and real-time data to identify status information related to the user, the request for the trip, and the conditions of the trip;

generating a route for the trip, the route being adjusted based upon the identified status information of the user;

presenting the route to the user on a display;

receiving real-time status information related to the user, the request for the trip, and the conditions of the trip;

determining if the route needs to be modified based on the real-time status information related to the user, the request for the trip, and the conditions of the trip that is received; and

modifying the route based a change of the real-time status information, otherwise maintaining the route.

14. The electronic device implemented method of claim 13, wherein the change of real-time status information is one of the spatial data, temporal data, social data, or topical data.

15. The electronic device implemented method of claim 13, wherein electronic device implemented method utilizes a context-sensitive route generation system (CRGS), and wherein the CRGS processes the context of the trip based on user profile and travel history of the user stored in the CRGS and available on the Internet.

16. The electronic device implemented method of claim 13, wherein the user'"'"'s real-time status information includes instant location of the user.

17. The electronic device implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

displaying an advertisement to the user, wherein the advertisement displayed matches user'"'"'s profile, the request for the trip, the conditions of the trip, and user'"'"'s real-time status information.

18. A route generation system for automatically generating a route for a trip based on user'"'"'s trip intent, conditions of the trip, and status information comprising:

a trip intent and conditions server, wherein the travel intent and conditions server stores the trip intent and the conditions of the trip entered by a user, and wherein the trip intent and conditions server identify entities related to the user, the trip intent, and the conditions;

a database for storing information related to roads and routes;

a search engine for searching and retrieving data from a network and the database for the status information related to entities identified by the trip intent and conditions server;

a route generator configured to generate a route based on the user'"'"'s trip intent, conditions of the trip, and status information retrieved by the search engine, wherein the route best suits the user'"'"'s trip intent and conditions of the trip with the status information taken into consideration; and

a display generator configured to display the route generated by the route generator.

19. A route generation system of claim 18, wherein the route generation system is configured to monitor an instant location of the user and is configured to modify an attribute of the generated information display based on at least one of a change of the instant location of the user, a change in the trip intent, a change in the conditions, and a change in the status information identified by the search engine.

20. A route generation system of claim 18, wherein the network is the Internet or a communication network that collects and tracks relationships of real-world entities (RWEs) and information objects (IOs) accessible to the communication network;

wherein the communication network is configured to provide profile and real-time information related to the user, the request for the trip, and the conditions of the trip.

21. A route generation system of claim 18, further comprising:

an advertisement engine for generating an advertisement of interest to the user, wherein the advertisement generated is displayed to the user when the use is near a location serving a product or a service described in the advertisement.