IP Library Granted Patent US 9,568,328
Granted Patent B1
US 9,568,328 · App. 14/944,894 · Granted Feb 14, 2017

Refine route destinations using targeted crowd sourcing

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,568,328
App. No.
14/944,894
Granted
Feb 14, 2017
Kind
B1
Abstract

Technical solutions are described to for refining a travel route based on crowd sourcing. An example computer-implemented method includes receiving a first location as a travel destination of a first user. The method also includes identifying a set of users that indicated the first location as a travel destination. The method also includes determining a first subset of users from the set of users by comparing a first set of attributes associated with the first user and each user from the set of users. The method also includes determining a second subset of users from the first subset of users by comparing a second set of attributes associated with the first user and each user from the first subset of users. The method also includes identifying a second location to which the users from the second subset diverged to when traveling to the first location. The method also includes in response, selecting the second location as the travel destination of the first user.

Claims (47)

1. A computer implemented method for refining a travel route based on crowd-sourcing, the method comprising:

receiving a first location as a travel destination of a first user;

identifying a set of users that indicated the first location as a travel destination;

determining a first subset of users from the set of users by comparing a first set of attributes associated with the first user and each user from the set of users;

determining a second subset of users from the first subset of users by comparing a second set of attributes associated with the first user and each user from the first subset of users; and

identifying a second location to which the users from the second subset diverged to when traveling to the first location; and

in response, selecting the second location as the travel destination of the first user.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of attributes comprises identifications of a hotel, a car rental company, an airline company.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the second set of attributes comprises information about an employer and a job position title.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the second set of attributes further comprises a club membership and a number of visits to the first location.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

assigning each user from the set of users an affinity score corresponding to the first user; and

incrementing the affinity score in response to a matching attribute associated with each user and the first user.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the affinity score is incremented by a weighted score assigned to the matching attribute.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 5 further comprising, decrementing the affinity score in response to a mismatching attribute associated with each user and the first user.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the first subset and the second subset of users is determined based on the affinity score of each user from the set of users.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the second location is a parking place within a predetermined distance from the first location.

10. A system for refining a travel route based on crowd-sourcing, the system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to:

receive a first location as a travel destination of a first user;

identify a set of users scheduled to travel to the first location;

determine a first subset of users from the set of users by comparing a first set of attributes associated with the first user and each user from the set of users;

determine a second subset of users from the first subset of users based on a comparison of a second set of attributes associated with the first user and each user from the first subset of users; and

identify a second location to which the users from the second subset diverged to when traveling to the first location; and

in response, select the second location as the travel destination of the first user.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first set of attributes comprises identifications of a hotel, a car rental company, an airline company.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the second set of attributes comprises information about an employer and a job position title.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the second location is within a predetermined vicinity of the first location.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

assign each user from the set of users an affinity score corresponding to the first user; and

increment the affinity score in response to a matching attribute associated with each user and the first user.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to decrement the affinity score in response to a mismatching attribute associated with each user and the first user.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first subset and the second subset of users is determined based on the affinity score of each user from the set of users.

17. A computer program product for refining a travel route based on crowd-sourcing, the computer product comprising computer readable storage medium, the computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions, wherein the computer readable storage medium comprises instructions to:

receive a first location as a travel destination of a first user;

identify a set of users scheduled to travel to the first location;

determine a first subset of users from the set of users by comparing a first set of attributes associated with the first user and each user from the set of users;

determine a second subset of users from the first subset of users based on a comparison of a second set of attributes associated with the first user and each user from the first subset of users; and

identify a second location to which the users from the second subset diverged to when traveling to the first location; and

in response, select the second location as the travel destination of the first user, wherein the second location is within a predetermined vicinity of the first location.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the first set of attributes comprises identifications of a hotel, a car rental company, an airline company.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the second set of attributes comprises information about an employer and a job position title.

20. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the computer readable storage medium further comprises instructions to:

assign each user from the set of users an affinity score corresponding to the first user;

increment the affinity score in response to a matching attribute associated with each user and the first user; and

decrement the affinity score in response to a mismatching attribute associated with each user and the first user.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 15, 2021
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: AIRBNB, INC.
Reel/Frame 056427/0193 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2015
From: ABUELSAAD, TAMER E.; BOSS, GREGORY J.; MOORE, JOHN E., JR.; RENDAHL, RANDY A.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 037075/0542 →