Location-intention context for content delivery

• US 8,983,978 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Priyadarshan, Eswar, Grigorovici, Dan Marius, Abdala, Omar
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US12/873,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,659 Days
• Field of Search: 707/751, 705/14.66
• US Class Current: 707/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context

Abstract

Invitational content targeted to a particular behavior can be served to the user when the user is likely to reproduce a desired behavior. The user is classified into one or more spatial-temporal segments based on an analysis of the user'"'"'s characteristics and the user'"'"'s past behavior. When a request is made for an item of invitational content, a spatial-temporal segment is selected based on a substantial likelihood that the current context will lead to a repeat of the representative past behavior. An item of invitational content associated with the selected segment is then served to the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

analyzing, by a processor, user characteristic data regarding a first user, the user characteristic data indicating user actions performed by the first user based on time;

assigning, by the processor, the first user to a first spatial-temporal segment when analyzing the user characteristic data indicates that the first user performed a target user action associated with the first spatial-temporal segment during a recurring target time associated with the first spatial-temporal segment; and

while the user is assigned to the first spatial-temporal segment;

determining, by the processor, a current location of the first user during the recurring target time associated with the first spatial-temporal segment;

determining, by the processor, that the first user is going to perform the target user action during the recurring target time when the current location of the first user is within a predetermined distance of a target location associated with the first spatial-temporal segment; and

upon a determination that the user is going to perform the target user action, serving, by the processor, invitational content associated with the first spatial-temporal segment to the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the current location of the first user is based on a location of a mobile device of the first user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the recurring time is a fixed time repeating weekly.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the recurring time is variable based on a schedule associated with the target user action.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the target location is a location where the target user action can be performed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the target location is a home location of the first user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein serving invitational content associated with the first special-temporal segment is performed in response to receiving a content request from a mobile device of the first user during the recurring time.

8. A content delivery system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

analyze user characteristic data regarding a first user, the user characteristic data indicating user actions performed by the first user based on time;

assign the first user to a first spatial-temporal segment when analyzing the user characteristic data indicates that the first user performed a target user action associated with the first spatial-temporal segment during a recurring target time associated with the first spatial-temporal segment; and

while the first user is assigned to the first spatial-temporal segment;

determine a current location of the first user during the recurring target time associated with the first spatial-temporal segment;

determine that the first user is going to perform the target user action during the recurring target time when the current location of the first user is within a predetermined distance of a target location associated with the first spatial-temporal segment; and

upon a determination that the user is going to perform the target user action, serve invitational content associated with the first spatial-temporal segment to the first user.

9. The content delivery system of claim 8, wherein determining the current location of the first user is based on a location of a mobile device of the first user.

10. The content delivery system of claim 8, wherein the recurring time is a fixed time repeating weekly.

11. The content delivery system of claim 8, wherein the recurring time is variable based on a schedule associated with the target user action.

12. The content delivery system of claim 8, wherein the target location is a location where the target user action can be performed.

13. The content delivery system of claim 8, wherein the target location is a home location of the first user.

14. The content delivery system of claim 8, wherein serving invitational content associated with the first special-temporal segment is performed in response to receiving a content request from a mobile device of the first user during the recurring time.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

analyze user characteristic data regarding a first user, the user characteristic data indicating user actions performed by the first user based on time;

assign the first user to a first spatial-temporal segment when analyzing the user characteristic data indicates that the first user performed a target user action associated with the first spatial-temporal segment during a recurring target time associated with the first spatial-temporal segment; and

while the first user is assigned to the first spatial-temporal segment;

determine a current location of the first user during the recurring target time associated with the first spatial-temporal segment;

determine that the first user is going to perform the target user action during the recurring target time when the current location of the first user is within a predetermined distance of a target location associated with the first spatial-temporal segment; and

upon a determination that the user is going to perform the target user action, serve invitational content associated with the first spatial-temporal segment to the first user.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein determining the current location of the first user is based on a location of a mobile device of the first user.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the recurring time is a fixed time repeating weekly.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the recurring time is variable based on a schedule associated with the target user action.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the target location is a location where the target user action can be performed.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the target location is a home location of the first user.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein serving invitational content associated with the first special-temporal segment is performed in response to receiving a content request from a mobile device of the first user during the recurring time.