Aggregate collection of travel data

• US 7,970,666 B1
• Filed: 04/21/2005
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deem, Incorporated (Jack Taylor Family Voting Trust U A D 4 14 99)
• Original Assignee: Rearden Commerce Inc
• Inventors: Handel, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart; Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hayles; Ashford
• Application Number:
  US11/112,376
• Time in Patent Office: 2,259 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 701/207
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

One embodiment of the invention includes a method and system to provide a mobile device a travel schedule in response to the mobile device remotely logging into a separate system, provide the mobile device Global Positioning Systems (GPS) data for way points of the scheduled travel; and receive a time and location data from the mobile device in response to the mobile device entering a way point of the scheduled travel. In one embodiment, the time and location data received is to be used to determine at least one of an average, minimum, or maximum time of travel between separate way points.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

a mobile device obtaining from a system separate from the mobile device a travel schedule by remotely logging into the separate system, wherein the travel schedule from the separate system identifies a plurality of way points as destinations and modes of transportation to be used, the modes of transportation of the travel schedule determined by the separate system;

the mobile device obtaining Global Positioning Systems (GPS) data about way points of the travel schedule;

the mobile device transmitting time and location data about a way point of the travel schedule to the separate system, in response to the mobile device reaching the way point, wherein the time and location data transmitted to the separate system is to be used to determine at least one of an average, minimum, or maximum time of travel between separate way points during particular parts of a day with consideration of holiday events, and wherein the average, minimum, or maximum time of travel is aggregated from time and location data associated with a plurality of mobile devices of a plurality of mobile users, and wherein, after log in, the time and location data is to be anonymously stored in the separate system without identification of a user associated with the mobile device; and

upon completion of the travel schedule by the user, automatically loading a next travel schedule having a plurality of way points.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a cellular phone.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein obtaining from the system separate from the mobile device and transmitting the time and location data are performed wirelessly.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one way point comprises an airport location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one way point comprises a terminal at an airport location.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after transmitting the time and location data, determining if an additional way point remains on the travel schedule;

and

if an additional way point remains on the travel schedule, transmitting a time and location data in response to the mobile device entering a next way point of the travel schedule.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises an automated presence process for location tracking.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the separate system includes a service exchange system comprising a tracking attendant process for tracking data the separate system receives from the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining from the system separate from the mobile device further comprises obtaining the travel schedule in response to a secure login to the separate system.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising, if an additional way point remains on the travel schedule, loading the additional way point.

10. A computer implemented method comprising:

distinguishing, via a computing device, between one of;

a request from a mobile device to provide a travel schedule; and

a provision from a traveler of way point data concerning time and location upon arrival at a way point for addition to a database from which to calculate travel times between way points, the database aggregating way point data from a plurality of travelers;

providing the mobile device the travel schedule, identifying a plurality of way points as destinations, in response to the mobile device remotely logging into a system separate from the mobile device, wherein the travel schedule from the separate system identifies a plurality of way points as destinations and modes of transportation to be used, the modes of transportation of the travel schedule determined by the separate system;

providing the mobile device Global Positioning Systems (GPS) data about way points of the travel schedule; and

receiving a time and location data about a way point of the travel schedule from the mobile device in response to the mobile device reaching the way point, wherein the time and location data transmitted to the separate system is to be used to determine at least one of an average, minimum, or maximum time of travel between separate way points during particular parts of a day with consideration of holiday events, and wherein the average, minimum, or maximum time of travel is aggregated from time and location data associated with a plurality of mobile devices of a plurality of mobile users, and wherein, after log in, the time and location data is to be anonymously stored in the separate system without identification of a user associated with the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing a mobile device a travel schedule further comprises providing the travel schedule in response to a secure login to the separate system by the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising, if the request for the travel schedule is not transmitted by the mobile device, receiving way point data.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising saving the way point data as a log file.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising updating the at least one of an average, minimum, or maximum time of travel between separate way points using the way point data.

12. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions which when executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:

distinguishing, via the computing device, between one of;

a request from a mobile device to provide a travel schedule; and

a provision from a traveler of way point data concerning time and location upon arrival at a way point for addition to a database from which to calculate travel times between way points, the database aggregating way point data from a plurality of travelers;

providing the mobile device the travel schedule, identifying a plurality of way points as destinations, in response to the mobile device remotely logging into a system separate from the mobile device, wherein the travel schedule from the separate system identifies a plurality of way points as destinations and modes of transportation to be used, the modes of transportation of the travel schedule determined by the separate system;

providing the mobile device Global Positioning Systems (GPS) data about way points of the travel schedule; and

receiving a time and location data about a way point of the travel schedule from the mobile device in response to the mobile device reaching the way point, wherein the time and location data transmitted to the separate system is to be used to determine at least one of an average, minimum, or maximum time of travel between separate way points during particular parts of a day with consideration of holiday events, and wherein the average, minimum, or maximum time of travel is aggregated from time and location data associated with a plurality of mobile devices of a plurality of mobile users, and wherein, after log in, the time and location data is to be anonymously stored in the separate system without identification of a user associated with the mobile device.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein providing the mobile device the travel schedule further comprises providing the travel schedule in response to a secure login to the separate system by the mobile device.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12 further comprising, after receiving the time and location data, if an additional way point remains on the travel schedule, receiving additional time and location data in response to the mobile device entering a next way point of the travel schedule.