ESTIMATING WAIT TIME FOR AN ESTABLISHMENT

• US 20150019271A1
• Filed: 07/11/2013
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Abuelsaad, Kelly, DeLuca, Lisa Seacat, Jang, Soobaek, Krook, Daniel C.
• Application Number:
  US13/939,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20150019271A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

A computer collects resource reservation history for a resource for a plurality of reservation time blocks. The computer collects resource reservation wait time history for the resource for each reservation time block. The computer determines a number of patrons that utilized the resource during each reservation time block and creates a resource reservation wait time model. The computer receives a request for a resource reservation wait time estimate for a first reservation time block and collects a first plurality of social media content. The computer determines an estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the resource during the first reservation time block based on at least the first plurality of social media content. The computer determines a first estimated wait time for the first reservation time block by comparing at least the estimated number of patrons to the resource reservation wait time model.

Claims

1. A method for determining a resource reservation wait time, comprising the steps of:

a first computer collecting resource reservation history for a first resource for a plurality of reservation time blocks;

the first computer collecting resource reservation wait time history for the first resource for each reservation time block of the plurality of reservation time blocks;

the first computer determining a number of patrons that utilized the first resource during each reservation time block of the plurality of reservation time blocks based on one or more of the resource reservation wait time history and the resource reservation history for the first resource;

the first computer creating a first resource reservation wait time model by correlating the number of patrons that utilized the first resource with the resource reservation wait time history for the first resource collected for the plurality of reservation time blocks;

the first computer receiving a request for a first resource reservation wait time estimate for a first reservation time block from a first user;

the first computer collecting a first plurality of social media content, wherein each member of the first plurality of social media content includes information indicating an intent to utilize the first resource during the first reservation time block;

the first computer determining an estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the first reservation time block based on at least the first plurality of social media content; and

the first computer determining a first estimated wait time for the first reservation time block by comparing at least the estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the first reservation time block to the first resource reservation wait time model.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of the first computer displaying the first estimated wait time to the first user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

the first computer determining an estimated number of reservations for the first reservation time block by comparing at least the estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the first reservation time block to the first resource reservation wait time model;

the first computer determining that the estimated number of reservations for the first reservation time block exceeds a first threshold value; and

the first computer determining that a reservation is recommended for the first reservation time block.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

the first computer collecting resource reservation information for the first resource for the first reservation time block; and

the first computer determining an estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the first reservation time block based on at least the collected resource reservation information for the first resource and the first plurality of social media content.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

the first computer determining the first estimated wait time for the first reservation time block for the first resource exceeds a second threshold value;

the first computer collecting a second plurality of social media content, wherein each member of the second plurality of social media content includes information indicating an intent to utilize the first resource during a second reservation time block;

the first computer determining an estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the second reservation time block based on at least the second plurality of social media content; and

the first computer determining a second estimated wait time for the second reservation time block by comparing at least the estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the second reservation time block to the first resource reservation wait time model.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

the first computer determining the first estimated wait time for the first reservation time block for the first resource exceeds a second threshold value;

the first computer collecting resource reservation history for a second resource for the plurality of reservation time blocks;

the first computer collecting resource reservation wait time history for the second resource for each reservation time block of the plurality of reservation time blocks;

the first computer determining a number of patrons that utilized the second resource during each reservation time block of the plurality of reservation time blocks based on one or more of the resource reservation wait time history and the resource reservation history for the second resource;

the first computer creating a second resource reservation wait time model by correlating the number of patrons that utilized the second resource with the resource reservation wait time for the second resource collected for the plurality of reservation time blocks;

the first computer collecting a third plurality of social media content, wherein each member of the third plurality of social media content includes information indicating an intent to utilize the second resource during the first reservation time block;

the first computer determining an estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the second resource during the first reservation time block based on at least the third plurality of social media content; and

the first computer determining a third estimated wait time for the first reservation time block by comparing at least the estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the second resource during the first reservation time block to the second resource reservation wait time model.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

the first computer determining that the second estimated wait time does not exceed the threshold value; and

the first computer displaying the second estimated wait time to the first user.

8. A computer program product for determining a resource reservation wait time, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage devices and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more tangible storage devices, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to collect resource reservation history for a first resource for a plurality of reservation time blocks;

program instructions to collect resource reservation wait time history for the first resource for each reservation time block of the plurality of reservation time blocks;

program instructions to determine a number of patrons that utilized the first resource during each reservation time block of the plurality of reservation time blocks based on one or more of the resource reservation wait time history and the resource reservation history for the first resource;

program instructions to create a first resource reservation wait time model by correlating the number of patrons that utilized the first resource with the resource reservation wait time history for the first resource collected for the plurality of reservation time blocks;

program instructions to receive a request for a first resource reservation wait time estimate for a first reservation time block from a first user;

program instructions to collect a first plurality of social media content, wherein each member of the first plurality of social media content includes information indicating an intent to utilize the first resource during the first reservation time block;

program instructions to determine an estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the first reservation time block based on at least the first plurality of social media content; and

program instructions to determine a first estimated wait time for the first reservation time block by comparing at least the estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the first reservation time block to the first resource reservation wait time model.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising program instructions to display the first estimated wait time to the first user.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

program instructions to determine an estimated number of reservations for the first reservation time block by comparing at least the estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the first reservation time block to the first resource reservation wait time model;

program instructions to determine that the estimated number of reservations for the first reservation time block exceeds a first threshold value; and

program instructions to determine that a reservation is recommended for the first reservation time block.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

program instructions to collect resource reservation information for the first resource for the first reservation time block; and

program instructions to determine an estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the first reservation time block based on at least the collected resource reservation information for the first resource and the first plurality of social media content.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

program instructions to determine the first estimated wait time for the first reservation time block for the first resource exceeds a second threshold value;

program instructions to collect a second plurality of social media content, wherein each member of the second plurality of social media content includes information indicating an intent to utilize the first resource during a second reservation time block;

program instructions to determine an estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the second reservation time block based on at least the second plurality of social media content; and

program instructions to determine a second estimated wait time for the second reservation time block by comparing at least the estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the second reservation time block to the first resource reservation wait time model.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

program instructions to determine the first estimated wait time for the first reservation time block for the first resource exceeds a second threshold value;

program instructions to collect resource reservation history for a second resource for the plurality of reservation time blocks;

program instructions to collect resource reservation wait time history for the second resource for each reservation time block of the plurality of reservation time blocks;

program instructions to determine a number of patrons that utilized the second resource during each reservation time block of the plurality of reservation time blocks based on one or more of the resource reservation wait time history and the resource reservation history for the second resource;

program instructions to create a second resource reservation wait time model by correlating the number of patrons that utilized the second resource with the resource reservation wait time for the second resource collected for the plurality of reservation time blocks;

program instructions to collect a third plurality of social media content, wherein each member of the third plurality of social media content includes information indicating an intent to utilize the second resource during the first reservation time block;

program instructions to determine an estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the second resource during the first reservation time block based on at least the third plurality of social media content; and

program instructions to determine a third estimated wait time for the first reservation time block by comparing at least the estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the second resource during the first reservation time block to the second resource reservation wait time model.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

the first computer determining that the second estimated wait time does not exceed the threshold value; and

the first computer displaying the second estimated wait time to the first user.

15. A computer system for determining a resource reservation wait time, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to collect resource reservation history for a first resource for a plurality of reservation time blocks;

program instructions to collect resource reservation wait time history for the first resource for each reservation time block of the plurality of reservation time blocks;

program instructions to determine a number of patrons that utilized the first resource during each reservation time block of the plurality of reservation time blocks based on one or more of the resource reservation wait time history and the resource reservation history for the first resource;

program instructions to create a first resource reservation wait time model by correlating the number of patrons that utilized the first resource with the resource reservation wait time history for the first resource collected for the plurality of reservation time blocks;

program instructions to receive a request for a first resource reservation wait time estimate for a first reservation time block from a first user;

program instructions to collect a first plurality of social media content, wherein each member of the first plurality of social media content includes information indicating an intent to utilize the first resource during the first reservation time block;

program instructions to determine an estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the first reservation time block based on at least the first plurality of social media content; and

program instructions to determine a first estimated wait time for the first reservation time block by comparing at least the estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the first reservation time block to the first resource reservation wait time model.

16. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

program instructions to determine an estimated number of reservations for the first reservation time block by comparing at least the estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the first reservation time block to the first resource reservation wait time model;

program instructions to determine that the estimated number of reservations for the first reservation time block exceeds a first threshold value; and

program instructions to determine that a reservation is recommended for the first reservation time block.

17. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

program instructions to collect resource reservation information for the first resource for the first reservation time block; and

program instructions to determine an estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the first reservation time block based on at least the collected resource reservation information for the first resource and the first plurality of social media content.

18. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

program instructions to determine the first estimated wait time for the first reservation time block for the first resource exceeds a second threshold value;

program instructions to collect a second plurality of social media content, wherein each member of the second plurality of social media content includes information indicating an intent to utilize the first resource during a second reservation time block;

program instructions to determine an estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the second reservation time block based on at least the second plurality of social media content; and

program instructions to determine a second estimated wait time for the second reservation time block by comparing at least the estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the first resource during the second reservation time block to the first resource reservation wait time model.

19. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

program instructions to determine the first estimated wait time for the first reservation time block for the first resource exceeds a second threshold value;

program instructions to collect resource reservation history for a second resource for the plurality of reservation time blocks;

program instructions to collect resource reservation wait time history for the second resource for each reservation time block of the plurality of reservation time blocks;

program instructions to determine a number of patrons that utilized the second resource during each reservation time block of the plurality of reservation time blocks based on one or more of the resource reservation wait time history and the resource reservation history for the second resource;

program instructions to create a second resource reservation wait time model by correlating the number of patrons that utilized the second resource with the resource reservation wait time for the second resource collected for the plurality of reservation time blocks;

program instructions to collect a third plurality of social media content, wherein each member of the third plurality of social media content includes information indicating an intent to utilize the second resource during the first reservation time block;

program instructions to determine an estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the second resource during the first reservation time block based on at least the third plurality of social media content; and

program instructions to determine a third estimated wait time for the first reservation time block by comparing at least the estimated number of patrons that intend to utilize the second resource during the first reservation time block to the second resource reservation wait time model.

20. The computer system of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

the first computer determining that the second estimated wait time does not exceed the threshold value; and

the first computer displaying the second estimated wait time to the first user.