User behavior-based remotely-triggered automated actions

• US 8,170,960 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2007
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bill, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUSS, BENJAMIN J
• Application Number:
  US11/944,006
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 706/11, 706/14, 706/48, 701207-210, 701/213, 340988-990
• US Class Current: 706/11
• 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: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location

Abstract

An action is triggered by receiving information related to a predicted destination of a user, accessing a library that maps user actions to destinations, determining that at least one of the destinations in the library corresponds with the predicted destination of the user and at least one of the destinations in the library, identifying a user action, within the library, that is associated with the destination determined to correspond with the predicted destination of the user, and triggering the user action.

Claims

1. A method for triggering an action, the method comprising:

receiving information related to a predicted destination of a user;

determining whether a first action associated with the user exists for the predicted destination by analyzing past behavior of the user;

computing a likelihood of whether the first action associated with the user exists for the predicted destination;

automatically triggering the first action only based on whether the likelihood is supported by a predefined threshold value;

accessing a library, stored in a memory device, that maps user actions to destinations;

determining, using a processor, that at least one of the destinations in the library corresponds with the predicted destination of the user;

determining, using a processor, that at least one of the destinations in the library corresponds with the predicted destination of the user;

performing a search, using information external to the library, to identify at least one additional action associated with the destination determined to correspond with the predicted destination, wherein performing the search comprises searching for an activity previously scheduled to occur near the predicted destination and at a predicted arrival time of the user at the predicted destination;

prompting the user to select one or more actions from the second user action and the at least one additional action; and

triggering the one or more selected actions.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accessing a library that maps user actions to predicted arrival times at the destinations;

determining that at least one of the predicted arrival times in the library corresponds with the predicted arrival time of the user and at least one of the destinations in the library;

identifying the user action, within the library, that is associated with the predicted arrival time determined to correspond with the predicted arrival time of the user; and

triggering the user action.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein triggering the one or more selected actions includes configuring home appliances to perform a specified action at a specified time or making a reservation for a restaurant at the predicted destination.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that at least one of the destinations in the library corresponds to a restaurant;

identifying available reservations for the restaurant;

receiving a selection from among the available reservations; and

entering the reservation on behalf of the user.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying the predicted destination for the user;

determining that the predicted destination is associated with a particular communications pattern for the user;

identifying a particular communication within the particular communications pattern;

triggering the particular communication on behalf of the user, wherein the particular communication includes a text message indicating that the user is driving towards a particular destination, a voice message that the user is driving towards a particular destination, or establishing a connection between the user and a different user associated with the particular destination.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein triggering the one or more selected actions includes activating a script associated with the destination.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein triggering the one or more selected actions includes triggering the one or more selected actions based on a predicted arrival time of the user at the predicted destination.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein triggering the one or more selected actions includes configuring home or office appliances to perform a specified action at a specified time.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein triggering the one or more selected actions includes making a reservation at a restaurant.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein triggering the one or more selected actions includes arranging car pooling.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that an action associated with the user for the predicted destination does not exist;

presenting the user with a list of potential actions; and

receiving user input that identifies the action to be triggered from among the potential actions.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

presenting the user with a description of the second user action;

receiving user input indicating whether the second user action should be triggered; and

triggering the second user action if the user indicates the action should be triggered.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving information related to a predicted destination of a user includes receiving global positioning system (GPS) data indicating the current geographical location of the user.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving information related to a predicted destination of a user further includes receiving data indicating a previous geographic location of the user.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving information related to a predicted destination of a user includes receiving an indication of the time of day.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving information related to a predicted destination of a user includes receiving an indication of the previous activity of the user with respect to the predicted destination.

17. A system that triggers an action, the system comprising:

a memory device; and

a processor configured to;

receive information related to a predicted destination of a user;

determine whether a first action associated with the user exists for the predicted destination by analyzing past behavior of the user;

compute a likelihood of whether the first action associated with the user exists for the predicted destination;

automatically trigger the first action only based on whether the likelihood is supported by a predefined threshold value;

access a library, stored in the memory device, that maps user actions to destinations;

determine that at least one of the destinations in the library corresponds with the predicted destination of the user;

identify a second user action, within the library, that is associated with the destination determined to correspond with the predicted destination of the user;

perform a search, using information external to the library, to identify at least one additional action associated with the destination determined to correspond with the predicted destination, wherein performing the search comprises searching for an activity previously scheduled to occur near the predicted destination and at a predicted arrival time of the user at the predicted destination;

prompt the user to select one or more actions from the second user action and the at least one additional action; and

trigger the one or more selected actions.

18. A computer program tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions that when executed on a processor cause the program to:

receive information related to a predicted destination of a user;

determine whether a first action associated with the user exists for the predicted destination by analyzing past behavior of the user;

compute a likelihood of whether the first action associated with the user exists for the predicted destination,

automatically trigger the first action only based on whether the likelihood is supported by a predefined threshold value;

access a library that maps user actions to destinations;

determine that at least one of the destinations in the library corresponds with the predicted destination of the user;

identify a second user action, within the library, that is associated with the destination determined to correspond with the predicted destination of the user;

perform a search, using information external to the library, to identify at least one additional action associated with the destination determined to correspond with the predicted destination, wherein performing the search comprises searching for an activity previously scheduled to occur near the predicted destination and at a predicted arrival time of the user at the predicted destination;

prompt the user to select one or more actions from the second user action and the at least one additional action; and

trigger the one or more selected actions.