Systems and methods to modify direction of travel as a function of action items

• US 9,557,185 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2014
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HomeAway.com, Inc. (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: HomeAway, Inc. (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kimes, Juliette Susan
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Rodney
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRUSHABER, FREDERICK M
• Application Number:
  US14/539,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20160131490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Various embodiments relate generally to a system, a device and a method provide for a modification of direction of travel based on, for example, proximity thresholds and adaptive alerts specifying an action item. In one or more embodiments, a method can include receiving at a device action alert data including data representing a destination at which an action item resides and data representing an event time frame during which the action item is actionable. Also, the method can include determining at a processor data representing a proximity threshold value relative to a detected location data as a function of at least a rate of travel to form a subset of proximity threshold data specifying the proximity threshold value under which generation of an adaptive alert is enabled. The method can facilitate a change in travel from a first path segment to a second path segment to the destination.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method implemented by a mobile computing device according to computer-executable instructions, the computer-implemented method comprising:

displaying, on a display of the mobile computing device, a user interface enabling specification by a user of an action item that the user desires to complete;

receiving, via the user interface, an indication of the action item, an action item location at which the action item is actionable, and an action item time frame during which the action item is actionable;

receiving, via the user interface, a request for navigation instructions for travel to a destination, wherein the input specifies a desired arrival time frame in which the user desires to arrive at the destination;

detecting a current location of the mobile computing device;

obtaining an initial travel route directing the user from the current location to the destination, wherein the initial travel route is associated with an expected arrival time at which the user is expected to arrive at the destination under the initial travel route;

determining an updated travel route, the updated travel route deviating from the initial travel route and directing the user to the action item location and subsequently to the destination, wherein the updated travel route is associated with an expected arrival time at which the user is expected to arrive at the action item location under the updated travel route and a revised expected arrival time at which the user is expected to arrive at the destination under the updated travel route;

verifying that the expected arrival time at the action item location falls within the action item time frame and that the revised expected arrival time at the destination falls within the desired arrival time frame; and

displaying, within the user interface, an alert to facilitate a change in travel from the initial travel route to the updated travel route.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying the alert comprises displaying the updated travel route.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the action item is a first action item, wherein the action item location is a first action item location, and wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises:

receiving, via the user interface, an indication of a second action item, a second action item location associated with the second action item, and a second action item time frame during which the second action item is actionable; and

determining a second updated travel route, the second updated travel route deviating from the initial travel route and directing the user to the second action item location and subsequently to the destination, wherein the second updated travel route indicates an expected arrival time at which the user is expected to arrive at the second action item location under the second updated travel route and a second revised expected arrival time at which the user is expected to arrive at the destination under the second updated travel route.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the second updated travel route directs the user to both the first action item location and the second action item location.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining that the expected arrival time at the second action item location does not fall within the second action item event time frame, that the second revised expected arrival time at the destination does not fall within the desired arrival time frame, or both; and

declining to display a second alert to facilitate a change in travel to the second updated travel route.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

verifying that the expected arrival time at the second action item location falls within the second action item time frame and that the second revised expected arrival time at the destination falls within the desired arrival time frame; and

displaying, within the user interface, a second alert to facilitate a change in travel to the second updated travel route.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a categorization for the first action item, the categorization for the first action item identifying the first action item as a specialized action item based at least partly on determining that the action item location is an individual location;

determining a categorization for the second action item, the categorization for the second action item identifying the second action item as a generic action item based at least partly on determining that the second action item location includes a plurality of locations;

and

determining that the first action item should be prioritized over the second action item based at least in part on the categorizations of the first and second action items.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a categorization for the first action item, the categorization for the first action item identifying the first action type as a specialized-generic action item that is a specialized action item during the action item time frame and is a generic item outside the action item time frame;

determining the expected arrival time at the action item location is during the action item time frame; and

determining that the first action item should be prioritized over the second action item based at least in part on the categorization of the first action item.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a priority for the first action item;

determining a priority for the second action item;

and

determining that the first action item should be prioritized over the second action item based at least in part on the respective priorities of the first and second action items.

10. Non-transitory computer readable media comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to:

receive, via a user interface displayed on a display of a mobile computing device, an indication of the action item, an action item location at which the action item is actionable, and an action item time frame during which the action item is actionable;

receive, via the user interface, a request to navigate to a destination, wherein the request specifies a desired arrival time frame in which the user desires to arrive at the destination;

detect a current location of the mobile computing device;

determine a travel route directing the user from the current location to the action item location and subsequently to the destination, wherein the travel route is associated with an expected arrival time at which the user is expected to arrive at the action item location under the travel route and an expected arrival time at which the user is expected to arrive at the destination under the travel route;

verify that the expected arrival time at the action item location falls within the action item time frame and that the expected arrival time at the destination falls within the desired arrival time frame; and

transmit to the mobile computing device information causing display, on the mobile computing device, of an alert to facilitate travel on the travel route.

11. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 10, wherein the travel route is an updated travel route, and wherein the executable instruction further cause the computing system to:

determine an initial travel route directing the user from the current location to the destination; and

determine the updated travel route as a potential deviation from the initial travel route.

12. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 10, wherein the action item is one of a plurality of action items, and wherein the executable instructions further cause the computing system to select the action item from among the plurality of action items as potentially accomplishable during navigation to the destination.

13. A mobile computing device comprising:

a memory including information identifying an action item specified by a user of the mobile computing device, the information further identifying an action item location at which the action item is actionable and an action item time frame at which the action item is actionable;

a display;

a processor in communication with the memory and the display, the processor configured with computer-executable instructions to;

output on the display a user interface enabling input of a request to navigate to a destination;

obtain, via the user interface, the request to navigate to the destination, wherein the request specifies a desired arrival time frame in which the user desires to arrive at the destination;

detect a current location of the mobile computing device;

determine a travel route directing the user from the current location to the action item location and subsequently to the destination, wherein the travel route is associated with an expected arrival time, at which the user is expected to arrive at the action item location under the travel route, that falls within the action item time frame and an expected arrival time, at which the user is expected to arrive at the destination under the travel route, that falls within the desired arrival time frame; and

output a notification indicating that navigation via the travel route can be used to accomplish the action item.

14. The mobile computing device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured with the computer-executable instructions to verify that the expected arrival time at the action item location falls within the action item time frame and that the expected arrival time at the destination that falls within the desired arrival time frame.

15. The mobile computing device of claim 13, wherein the travel route is an updated travel route, and wherein the processor is further configured with the computer-executable instructions to:

determine an initial travel route directing the user from the current location to the destination; and

identify the updated travel route as a potential deviation from the initial travel route.

16. The mobile computing device of claim 15, wherein the action item is one of a plurality of action items identified by the information included in the memory, and wherein the processor is further configured with the computer-executable instructions to select the action item from among the plurality of action items as potentially accomplishable during navigation to the destination.

17. The mobile computing device of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured with the computer-executable instructions to select the action item from among the plurality of action items as potentially accomplishable during navigation to the destination at least in part by determining which action items, of the plurality of action items, are associated with an action item location includable within a valid travel route of the user from the current location to the destination, wherein travel routes are considered valid if implementation of the travel route is expected to result in arrival of the user at the destination within the desired arrival time frame.

18. The mobile computing device of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured with the computer-executable instructions to select the action item from among the plurality of action items as potentially accomplishable during navigation to the destination based at least in part on ranking the plurality of action items according to at least a priority of respective action items within the plurality of action items.

19. The mobile computing device of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured with the computer-executable instructions to select the action item from among the plurality of action items as potentially accomplishable during navigation to the destination based at least in part on ranking the plurality of action items according to at least a categorization of respective action items within the plurality of action items.

20. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 19, wherein the executable instructions cause the computing system to select the action item from among the plurality of action items as potentially accomplishable during navigation to the destination at least in part by determining which action items, of the plurality of action items, are associated with an action item location includable within a valid travel route of the user from the current location to the destination, wherein travel routes are considered valid if implementation of the travel route is expected to result in arrival of the user at the destination within the desired arrival time frame.

21. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 19, wherein the executable instructions cause the computing system to select the action item from among the plurality of action items as potentially accomplishable during navigation to the destination based at least in part on ranking the plurality of action items according to at least one of a priority of respective action items within the plurality of action items or a categorization of respective action items within the plurality of action items.