Systems and Methods for Identifying High Traffic Zones and Suggesting Alternative Destinations to Users

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024183668-A1
Application number	US-202217781320-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 7, 2022
Priority date	Feb 7, 2022
Publication date	Jun 6, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure provides computer-implemented methods, systems, and devices for suggesting alternative destinations to users. A computing device receives location and movement data from a plurality of user computing devices. The computing device analyzes the location and movement data to determine one or more high traffic zones, each high traffic zone associated with a geographic location and one or more times. The computing device receives a navigation request including a starting location and an ending location. The computing device generates one or more candidate routes from the starting location and the ending location. The computing device determines, for each respective candidate route in the one or more candidate routes, whether the respective candidate route passes through a high traffic zone. The computing device selects a candidate route from the one or more candidate routes that does not pass through a high traffic zone.

First claim

1 . A computing device, the computing device comprising:
one or more processors, a non-transitory computer-readable memory; wherein the non-transitory computer-readable memory stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving location and movement data from a plurality of user computing devices;
analyzing the location and movement data to determine one or more high traffic zones, each high traffic zone associated with a geographic location and one or more times;
receiving a navigation request including a starting location and an ending location;
generating one or more candidate routes from the starting location and the ending location; and
determining, for each respective candidate route in the one or more candidate routes, whether the respective candidate route passes through a high traffic zone; and
selecting a candidate route from the one or more candidate routes that does not pass through a high traffic zone.

2 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
determining, for each user computing device, an event associated with the user computing device.

3 . The computing device of claim 2 , wherein the determined event is a recurring event.

4 . The computing device of claim 3 , wherein the operations further comprise:
for a respective recurring event:
analyzing the location and movement data from one or more users associated with the respective recurring event to determine a recurring high traffic zone associated with the event; and
storing data representing the recurring high traffic zone based on the event.

5 . The computing device of claim 2 , wherein the determined event is associated with a school.

6 . The computing device of claim 5 , wherein the operations further comprise generating a route score for each respective candidate route in the one or more candidate routes such that candidate routes that pass through a high traffic zone have a lower route score; and
wherein the selecting a candidate route further comprises selecting a candidate route from the one or more candidate routes based, at least in part, on the route score.

7 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the route score represents a route efficiency of the candidate route, and wherein the candidate route is selected based on the candidate route having a highest route score.

8 . A computing device, the computing device comprising:
one or more processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable memory; wherein the non-transitory computer-readable memory stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving a navigation request to a target destination from a user computing device, the target destination having one or more location characteristics;
determining a user inconvenience score for the target destination based on the one or more location characteristics;
in accordance with a determination that the user inconvenience score exceeds a predetermined threshold, identifying one or more alternative destinations;
determining a user inconvenience score for each of the one or more alternative destinations;
selecting, based on the user inconvenience score for each of the one or more alternative destinations, a second destination from the one or more alternative destinations; and
transmitting the second destination for display to a user.

9 . The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the target destination is a merchant location.

10 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more location characteristics include a type of merchant and wherein identifying one or more alternative destinations comprises:
identifying one or more alternative merchants with a matching type of merchant.

11 . The computing device of claim 10 , the user inconvenience score for each respective alternative destination in the one or more alternative destinations are based, at least in part, on the type of merchant associated with each respective alternative destination in the one or more alternative destinations.

12 . The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more location characteristics include a geographic location and wherein the user inconvenience score is based, at least in part, on a distance between the target destination and the user computing device.

13 . The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more location characteristics include a level of busyness and wherein the user inconvenience score is based, at least in part, on the level of busyness associated with the target destination.

14 . The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more location characteristics include an hours of operation associated with the target destination and wherein the user inconvenience score is based, at least in part, on the hours of operation and an estimated time of arrival associated with the user computing device.

15 . The computing device of claim 8 , wherein selecting by the computing device and based on the user inconvenience score for each of the one or more alternative destinations, a second destination from the one or more alternative destinations further comprises:
determining, whether an alternative destination in the one or more alternative destinations has an associated user inconvenience score below the user inconvenience score associated with the target destination.

16 . The computing device of claim 15 , wherein selecting by the computing device and based on the user inconvenience score for each of the one or more alternative destinations, a second destination from the one or more alternative destinations further comprises:
selecting an alternative destination from the one or more alternative destinations with a lowest user inconvenience score.

17 . The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
generating, by the computing device, navigation directions from an origin location to the target destination.

18 . The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
after transmitting the second destination for display to a user, receiving, by the computing device, user acceptance of the displayed second destination; and in response to receiving user acceptance of the displayed second destination, generating, by the computing device, navigation directions from an origin location to the second destination.

19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving a navigation request to a target destination from a user computing device, the target destination having one or more location characteristics; determining a user inconvenience score for the target destination based on the one or more location characteristics; in accordance with a determine that the user inconvenience score exceeds a predetermined threshold, identifying one or more alternative destinations; determining a user inconvenience score for each of the one or more alternative destinations; selecting, based on the user inconvenience score for each of the one or more alternative destinations, a second destination from the one or more alternative destinations; and transmitting the second destination for display to a user.

20 . The non-transitory comput

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Turner Joseph L
• Norum Stephen Rhys

Classifications

• G01C21/3415 Primary

  Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents · CPC title

• G01C21/3492 Primary

  employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical (traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968) · CPC title

• G01C21/3679

  Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities (G01C21/3611 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01C21/3691

  Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions (arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09) · CPC title

• G01C21/3841

  Data obtained from two or more sources, e.g. probe vehicles · CPC title