Providing an inquiry based on deficient plan information using email/chat and confidence levels

• US 9,842,298 B1
• Filed: 07/01/2014
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Wansley, Andrew Theodore, Champaneria, Amay Nitin, Brewin, Frederick Peter, Smart, Jason Luther
• Primary Examiner(s): Vincent, David
• Application Number:
  US14/321,607
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 706 12, 706 45
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

Methods and apparatus related to determining an inquiry to provide to a user based on deficient information related to a plan of the user. Deficient information may be determined based on an insufficient association between a desired information item of the plan and a set of information items that are determined from one or more sources associated with the user. In some implementations, the user may provide, responsive to the inquiry, additional information related to the deficient information and a suggestion may be provided to the user based on the additional information.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

identifying one or more plan information items from one or more sources associated with a user, wherein the sources are accessible to only;

the user, and one or more components authorized by the user;

wherein identifying the plan information items comprises;

identifying a first information item of the information items based on content of an email sent to the user, and

identifying a second information item of the information items based on content of an additional source, wherein the additional source is an additional email or chat message sent by the user;

determining, utilizing one or more processors, a set of the plan information items based on similarity between the plan information items of the set and based on the plan information items of the set all being related to a plan, the set of the plan information items including the first information item and the second information item,

determining a confidence level for the second information item based on;

a type assigned to the additional source from which the second information item was identified,

presence of certain terms in the additional source from which the second information item was identified, and

absence of certain other terms in the additional source from which the second information item was identified;

storing, in a storage medium, each of the plan information items of the set in association with a corresponding desired information item defined for the plan, the storing including;

storing a first association between the first information item and a first desired information item of the corresponding desired information items,

storing a second association between the second information item and a second desired information item of the corresponding desired information items, and

storing the confidence level for the second information item in association with the second association;

determining, utilizing one or more of the processors, that the second desired information item is deficient based on the confidence level for the second information item failing to satisfy a threshold;

based on determining that the second desired information item is deficient, providing an inquiry, to a computing device of the user, that is related to the second information item stored in association with the second desired information item;

receiving additional information from the computing device in response to the inquiry;

modifying, in the storage medium and based on the additional information, the confidence level for the second information item;

determining that the modified confidence level satisfies the threshold; and

in response to determining that the modified confidence level satisfies the threshold;

providing a suggestion to the client device, wherein the suggestion is based on both the first information item and the second information item.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, utilizing the one or more processors, a plurality of possible suggestions based on the set of the plan information items; and

selecting the suggestion from the plurality of possible suggestions based on the additional information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting the suggestion from the plurality of possible suggestions includes:

ranking the plurality of possible suggestions based on the additional information; and

selecting the possible suggestion based on the ranking.

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

identify plan information items from sources associated with a user, wherein the sources are accessible to only;

the user, and one or more components authorized by the user;

wherein the instructions to identify the plan information items comprise instructions to;

identify a first information item of the information items based on content of an email sent to the user, and

identify a second information item of the information items based on an additional source, wherein the additional source is an additional email or chat message sent by the user;

determine a set of the plan information items based on similarity between the plan information items of the set and based on the plan information items of the set all being related to a plan, the set of the plan information items including the first information item and the second information item;

determine a confidence level for the second information item based on;

a type assigned to the additional source, an originator of the additional source being the user, presence of certain terms in the additional source, or absence of certain other terms in the additional source;

store, in a storage medium, each of the plan information items of the set in association with a corresponding desired information item defined for the plan, wherein the instructions to store include instructions to;

store a first association between the first information item and a first desired information item of the corresponding desired information items,

store a second association between the second information item and a second desired information item of the corresponding desired information items, and

store the confidence level for the second information item in association with the second association;

determine that the second desired information item is deficient based on determining that the confidence level for the second information item fails to satisfy a threshold; and

based on determining that the second desired information item is deficient, provide an inquiry, to a computing device of the user, that is related to the second information item stored in association with the second desired information item.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plan is related to travel.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the instructions further include instructions to:

receive additional information from the user responsive to the inquiry, wherein the additional information is related to the deficient information item;

determine a suggestion based on the additional information, wherein the suggestion is related to the plan; and

provide the suggestion to the user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the instructions further include instructions to:

tailor the suggestion based on the additional information.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the instructions to determine the suggestion include instructions to:

determine a plurality of possible suggestions based on the set of the plan information items; and

select the suggestion from the plurality of possible suggestions based on the additional information.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor, the instructions including instructions to:

identify plan information items from sources associated with a user, wherein the sources are accessible to only;

the user, and one or more components authorized by the user;

wherein the instructions to identify the plan information items comprise instructions to;

identify a first information item of the information items based on content of an email sent to the user, and

identify a second information item of the information items based on an additional source, wherein the additional source is an additional email or chat message sent by the user;

determine a set of the plan information items based on similarity between the plan information items of the set and based on the plan information items of the set all being related to a plan, the set of the plan information items including the first information item and the second information item;

determine a confidence level for the second information item based on two or more of;

a type assigned to the additional source, an originator of the additional source being the user, presence of certain terms in the additional source, and absence of certain other terms in the additional source;

store, in a storage medium, each of the plan information items of the set in association with a corresponding desired information item defined for the plan, wherein the instructions to store include instructions to;

store a first association between the first information item and a first desired information item of the corresponding desired information items,

store a second association between the second information item and a second desired information item of the corresponding desired information items, and

store the confidence level for the second information item in association with the second association;

determine that the second desired information item is deficient based on determining that the confidence level for the second information item fails to satisfy a threshold;

based on determining that the second desired information item is deficient, provide an inquiry, to a computing device of the user, that is related to the second information item stored in association with the second desired information item

receive additional information from the computing device in response to the inquiry; and

modify, in the storage medium and based on the additional information, the confidence level for the second information item.