SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING TRAVEL PATHS BASED ON CARDHOLDER TRANSACTIONS

• US 20150287064A1
• Filed: 04/03/2014
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Weis, David, Dobson, Brian
• Application Number:
  US14/244,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20150287064A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for generating travel paths based on cardholder transactions is provided. The method uses a computing device having a processor communicatively coupled to a memory. The method includes receiving a plurality of payment transactions from a plurality of cardholders, calculating by the computing device a plurality of modeled paths based on the plurality of payment transactions where each modeled path of the plurality of modeled paths identifies a series of two or more locations where a payment transaction was initiated by a specific cardholder during a specific period of time, and displaying by the computing device a selected subset of the plurality of modeled paths.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for generating travel paths based on cardholder transactions, said method using a computing device having a processor communicatively coupled to a memory, said method comprising:

receiving a plurality of payment transactions from a plurality of cardholders;

calculating, by the computing device, a plurality of modeled paths based on the plurality of payment transactions, wherein each modeled path of the plurality of modeled paths identifies a series of two or more locations where a payment transaction was initiated by a specific cardholder during a specific period of time; and

displaying, by the computing device, a selected subset of the plurality of modeled paths.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein calculating the plurality of modeled path further comprises:

selecting a subset of payment transactions from the plurality of payment transactions based on a model time-frame and a model geographic area, wherein each payment transaction within the subset of payment transactions includes at least a time, a date, a merchant category, and a geographic location of a merchant;

selecting a subset of cardholders having two or more associated payment transactions included within the subset of payment transactions;

calculating a modeled path for each of the subset of cardholders based on the associated payment transactions included within the subset of payment transactions; and

storing the plurality of modeled paths.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein displaying a selected subset of the plurality of modeled paths further comprises:

determining a display start point based on at least one of a current location of a user or a user selected starting point;

determining a display time-frame based on at least one of a current time or a user selected time;

selecting at least one modeled path from the plurality of modeled paths based on the display starting point and the display time-frame; and

displaying the at least one selected modeled path.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising determining a display starting point, wherein displaying the plurality of modeled paths is further based on a proximity to the display starting point.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein displaying a selected subset of the plurality of modeled paths further comprises selecting a subset of modeled paths to display from the plurality of modeled paths based on a user input.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein displaying a selected subset of the plurality of modeled paths further comprises:

determining one or more segments where a plurality of modeled paths overlap and

displaying each of the one or more segments as a line where the thickness of the line is based on the number of modeled paths that overlap at that segment.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein displaying a selected subset of the plurality of modeled paths further comprises selecting a subset of modeled paths to display based on at least one of a model time-frame associated with the payment transactions associated with the modeled path, a model path region based on a home region associated with the individual cardholder upon whose transactions the modeled path was calculated, and a model merchant category based on a merchant category associated with the payment transactions associated with the modeled path.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein calculating a plurality of modeled paths is further based on the two or more transactions that occur within a predetermined distance of each other.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein calculating a plurality of modeled paths is further based on the two or more transactions that occur within a predetermined length of time.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1, where displaying a selected subset of the plurality of modeled paths further comprises:

determining at least one model merchant category for each of the plurality of modeled paths based on a merchant category associated with the payment transactions associated with the modeled path;

selecting a subset of modeled paths based on the associated model merchant category; and

displaying the subset of modeled paths as a series of colored lines where the color of the line is based on the model merchant category.

11. A computer system for generating travel paths based on cardholder transactions, said computer system comprising:

a memory device for storing data; and

a processor in communication with said memory device, said processor programmed to;

receive a plurality of payment transactions from a plurality of cardholders;

calculate a plurality of modeled paths based on the plurality of payment transactions, wherein each modeled path of the plurality of modeled paths identifies a series of two or more locations where a payment transaction was initiated by a specific cardholder during a specific period of time; and

display a selected subset of the plurality of modeled paths.

12. The system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said processor is further programmed to:

select a subset of payment transactions from the plurality of payment transactions based on a model time-frame and a model geographic area, wherein each payment transaction within the subset of payment transactions contains at least a time, a date, a merchant category, and a geographic location of a merchant;

select a subset of cardholders with two or more payment transactions within the subset of payment transactions;

calculate a modeled path for each of the subset of cardholders based on the two or more payment transactions within the subset of payment transactions; and

store the plurality of modeled paths.

13. The system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said processor is further programmed to:

determine a display start point based on at least one of a current location of a user or a user selected starting point;

determine a display time-frame based on at least one of a current time or a user selected time;

select at least one modeled path from the plurality of modeled paths based on the display starting point and the display time-frame; and

display the at least one selected modeled path.

14. The system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said processor is further programmed to:

determine a display starting point; and

display the plurality of modeled paths further based on a proximity to the display starting point.

15. The system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said processor is further programmed to select a subset of modeled paths to display from the plurality of modeled paths based on a user input.

16. The system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said processor is further programmed to select a subset of modeled paths to display based on at least one of a model time-frame associated with the payment transactions associated with the modeled path, a model path region based on a home region associated with the individual cardholder upon whose transactions the modeled path was calculated, and a model merchant category based on a merchant category associated with the payment transactions associated with the modeled path.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by a computing device having at least one processor coupled to a memory device, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

receive a plurality of payment transactions from a plurality of cardholders;

calculate a plurality of modeled paths based on the plurality of payment transactions, wherein each modeled path of the plurality of modeled paths identifies a series of two or more locations where a payment transaction was initiated by a specific cardholder during a specific period of time; and

display a selected subset of the plurality of modeled paths.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor:

select a subset of payment transactions from the plurality of payment transactions based on a model time-frame and a model geographic area, wherein each payment transaction within the subset of payment transactions contains at least a time, a date, a merchant category, and a geographic location of a merchant;

select a subset of cardholders with two or more payment transactions within the subset of payment transactions;

calculate a modeled path for each of the subset of cardholders based on the two or more payment transactions within the subset of payment transactions; and

store the plurality of modeled paths.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor:

determine a display start point based on at least one of a current location of a user or a user selected starting point;

determine a display time-frame based on at least one of a current time or a user selected time;

select at least one modeled path from the plurality of modeled paths based on the display starting point and the display time-frame; and

display the at least one selected modeled path.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor:

determine a display starting point; and

display the plurality of modeled paths further based on a proximity to the display starting point.