Automatic continued search

• US 9,146,116 B1
• Filed: 06/04/2014
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Champaneria, Amay Nitin, Brewin, Frederick Peter, Chennapragada, Aparna, Srikant, Ramakrishnan, Gupta, Vineet, Au, Carolyn, Guha, Ramanathan, Bellver, Pablo, Raghunathan, Vivek, Lakshminarayanan, Karthik, Lischeske, Carl, Manjunatha, Mahesh Keralapura, Kolluri, Ravi, Panesar, Kiran, Dai, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US14/296,375
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 701/408
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2423 Interactive query statement specification based on a database schema
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing travel-related information for a location to a user based on activity indications of the user that are related to the location. The location may be determined based on a set of one or more related activity indications and a travel-related score may be determined for the location that is indicative of likelihood that the user has interest in travelling to the location. The user may be provided the travel-related information for the location based on the travel-related score.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

identifying a plurality of activity indications of a user, each of the activity indications associated with one or more entities;

identifying a set of the activity indications from the plurality of activity indications based on one or more of the entities associated with the activity indications of the set;

determining a location based on one or more of the entities associated with the activity indications of the set;

determining a travel-related score for the location based on the activity indications of the set, wherein the travel-related score is indicative of likelihood that the user has interest in traveling to the location;

determining a collection of travel-related information indications, wherein each of the travel-related information indications identifies travel-related information for the location that may be of interest to the user and wherein determining the collection of travel-related information indications comprises;

identifying a plurality of documents related to travel to the location,

ranking the plurality of documents,

selecting one or more of the documents based on the ranking, and

determining one or more of the travel-related information indications of the collection based on the selected one or more of the documents; and

providing the collection of travel-related information indications based on the travel-related score satisfying a threshold and in response to a user interface activity indication.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a general travel information indication related to the location based on the travel-related score, wherein the general travel information indication indicates the location and the presence of information related to travel to the location; and

identifying a user selection of the general travel information indication;

wherein providing the collection of travel-related information indications is in response to identifying the user selection of the general travel information indication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ranking is based on at least one of the activity indications of the set of activity indications.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ranking is based on the determined location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user activity indications are each associated with an activity type.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the travel-related score is based on the activity type of at least one of the activity indications of the set.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the travel-related score includes determining an activity time of at least one of the activity indications of the set and wherein determining the travel-related score is based on comparing the activity time of at least one of the activity indications of the set with the current time.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein an activity type of a given activity indication of the set is a search query and the activity time is based on a submission time of the search query by the user.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the greater a difference is between the current time and the activity time, the less indicative the travel-related score is of user interest in traveling to the location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the travel-related information indications of the collection include one or more of:

a snippet from and a link to a document, travel directions, and a point of interest suggestion.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the travel-related score includes determining a likely travel time, the likely travel time indicative of when the user has interest in traveling to the location.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the travel-related score occurs at a first time, and further comprising:

adjusting the travel-related score at a second time based on the second time and the likely travel time, and wherein the second time is after the first time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein adjusting the travel-related score includes adjusting the travel-related score to be more indicative of user interest in travelling to the location when the second time is closer to the likely travel time than the first time.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein adjusting the travel-related score includes adjusting the travel-related score to be less indicative of user interest in traveling to the location when the second time is after the likely travel time.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the travel-related score includes identifying at least one user location that is associated with the user and comparing the user location to the determined location.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the travel-related score is based on a familiarity measure indicative of familiarity of the user with one or more of the entities of the activity indications of the set.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a current location of the user;

wherein determining the travel-related score is based on a distance between the current location of the user and the location.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a familiar location of the user; and

wherein determining the travel-related score is based on comparison of the familiar location to the location.

19. A system including memory and one or more processors operable to execute instructions stored in the memory, comprising instructions to:

identify a plurality of activity indications of a user, each of the activity indications associated with one or more entities;

identify a set of the activity indications from the plurality of activity indications based on one or more of the entities associated with the activity indications of the set;

determine a location based on one or more of the entities associated with the activity indications of the set;

determine a travel-related score for the location based on the activity indications of the set, wherein the travel-related score is indicative of likelihood that the user has interest in traveling to the location;

determine a collection of travel-related information indications, wherein each of the travel-related information indications identifies travel-related information for the location that may be of interest to the user and wherein the instructions to determine the collection of travel-related information indications include instructions to;

identify a plurality of documents related to travel to the location,

rank the plurality of documents,

select one or more of the documents based on the rank, and

determine one or more of the travel-related information indications of the collection based on the selected one or more of the documents; and

provide the collection of travel-related information indications based on the travel-related score satisfying a threshold and in response to a user interface activity indication.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising instructions to:

provide a general travel information indication related to the location based on the travel-related score, wherein the general travel information indication indicates the location and the presence of information related to travel to the location; and

identify a user selection of the general travel information indication;

wherein the instructions to provide the collection of travel-related information include instructions to provide the collection of travel-related information indications in response to identifying the user selection of the general travel information indication.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the rank is based on at least one of the activity indications of the set of activity indications.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the rank is based on the determined location.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions to determine the travel-related score include instructions to determine an activity time of at least one of the activity indications of the set and determine the travel-related score based on comparing the activity time of at least one of the activity indications of the set with the current time.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein an activity type of a given activity indication of the set is a search query and the activity time is based on a submission time of the search query by the user.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the greater a difference is between the current time and the activity time, the less indicative the travel-related score is of user interest in traveling to the location.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions to determine the travel-related score include instructions to determine a likely travel time, the likely travel time indicative of when the user has interest in traveling to the location.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the travel-related score is determined at a first time, and further comprising instructions to:

adjust the travel-related score at a second time based on the second time and the likely travel time, and wherein the second time is after the first time.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the instructions to adjust the travel-related score include instructions to adjust the travel-related score to be more indicative of user interest in travelling to the location when the second time is closer to the likely travel time than the first time.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the instructions to adjust the travel-related score include instructions to adjust the travel-related score to be less indicative of user interest in traveling to the location when the second time is after the likely travel time.

30. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions to determine the travel-related score include instructions to determine the travel-related score based on identifying at least one user location that is associated with the user and comparing the user location to the determined location.

31. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:

identifying a plurality of activity indications of a user, each of the activity indications associated with one or more entities;

identifying a set of the activity indications from the plurality of activity indications based on one or more of the entities associated with the activity indications of the set;

determining a location based on one or more of the entities associated with the activity indications of the set;

determining a travel-related score for the location based on the activity indications of the set, wherein the travel-related score is indicative of likelihood that the user has interest in traveling to the location;

determining a collection of travel-related information indications, wherein each of the travel-related information indications identifies travel-related information for the location that may be of interest to the user and wherein determining the collection of travel-related information indications comprises;

identifying a plurality of documents related to travel to the location,

ranking the plurality of documents,

selecting one or more of the documents based on the ranking, and

determining one or more of the travel-related information indications of the collection based on the selected one or more of the documents; and

providing the collection of travel-related information indications based on the travel-related score satisfying a threshold and in response to a user interface activity indication.

32. A computer implemented method, comprising:

identifying a plurality of activity indications of a user, each of the activity indications associated with one or more entities;

identifying a set of the activity indications from the plurality of activity indications based on one or more of the entities associated with the activity indications of the set;

determining a location based on one or more of the entities associated with the activity indications of the set;

determining a travel-related score for the location based on the activity indications of the set and based on a familiarity measure indicative of familiarity of the user with one or more of the entities of the activity indications of the set, wherein the travel-related score is indicative of likelihood that the user has interest in traveling to the location;

determining a collection of travel-related information indications, wherein each of the travel-related information indications identifies travel-related information for the location that may be of interest to the user; and

providing the collection of travel-related information indications based on the travel-related score satisfying a threshold and in response to a user interface activity indication.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

providing a general travel information indication related to the location based on the travel-related score, wherein the general travel information indication indicates the location and the presence of information related to travel to the location; and

identifying a user selection of the general travel information indication;

wherein providing the collection of travel-related information indications is in response to identifying the user selection of the general travel information indication.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the travel-related information indications of the collection include one or more of:

a snippet from and a link to a document, travel directions, and a point of interest suggestion.

35. A system including memory and one or more processors operable to execute instructions stored in the memory, comprising instructions to:

identify a plurality of activity indications of a user, each of the activity indications associated with one or more entities;

identify a set of the activity indications from the plurality of activity indications based on one or more of the entities associated with the activity indications of the set;

determine a location based on one or more of the entities associated with the activity indications of the set;

determine a travel-related score for the location based on the activity indications of the set and based on a familiarity measure indicative of familiarity of the user with one or more of the entities of the activity indications of the set, wherein the travel-related score is indicative of likelihood that the user has interest in traveling to the location;

determine a collection of travel-related information indications, wherein each of the travel-related information indications identifies travel-related information for the location that may be of interest to the user; and

provide the collection of travel-related information indications based on the travel-related score satisfying a threshold and in response to a user interface activity indication.

36. The system of claim 35, further comprising instructions to:

provide a general travel information indication related to the location based on the travel-related score, wherein the general travel information indication indicates the location and the presence of information related to travel to the location; and

identify a user selection of the general travel information indication;

wherein the instructions to provide the collection of travel-related information include instructions to provide the collection of travel-related information indications in response to identifying the user selection of the general travel information indication.

37. A computer implemented method, comprising:

identifying a plurality of activity indications of a user, each of the activity indications associated with one or more entities;

identifying a set of the activity indications from the plurality of activity indications based on one or more of the entities associated with the activity indications of the set;

determining a location based on one or more of the entities associated with the activity indications of the set;

determining a travel-related score for the location based on the activity indications of the set, wherein the travel-related score is indicative of likelihood that the user has interest in traveling to the location, wherein an activity type of a given activity indication of the activity indications of the set is a search query and wherein determining the travel-related score includes determining an activity time of the given activity indication based on a submission time of the search query and determining the travel-related score based on comparing the activity time of the search query with a current time;

determining a collection of travel-related information indications, wherein each of the travel-related information indications identifies travel-related information for the location that may be of interest to the user; and

providing the collection of travel-related information indications based on the travel-related score satisfying a threshold and in response to a user interface activity indication.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

providing a general travel information indication related to the location based on the travel-related score, wherein the general travel information indication indicates the location and the presence of information related to travel to the location; and

identifying a user selection of the general travel information indication;

wherein providing the collection of travel-related information indications is in response to identifying the user selection of the general travel information indication.

39. A system including memory and one or more processors operable to execute instructions stored in the memory, comprising instructions to:

identify a plurality of activity indications of a user, each of the activity indications associated with one or more entities;

identify a set of the activity indications from the plurality of activity indications based on one or more of the entities associated with the activity indications of the set;

determine a location based on one or more of the entities associated with the activity indications of the set;

determine a travel-related score for the location based on the activity indications of the set and based on a familiarity measure indicative of familiarity of the user with one or more of the entities of the activity indications of the set, wherein the travel-related score is indicative of likelihood that the user has interest in traveling to the location, wherein an activity type of a given activity indication of the activity indications of the set is a search query and wherein the instructions to determine the travel-related score include instructions to determine an activity time of the given activity indication based on a submission time of the search query and determine the travel-related score based on comparing the activity time of the search query with a current time;

determine a collection of travel-related information indications, wherein each of the travel-related information indications identifies travel-related information for the location that may be of interest to the user; and

provide the collection of travel-related information indications based on the travel-related score satisfying a threshold and in response to a user interface activity indication.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising instructions to:

provide a general travel information indication related to the location based on the travel-related score, wherein the general travel information indication indicates the location and the presence of information related to travel to the location; and

identify a user selection of the general travel information indication;

wherein the instructions to provide the collection of travel-related information include instructions to provide the collection of travel-related information indications in response to identifying the user selection of the general travel information indication.