PATH PROJECTION TO FACILITATE ENGAGEMENT

• US 20100228476A1
• Filed: 03/04/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lawler, Stephen L., Arcas, Blaise H. Aguera y, Bar-Zeev, Avi
• Application Number:
  US12/398,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20100228476A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can encourage ad hoc or impromptu engagements between entities as well as simplify or facilitate planning engagements between those entities, all potentially based upon projected routes or paths of the entities. In particular, the architecture can receive location information associated with an entity and can further employ the location information for constructing or updating a path tree for the entity, with each branch of the path tree indicative of a possible or likely future path. Additionally, the architecture can compare the path tree for the entity with a path tree for a disparate entity in order to identify a possible or likely intersection. Moreover, the architecture can generate an intersection notification with details relating to the possible or likely intersection, and provide the intersection notification to one or more entities.

Claims

1. A computer implemented system that encourages engagement based upon future path projections, comprising:

a communication component that receives location information associated with a first entity;

a projection component that constructs or updates a path tree for the first entity based on associated location information, the path tree includes a set of branches with each branch from the set of branches indicative of a possible future path of the first entity;

a logistics component that compares the path tree for the first entity to a path tree for a second entity in order to identify a possible intersection between the first entity and the second entity, the logistics component constructs or updates an intersection notification that identifies information associated with the possible intersection; and

the communication component transmits the intersection notification to one or both of the first entity or the second entity.

2. The system of claim 1, the location information includes at least one of a current location, a previous location, a current direction of travel, a previous direction of travel, a current speed, a previous speed, a mode of travel, an intended destination, or an itinerary or schedule.

3. The system of claim 1, the projection component employs vector data in connection with a geospatial model of a local environment or a map of the local environment to construct the path tree, the vector data identifies at least one of accessibility or inaccessibility at a particular location of the model or the map.

4. The system of claim 3, the accessibility or the inaccessibility is a function of a particular mode of travel.

5. The system of claim 1, the projection component further limits the path tree to include only a subset of branches, each branch in the subset of branches is indicative of a likely future path that is determined or inferred based upon a profile for an associated entity or based upon a path history of other or similar entities.

6. The system of claim 5, the projection component assigns a priority to each likely future path based upon the profile or based upon the path history of other or similar entities.

7. The system of claim 1, the path tree is a multi-dimensional tree that includes a location dimension, a time dimension, and/or a relationship dimension, the relationship dimension relates to a relationship, an association, or a history of interactions or transactions between the first entity and the second entity.

8. The system of claim 7, the logistics component identifies the possible intersection or a likely intersection when a branch of the path tree for the first entity intersects or approximately intersects within a threshold range in all dimensions included in the multi-dimensional tree.

9. The system of claim 8, the threshold range for each dimension is determined independently based upon at least one of input from an associated entity or based upon the location information or other data included a profile.

10. The system of claim 1, the logistics component generates a location-based search query in connection with at least one of a possible future path, a likely future path, a possible intersection, or a likely intersection;

and the communication component transmits all or a relevant portion of results from the search query to an associated entity;

the logistics component determines the relevant portion or refines the search query based upon an associated profile.

11. The system of claim 1, the logistics component provides a recommendation for an engagement venue at or near to a likely intersection, and further includes the recommendation in the intersection notification.

12. The system of claim 11, the recommendation is based upon an examination of profiles associated with both the first entity and the second entity.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a permissions component that monitors or manages a social graph for each entity.

15. The system of claim 13, the permissions component manages or restricts information included in the intersection notification based upon the permissions.

16. The system of claim 13, the permissions component obscures information included in the intersection notification based upon the permissions, the information is obscured by at least one of modification of a current location to a past or recent location or approximation of a current location or a path tree in terms of distance or time.

14. The system of claim 14, the permissions component selects the first and the second entity based on permissions defined by the first entity, the second entity, or combinations thereof, and the logistics component compares associated path trees for selected entities.

17. A method for facilitating engagements based upon future path projections, comprising:

receiving location information associated with a first entity;

updating or creating a path grid for the first entity based on the location information, the path grid including representations of possible or likely future paths of the first entity;

employing a processor for correlating the path grid for the first entity with a path grid for a second entity;

identifying possible or likely intersections between the first entity and the second entity;

updating or creating an intersection notification that identifies relevant information in connection with the possible or likely intersection; and

presenting the intersection notification to one or both the first entity or the second entity.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising at least one of the following acts:

including in the intersection notification at least one of location information associated with a disparate entity, a path grid associated with a disparate entity, or an engagement venue recommendation;

employing vector data defining accessibility or inaccessibility in connection with a geospatial model of an environment local to the first entity or a map of the environment for updating or creating the path grid for the first entity;

utilizing historic data or a profile for the first entity for determining likely future paths versus possible future paths;

constructing a location-based search query in connection with a location associated with a possible future path, a likely future path, a possible intersection or a likely intersection;

or

utilizing results from the search query for selecting the engagement venue recommendation based upon at least one profile.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising at least one of the following acts:

constructing, updating, or monitoring a social graph or network for each entity;

choosing respective path grids for correlating based upon a social graph of an entity;

choosing respective path grids for correlating based upon permissions associated with the entity;

restricting information that is included in the intersection notification based upon the permissions;

obscuring information included in the intersection notification based upon the permissions;

or

effectuating the obscuring by modifying a current location to a past or recent location or by approximating a current location or a path grid in terms of time or distance.

20. A computer implemented system that encourages engagement based upon future path projections, comprising:

a communication component that receives location information associated with a first entity, and that updates an associated profile with the location information;

a projection component that constructs or updates a path tree for the first entity based on the location information, the path tree includes a set of branches with each branch from the set of branches indicative of a likely future path of the first entity determined based upon information included in the profile;

a permissions component that monitors or manages a social graph for the first entity based upon the profile, and that further selects a second entity based upon the social graph; and

a logistics component that compares the path tree for the first entity to a path tree for the second entity in order to identify a possible intersection between the first entity and the second entity, the logistics component constructs or updates an intersection notification that identifies information associated with the likely intersection.