Travelogue locating mining for travel suggestion

• US 20110078139A1
• Filed: 09/29/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Xingrong, Yang, Jiangming, Xiao, Rong, Zhang, Lei
• Granted Patent: US 8,977,632 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/724
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/919 Geographic

Abstract

A location extraction component analyzes a set of travelogues to identify all of the locations mentioned therein. A co-occurrence extraction component computes co-occurrence values for the identified locations. When the identity of a specified location is received, suggested locations for the specified location are identified through the use of the co-occurrence values. A map is displayed that encompasses an area including the specified location and the suggested locations. The map might include indicators for the specified location and for each of the suggested locations. Attributes of the indicators, such as their size or color, can be modified based upon the co-occurrence value associated with the corresponding suggested location.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for travelogue-based travel suggestions, the computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for:

identifying a plurality of locations in a set of travelogues;

computing co-occurrence values for the identified locations;

receiving the identity of a specified location;

identifying one or more suggested locations based on co-occurrence values associated with the specified location; and

displaying data identifying the suggested locations.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each travelogue comprises a text description of an experience with a location.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein each co-occurrence value comprises an integer value specifying the number of times a first location and a second location are mentioned within the same travelogue for all travelogues within the set of travelogues.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein co-occurrence values are computed for pairs of identified locations.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein displaying data identifying the suggested locations comprises displaying a map encompassing the specified location and the suggestion locations and displaying an indicator on the map for the specified location and for each of the suggested locations.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the indicator for each suggested location is sized according to the co-occurrence value associated with the suggested location.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the indicator for each suggested location is colored according to the co-occurrence value associated with the suggested location.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising displaying a line between the indicator for the specified location and the indicator for each suggested location.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein each line has a thickness and wherein the thickness is specified by the co-occurrence value for the associated suggested location.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein each line has style and wherein the style is specified by the co-occurrence value for the associated suggested location.

11. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

store one or more travelogues;

execute a location extraction component to identify one or more locations within the travelogues;

execute a co-occurrence extraction component to compute co-occurrence values for pairs of locations identified within the travelogues;

receive the identity of a specified location;

identify one or more suggested locations based on co-occurrence values associated with the specified location; and

to

cause data identifying the suggested locations to be displayed.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein each co-occurrence value comprises an integer value specifying the number of times a first location and a second location are mentioned within the same travelogue for all travelogues within the set of travelogues.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein each travelogue comprises a text description of an experience with a location.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein causing data identifying the suggested locations to be displayed comprises causing a map to be displayed that encompasses the specified location and the suggestion locations, causing an indicator to be displayed on the map corresponding to the specified location, and causing an indicator to be displayed on the map for each of the suggested locations.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the indicator for each suggested location is sized according to the co-occurrence value associated with the suggested location.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the indicator for each suggested location is colored according to the co-occurrence value associated with the suggested location.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein causing data identifying the suggested locations to be displayed further comprises causing a line to be displayed between the indicator for the specified location and the indicator for each suggested location.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein each line has a thickness and wherein the thickness is specified by the co-occurrence value for the associated suggested location.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein each line has style and wherein the style is specified by the co-occurrence value for the associated suggested location.

20. A computer-implemented method for travelogue-based travel suggestions, the computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for:

storing one or more travelogues, each of the travelogues comprising a text description of an experience with a location;

executing a location extraction component configured to identify one or more locations within the travelogues;

executing a co-occurrence extraction component configured to compute co-occurrence values for pairs of locations identified within the travelogues, each of the co-occurrence values comprising an integer specifying the number of times a pair of locations are mentioned within the same travelogue for all of the travelogues;

receiving the identity of a specified location;

identifying one or more suggested locations based on co-occurrence values associated with the specified location; and

causing a map to be displayed that encompasses the specified location and the suggestion locations, causing an indicator to be displayed on the map corresponding to the specified location, and causing indicators to be displayed on the map for the suggested locations.