Online resource serving to a traveling user

• US 9,219,788 B1
• Filed: 01/08/2014
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Buron, Florian, Stefanov, Hristo Stefanov, Strobl, Reto, Dropsho, Steven George, Angelova, Ralitsa Lyudmilova
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Scott C
• Application Number:
  US14/150,238
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Methods and systems for serving at least one online resource item to a user based on a state of the user are provided. A host computing device in communication with a memory receives data representing a record of movements of a user device. A user device profile associates locations of the user device with points in time, and with a state of a user. Following receipt of a resource request from the user device, a state of the user is determined. After at least one candidate online resource item responsive to the resource request are received, at least one online resource item relevant to the state of the user is identified and served to the user device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for serving an online resource item to a user device based at least in part on a state of the user, the method implemented using a host computing device in communication with a memory, said method comprising:

receiving, at a host computing device, movement data from a user device, the movement data representing a record of movement of the user device over a period of time, the movement data including location data and time data;

assigning to the user device, by the host computing device, a home location and work location based on the movement data;

categorizing, by the host computing device, the movement data into a plurality of patterns based on the home location, the work location, and associations between the location data and the time data of the movement data for the user device, wherein each pattern of the plurality of patterns is associated with at least one of a plurality of predefined states of the user;

generating, by the host computing device, a user device profile for the user device including the plurality of patterns and the associated predefined states of the user;

storing the user device profile within the memory;

receiving a resource request associated with the user device;

determining a current pattern of the user based at least in part on a current location of the user;

determining, by the host computing device, a current state of the user based at least in part on the user device profile and the current pattern of the user;

receiving, at the host computing device, at least one candidate online resource item responsive to the resource request;

identifying, by the host computing device, from the received at least one candidate online resource item, at least one online resource item relevant to the current state of the user; and

serving, from the host computing device, the identified at least one online resource item relevant to the current state of the user to the user device.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one candidate online resource item comprises at least one of a search result, a publication, and an advertisement.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the current state of the user includes a first state of the user and a recurring state of the user, wherein the first state of the user is based on the current location of the user device and indicates whether the user device is currently at least one of within a typical travel pattern, within an atypical travel pattern, travelling for business, travelling for pleasure, travelling locally for personal reasons, at a home location, at a work location, and at a vacation location, and wherein the recurring state of the user indicates a predetermined frequency of travel by the user device to a specific destination.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein storing the user device profile within the memory comprises at least one of storing the user device profile within memory associated with the user device, and storing the user device profile within memory associated with the host computing device.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the patterns of the user comprise at least a home travel pattern, a work travel pattern, and a vacation travel pattern.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein serving, from the host computing device, the identified at least one online resource item relevant to the current state of the user comprises at least one of:

serving information responsive to a user search query and the determined current state of the user;

serving a specific publication responsive to a user search query and the determined current state of the user;

serving an online resource item to the user independently of a user search query and responsive to the determined current state of the user; and

serving a destination suggestion based on the determined current state of the user, the destination suggestion including at least one of travel directions and a map.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the host computing device, data representing a record of movements of a user device after service of the identified at least one online resource item relevant to the current state of the user;

comparing, by the host computing device, the record of movements after service of the identified at least one online resource item to a location embodied in the served at least one online resource item; and

generating, by the host computing device, a feedback signal representative of a level of correspondence between the record of movements after service of the served at least one online resource item and the location embodied in the at least one online resource item.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the identified at least one online resource item is an advertisement, said method further comprising:

determining, by the host computing device, whether the level of correspondence exceeds a predetermined level;

generating, by the host computing device, a conversion message that contains data representing the advertisement, if the level of correspondence exceeds the predetermined level; and

transmitting the conversion message to an advertiser.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one online resource item is an advertisement, said method further comprising:

receiving, by the host computing device, data representing a request by the user device for driving directions to a destination associated with the advertisement;

generating, by the host computing device, a conversion message that contains the data representing the driving directions request; and

transmitting the conversion message to an advertiser.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein generating a user device profile further comprises deriving location data of the user device from email data associated with the user device.

11. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein receiving, by the host computing device, movement data from a user device comprises receiving location data regarding the user device via at least one of an Internet Protocol address, Global Positioning system data, Wi-Fi signal strength, cell tower signal strength, and telecommunications triangulation data.

12. A computer system for serving an online resource item to a user device based at least in part on a state of the user, said computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage device having encoded thereon computer-readable instructions that are executable by the processor to perform functions comprising;

receiving movement data from a user device, the movement data representing a record of movement of the user device over a period of time, the movement data including location data and time data;

assigning to the user device a home location and work location based on the movement data;

categorizing the movement data into a plurality of patterns based on the home location, the work location, and associations between the location data and the time data of the movement data for the user device, wherein each pattern of the plurality of patterns is associated with at least one of a plurality of predefined states of the user;

generating a user device profile for the user device including the the plurality of patterns and the associated predefined states of the user;

storing the user device profile within a memory;

receiving a resource request associated with the user device;

determining a current pattern of the user based at least in part on a current location of the user;

determining a current state of the user based at least in part on the user device profile and the current pattern of the user;

receiving at least one candidate online resource item responsive to the resource request;

identifying, from the received at least one candidate online resource item, at least one online resource item relevant to the current state of the user; and

serving the identified at least one online resource item relevant to the current state of the user to the user device.

13. The computer system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the at least one online resource item served includes at least one of:

information responsive to a user search query and the determined current state of the user;

a specific publication responsive to a user search query and the determined current state of the user;

an online resource item received independently of a user search query and responsive to the determined current state of the user;

a destination suggestion based on the determined current state of the user, the destination suggestion including at least one of travel directions and a map; and

an advertisement.

14. The computer system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

receive data representing a record of movements of a user device after service of the identified at least one online resource item relevant to the current state of the user;

compare the record of movements after service of the identified at least one online resource item to a location embodied in the served at least one online resource item; and

generate a feedback signal representative of a level of correspondence between the record of movements after service of the served at least one online resource item and the location embodied in the at least one online resource item.

15. The computer system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the identified at least one online resource item is an advertisement, and wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

determine whether the level of correspondence exceeds a predetermined level;

generate a conversion message that contains data representing the advertisement, if the level of correspondence exceeds the predetermined level; and

transmit the conversion message to an advertiser.

16. The computer system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the identified at least one online resource item is an advertisement, and wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

receive data representing a request by the user device for driving directions to a destination associated with the advertisement;

generate a conversion message that contains the data representing the driving directions request; and

transmit the conversion message to an advertiser.

17. The computer system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to derive location data from email data.

18. The computer system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to receive location data regarding the user device via at least one of an Internet Protocol address, Global Positioning system data, Wi-Fi signal strength, cell tower signal strength, and telecommunications triangulation data.

19. Non-transitory computer readable storage media having computer-executable instructions thereon for serving an online resource item to a user device based at least in part on a state of the user, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to:

receive movement data from a user device, the movement data representing a record of movement of the user device over a period of time, the movement data including location data and time data;

assign to the user device a home location and work location based on the movement data;

categorize the movement data into a plurality of patterns based on the home location, the work location, and associations between the location data and the time data of the movement data for the user device, wherein each pattern of the plurality of patterns is associated with at least one of a plurality of predefined states of the user;

generate a user device profile for the user device including the the plurality of patterns and the associated predefined states of the user;

store the user device profile within a memory;

receive a resource request associated with the user device;

determine a current pattern of the user based at least in part on a current location of the user;

determine a current state of the user based at least in part on the user device profile and the current pattern of the user;

receive at least one candidate online resource item responsive to the resource request;

identify from the at least one candidate online resource item, at least one online resource item relevant to the current state of the user; and

serve the identified at least one online resource item relevant to the current state of the user to the user device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 19, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to:

receive data representing a record of movements of the user device after service of the identified at least one online resource item relevant to the state of the user;

compare the record of movements after service of the identified at least one online resource item to a location embodied in the served at least one online resource item; and

generate a feedback signal representative of a level of correspondence between the record of movements after service of the served at least one online resource item and the location embodied in the served at least one online resource item.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 19, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to serve the at least one online resource item including at least one of:

information responsive to a user search query;

a specific publication responsive to a user search query and the determined state of the user;

an online resource item received independently of a user search query and responsive to the determined state of the user;

a destination suggestion based on the determined state of the user, the destination suggestion including at least one of travel directions and a map; and

an advertisement.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 19, wherein the at least one online resource item is an advertisement that includes a link to travel directions to a destination associated with the advertisement, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

receive data representing a record of movements of a user device after the user clicks on the travel directions link;

compare the record of movements subsequent to the user click on the travel directions link; and

generate a feedback signal representative of a level of correspondence between the record of movements subsequent to the user click on the travel directions link and the destination embodied in the travel directions link.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 19, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to serve the at least one resource item through at least one of a video viewing platform, a search platform, and an email platform.