Determining a route to a destination based on partially completed route

• US 7,835,859 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bill, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US11/413,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20070010942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,663 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117, 701/202, 701/118, 701/209, 340/907, 340/995.13, 340/905
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence

Abstract

Techniques are provided for suggesting an intermediate point-of-interest (POI) for a user that is traveling. A series of locations of a ground-based vehicle is received. At least some of the locations are related to at least one travel pattern. A route is identified based on relating at least some of the received locations to at least one travel patterns and an intermediate point-of-interest is identified responsive to a predicted interest of a user based on the route.

Claims

1. A method of suggesting an intermediate point-of-interest (POI) for a user that is traveling using a computer, the method comprising:

receiving a series of locations of a ground-based vehicle;

relating at least some of the locations to at least one travel pattern;

identifying a route based on results of relating at least some of the received locations to at least one travel pattern;

identifying, from within historical routes, a past trip that includes past points of interest, the past points of interest reflecting actual intermediate points of interest where a user stopped during the past trip;

determining that the route is related to the past trip; and

identifying, to the user and in response to determining that the route is related to the past trip, points along the route that correspond to the past points of interest as intermediate points of interest.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

predicting a destination based on relating at least some of the received locations to at least one travel pattern; and

using information related to the destination to identify the intermediate point of interest.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein using the information related to the destination includes determining that additional fuel is required to travel to the destination.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein using the information related to the destination includes:

determining that travel to the destination occurs during a meal time frame when the user requires a meal stop;

identifying one or more restaurants anticipated to be proximate to the user during the meal time frame;

polling the user to specify one of the restaurants; and

notifying the user when the user is proximate to the specified restaurant.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the intermediate point of interest responsive to the predicted interest of the user includes:

referencing historical route information; and

deriving the predicted interest of the user from the historical route information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the intermediate point of interest includes:

identifying a potential interest of the user;

prompting the user to confirm the potential interest; and

using the potential interest as the predicted interest.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

referencing a status database configured to provide condition information related to conditions of service locations; and

using the condition information to identify the intermediate point of interest.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein referencing the status database includes referencing vacancy information for a lodging establishment.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein referencing the status database includes referencing an ability of a fuel service center to provide fuel.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein referencing the status database includes referencing a projected time-on-station at a service location.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

referencing a status database configured to provide traffic information related to traffic conditions; and

using the traffic information to identify the intermediate point of interest.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

identifying an impact of the traffic conditions on a fuel status for the user; and

suggesting a fuel service center based on the impact.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a degree of occupancy or an indication of occupants for a vehicle; and

using the degree of occupancy or the indication of the occupants to identify the intermediate point of interest.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a degree of travel; and

generating the predicted interest for the user based on the degree of travel.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting a message descriptive of conditions to a user-feedback database; and

receiving information descriptive of the conditions from the user-feedback database, the information based on other messages received from other users also exchanging information with the user-feedback database.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the intermediate point of interest responsive to the predicted interest of the user includes receiving a user request for a particular type of service.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the intermediate point of interest responsive to the predicted interest of the user includes receiving a driver request for a particular type of service.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the intermediate point of interest responsive to the predicted interest of the user includes receiving a signal from a vehicle in transit for a particular type of service.

19. A system comprising a computer program on a computer readable medium structured and arranged to suggest an intermediate point-of-interest (POI) for a user that is traveling, the system comprising:

a receiving code segment structured and arranged to receive a series of locations of a ground-based vehicle;

a relating code segment structured and arranged to relate at least some of the locations to at least one travel pattern;

a route identification code segment structured and arranged to;

identify a route based on results of relating at least some of the received locations to at least one travel pattern;

identify, from within historical routes, a past trip that includes past points of interest, the past points of interest reflecting actual intermediate points of interest where a user actually stopped during the past trip;

determine that the route is related to the past trip; and

an point-of-interest code segment structured and arranged to identify, to the user and in response to determining that the route is related to the past trip, points along the route that correspond the past points of interest as intermediate points of interest.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising a predicting code segment structured and arranged to:

predict a destination based on relating at least some of the received locations to at least one travel pattern; and

use information related to the destination to identify the intermediate point of interest.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein using the information related to the destination includes determining that additional fuel is required to travel to the destination.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein using the information related to the destination includes:

determining that travel to the destination occurs during a meal time frame when the user requires a meal stop;

identifying one or more restaurants anticipated to be proximate to the user during the meal time frame;

polling the user to specify one of the restaurants; and

notifying the user when the user is proximate to the specified restaurant.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein the point-of-interest code segment is structured and arranged to:

reference historical route information; and

derive the predicted interest of the user from the historical route information.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein the point-of-interest code segment is structured and arranged to:

identify a potential interest of the user;

prompt the user to confirm the potential interest; and

use the potential interest as the predicted interest.

25. The system of claim 19 further comprising a referencing code segment structured and arranged to:

reference a status database configured to provide condition information related to conditions of service locations; and

use the condition information to identify the intermediate point of interest.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the referencing code segment is structured and arranged to reference vacancy information for a lodging establishment.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the referencing code segment is structured and arranged to reference an ability of a fuel service center to provide fuel.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein the referencing code segment is structured and arranged to reference a projected time-on-station at a service location.

29. The system of claim 19 further comprising a traffic code segment structured and arranged to:

reference a status database configured to provide traffic information related to traffic conditions; and

use the traffic information to identify the intermediate point of interest.

30. The system of claim 29 further comprising:

an impact code segment structured and arranged to identify an impact of the traffic conditions on a fuel status for the user; and

a fuel service center code segment structured and arranged to suggest a fuel service center based on the impact.

31. The system of claim 19 further comprising a degree-of-occupancy code segment structured and arranged to:

identify a degree of occupancy or an indication of occupants for a vehicle; and

use the degree of occupancy or the indication of the occupants to identify the intermediate point of interest.

32. The system of claim 19 further comprising a degree-of-travel code segment structured and arranged to:

determine a degree of travel; and

generate the predicted interest for the user based on the degree of travel.

33. The system of claim 19 further comprising a feedback code segment structured and arranged to:

transmit a message descriptive of conditions to a user-feedback database; and

receive information descriptive of the conditions from the user-feedback database, the information based on other messages received from other users also exchanging information with the user-feedback database.

34. The system of claim 19 wherein the point-of-interest code segment is structured and arranged to receive a user request for a particular type of service.

35. The system of claim 19 wherein the point-of-interest code segment is structured and arranged to receive a driver request for a particular type of service.

36. The system of claim 19 wherein the point-of-interest code segment is structured and arranged to receive a signal from a vehicle in transit for a particular type of service.

37. A system configured to suggest an intermediate point-of-interest (POI) for a user that is traveling, the system comprising:

means for receiving a series of locations of a ground-based vehicle;

means for relating at least some of the locations to at least one travel pattern;

means for identifying a route based on results of relating at least some of the received locations to at least one travel pattern;

means for identifying, from within historical routes, a past trip that includes past points of interest, the past points of interest reflecting actual intermediate points of interest where a user stopped during the past trip;

means for determining that the route is related to the past trip; and

means for identifying, to the user and in response to determining that the route is related to the past trip, points along the route that correspond the past points of interest as intermediate points of interest.