Abstract:
The present invention provides methods and systems for incorporating user information such as a user&#39;s errands, tasks, and/or online behavior in determining a preferred route between an origin and a destination using a web map planning service. Potential advertisers can use the user information to target particular users who are traveling near a particular route to give users various options to optimize their travel plans.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Web mapping service applications used for route planning traditionally utilize a model designed to plan a preferred route between two geographical locations. The user often has the option to select different routes emphasizing certain variables, such as quickest travel time, shortest distance, or most use of highways. Typically, if a user has several locations he/she needs to drive to, several successive destination locations can be inputted for a preferred route to be designed. 
         [0002]    However, other forms of information, such as a user&#39;s errands, tasks, and/or online behavior, have not been incorporated into route planning. Furthermore, advertisers cannot target users who intend to drive near retail locations which may meet a user&#39;s explicit or implicit needs. For example, if a user wishes to accomplish a certain number of tasks and errands in travelling from Point A to Point B, web mapping services would require individual location inputs to determine a preferred route. 
         [0003]    There is a need for techniques to allow advertisers to target users based on map route calculations. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Some embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems which take advantage of user information such as browsing history, tasks, errands, and frequented retailers to determine a preferred route between an origin and destination. This technique is advantageous for both users and potential advertisers. Users are presented with various vendors and merchants to help meet with inventory and service needs. Potential advertisers can, in turn, target users with particular needs and whom intending to travel near their location. 
         [0005]    Some embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems for cross referencing various information associated with a particular user to identify his/her interests, needs, and activities to allow relevant advertisers to target a user with more accuracy and specificity. For example, if a user named Sally has recently browsed online for reviews of new TVs, has a history of purchasing Sony products on Amazon, and has a recent Facebook post indicating her interest in LED televisions, merchants in Sally&#39;s area and along a preferred route she is travelling can target Sally&#39;s needs and allow Sally to browse and ask questions in person regarding a new Sony LED TV she may potentially be interested in purchasing. 
         [0006]    Some embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems for use in what can be viewed in some ways as “watching” over a user&#39;s browsing history. Some embodiments include monitoring and assessing sentiment of users associated with one or more Web-based activities or communications of a user. Activities and communications can include messaging of the user and other users, such as through one or more social networking applications. Furthermore, information or services are provided to the user in connection with the assessed sentiment. For example, some embodiments include assessing sentiment of other users or a group of other users, such as emotional sentiment, perception or opinion, in reaction to one or more activities or communications of the user. Some embodiments include monitoring activities or communications of particular users or groups of users, such as family or friends of the user, users in social groups or communities of the user or of particular importance to the user, etc. Reporting, including a rating or measure of this sentiment, may be provided to the user. Ratings may be based in part on weighting or other input provided from the user. Furthermore, a user may be alerted, or action may be taken, such as pulling down, deleting or disabling certain messages, etc., if, for example, unforeseen or negative sentiment reaches or exceeds a designated threshold. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments, information other than information reflecting activity or communications of the user may also be collected as part of the user&#39;s information. This could include, for example, other users&#39; comments in response to, or otherwise associated with, a comment of the user, or still other users&#39; comments in response to those users&#39; comments, etc. Some such information may be tracked via logins, but some may not require logins. 
         [0008]    Furthermore, in some embodiments, information other than information associated, directly or indirectly, with activities or communications of the user can none the less be considered part of the user&#39;s information, and can be collected and made searchable. This can include, for example, information associated with activities and communications of other users who may be associated with or important to the user, such as the user&#39;s immediate family, extended family, friends, users in the user&#39;s social groups or community, etc. In some embodiments, information collected as part of the user&#39;s world can be defined or bounded in different ways, with different degrees and types of breadth. In some embodiments, such coverage may be definable, configurable or partially configurable by the user. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a distributed computer system according to one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating a method according to one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating a method according to one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating a method according to one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a flow diagram illustrating a method according to one embodiment of the invention; 
       
    
    
       [0014]    While the invention is described with reference to the above drawings, the drawings are intended to be illustrative, and the invention contemplates other embodiments within the spirit of the invention. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a distributed computer system  100  according to one embodiment of the invention. The system  100  includes user computers  104 , advertiser computers  106  and server computers  108 , all coupled or able to be coupled to the Internet  102 . Although the Internet  102  is depicted, the invention contemplates other embodiments in which the Internet is not included, as well as embodiments in which other networks are included in addition to the Internet, including one more wireless networks, WANs, LANs, telephone, cell phone, or other data networks, etc. The invention further contemplates embodiments in which user computers or other computers may be or include wireless, portable, or handheld devices such as cell phones, PDAs, etc. 
         [0016]    Each of the one or more computers  104 ,  106 ,  108  may be distributed, and can include various hardware, software, applications, algorithms, programs and tools. Depicted computers may also include a hard drive, monitor, keyboard, pointing or selecting device, etc. The computers may operate using an operating system such as Windows by Microsoft, etc. Each computer may include a central processing unit (CPU), data storage device, and various amounts of memory including RAM and ROM. Depicted computers may also include various programming, applications, algorithms and software to enable searching, search results, and advertising, such as graphical or banner advertising as well as keyword searching and advertising in a sponsored search context. Many types of advertisements are contemplated, including textual advertisements, rich advertisements, video advertisements, etc. 
         [0017]    As depicted, each of the server computers  108  includes one or more CPUs  110  and a data storage device  112 . The data storage device  112  includes a database  116  and a Determining Preferred Route Program  114 . 
         [0018]    The Program  114  is intended to broadly include all programming, applications, algorithms, software and other and tools necessary to implement or facilitate methods and systems according to embodiments of the invention. The elements of the Program  114  may exist on a single server computer or be distributed among multiple computers or devices. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram of a method  200  according to one embodiment of the invention. At step  202 , using one or more computers, an origin and a destination are selected by a user in a routing graph representing a network of roads and including two or more nodes and one or more links, each link representing a road and each node representing an intersection that includes at least one road. 
         [0020]    At step  204 , using one or more computers, a first set of information is obtained wherein the information includes at least one keyword 
         [0021]    At step  206 , using one or more computers, a preferred route is determined from the origin to the destination. 
         [0022]    At step  208 , based at least in part on the first set of information, at least one merchant associated with the at least one keyword is displayed wherein the at least one merchant is geographically proximate to the preferred route. 
         [0023]    At step  210 , using one or more computers, the at least one merchant, the at least one keyword, and the preferred route are associated with a user identity 
         [0024]    At step  212 , using one or more computers, the at least one merchant, the at least one keyword, and the preferred route are stored for subsequent use in determining a second preferred route from a second origin to a second destination, in response to a request received from the user identity. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating a method  300  according to one embodiment of the invention. At step  302 , using one or more computers, an origin and a destination are selected by a user in a routing graph representing a network of roads and including two or more nodes and one or more links, each link representing a road and each node representing an intersection that includes at least one road. At step  304 , using one or more computers, a first set of information is obtained wherein the first set of information is derived at least from a third party application activity associated with the user. 
         [0026]    At step  306 , using one or more computers, a preferred route is determined from the origin to the destination, wherein the preferred route is determined by the shortest distance between the origin and destination. 
         [0027]    At step  308 , based at least in part on the first set of information, at least one merchant associated with the at least one keyword is displayed wherein the at least one merchant is geographically proximate to the preferred route. 
         [0028]    At step  310 , using one or more computers, the at least one merchant, the at least one keyword, and the preferred route are associated with a user identity 
         [0029]    At step  312 , using one or more computers, the at least one merchant, the at least one keyword, and the preferred route are stored for subsequent use in determining a second preferred route from a second origin to a second destination, in response to a request received from the user identity. 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating a method  400  according to one embodiment of the invention. At step  402  using one or more computers, an origin and a destination are selected by a user in a routing graph representing a network of roads and including two or more nodes and one or more links, each link representing a road and each node representing an intersection that includes at least one road. At step  404 , using one or more computers, a first set of information is obtained wherein the first set of information is determined at least by identifying common trends based on at least information derived from internet browsing history, purchases, checklists, and third party application activity associated with the user. 
         [0031]    At step  406 , using one or more computers, a preferred route is determined from the origin to the destination, wherein the preferred route is determined by the shortest travel time estimated between the origin and destination. 
         [0032]    At step  408 , based at least in part on the first set of information, at least one merchant associated with the at least one keyword is displayed wherein the at least one merchant is geographically proximate to the preferred route. 
         [0033]    At step  410 , using one or more computers, a second set of information is obtained wherein the information is the at least one merchant selected by the user. 
         [0034]    At step  412 , using one or more computers, a second preferred route is determined from the origin to the destination wherein the preferred route passes through the at least one merchant selected by the user  FIG. 5  is a flow diagram illustrating a method  500  according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         [0035]    At step  502 , a user is assessed. At step  504 , an origin and a destination are selected by a user in a routing graph representing a network of roads and including two or more nodes and one or more links, each link representing a road and each node representing an intersection that includes at least one road. At step  506 , a first set of user information  508  is obtained wherein the first set of information  508  is derived from sources including user online behavior, tasks, checklists, errands, and preferred merchants the user has previously used. 
         [0036]    At step  510 , a preferred route is determined from the origin to the destination, wherein the preferred route is determined by various user-selected parameters  512  including shortest distance, fastest travel time, and real time traffic conditions. 
         [0037]    At step  514 , based at least in part on determining the preferred route  510  and the cross referencing of user information  506 , proximate merchants relevant to the particular  514 . These proximate relevant merchants are displayed  516  between the origin and destination. Subsequent user inputs  518  including user selected proximate merchants, adjustment(s) made to distance settings used to determine proximate merchants, and the user manually changing the preferred route are utilized to recalculate the preferred route between the origin and destination  520 . 
         [0038]    While the invention is described with reference to the above drawings, the drawings are intended to be illustrative, and the invention contemplates other embodiments within the spirit of the invention.