REAL-TIME ROUTE OPTIMIZATION FOR REAL ESTATE OPEN HOUSE TOURS

• US 20120290203A1
• Filed: 05/14/2012
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lance R. King
• Original Assignee: Lance R. King
• Inventors: King, Lance R.
• Application Number:
  US13/471,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20120290203A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/430
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for optimizing a route and schedule for visiting real estate open houses. The system may update the route and schedule in real time where a user deviates from the provided route and schedule. The system and method may further receive notes from a user while at an open house, and automatically store those notes in association with a property where the notes were received.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing a travel route and schedule of destinations and storing notes in association with one or more destinations, comprising:

(a) receiving user input on destinations the user would like to visit;

(b) optimizing a travel route and schedule of the destinations, using a geographic map of the area of destinations and a predetermined estimate of time of travel between the destinations;

(c) adjusting the travel route optimized in said step (b) in real time where the user spends longer than scheduled at a destination or omits one of the destinations;

(d) receiving notes while at a destination; and

(e) storing the notes in association with the destination in a central database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the notes received in said step (d) are automatically associated with the destination for storing in said step (e).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the notes received in said step (d) are stored in real time in said step (e).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the notes are stored as an audio file in the central database.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the notes are received as an audio file, transcribed, and stored as a text file in the central database.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using a global positioning system to identify a position of the user in route to a destination.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user leaves a destination and returns to the destination, the method further comprising the steps of:

receiving additional notes upon returning to the destination;

appending the additional notes to notes stored in association with the destination when the user first visited the destination.

7. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of notifying a user when the user has arrived at a destination.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of providing information to the user regarding a destination when the user has arrived at a destination.

10. A method for optimizing a travel route and schedule of destinations and storing notes in association with one or more destinations, comprising:

(a) receiving user input on destinations the user would like to visit;

(b) optimizing a travel route and schedule of the destinations, using a geographic map of the area of destinations and a predetermined estimate of time of travel between the destinations;

(c) receiving notes from a plurality of users when the users are at a given destination;

(d) storing the notes from the plurality of users in association with the given destination in a central database; and

(e) providing feedback on the given destination based on the notes from the plurality of users.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of optimizing a travel route and schedule of the destinations for a user, using a geographic map of the area of destinations and a predetermined estimate of time of travel between the destinations.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the notes received in said step (d) are automatically associated with the destination for storing in said step (e).

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the notes received in said step (d) are stored in real time in said step (e).

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the feedback provided in said step (e) may be updated in real time based on notes received from the plurality of users in said step (c).