Patents Assigned to HomeAway.com, Inc.
  • Patent number: 9996998
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and wearable computing devices for identifying activities and/or destinations of relative importance. More specifically, a system, a device and a method provide to predict activities (e.g., preferential activities) available at a geographic region association with lodging and to adaptively generate advisory data. In one or more embodiments, a method can include accessing traveler profile data associated with a user, identifying data representing a portion of traveler attributes associated with a geographic region including lodging for the user, and receiving data indicative of locality-related characteristics. The method also includes predicting a first activity as a function of a locality-related characteristic and a travel attribute, and generating customized advisory data configured to engage in an activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Hedley Turner, Daniel Steven Haligas, Velayudhan Venugopal, Alex Holm Devine
  • Patent number: 9992630
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and wearable computing devices for identifying activities and/or destinations of relative importance. More specifically, a system, a device and a method are provided to predict a type of companion with whom a traveler collaborates to, among other things, predict activities (e.g., preferential activities) available at a geographic region association with lodging. In one or more embodiments, a method can include determining a location at which a user computing device associated with a user is disposed, and calculating that a computing device associated with a candidate companion is within a region coterminous with the location. Also, the method may include predicting data representing a companionship type for data representing the candidate companion based at least the location at which the user and the candidate companion are co-located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Hedley Turner, Daniel Steven Haligas, Velayudhan Venugopal, Alex Holm Devine
  • Patent number: 9934635
    Abstract: A computing device may be configured to transition control over one or more functions of a rental unit to a user (e.g., a traveler) based on one or more of time, geo-location and access credentials. Access may be granted to the traveler to use one or more home automation functions including a HVAC system, a thermostat, lighting, security alarm, automated door locks, etc. An owner of the rental unit may have access to some or all of the home automation functions blocked during the traveler's stay at the rental unit, and at an end of the stay owner access to those functions may be enabled. Some functions may be activated prior to the traveler's arrival at the unit based on a time to arrival and/or distance from the unit. An application on a traveler's computing device may be configured to summon a repair service for the unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Hedley Turner, Daniel Steven Haligas, Velayudhan Pillai Venugopal, Alex Holm Devine
  • Patent number: 9928498
    Abstract: Embodiments relate generally to computer software and computing devices, and more particularly, to a system, an apparatus and a method configured to segregate data at an interface of a computing device to facilitate on-line electronic payment transactions. In one embodiment, a method includes presenting fields configured to accept a first type of data and to accept a second type of data for an on-line electronic payment transaction. The method includes generating an initialization signal for transmission to an isolated data management system to initialize a portion of a memory associated with first type of data, responsive to an interaction with a field, receiving data from the field, and generating a save signal to save the data from the field in a portion of the memory. This can be responsive to a second interaction with the field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent T. Schneeman, Dennis Kashkin, Eric M. Carr, Mark R. Reynolds, Matthew W. Kinman, Charles R. Poff, III, Douglas A. Squires, Daniel A. Herrera
  • Patent number: 9927954
    Abstract: A wireless mobile device in data communication with a platform may present on a display of the wireless mobile device graphic images and/or icons that may represent different information as a function of time, location, type of activity, type of event, anonymized trend data, push notifications and electronic messages. The graphic images and/or icons may be selectably visible on the display based on context-relevance of the information being displayed relative to an event, such as a rental of property by a traveler, for example. The graphic images and/or icons displayed may be determined by a data file that includes information configured to cause a visual characteristic of the graphic images and/or icons to dynamically change during different periods associated with an event, such as a pre-event, during-event, and post-event periods. Image/icon color, shape, size, opacity, position, transparency, intensity, invisibility, or other visual characteristics may be changed among images/icons being displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: HomeAway.com. Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Hedley Turner, Daniel Steven Haligas, Velayudhan Pillai Venugopal, Alex Holm Devine
  • Patent number: 9858628
    Abstract: A datastore that includes property listings (e.g., for rental properties) may be accessed by a computing resource configured to execute a thumb printing algorithm to generate summary data values (e.g., thumbprint values, hash values) of digital data included one or more images of a property listing. The summary data values along with listing attributes (e.g., address, zip code, geolocation, brand, number of bedrooms/bathrooms/sleeps, amenities) of the property listing may be compared with summary data values and listing attributes of other property listings to determine if the summary data values of one or more images match and if one or more listing attributes match. A threshold number of image matches and listing attribute matches may indicate that the property listings are duplicate property listings, which may be merged, removed or replaced with links/pointers by the computer resource to increase data storage space and/or reduce data search latency times of the datastore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald William Corbett, Bryon Kristen Jacob, David Petty
  • Publication number: 20170337648
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate generally to a system, a device and a method for providing a panel-based search interface as a function of incremental entry of user data, such as text representing a destination. Data representing user input is received at a search interface presented by a listing management system. One or more panel objects are determined based on the user input. Data representing one or more interests associated with the user input is retrieved. The one or more panel objects and the data representing the one or more interests are rendered within the search interface. Responsive to the received user input, the search interface comprising the rendered one or more panel objects and the data representing the one or more interests is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Applicant: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Berg, Robert Burns
  • Patent number: 9818135
    Abstract: Social graphs using shared personal data are described, including techniques for capturing data from a social data source, determining one or more connections associated with an item using the data, and creating a social graph using the one or more connections, the social graph comprising the one or more connections associated with the item. Embodiments of the invention also include techniques for updating social graphs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Blake Biesecker, Kerry Kelley
  • Publication number: 20170180280
    Abstract: Inquiry data from one or more sources (e.g., client devices) may be analyzed to determine if key terms, date terms, and locality terms are indicative of an event to occur at a locality during one or more dates. Events that are detected may be communicated (e.g., via an electronic message(s)). An owner of a property may receive the electronic message(s) that are communicated for detected events and the owner may act to garner interest in stays at their property. Travelers searching for a property to stay at during the event may receive the electronic message(s) in the form of an offer (e.g., an email, a text message, a Tweet, a newsletter, etc.). The inquiry data may be received in real time and/or may be accessed from a data store. The Inquiry data may be curated to remove non-essential information and/or to include edited key terms, date terms, and locality terms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventor: Brent T. Schneeman
  • Patent number: 9609472
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and wearable computing devices for identifying activities and/or destinations of relative importance. More specifically, a system, a device and a method are provided to determine interactions at a mobile computing device predict activities based on one or more types of interactions. Examples of activities include preferential activities available at a geographic region association with lodging In one or more embodiments, a method can include receiving data representing an interaction with a user interface, generating data summarizing the interaction to include an interaction type, and determining data representing a prioritized value indicative of a degree of the interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Hedley Turner, Daniel Steven Haligas, Velayudhan Pillai Venugopal, Alex Holm Devine
  • Publication number: 20160308880
    Abstract: Social graphs using shared personal data are described, including techniques for capturing data from a social data source (e.g., a social network service or website, or a professional network service or website), determining one or more connections associated with a connection target (e.g., an item for purchase, rent or sale) using the data, and creating a social graph using the one or more connections, the social graph comprising the one or more connections associated with the connection target (e.g., an item such as a vacation rental). Embodiments of the invention also include techniques for creating or updating (e.g., include in or add to) a social graph based on receiving an access request including update data, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Applicant: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Blake Biesecker, Kerry Kelley
  • Publication number: 20160307234
    Abstract: Social graphs using shared personal data are described, including techniques for capturing data from a social data source, determining one or more connections associated with an item using the data, and creating a social graph using the one or more connections, the social graph comprising the one or more connections associated with the item. Embodiments of the invention also include techniques for updating social graphs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Applicant: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Blake Biesecker, Kerry Kelley
  • Publication number: 20160165388
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and wearable computing devices for identifying activities and/or destinations of relative importance. More specifically, a system, a device and a method are provided to determine interactions at a mobile computing device predict activities based on one or more types of interactions. Examples of activities include preferential activities available at a geographic region association with lodging In one or more embodiments, a method can include receiving data representing an interaction with a user interface, generating data summarizing the interaction to include an interaction type, and determining data representing a prioritized value indicative of a degree of the interaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Applicant: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Hedley Turner, Daniel Steven Haligas, Velayudhan Venugopal, Alex Holm Devine
  • Patent number: 9269100
    Abstract: Social graphs using shared personal data are described, including techniques for capturing data from a social data source, determining one or more connections associated with an item using the data, and creating a social graph using the one or more connections, the social graph comprising the one or more connections associated with the item. Embodiments of the invention also include techniques for updating social graphs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Blake Biesecker, Kerry Kelley
  • Publication number: 20150242835
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate generally to computer software, network communications and networked applications, and computing devices, including wired and wireless mobile and computing devices, for interfacing with a payment processor that provides electronic payments as a service, and more specifically, to correlate transactions generated by split payment operations to fulfill and correlate online orders of goods and services offered by multiple provider entities, via, for example, aggregation of electronic transactions. In some embodiments, a method includes causing presentation of one or more web pages to facilitate rental of real property, and receiving data representing electronic transactions subject to a split payment operation. The method can include monitoring the electronic transactions, and generating data representing a correlation identifier indicating that a first electronic transaction is associated with a subset of electronic transactions subject to the split payment operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: James Aron Vaughan, Steve David Goldsmith
  • Publication number: 20150242834
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate generally to computer software, network communications and networked applications, and computing devices, including wired and wireless mobile and computing devices, for interfacing with a payment processor that provides electronic payments as a service, and more specifically, to a split payment engine and method for fulfillment of goods and services, such as reserving a rental property and ancillary goods and services, via, for example, aggregation of electronic transactions. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a request acquire multiple goods or services from different good or service providers, and initiating a split payment operation at a processor to apply against an account. The split payment operation includes determining that the split payment operation is associated with either a first or a second state, and causing, if the request is in the first state, payments collectively represented as a single transaction in association with the account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: Homeaway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve David Goldsmith, James Aron Vaughan
  • Publication number: 20130159169
    Abstract: Embodiments relate generally to computer software and computing devices, and more particularly, to a system, an apparatus and a method configured to segregate data at an interface of a computing device to facilitate on-line electronic payment transactions. In one embodiment, a method includes presenting fields configured to accept a first type of data and to accept a second type of data for an on-line electronic payment transaction. The method includes generating an initialization signal for transmission to an isolated data management system to initialize a portion of a memory associated with first type of data, responsive to an interaction with a field, receiving data from the field, and generating a save signal to save the data from the field in a portion of the memory. This can be responsive to a second interaction with the field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent T. Schneeman, Dennis Kashkin, Eric M. Carr, Mark R. Reynolds, Matthew W. Kinman, Charles R. Poff, III, Douglas A. Squires, Daniel A. Herrera
  • Publication number: 20130041949
    Abstract: Social graphs using shared personal data are described, including techniques for capturing data from a social data source, determining one or more connections associated with an item using the data, and creating a social graph using the one or more connections, the social graph comprising the one or more connections associated with the item. Embodiments of the invention also include techniques for updating social graphs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Blake Biesecker, Kerry Kelley
  • Publication number: 20130041916
    Abstract: Presentation of social graph data is described, including techniques for displaying connection information comprising receiving a login identifying a member, retrieving from a database an item to which the member is connected, and displaying the item and a connection between the item and the member. Embodiments of the invention include obtaining social data from a social networking service, and using the social data to update social graphs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: HomeAway.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Blake Biesecker, Kerry Kelley