DETECTING AND CORRECTING POTENTIAL ERRORS IN USER BEHAVIOR

• US 20170083821A1
• Filed: 09/21/2015
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Foerster, Jakob Nicolaus, Brewin, Frederick Peter
• Granted Patent: US 10,650,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/022 Knowledge engineering; Knowledge acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks

Abstract

A computing system is described that predicts a future action to be taken by a user of a computing device and determines, based on contextual information associated with the computing device, a current action being taken by the user. The computing system determines, based on the current action, a degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action and predicts, based on the degree of likelihood, that the user will not be able to take the future action. The computing system sends information to the computing device indicating that the current action being taken by the user will lead to the user not being able to take the future action.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

predicting, by a computing system, a future action to be taken by a user of a computing device;

determining, by the computing system, based on contextual information associated with the computing device, a current action being taken by the user;

determining, by the computing system, based on the current action, a degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action;

predicting, by the computing system, based on the degree of likelihood, that the user will not be able to take the future action; and

sending, from the computing system, to the computing device, information indicating that the current action being taken by the user will lead to the user not being able to take the future action.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the computing system, a corrective action that the user can take to increase the degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action, wherein the information indicating the current action being taken by the user will lead to the user not being able to take the future action includes an indication of the corrective action.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the future action includes arriving at a first location by a future time;

the current action includes traveling from a current location to a second location that is different than the first location; and

determining the degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action comprises determining, by the computing system, based on the contextual information, an estimated arrival time for the user to arrive at the future location after traveling from the current location to the second location, and at least one of;

increasing, by the computing system, the degree of likelihood in response to determining the estimated arrival time is within a threshold time of the future time;

or

decreasing, by the computing system, the degree of likelihood in response to determining the estimated arrival time is not within the threshold time of the future time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the future action includes arriving at a first location by a future time;

the current action includes searching for information associated with a second location that is different than the first location; and

determining the degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action comprises decreasing, by the computing system, the degree of likelihood in response to determining the second location is a same type of location as the first location.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first location and the second location are different locations of a particular type of transportation service.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first location and the second location are different respective offices of a single commercial establishment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the future action includes departing for a first location by a future time;

the current action includes sleeping at a current time; and

determining the degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action comprises decreasing, by the computing system, the degree of likelihood in response to determining the current time is within a threshold time of the future time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the future action includes attending an event at a future time;

the current action includes performing a preparatory action in preparation for attending the event at the future time; and

determining the degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action comprises decreasing, by the computing system, the degree of likelihood in response to determining the preparatory action cannot be completed within a threshold time of the future time.

9. A computing system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one module operable by the at least one processor to;

predict a future action to be taken by a user of a computing device;

determine, based on contextual information associated with the computing device, a current action being taken by the user;

determine, based on the current action, a degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action;

predict, based on the degree of likelihood, that the user will not be able to take the future action; and

send, to the computing device, information indicating that the current action being taken by the user will lead to the user not being able to take the future action.

10. The computing system of claim 9, wherein the at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to determine a corrective action that the user can take to increase the degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action, wherein the information indicating the current action being taken by the user will lead to the user not being able to take the future action includes an indication of the corrective action.

11. The computing system of claim 9, wherein:

the future action includes arriving at a first location by a future time;

the current action includes traveling from a current location to a second location that is different than the first location; and

the at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to determine the degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action by at least determining, based on the contextual information, an estimated arrival time for the user to arrive at the future location after traveling from the current location to the second location, and at least one of;

increasing the degree of likelihood in response to determining the estimated arrival time is within a threshold time of the future time;

or

decreasing the degree of likelihood in response to determining the estimated arrival time is not within the threshold time of the future time.

12. The computing system of claim 9, wherein:

the future action includes arriving at a first location by a future time;

the current action includes searching for information associated with a second location that is different than the first location; and

the at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to determine the degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action by at least decreasing the degree of likelihood in response to determining the second location is a same type of location as the first location.

13. The computing system of claim 9, wherein:

the future action includes departing for a first location by a future time;

the current action includes sleeping at a current time; and

the at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to determine the degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action by at least decreasing the degree of likelihood in response to determining the current time is within a threshold time of the future time.

14. The computing system of claim 9, wherein:

the future action includes attending an event at a future time; and

the current action includes performing a preparatory action in preparation for attending the event at the future time; and

the at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to determine the degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action by at least decreasing the degree of likelihood in response to determining the preparatory action cannot be completed within a threshold time of the future time.

15. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor of a computing system to:

predict a future action to be taken by a user of a computing device;

determine, based on contextual information associated with the computing device, a current action being taken by the user;

determine, based on the current action, a degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action;

predict, based on the degree of likelihood, that the user will not be able to take the future action; and

send, to the computing device, information indicating that the current action being taken by the user will lead to the user not being able to take the future action.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor of the computing system to determine a corrective action that the user can take to increase the degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action, wherein the information indicating the current action being taken by the user will lead to the user not being able to take the future action includes an indication of the corrective action.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

the future action includes arriving at a first location by a future time;

the current action includes traveling from a current location to a second location that is different than the first location; and

the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor of the computing system to determine the degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action by at least determining, based on the contextual information, an estimated arrival time for the user to arrive at the future location after traveling from the current location to the second location, and at least one of;

increasing the degree of likelihood in response to determining the estimated arrival time is within a threshold time of the future time;

or

decreasing the degree of likelihood in response to determining the estimated arrival time is not within the threshold time of the future time.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

the future action includes arriving at a first location by a future time;

the current action includes searching for information associated with a second location that is different than the first location; and

the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor of the computing system to determine the degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action by at least decreasing the degree of likelihood in response to determining the second location is a same type of location as the first location.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

the future action includes departing for a first location by a future time;

the current action includes sleeping at a current time; and

the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor of the computing system to determine the degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action by at least decreasing the degree of likelihood in response to determining the current time is within a threshold time of the future time.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

the future action includes attending an event at a future time; and

the current action includes performing a preparatory action in preparation for attending the event at the future time; and

the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor of the computing system to determine the degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action by at least decreasing the degree of likelihood in response to determining the preparatory action cannot be completed within a threshold time of the future time.