DETERMINING LOCATIONS OF INTEREST BASED ON USER VISITS

• US 20150106206A1
• Filed: 05/05/2014
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Inventors: Vengroff, Darren E., Downs, Oliver B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,546,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.58
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services

Abstract

Techniques are described for determining locations of interest based on user visits. In some situations, the techniques include obtaining information about actual locations of users at various times, and automatically analyzing the information to determine particular locations in a geographic area that are of interest, such as for frequent destinations visited by users. After determining a particular location of interest, it may be represented by generating a corresponding location model to describe the geographic subarea or other location point(s) covered by the determined location of interest, and one or more points of interest (e.g., businesses, parks, schools, landmarks, etc.) may be identified that are located at or otherwise correspond to the determined location of interest. In addition, a determined location of interest may be further used in various ways, including to identify later user visits to that location (e.g., to a point of interest identified for the location).

Claims

1-45. -45. (canceled)

46. A computer-implemented method for identifying merchant locations, the method comprising:

obtaining, by one or more configured computing systems and from one or more location-detecting devices, location information about multiple locations of one or more devices in the geographic area over a period of time;

obtaining, by the one or more configured computing systems and via a communications network, activity information associated with a subset of the one or more devices;

determining, by the one or more configured computing systems and based on the obtained location information and the obtained activity information, contextual information associated with at least one of the one or more devices or at least one of the multiple locations; and

generating, by the one or more configured computing systems, at least one advertisement based on the obtained location information, the obtained activity information, and the determined contextual information.

47. The computer-implemented method of claim 46, wherein the contextual information comprises one or more relationships between users of the one or more devices.

48. The computer-implemented method of claim 47, wherein the one or more relationships indicate locations anticipated to interest a subset of users of the one or more devices based on the obtained location information and obtained activity information regarding other users of the one or more devices.

49. The computer-implemented method of claim 47, wherein the one or more relationships identify activities anticipated to interest a subset of users of the one or more devices based on the obtained location information and obtained activity information regarding other users of the one or more devices.

50. The computer-implemented method of claim 47, wherein the one or more relationships identify that a plurality of the one or more devices are acting together or otherwise engaged in a common activity at a point of interest.

51. The computer-implemented method of claim 46, wherein the contextual information includes state information regarding movement of at least one device of the one or more devices, the state information indicating a type of transportation method by which the at least one device is moving.

52. The computer-implemented method of claim 46, wherein the contextual information includes type information indicating a duration, purpose, or activity associated with one of the one or more devices and one of the multiple locations.

54. The computer-implemented method of claim 46, wherein the activity information comprises at least one of:

information from one or more calendar systems associated with the one or more devices;

information from one or more social networking services;

information from devices with which the one or more devices interact;

or transaction information associated with a subset of the one or more devices.

55. An apparatus for identifying merchant locations, the apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining, from one or more location-detecting devices, location information about multiple locations of one or more devices in the geographic area over a period of time;

means for obtaining, via a communications network, activity information associated with a subset of the one or more devices;

means for determining, based on the obtained location information and the obtained activity information, contextual information associated with at least one of the one or more devices or at least one of the multiple locations; and

means for generating at least one advertisement based on the obtained location information, the obtained activity information, and the determined contextual information.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the contextual information comprises one or more relationships between users of the one or more devices.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the one or more relationships indicate locations anticipated to interest a subset of users of the one or more devices based on the obtained location information and obtained activity information regarding other users of the one or more devices.

58. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the one or more relationships identify activities anticipated to interest a subset of users of the one or more devices based on the obtained location information and obtained activity information regarding other users of the one or more devices.

59. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the one or more relationships identify that a plurality of the one or more devices are acting together or otherwise engaged in a common activity at a point of interest.

60. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the contextual information includes state information regarding movement of at least one device of the one or more devices, the state information indicating a type of transportation method by which the at least one device is moving.

61. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the contextual information includes type information indicating a duration, purpose, or activity associated with one of the one or more devices and one of the multiple locations.

62. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the activity information comprises at least one of:

information from one or more calendar systems associated with the one or more devices;

information from one or more social networking services;

information from devices with which the one or more devices interact;

or transaction information associated with a subset of the one or more devices.

63. An apparatus for identifying merchant locations, the apparatus comprising:

input/output components configured to

obtain, from one or more location-detecting devices, location information about multiple locations of one or more devices in the geographic area over a period of time, and

obtain, via a communications network, activity information associated with a subset of the one or more devices;

a central processing unit configured to

determine, based on the obtained location information and the obtained activity information, contextual information associated with at least one of the one or more devices or at least one of the multiple locations, and

generate at least one advertisement based on the obtained location information, the obtained activity information, and the determined contextual information.

64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the contextual information comprises one or more relationships between users of the one or more devices.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the one or more relationships indicate locations anticipated to interest a subset of users of the one or more devices based on the obtained location information and obtained activity information regarding other users of the one or more devices.

66. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the one or more relationships identify activities anticipated to interest a subset of users of the one or more devices based on the obtained location information and obtained activity information regarding other users of the one or more devices.

67. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the one or more relationships identify that a plurality of the one or more devices are acting together or otherwise engaged in a common activity at a point of interest.

68. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the contextual information includes state information regarding movement of at least one device of the one or more devices, the state information indicating a type of transportation method by which the at least one device is moving.

69. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the contextual information includes type information indicating a duration, purpose, or activity associated with one of the one or more devices and one of the multiple locations.

70. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the activity information comprises at least one of:

information from one or more calendar systems associated with the one or more devices;

information from one or more social networking services;

information from devices with which the one or more devices interact;

or transaction information associated with a subset of the one or more devices.