US6865538B2
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US
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Meeting location determination using spatio-semantic modeling
Assignee: Longhorn Acquisition LLC
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Filing: 2002-08-20
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Granted: 2005-03-08
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Expires: 2022-08-20
Abstract
Abstract One or more embodiments of the invention provide a method, method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for determining a meeting location. A location for each of two or more persons is obtained. A central location is then determined based on the obtained locations. A list of activity preferences for each of the two or more persons is also obtained. Thereafter, a ranked list of activity preferences based on the obtained lists of activity preferences is computed. The ranked list represents a convergence of interests for the two or more persons. One or more meeting locations are then determined by combining the central location and ranked list.
Inventors
- 👤 Nemmara Chithambaram
- 👤 Craig Allen Miller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:15
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; G06Q10/109; G06Q10/40; G06Q10/42
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 60
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for determining a meeting location, comprising: obtaining a location for each of two or more persons; determining a central location based on the obtained locations; obtaining a list of activity preferences fox each of the two or more persons; computing a ranked list of activity preferences based on the obtained lists of activity preferences, wherein the ranked list represents a convergence of interests for the two or more persons; and determining one or more meeting locations by combining the central location and ranked list.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for determining a meeting location, comprising: obtaining a location for each of two or more persons; determining a central location based on the obtained locations; obtaining a list of activity preferences fox each of the two or more persons; computing a ranked list of activity preferences based on the obtained lists of activity preferences, wherein the ranked list represents a convergence of interests for the two or more persons; and determining one or more meeting locations by combining the central location and ranked list.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the central location comprises computing average coordinates for the obtained locations.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the central location comprises: independently sorting coordinates of the obtained locations into sorted coordinate lists; and determining a middle nine for each sorted coordinate list as the central location.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein the coordinates are sorted in ascending order.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein the coordinates are sorted in descending order.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the central location is based on posted speeds in a street network.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the central location is based on current traffic times.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the central location is based on weather conditions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the convergence of interests is for major subgroups of the two or more persons.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein computing the ranked list of activity preferences utilizes a hierarchical graph to capture general semantic relationships between the activity preferences.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein computing the ranked list of activity preferences utilizes a hierarchical graph, wherein a cluster in the hierarchical graph indicates the convergence of interests.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein computing the ranked list of activity preferences comprises classifying points of interest from the activity preferences into categories, wherein the categories are weighted based on a number of users who prefer each category.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein determining one or more meeting locations comprises: selecting one or more categories with a heaviest weight; and selecting one or more meeting locations from the selected categories that are closest to the central location.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 13 , wherein selecting one or more categories with a heaviest weight comprises selecting one or more categories that satisfies a minimum threshold percentage of users, wherein selection of a subcategory within the one or more selected categories would satisfy less than the minimum threshold percentage of users.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein determining one or more meeting locations comprises searching, in the ranked list of activity preferences, for points of interest closest to the central location.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more meeting locations are determined based on an attractiveness of the meeting location.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more meeting locations are determined based on distance impediments to the meeting location for the one or more persons.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more meeting locations are determined based on a type of meeting to be conducted.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein a commercial establishment provides direct personalized marketing based on the central location or ranked list of activity preferences.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
109 words
A system for determining a meeting location in a computer system comprising: (a) a computer having a memory; (b) an application executing on the computer; (c) a central location that is determined by the application based on locations obtained for each of two or more persons; (d) a ranked list of activity preferences that is computed by the application based on lists of activity preferences for each of the two or more persons, wherein the ranked list represents a convergence of interests for the two or more persons; and (e) one or more meeting locations that are determined by the application by combining the central location and ranked list.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
109 words
A system for determining a meeting location in a computer system comprising: (a) a computer having a memory; (b) an application executing on the computer; (c) a central location that is determined by the application based on locations obtained for each of two or more persons; (d) a ranked list of activity preferences that is computed by the application based on lists of activity preferences for each of the two or more persons, wherein the ranked list represents a convergence of interests for the two or more persons; and (e) one or more meeting locations that are determined by the application by combining the central location and ranked list.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein the central location is determined by computing average coordinates for the obtained locations.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein the central location is determined by: independently sorting coordinates of the obtained locations into sorted coordinate lists; and determining a middle value for each sorted coordinate list as the central location.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 22 , wherein the coordinates are sorted in ascending order.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 22 , wherein the coordinates are sorted in descending order.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein the central location is based on posted speeds in a street network.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein the central location is based on current traffic times.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein the central location is based on weather conditions.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein the convergence of interests is for major subgroups of the two or more persons.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein the ranked list of activity preferences comprises a hierarchical graph that captures general semantic relationships between the activity preferences.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein the ranked list of activity preferences comprises a hierarchical graph, wherein a cluster in the hierarchical graph indicates the convergence of interests.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein the ranked list of activity preferences comprises points of interest that are classified flow the activity preferences into categories, wherein the categories are weighted based on a number of users who prefer each category.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system of claim 31 , wherein the one or more meeting locations are determined by: selecting one or more categories with a heaviest weight; and selecting one or more meeting locations from the selected categories that are closest to the central location.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system of claim 32 , wherein selecting one or more categories with a heaviest weight comprises selecting one or more categories that satisfies a minimum threshold percentage of users, wherein selection of a subcategory within the one or more selected categories would satisfy less than the minimum threshold percentage of users.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein the one or more meeting locations are determined by searching, in the ranked list of activity preferences, for points of interest closest to the central location.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein the one or more meeting locations are determined based on an attractiveness of the meeting location.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein the one or more meeting locations are determined based on distance impediments to the meeting location for the one or more persons.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein the one or more meeting locations are determined based on a type of meeting to be conducted.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein a commercial establishment provides direct personalized marketing based on the central location or ranked list of activity preferences.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
117 words
An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform a method for determining a meeting location in a computer system, the method comprising: obtaining a location for each of two or more persons; determining a central location based on the obtained locations; obtaining a list of activity preferences for each of the two or more persons; computing a ranked list of activity preferences based on the obtained lists of activity preferences, wherein the ranked list represents a convergence of interests for the two or more persons; and determining one or more meeting locations by combining the central location and ranked list.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
117 words
An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform a method for determining a meeting location in a computer system, the method comprising: obtaining a location for each of two or more persons; determining a central location based on the obtained locations; obtaining a list of activity preferences for each of the two or more persons; computing a ranked list of activity preferences based on the obtained lists of activity preferences, wherein the ranked list represents a convergence of interests for the two or more persons; and determining one or more meeting locations by combining the central location and ranked list.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of manufacture of claim 39 , wherein the method determines the central location by computing average coordinates for the obtained locations.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
41 words
The article of manufacture of claim 39 , wherein the method determines the central location by: independently sorting coordinates of the obtained locations into sorted coordinate lists; and determining a middle value for each sorted coordinate list as the central location.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
16 words
The article of manufacture of claim 41 , wherein the coordinates are sorted in ascending order.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
16 words
The article of manufacture of claim 41 , wherein the coordinates are sorted in descending order.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
21 words
The article of manufacture of claim 39 , wherein the central location is based on posted speeds in a street network.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
18 words
The article of manufacture of claim 39 , wherein the central location is based on current traffic times.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
17 words
The article of manufacture of claim 39 , wherein the central location is based on weather conditions.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of manufacture of claim 39 , wherein the convergence of interests is for major subgroups of the two or more persons.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
31 words
The article of manufacture of claim 39 , wherein the method computes the ranked list of activity preferences utilizing a hierarchical graph to capture general semantic relationships between the activity preferences.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
34 words
The article of manufacture of claim 39 , wherein the method computes the ranked list of activity preferences utilizing a hierarchical graph, wherein a duster in the hierarchical graph indicates the convergence of interests.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
44 words
The article of manufacture of claim 39 , wherein the method computes the ranked list of activity preferences by classifying points of interest from the activity preferences into categories, wherein the categories are weighted based on a number of users who prefer each category.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
45 words
The article of manufacture of claim 50 , wherein the method determines one or more meeting locations by: selecting one or more categories with a heaviest weight; and selecting one or more meeting locations born the selected categories that are closest to the central location.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
54 words
The article of manufacture of claim 51 , wherein selecting one or more categories with a heaviest weight comprises selecting one or more categories that satisfies a minimum threshold percentage of users, wherein selection of a subcategory within the one or more selected categories would satisfy less than the minimum threshold percentage of users.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
35 words
The article of manufacture of claim 39 , wherein the method determines one or more meeting locations by searching, in the ranked list of activity preferences, for points of interest closest to the central location.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
25 words
The article of manufacture of claim 39 , wherein the one or more meeting locations are determined based on an attractiveness of the meeting location.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
31 words
The article of manufacture of claim 39 , wherein the one or more meeting locations are determined based on distance impediments to the meeting location for the one or more persons.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
26 words
The article of manufacture of claim 39 , wherein the one or more meeting locations ate determined based on a type of meeting to be conducted.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
27 words
The article of manufacture of claim 39 , wherein a commercial establishment provides direct personalized marketing based on the central location or ranked list of activity preferences.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-03-07 | 2008-09-06 | 2009-03-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-03-07 | 2012-09-06 | 2013-03-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-03-07 | 2016-09-06 | 2017-03-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |