Predicting user needs for a particular context

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10650005-B2
Application number	US-201815908473-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2018
Priority date	May 26, 2015
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A computing system is described that identifies, based on search histories associated with a group of computing devices for a particular context, a task performed by users of the group of computing devices for the particular context. The computing system determines a first degree of likelihood of the task being performed by the users of the group of computing devices for the particular context and determines a second degree of likelihood of the task being performed by the users of the group of computing devices for a broader context that includes the particular context and at least one other context. Responsive to determining that the first degree of likelihood exceeds the second degree of likelihood by a threshold amount, and that a current context of a particular computing device corresponds to the particular context, the computing system transmits, to the particular computing device, information for completing the task for the particular context.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by one or more processors, comprising:
identifying that a first computing device has a first current context;
determining, based on histories associated with additional computing devices:
that a first degree of likelihood of a task for the first current context exceeds a second degree of likelihood of the task for a broader context that includes the first current context and at least one other context;

in response to determining that the first degree of likelihood of the task for the first current context exceeds the second degree of likelihood of the task for the broader context, and in response to identifying the first computing device has the first current context:
causing the first computing device to output information for assisting a first user of the first computing device in completing the task for the first current context;

identifying that a second computing device has a second current context, the second current context differing from the first current context;
determining, based on the histories associated with the additional computing devices:
that a third degree of likelihood of the task for the second current context does not exceed: the second degree of likelihood of the task for the broader context;

in response to determining that the third degree of likelihood of the task for the second current context does not exceed the second degree of likelihood of the task for the broader context, and in response to identifying the second computing device has the second current context:
refraining from causing the second computing device to output any information for assisting a second user of the second computing device in completing the task for the second current context.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying that the first computing device has the first current context is based at least in part on sensor information from one or more sensors of the first computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying that the first computing device has the first current context is based at least in part on information about an operating state of the first computing device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the information about the operating state of the first computing device includes information about an application that is executed by the first computing device at a given time.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the first computing device to output information for assisting a first user of the first computing device in completing the task for the first current context is further in response to determining that the first current context is a new context not contained in a context history associated with the first user of the first computing device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the histories include search histories.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first current context is associated with a first geographical area and the broader context is associated with a second geographical area that includes the first geographical area and at least one other geographical area.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first current context encompasses a first amount of time and the broader context encompasses a second amount of time greater than the first amount of time.

9. A computing system comprising:
at least one processor configured to:
identify that a first computing device has a first current context;
determine, based on histories associated with additional computing devices:
that a first degree of likelihood of a task for the first current context exceeds a second degree of likelihood of the task for a broader context that includes the first current context and at least one other context;

in response to determining that the first degree of likelihood of the task for the first current context exceeds the second degree of likelihood of the task for the broader context, and in response to identifying the first computing device has the first current context:
cause the first computing device to output information for assisting a first user of the first computing device in completing the task for the first current context;

identify that a second computing device has a second current context, the second current context differing from the first current context;
determine, based on the histories associated with the additional computing devices:
that a third degree of likelihood of the task for the second current context does not exceed: the second degree of likelihood of the task for the broader context;

in response to determining that the third degree of likelihood of the task for the second current context does not exceed the second degree of likelihood of the task for the broader context, and in response to identifying the second computing device has the second current context:
refrain from causing the second computing device to output any information for assisting a second user of the second computing device in completing the task for the second current context.

10. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein in identifying that the first computing device has the first current context, the at least one processor is configured to identify that the first computing device has the first current context based at least in part on sensor information from one or more sensors of the first computing device.

11. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein in identifying that the first computing device has the first current context, the at least one processor is configured to identify that the first computing device has the first current context based at least in part on information about an operating state of the first computing device.

12. The computing system of claim 11 , wherein the information about the operating state of the first computing device includes information about an application that is executed by the first computing device at a given time.

13. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein causing the first computing device to output information for assisting a first user of the first computing device in completing the task for the first current context is further in response to determining that the first current context is a new context not contained in a context history associated with the first user of the first computing device.

14. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the histories include search histories.

15. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the first current context is associated with a first geographical area and the broader context is associated with a second geographical area that includes the first geographical area and at least one other geographical area.

16. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the first current context encompasses a first amount of time and the broader context encompasses a second amount of time greater than the first amount of time.

17. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, configure one or more processors of a computing system to:
identify that a first computing device has a first current context;
determine, based on histories associated with additional computing devices:
that a first degree of likelihood of a task for the first current context exceeds a second degree of likelihood of the task for a broader context that includes the first current context and at least one other context;

in response to determining that the first degree of likelihood of the task for the first current context exceeds the second degree of likelihood of the task for the broader context, and in response to id

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Lim Yew Jin
• Kunz James
• Linn Joseph Garrett
• Gilliland Charles Jordan
• Faden David
• Jhala Sanjit

Classifications

• G06F16/24578

  using ranking · CPC title

• G06Q30/0202

  Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities · CPC title

• G06F16/24575 Primary

  using context · CPC title

• G06F16/29

  Geographical information databases · CPC title

• G06F16/955

  using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL] · CPC title