Locating place of lodging along a route

• US 8,868,343 B1
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Priceline.com LLC (Booking Holdings, Inc., fka Priceline Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Priceline.com LLC (Booking Holdings, Inc., fka Priceline Group Inc.)
• Inventors: Caine, John, Taylor, Jonathan, Diliberto, Michael, Lake, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US14/089,647
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 701/527, 701/431, 701408-410, 701/425, 701/426, 701/438, 701/453, 701/454, 701/532, 701/533, 701/540, 701/400, 701/467, 340/995.1, 340/995.2, 340/995.12, 340/995.23, 340/995.24
• US Class Current: 701/527
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence

Abstract

Techniques for locating places of lodging along a route and for displaying information relating to the places of lodging are described. A plurality of search points on a route are selected according to various selection techniques. Performance of a plurality of point searches is caused, where each point search of the plurality of point searches is associated with a respective search point of the plurality of search points and is a search for places of lodging near the respective search point. Search result information relating to at least some point searches of the plurality of point searches is displayed in association with route information relating to the route.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, using a computer, a starting point and a destination point;

determining, using the computer, a route of a journey by a mode of transportation from the starting point to the destination point;

selecting a plurality of search points that are spaced apart and on the route;

causing performance of a plurality of point searches, wherein each point search of the plurality of point searches is associated with a search point of the plurality of search points and is a search for places of lodging that are near the search point;

receiving, using the computer, search results of two or more of the plurality of point searches and identifying two or more places of lodging located along the route;

determining that a point search based upon a particular search point resulted in greater than a particular threshold number of lodging places, wherein the particular threshold number is greater than 0;

selecting the particular search point for inclusion in a set of search points that is a subset of the plurality of search points based on the determining that the point search resulted in greater than the particular threshold number of lodging places;

selecting search result information corresponding to the particular search point for display based on a determination that the particular search point belongs to the set of search points;

causing display of the search result information in association with route information relating to the route.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting the plurality of search points on the route comprises:

selecting a certain search point based on a predetermined route segment length and one or more of;

a distance of the certain search point from another point on the route;

or

an amount of time that is estimated to elapse while traveling on the route before the certain search point is reached from the another point on the route;

wherein the predetermined route segment length indicates any of an amount of time or distance to be traveled per route segment.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, selecting the plurality of search points on the route comprises:

selecting the particular search point by comparing an estimated time at which the particular search point is estimated to be reached and a preferred stop time determined prior to determining the route.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting the plurality of search points comprises selecting a certain search point based on a navigation direction associated with the certain search point.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting the plurality of search points on the route comprises:

determining that a particular attraction of a plurality of attractions is within a threshold distance from a particular point on the route;

selecting the particular point on the route based on the determination that the particular attraction is within the threshold distance from the particular point on the route.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein causing display of the search result information in association with the route information relating to the route comprises:

causing display of a graphical depiction of the route upon a geographical map with certain search points emphasized, wherein a search point of the certain search points is annotated with certain search result information relating to a point search associated with the search point.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein causing display of the search result information in association with the route information comprises:

causing display of a result display item between two navigation directions, wherein the result display item comprises information describing at least one lodging place included as a search result of at least one point search of the plurality of point searches.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the result display item represents a single search point.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the result display item represents a group of search points, the method further comprising:

determining that the result display item is selected;

causing display of additional result display items, wherein each result display item of the additional result display items represents a corresponding search point of the group of search points.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting particular lodging places from results of the plurality of point searches;

assigning, for each lodging place of the particular lodging places, a price category to the lodging place;

causing display of a graphical depiction of the route upon a map wherein, for each lodging place of the particular lodging places, the price category assigned to the lodging place is visually indicated in association with a location on a geographical map corresponding to the location of the lodging place.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the mode of transportation is any of driving and public transportation.

12. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining a starting point and a destination point;

determining a route of a journey by a mode of transportation from the starting point to the destination point;

determining that a time corresponding to a preferred check-in time has been reached;

determining an amount of distance along the route between a current location at the time corresponding to the preferred check-in time and the destination point;

based on a determination that the amount of distance is greater than a particular amount and that a time corresponding to a preferred check-in time has been reached, recommending a lodging place along the route;

wherein the computer-implemented method is performed by one or more computing devices.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the time corresponding to the preferred check-in time is the preferred check-in time.

14. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause:

determining, using a computer, a starting point and a destination point;

determining, using the computer, a route of a journey by a mode of transportation from the starting point to the destination point;

selecting a plurality of search points that are spaced apart and on the route;

causing performance of a plurality of point searches, wherein each point search of the plurality of point searches is associated with a search point of the plurality of search points and is a search for places of lodging that are near the search point;

receiving, using the computer, search results of two or more of the plurality of point searches and identifying two or more places of lodging located along the route;

determining that a point search based upon a particular search point resulted in greater than a particular threshold number of lodging places, wherein the particular threshold number is greater than 0;

selecting the particular search point for inclusion in a set of search points that is a subset of the plurality of search points based on the determining that the point search resulted in greater than the particular threshold number of lodging places;

selecting search result information corresponding to the particular search point for display based on a determination that the particular search point belongs to the set of search points;

causing display of the search result information in association with route information relating to the route.

15. The non-transitory storage media of claim 14, wherein selecting the plurality of search points on the route comprises:

selecting a certain search point based on a predetermined route segment length and one or more of;

a distance of the certain search point from another point on the route;

or

an amount of time that is estimated to elapse while traveling on the route before the certain search point is reached from the another point on the route;

wherein the predetermined route segment length indicates any of an amount of time or distance to be traveled per route segment.

16. The non-transitory storage media of claim 14, wherein selecting the plurality of search points on the route comprises:

selecting the particular search point by comparing an estimated time at which the particular search point is estimated to be reached and a preferred stop time determined prior to determining the route.

17. The non-transitory storage media of claim 14, wherein selecting the plurality of search points comprises selecting a certain search point based on a navigation direction associated with the certain search point.

18. The non-transitory storage media of claim 14, wherein selecting the plurality of search points on the route comprises:

determining that a particular attraction of a plurality of attractions is within a threshold distance from a particular point on the route;

selecting the particular point on the route based on the determination that the particular attraction is within the threshold distance from the particular point on the route.

19. The non-transitory storage media of claim 14, wherein causing display of the search result information in association with the route information relating to the route comprises:

causing display of a graphical depiction of the route upon a geographical map with certain search points emphasized, wherein a search point of the certain search points is annotated with certain search result information relating to a point search associated with the search point.

20. The non-transitory storage media of claim 14, wherein causing display of the search result information in association with the route information comprises:

causing display of a result display item between two navigation directions, wherein the result display item comprises information describing at least one lodging place included as a search result of at least one point search of the plurality of point searches.

21. The non-transitory storage media of claim 20, wherein the result display item represents a single search point.

22. The non-transitory storage media of claim 20, wherein the result display item represents a group of search points, the method further comprising:

determining that the result display item is selected;

causing display of additional result display items, wherein each result display item of the additional result display items represents a corresponding search point of the group of search points.

23. The non-transitory storage media of claim 14 which, when executed by one or more computing devices, further causes:

selecting particular lodging places from results of the plurality of point searches;

assigning, for each lodging place of the particular lodging places, a price category to the lodging place;

causing display of a graphical depiction of the route upon a map wherein, for each lodging place of the particular lodging places, the price category assigned to the lodging place is visually indicated in association with a location on a geographical map corresponding to the location of the lodging place.

24. The non-transitory storage media of claim 14, wherein the mode of transportation is any of driving and public transportation.

25. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause:

determining a starting point and a destination point;

determining a route of a journey by a mode of transportation from the starting point to the destination point;

determining that a time corresponding to a preferred check-in time has been reached;

determining an amount of distance along the route between a current location at the time corresponding to the preferred check-in time and the destination point;

based on a determination that the amount of distance is greater than a particular amount and that a time corresponding to a preferred check-in time has been reached, recommending a lodging place along the route;

wherein the computer-implemented method is performed by one or more computing devices.

26. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 25, wherein the time corresponding to the preferred check-in time is the preferred check-in time.