Predicting companion data types associated with a traveler at a geographic region including lodging

• US 9,609,485 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2014
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HomeAway.com, Inc. (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: HomeAway, Inc. (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Turner, Ryan Hedley, Haligas, Daniel Steven, Venugopal, Velayudhan Pillai, Devine, Alex Holm
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US14/564,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20160165403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Various embodiments relate generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and wearable computing devices for identifying activities and/or destinations of relative importance. More specifically, a system, a device and a method are provided to predict a type of companion with whom a traveler collaborates to, among other things, predict activities (e.g., preferential activities) available at a geographic region association with lodging. In one or more embodiments, a method can include determining a location at which a user computing device associated with a user is disposed, and calculating that a computing device associated with a candidate companion is within a region coterminous with the location. Also, the method may include predicting data representing a companionship type for data representing the candidate companion based at least the location at which the user and the candidate companion are co-located.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, as implemented by a computing device including a processor configured with computer-executable instructions, the computer-implemented method comprising:

obtaining, during a time period that a user is authorized to access a lodging unit, an electronic message generated at a computing device associated with the user;

extracting from the electronic message data identifying a companion computing device to which the electronic message is directed, the companion computing device associated with a candidate companion;

determining a location at which a user computing device associated with the user is disposed;

calculating that the companion computing device associated with the candidate companion is within a region coterminous with the location;

determining, based at least in part on the location, a first activity in which the candidate companion and the user are predicted to be participating;

predicting a first companionship type indicative of a relationship between the user and the candidate companion based at least in part on the electronic message, the location, and the first activity;

determining, based at least in part on the first companionship type, a second activity predicted to be of interest to the user and the candidate companion; and

transmitting a notification to the user computing device identifying the second activity.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first companionship type indicates one or more of a familial relationship, a friend relationship, or a collegial relationship between the user and the candidate companion.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein extracting the data comprises extracting an email address associated with the candidate companion or a telephonic number associated with the candidate companion.

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

associating the the email address or the telephonic number with the first companionship type.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein extracting the data comprises extracting an identifier associated with the computing device associated with the candidate companion.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein calculating that the companion computing device associated with the candidate companion is within the region coterminous with the location comprises computing an amount of power signal magnitude that is within a threshold range of power signal magnitudes.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising determining the amount of power signal magnitude as a received signal strength indicator (“

RSSI”

) associated with a communications link between the companion computing device and the user computing device.

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

determining one or more companion types associated with the activity;

selecting the first companionship type from the one or more companion types; and

associating the first companionship type and the companion computing device associated with the candidate companion.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein predicting the first companionship type indicative of the relationship between the user and the candidate companion based at least in part on the electronic message, the location, and the first activity, comprises:

calculating numeric probabilities that the relationship between the user and the candidate companion is a familial relationship, a friend relationship, and a collegial relationship; and

selecting the first companionship type based at least in part on the respective numeric probabilities.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein predicting the companionship type further comprises:

detecting that an additional companion is at the location;

determining a second companionship type associated with the additional companion, the second companionship type indicative of a relationship between the user and the additional companion; and

selecting the first companionship type based on the second companion type.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising logging, over a period of time, data indicating one or more locations of the candidate companion, the one or more locations including the location at which the user is disposed wherein the first companionship type is further predicted based on the frequency of the logged data over the period of time.

12. A device comprising:

a memory including computer-executable instructions;

a processor in communication with the memory and configured to execute the computer-executable instructions, wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions causes the processor to;

obtaining, during a time period that a user is authorized to access a lodging unit, an electronic message generated at a computing device associated with the user;

extract from the electronic message data identifying a companion computing device to which the electronic message is directed, the companion computing device associated with a candidate companion;

determine a location at which a user computing device associated with the user is disposed,

calculate that the companion computing device associated with the candidate companion is within a region coterminous with the location;

determine, based at least in part on the location, a first activity in which the candidate companion and the user are predicted to be participating; and

predict a first companionship type indicative of a relationship between the user and the candidate companion based at least in part on the electronic message, the location, and the first activity;

determine, based at least in part on the first companionship type, a second activity predicted to be of interest to the user and the candidate companion; and

transmit a notification to the user computing device identifying the second activity.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the execution of the computer-executable instructions further causes the processor to select the first companionship type from one or more companion types associated with the activity.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions further causes the processor to:

detect that an additional companion is at the location;

determine a second companionship type associated with the additional companion, the second companionship type indicative of a relationship between the user and the additional companion; and

select the first companionship type based on the second companion type.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions further causes the processor to:

calculate numeric probabilities that the relationship between the user and the candidate companion is a familial relationship, a friend relationship, and a collegial relationship; and

selecting the first companionship type based at least in part on the respective numeric probabilities.

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

obtain, during a time period that a user is authorized to access a lodging unit, an electronic message generated at a computing device associated with the user;

extract from the electronic message data identifying a companion computing device to which the electronic message is directed, the companion computing device associated with a candidate companion;

determine a location at which a user computing device associated with the user is disposed;

calculate that the companion computing device associated with the candidate companion is within a region coterminous with the location;

determine, based at least in part on the location, a first activity in which the candidate companion and the user are predicted to be participating;

predict a first companionship type indicative of a relationship between the user and the candidate companion based at least in part on the electronic message, the location, and the first activity;

determine, based at least in part on the first companionship type, a second activity predicted to be of interest to the user and the candidate companion; and

transmit a notification to the user computing device identifying the second activity.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computing system to select the first companionship type from one or more companion types associated with the activity.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computing system to:

detect that an additional companion is at the location;

determine a second companionship type associated with the additional companion, the second companionship type indicative of a relationship between the user and the additional companion; and

select the first companionship type based on the second companion type.