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

• US 9,992,630 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2017
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HomeAway.com, Inc. (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: HomeAway.com, Inc. (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Turner, Ryan Hedley, Haligas, Daniel Steven, Venugopal, Velayudhan, Devine, Alex Holm
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US15/470,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20170325069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• 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:

determining that a first computing device, associated with a first user, is within a geographic location;

identifying a second computing device associated with a second user who is a companion to the first user;

determining that the second computing device is within the geographic location;

determining, based at least in part on the geographic location, a first activity in which the first and second users are predicted to be participating;

predicting a companionship type indicative of a relationship between the first user and the second user based at least in part on the first activity;

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

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

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the companionship type indicates at least one of a familial relationship, a personal acquaintance relationship, or a collegial relationship.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining that the first computing device is within the geographic location comprises at least one of receiving location coordinate information from the first computing device or determining that the first computing device is connected to a network associated with the geographic location.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second computing device is identified from an electronic message transmitted from the first computing device to the second computing device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the first activity is determined based at least in part on the geographic location and a content of the electronic message.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein second computing device is identified from an identifier in the electronic message.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 further comprising associating the identifier with a past activity, wherein the companionship type indicative of the relationship between the first and second users is predicted based at least in part on the first activity and the past activity.

8. A system comprising:

a data store including computer-executable instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions, wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to at least;

determine that a first computing device, associated with a first user, is within a geographic location;

identify a second computing device associated with a second user who is a companion to the first user;

determine that the second computing device is within the geographic location;

determine, based at least in part on the geographic location, a first activity in which the first and second users are predicted to be participating;

predict a companionship type indicative of a relationship between the first user and the second user based at least in part on the first activity;

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

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

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to at least determine that both the first computing device and the second computing device are within the geographic location by detecting that the first computing device and the second computing device are connected to a common local area network.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to at least predict the companionship type based at least in part on the first activity and detecting that the first computing device and the second computing device are connected to the common local area network.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to at least determine a third activity in which the first and second users are predicted to be participating, wherein the companionship type is further determined based at least in part on the third activity.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to determine the second activity based at least in part on the first companionship type and detecting that the first and second computing devices are in a second geographic location.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to determine the second activity based at least in part on the first companionship type, a profile of the first user and a profile of the second user.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to at least:

determine that a first computing device, associated with a first user, is within a geographic location;

identify a second computing device associated with a second user who is a companion to the first user;

determine that the second computing device is within the geographic location;

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

predict a companionship type indicative of a relationship between the first user and the second user based at least in part on the first activity;

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

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

15. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the geographic location is a common location of both the first computing device and the second computing device, and wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computing system to at least:

determine a correlation in timing information of communications received from the first computing device and the second computing device; and

detect that the first computing device and the second computing device are at the common location based at least in part on the correlation of timing information.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the computing system to identify the second computing device associated with the second user based at least in part on a profile of the first user that associates the second user with the first user.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the computing system to determine the second activity based at least in part on the first companionship type and a profile of the first user.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the computing system to determine the second activity based at least in part on the first companionship type and a profile of the second user.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the first activity comprises occupying a property, and wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the computing system to predict the companionship type based at least in part on the first activity and information indicating that the first user and the second user have acquired access to the property.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computing system to at least determine that both the first computing device and the second computing device are within the geographic location by detecting that the first computing device and the second computing device are connected to a common local area network.