Coordination Of Plural Reservations (e.g., Plural Trip Segments; Transportation And Accommodation, Etc.) Patents (Class 705/6)
  • Patent number: 10262467
    Abstract: The present invention relates in general to parking availability systems and methods of parking, and more specifically, to a parking system that manages individual parking spaces in real-time. Notably, the present invention gives a parking asset owner flexibility to adjust parking prices for individual parking spaces within a parking facility in real-time depending upon dynamic market conditions such as demand, convenience, and location. The purpose of the invention is to offer parking consumers a choice in parking price tiers to encourage turnover and maximize revenue streams for the parking asset owner. Additional benefits of the present invention to the parking asset owner include improved service to customers, obtaining LEED credits, reducing harmful carbon emissions, mitigating transportation demand, saving time through stream-lined parking operations, and eco-friendly solutions to parking problems not solved by traditional parking models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Park Green, LLC
    Inventors: Warren C. Vander Helm, David L. Vogel, Michael T. Holm
  • Patent number: 10202048
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to preemptively controlling one or more vehicle systems of a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes, in response to (i) detecting that a present traffic level along a route of the vehicle satisfies a congestion threshold and (ii) detecting that a type of roadway on which the vehicle is traveling is a highway, determining whether the vehicle is traveling in a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane by identifying whether a number of passengers in the vehicle satisfies an HOV threshold. The method includes adjusting the one or more vehicle systems within the vehicle according to whether the number of passengers satisfies the HOV threshold to cause the vehicle to operate efficiently while traveling along the route with the present traffic level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua D. Payne, Shannon Alicia Wrobel, Heraldo F. Stefanon, Takanori Aoki
  • Patent number: 10197410
    Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for real-time carpool matching is provided. The method may include receiving a plurality of carpool requests having a plurality of carpool route segments. The method may include determining at least one carpool match in real-time based on the plurality of carpool route segments. The method may include assigning each carpool match a viability value. The method may then include assigning a selected carpool match automatically for a user associated with the determined at least one carpool match, based on the assigned viability value associated with each carpool match within the at least one carpool match. The method may further include choosing a driver from a plurality of carpool participants, whereby the plurality of carpool participants is based on the selected carpool match. The method may also include sending the selected carpool match to the plurality of carpool participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shang Q. Guo, Canturk Isci, Jonathan Lenchner, Maharaj Mukherjee
  • Patent number: 10180326
    Abstract: A staying state analysis device measuring a stay frequency of moving objects in a target area and generating a heat map visualizing a state of distribution of the stay frequency includes: a position information sorter sorting pieces of position information of the moving objects according to a degree of possibility that the pieces of position information may include an error due to a missing part that may be in traffic lines of the moving objects; a missing part position detector detecting a position of the missing part in the traffic lines based on at least two groups of pieces of position information sorted by the sorter; a corrected distribution information generator generating corrected distribution information representing the stay frequency of the moving objects corrected based on a result of detection by the missing part position detector; and a heat map generator generating the heat map based on corrected distribution information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youichi Gouda, Yuichi Matsumoto, Hiroaki Yoshio
  • Patent number: 10152740
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for generating recommendations. In response to receiving a request, the system generates a plurality of suggested recommendations for both a first bound and a second bound of a trip. The system stores the suggested recommendations corresponding to the first bound and the second bound in a memory, where the suggested recommendations corresponding to the second bound coincide to a subset of the suggested recommendations corresponding to the first bound published for display. The system publishes the suggested recommendations corresponding to the first bound for display to a user. In response to receiving an input that indicates a selected recommendation for the first bound, the system determines whether the selected recommendation is one of the subset of the suggested recommendations corresponding to the first bound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: AMADEUS S.A.S.
    Inventors: Muriel Isabelle Becker, Guillaume Bertello, Benoit Dougoud, Matthieu Delost, David Pauchet
  • Patent number: 10147119
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are related to leveraging mobility management techniques implemented in mobile networks to distribute advertisements to mobile devices. In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, based on the location of a mobile device, an advertisement is provided for a service associated with the location of the mobile device, wherein the advertisement includes a map of a path from the location of the mobile device to a location of a service provider of the service associated with the location of the mobile device. If a user is interested in the service that is offered in the advertisement, they can initiate a purchase procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: DeWayne Allan Sennett, Brian Kevin Daly
  • Patent number: 10140526
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an object detecting device which is capable of accurately detecting an object even far away, and of shortening processing time. Provided is an object detecting device (100), comprising: a disparity acquisition unit (116) which compares each image of two cameras (112, 113) and computes a disparity for each pixel; a near-far boundary setting unit (118) which, in a single image of one of the two cameras, sets a boundary (Rb) between a near region (R1) which is close to a vehicle (110) and a far region (R2) which is distant from the vehicle (110); a near object detecting unit (119) which detects objects (102, 104) of the near region (R1) on the basis of the disparity; and a far object detecting unit (120) which detects objects (103, 104) of the far region (R2) on the basis of the single image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Kakegawa, Takeshi Shima, Yuji Otsuka
  • Patent number: 10135495
    Abstract: Provided are a method and system for transferring data between a plurality of devices. The method of transferring data from a first device to a second device includes: selecting at least one content; acquiring relevant information about the selected content; storing the acquired relevant information; and providing the second device with the stored relevant information when a communication channel is formed between the first device and the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae-woo Ko, Ho-dong Kim, Hee-won Jung
  • Patent number: 10038974
    Abstract: This document describes proximity-based task notification. By notifying a user of an entity at which the user can perform a task when that entity is near to the user, the techniques enable the user to decide, at a time and location likely convenient to the user, whether or not to perform the task now at the entity or wait until a later occasion. If the user wishes to forgo performing the task, the techniques can notify the user again when the entity or some other entity is likely to be convenient to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC.
    Inventor: Darin J. Dishneau
  • Patent number: 10032195
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of a system, method and/or computer program product for creating a fare analytic database, may include: receiving, by at least one processor, fare(s) and fare related data; and creating a graph database of the fare(s) and fare related data; where the creating may include: creating one or more node(s) of the graph database representing at least one component of the fare and fare related data; creating one or more relationship(s) between a plurality of the nodes; and applying at least one property to the node(s) and the relationship(s). A fare analytic engine may further incorporate the database, and the engine may process queries traversing the database for fare and fare related data; and functional programming methods may be used to generate Boolean byte code routines from fare restrictions, according to exemplary embodiments disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: AIRLINE TARIFF PUBLISHING COMPANY
    Inventors: Navid Abbassi, John M. Murphy, Senthil Nagarajan, David Peart
  • Patent number: 10007957
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for processing search results. Search results are retrieved from a database of travel itineraries based on search criteria provided by a traveler, and a set of recommended travel itineraries selected from the search results based on a probabilistic profile comprising a plurality of value profiles. A set of near-optimal travel itineraries is defined for each of the value profiles. A probability is determined for each travel itinerary of the search results based on a sum of weights of each value profile including the travel itinerary in the corresponding set of near-optimal travel itineraries, and travel itineraries added to the set of recommended travel itineraries based on the probabilities. An online search may be performed to enrich the set of recommended travel itineraries depending on a distance between the probabilistic profile of the traveler and a probabilistic profile used to populate the cache.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: AMADEUS S.A.S.
    Inventors: Laure Canis, Feten Zmerli
  • Patent number: 9990129
    Abstract: At an electronic device, detecting a compatible external device, where the external device is executing or has executed a first application. The detection may be made wirelessly. The electronic device also receives usage information regarding the first application from the external device. Display an affordance for user selection based on the received information. When the affordance is selected, launch a second application on the electronic device, the second application corresponding to the first application. In some examples, the second application is a different version of the first application. Launching the second application may additionally include bringing the second application to the same state as the first application. For example, if e-mail is being drafted on the external device, the electronic device may launch an e-mail editor showing the draft. In this way, a user can seamlessly transition from the use of one electronic device to another electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence Y. Yang, Patrick L. Coffman, Craig M. Federighi
  • Patent number: 9976863
    Abstract: A system for casual driver ride sharing includes an interface and processor. The interface is to receive a request for a ride from a user, wherein the request includes GPS information for the user. The processor is to determine compatibility between the typical route information and the request for the ride; determine a ranked list based at least in part on the compatibility; and provide a ride offer to a driver of the one or more casual drivers based at least in part on the ranked list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: LYFT, INC.
    Inventors: David Dryjanski, Lev Popov, Timothy Brown, Logan Green, Austin Broyles
  • Patent number: 9955286
    Abstract: The invention addresses a novel system and devices for remote control of wearable computers. In one embodiment the remote control is incorporated in a piece clothing or jewelry, for example a ring, a bracelet, a watch. In another embodiment, it is part of a user's mobile device. The system comprises hardware, accompanied by software running on two or more devices, and allowing for device interoperability over a wireless connection, e.g., Bluetooth. The invention further comprises novel software systems which improve usability of remote control devices disclosed herein and in other patent documents. The invention also presents solutions for combining software and device markets which are continuously introducing new products and more complex software systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Inventor: Natalya Segal
  • Patent number: 9940442
    Abstract: A technique for supporting secondary use of content of an electronic work. This technique includes receiving, from a user terminal, a use request requesting secondary use of the content of the electronic work, in which a secondary use policy of an author of the electronic work is associated with the electronic work; determining whether the use request satisfies the secondary use policy specified by the author; and transmitting, to the user terminal, together with a unique identifier associated with the use request, content of the electronic work based on the determination or edited content based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sanehiro Furuichi, Akira Ohkado, Tomohiro Shioya, Masami Tada, Hiroaki Uetsuki
  • Patent number: 9912658
    Abstract: There is provided a communication terminal including a transmission controller configured to allow transmission of, to a verification target device, authentication information for authenticating the verification target device based on first information acquired from an information processing device, and a verification unit configured to verify validity of the verification target device based on a response to the authentication information and second information acquired from the information processing device, the second information being associated with the first information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Kato, Michihiro Kuromoto
  • Patent number: 9911096
    Abstract: A computerized system and method are provided for managing an inventory of cargo containers through the loading and pre-shipment inspection process. The computerized system may be an in-house programmed solution for realtime exchange of information in an organized manner between exporter and importer. The data and photographic documentary are automatically compiled into a formatted property inspection report that is automatically uploaded to a cloud-based server system. The photographic documentary is combined with other essential information including booking number, container number, seal number, weight, and company reference number, and made accessible at a web-based interface for turnkey management of an inventory of cargo containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Inventors: Somil Desai, Saureen Naik-Desai
  • Patent number: 9881065
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments that involve selecting supplemental content to be included with search results in a network page. At least one search result is generated by executing a search based at least in part on relevance to a search query. Supplemental content is selected based at least in part upon relevance to the search query without regard to the at least one search result. A subset of the supplemental content is selected in response to determining that the subset is permitted to be presented together in a search results page as defined by at least one compatibility rule. The search results page is generated to include the subset of the supplemental content and the search results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Thomas Banti, Thomas Jay Hoover, Alexander Michael Spinelli
  • Patent number: 9870540
    Abstract: A system and method for searching travel services. A server computer receives a travel request from a client device operated by a user. The server computer identifies travel options according to the travel request. The server computer classifies the travel options into predefined groups, the classifying based on at least one of past transactions, input from domain experts, input from semantic analysts, analytics data, user preferences, and company policies. The server computer presents the options via presentation of the predefined groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: DEEM, INC.
    Inventors: Garner Swann, Parthasarathy Sundaram, Jeremy Paul Todd, Rajat Shroff, Alan Todd Kaiser, Nicholas Briggs, David Falk, Daniel L. Pritchett
  • Patent number: 9791281
    Abstract: Methods, computer program products, and systems are presented. The methods include, for instance: providing a cognitive tour guide service to a group of participants for a tour with an initial route planned by participants registration information and environment information along the initial route. During the tour, real time sensory data on the participants health characteristics, change in environment are collected by a cognitive agent accompanying the group to lead the tour are relayed to a cognitive tour guide engine, and real time multi-objective optimization is modeled and performed. The participants are regrouped responsive to their respective enjoyment and circumstances of the environment and, among a set of optimal solutions, a new route for the tour is selected based on participant preference modeled and trained by participant feedback. During the tour, the cognitive tour guide engine continuously optimizes route responsive to incoming real time sensory data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aaron Keith Baughman, Christian Eggenberger, Lars Jenzer, Craig Matthew Trim
  • Patent number: 9779384
    Abstract: Methods and systems for expense management, comprising: automatically detecting whether a credit card line item record created from a receipt record generated by processing an electronic feed of charges has been identified as a travel expense; identifying, based on a date of a charge of the electronic feed on credit card line item records, whether any of the credit card line item records identified occurred within a time period of an existing trip; automatically assigning any credit card line item records identified as an allowable expense and occurring during the time period for the existing trip for which one existing expense report exists, to an existing expense report; and automatically creating a newly created expense report and assigning to the newly created expense report any credit card line item records identified as an allowable expense and occurring during the time period for the existing trip for which no existing expense reports exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: CONCUR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Fredericks, Joseph Dunnick, Valery Gorodnichev, Jeanine Armstrong
  • Patent number: 9746336
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a navigation system, comprising data storage means arranged to store at least digital map data, traffic state information, and places of interest data, and a route planning module operably coupled to the data storage means and arranged to provide access to the digital map data and calculate a route to a destination, a traffic state interrogator operably coupled to the data storage means and arranged to access said traffic state information and to determine traffic status information relevant to said calculated route to the destination, a places data interrogator operably coupled to the data storage means and arranged to access said places of interest data and to determine relevant information portions about places of interest on the calculated route dependent on the determined traffic status information, and a navigation instruction generator operably coupled to the data storage means and arranged to generate navigation instructions including the relevant informa
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignees: TomTom Navigation B.V., TomTom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Ben Rutten, Lucien Groenhuijzen, Peter van Zuylen
  • Patent number: 9727940
    Abstract: A computer based system for unobscuring and/or unconstraining demand is disclosed. Via use of the system, actual airline seat bookings may be restated in an unobscured and/or unconstrained form, facilitating improved demand forecasts for subsequent seat bookings. In this manner, seat protects may be better allocated to align with actual demand, thus increasing revenue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: American Airlines, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Tracy, James Fox, Julianne Bowles, Michael Costello, Daniel Muzich, Thomas Trenga
  • Patent number: 9639812
    Abstract: A system and method for accommodating disrupted travelers utilizing scoring and optimization techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC.
    Inventors: Tuell Coleman Green, Ande Murali, Steven D. Leist, James Tullos Diamond
  • Patent number: 9639842
    Abstract: A system and method for accommodating disrupted travelers utilizing scoring and optimization techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC.
    Inventors: Tuell Coleman Green, Murali Ande, Steven D. Leist, James Tullos Diamond
  • Patent number: 9628145
    Abstract: Provided are a method and system for transferring data between a plurality of devices. The method of transferring data from a first device to a second device includes: selecting at least one content; acquiring relevant information about the selected content; storing the acquired relevant information; and providing the second device with the stored relevant information when a communication channel is formed between the first device and the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae-woo Ko, Ho-dong Kim, Hee-won Jung
  • Patent number: 9612127
    Abstract: A method of determining ride share compatibility. Vehicle data acquisition devices are employed to collect user attribute information relating to a travel route and locations traveled by the operator. The attribute information includes regularity data, frequency data, and duration data. A regression analysis is applied by a processor for using the regularity data, the frequency data, and the duration data, for identifying an importance probability of each of the locations visited by the operator. A match is determined between the operator and a potential travel partner traveling to locations in proximity to the locations traveled by the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Fan Bai, Donald K. Grimm, Leonard C. Nieman
  • Patent number: 9509687
    Abstract: There is provided a communication terminal including a transmission controller configured to allow transmission of, to a verification target device, authentication information for authenticating the verification target device based on first information acquired from an information processing device, and a verification unit configured to verify validity of the verification target device based on a response to the authentication information and second information acquired from the information processing device, the second information being associated with the first information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: FELICA NETWORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Shinichi Kato, Michihiro Kuromoto
  • Patent number: 9483942
    Abstract: An application program interface (API) for communicating with a transportation integration network is provided wherein an application can utilize the API to retrieve, store, and otherwise access or modify transportation location tracking data from disparate data stores and then display the data in a single API, website or computer software program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Inventor: Jeff O'Hara
  • Patent number: 9449288
    Abstract: A system and method for searching travel services. A server computer receives a travel request from a client device operated by a user. The server computer identifies travel options according to the travel request. The server computer classifies the travel options into predefined groups, the classifying based on at least one of past transactions, input from domain experts, input from semantic analysts, analytics data, user preferences, and company policies. The server computer presents the options via presentation of the predefined groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Deem, Inc.
    Inventors: Garner Swann, Parthasarathy Sundaram, Jeremy Paul Todd, Rajat Shroff, Alan Todd Kaiser, Nicholas Briggs, David Falk, Daniel L. Pritchett
  • Patent number: 9405926
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cloud based system for providing data security. The system comprises a processor which receives a data file from a user. The data file is directed to a first file location and encrypted and segmented into a plurality of data blocks. The plurality of data blocks is then assigned with a unique identifier and redirected to a plurality of cloud based storage providers. The plurality of cloud based storage providers are located in a plurality of jurisdictions. Each of the plurality of data blocks is then assigned a second file location. The unique identifier and the file locations of each of the plurality of data blocks is updated in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Inventor: Paul Lewis
  • Patent number: 9400959
    Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting a likelihood that a travel path is a correct travel path of a user using possible duplicate travel path information. A set of travel paths comprising at least two travel paths is obtained. Any paths that break up more than one reservation are removed. Each travel path is broken into at least one leg. Each leg in each travel path is compared to each leg in every other travel path to determine whether any travel paths are duplicates. A likelihood that each of the at least two travel paths is the correct travel path is determined using information about whether any of the at least two travel paths are duplicates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: CONCUR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Jeffrey Ollenberger, Lisa Anne Silveria, Richard Thor Denmark
  • Patent number: 9372090
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for dynamically coordinating travel is provided. A plurality of travelers to arrive at a common destination at a common time are identified. A preferred mode of transportation to the destination and a starting location are received for each traveler. An initial route to the destination is generated for each of the travelers based on the received mode of transportation and starting location. Two or more of the travelers are joined by identifying possible pairings between at least two travelers and evaluating a time for each possible pairing of travelers to travel together. A time threshold is applied to the evaluated time for each possible pairing. The travelers of one such possible pairing with an evaluated time that satisfies the threshold are paired. The initial routes of the paired travelers are revised.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventor: Simon Tucker
  • Patent number: 9367852
    Abstract: A method for managing distribution of entitlements, such as personalized or enhanced experiences at a destination such a theme park. The method includes receiving a request for experience state management from an experience system that defines an experience provided by the experience system and identifies a single or multiple visitors. The method includes accessing an experience state associated with the identified visitors. The experience state defines experiences the visitor is entitled to receive and a ranked or prioritized listing of these experiences. The method includes responding to the experience system indicating whether the visitor is eligible to receive the defined experience based on their experience state and, when there are two or more eligible visitors, arbitrating amount the members of this eligible group. A feedback loop causes the experience states to be updated to modify the prioritized listings and to update an experience history for use in later arbitrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Canora, Christopher James Purvis, Brian J. Wilson
  • Patent number: 9342578
    Abstract: A system and method for organizing indications of approval using a collection application is disclosed. The collection application includes a processing module, a social network application, a collection module, a sharing module, a permission module, a user interface engine and a suggestion module. The processing module receives an indication of approval submitted by a user. The collection module groups the indication of approval into a collection. The sharing module shares the collection with one or more users. The suggestion module suggests a collection or indications of approval to a user. The user interface engine generates a user interface that includes the collection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventor: Bogdan Suvar
  • Patent number: 9342837
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for a dynamic information connection search engine. User actions may be detected on at least one client system. In response, a determination may be made whether the user is searching for supported information. When the user is searching for supported information, information may be extracted electronically from, for example, third party websites, direct supplier connections, and/or intermediate databases. Potential suppliers may be automatically selected in response to the detected user search. Queries may be formulated from the user search and transferred to one or more selected suppliers over a network coupling (e.g., the Internet and/or an intranet). The queries may include one or more requests for information. One or more responses may be received from the suppliers, and the responses may be used to generate a result list for the user. The result list may include information and/or query status information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Kayak Software Corporation
    Inventor: Matthew S. Garman
  • Patent number: 9275352
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium to automate livery vehicle scheduling from airline itinerary data retrieved from cardholder spending.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Justin Xavier Howe
  • Patent number: 9275074
    Abstract: The present invention is in the technical field of geolocation. More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of making content in the form of electronic data available for retrieval when a device has satisfied the Retrieval Range and other Rules which govern the ability to retrieve the content. Retrieval of Content by user devices may be based on Rules communicated by an App, Admin or third party interface and shall be contained and processed by an application interface engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Tip Vyspots, LLC Vy
    Inventors: Roopit Patel, Matthew Karazin
  • Patent number: 9268759
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for interacting with an interactive form. A plurality of values for a plurality of controls of an interactive form are received at a server. The server determines a plurality of recommendation rules based upon the values for interrelated controls. Each value comprises a portion of a travel-related search query entered into one control of the interactive form by each of a plurality of users. Each recommendation rule logically connects two or more of the interrelated controls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Amadeus S.A.S.
    Inventors: Charles-Antoine Robelin, Benjamin Benzine, Ingolf Tobias Rothe
  • Patent number: 9232350
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for facilitating dedicated communication between specific users relating to a travel transaction, the system including a travel resource mobile application. The mobile application may be installed on a mobile device, wherein the user of the mobile application and other users are included in a group which participates in the travel transaction, and each such user is assigned a role. The mobile application may also provide travel information and secure communication to each user of the group of users, wherein the group of users may be restricted based on the travel transaction. The mobile application may retrieve user contact information from the mobile device to facilitate communication between the group of users while masking the contact information of each user. The mobile application may also determine a location of at least one user from a group of users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Fortis Riders Acquisition Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan Foy, James Coleman
  • Patent number: 9214033
    Abstract: Provided are a computer system and methods related to a map display. A method includes but is not limited to receiving a request for the map, the map illustrating one or more locations; determining a status associated with at least one of the one or more locations on the map, the status being a function of one or more location interaction rules associated with the at least one of the one or more locations on the map; and generating a signal related to indicating on the map the status associated with the at least one of the one or more locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Invention Science Fund I, LLC
    Inventors: Edward K. Y. Jung, Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, John D. Rinaldo, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9195867
    Abstract: A system and method monitor skier behavior. An identifier is read from a lift access product when the lift access product is in the vicinity of a lift boarding area and a scan record containing the identifier, location information of the lift boarding area and a time stamp if generated. The scan record is processed to generate a location event record that is stored within a location database. The location database is processed to determine skier behavior based upon the location event records.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Vail Resorts, Inc.
    Inventors: Sayan Chakraborty, Logan Bruns, Robert Urwiler, Tim April, Stephen Younge
  • Patent number: 9177304
    Abstract: An electronic transaction system comprising a host server, at least one transaction device; at least one service provider system; and a content management system. When a transaction device issues a client request to the host server for one or more of the electronic goods and/or services, the host server operates to generate a client response in reply to the client request. In generating the client response a service request may be issued to the at least one service provider system. Also includes a matrix recording a set of permissions and/or constraints applicable to the electronic transaction system. The content management system references the matrix in determining the content to be provided to each transaction device to ensure that the set of permissions and/or constraints are complied with. Each transaction device further receives a set of unique identifiers from the host server, each identifier representing a component of the content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: TAFMO Australia PTY LTD.
    Inventors: Philip Course, Gregory Douglas McCreath
  • Patent number: 9134135
    Abstract: A method of operation of a navigation system includes: identifying an activity area with a control unit based on a user's travel meeting or exceeding a travel threshold; determining a guidance mode based on a current location within the activity area and the current location for locating a device; and setting a guidance level based on the guidance mode for presenting a navigation guidance on the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: TELENAV, INC.
    Inventors: George Xiaohong Zhao, Ryan Robert Peterson
  • Patent number: 9121710
    Abstract: A vehicle interface system and method is provided. The system and method includes an interface for communicating with a vehicle user. A controller is in communication with the interface and configured to retrieve a calendar event and verify the calendar event based on an input from the user via the interface. Trip information is generated based on the calendar event and vehicle data. Trip information, based on the calendar event and vehicle data, is communicated to the user via the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oleg Yurievitch Gusikhin, David Allen Kowalski, Perry Robinson MacNeille
  • Patent number: 9117223
    Abstract: In one embodiment, method that can be performed on a system, is provided to take not just a person's time and location into consideration, but also has knowledge of and takes into account their availability, their preferences, their schedule, their purpose for being at their current location, and/or their next goal or stop (not just in terms of location but also in terms of activity). One embodiment is able to take into account a real-time view of supplier inventory and deduce and make available much better-adapted offerings and support for that person's travels and endeavors. In one embodiment, having an understanding of a rate of conversion and its relation to traffic and weather patterns allows service providers to make more accurate predictions about various items, including but not limited to, conversion rates, offer types, offer upgrades, traffic etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Deem, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Handel, Patrick Grady, Mark Orttung, Dan Kikinis
  • Patent number: 9094787
    Abstract: A method for safely and efficiently requesting transportation services through the use of mobile communications devices capable of geographic location is described. Individual and package transportation may be provided. New customers may be efficiently serviced, and the requester and transportation provider locations may be viewed in real time on the mobile devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: airsMobile Inc.
    Inventors: Olaf M. Lubeck, John H. Hall
  • Patent number: 9081806
    Abstract: Various embodiments of systems and methods of optimizing a database are described herein. Database tables are rated based on at least one of table size and table growth rate. One or more of the database tables are then selected based on the rating of the database tables. Archiving objects for the one or more selected tables are obtained. An archiving object includes one or more archiving programs and defines data related to a business object. The archiving objects are ranked based on dependencies between them. Based on the ranking of the archiving objects, an archiving schedule including an archiving order for the archiving objects is generated. The archiving schedule is then displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: SAP SE
    Inventors: Sumanth Hegde, Santosh Vijayan
  • Patent number: 9070108
    Abstract: Optimizing travel and time management during travel. A travel tool is provided to receive travel objectives, which may also be prioritized and set with the tool. In response to detecting a disruption of an aspect of the set travel plans, this disruption is evaluated in an effort to mitigate the effects of the disruption. The impact of the disruption is evaluated and the travel plans are re-calculated. At least one modification to the set of travel plans is provided and selected in compliance with the set objective. This selection is communicated to the travel tool. Based upon the selection, the travel plans are dynamically modified while attaining the set objectives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Echhard Erling, Matthias Graefe, Ivory W. Knipfer, Christopher R. Schneider
  • Publication number: 20150134378
    Abstract: A method for sharing actionable travel itineraries includes providing a user interface to allow the user to select from a plurality of travel services, storing a user-created actionable travel itinerary comprised of specific travel service booking information from the plurality of travel services, receiving personal information of other users, allowing users to share the actionable travel itinerary with other users, and booking the travel services for the other users by combining the information included in the actionable travel itinerary with the personal data of the other users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: JADE VAN DOREN, DOUG MORGAN