# US 2014/0195154 A1 · Systems and methods relating to ad/content targeting for map route options based on personalization and user data > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0195154 A1 - Document ID: US20140195154A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/736,625 - Filed: 2013-01-08 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08 - Assignees: Yahoo! Inc. - Applicants: Yahoo! Inc. - Inventors: Gaurav Kamdar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195154A1 ## CPC - G01C 21/3484: {Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles} - G06Q 30/0269: {based on user profile or attribute} - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract The present invention provides methods and systems for incorporating user information such as a user's errands, tasks, and/or online behavior in determining a preferred route between an origin and a destination using a web map planning service. Potential advertisers can use the user information to target particular users who are traveling near a particular route to give users various options to optimize their travel plans. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 A system comprising one or more processors and a non-transitory storage medium comprising program logic for execution by the one or more processors, the program logic comprising: a mapping service programming module that provides, to a user, a Web-based mapping service for determining and displaying, to the user, a first travel route from a user-specified origin to a user-specified destination; a merchant display and selection programming module that: determines a set of merchants that are geographically proximate to the first travel route and are determined to have relevance to the user; displays, to the user, in connection with the first travel route, the set of merchants; and allows selection by the user of one or more merchants of the set of merchants; and a travel route customization programming module that, based at least in part on the selection, determines, and displays to the user, a second travel route, from the origin to the destination, such that each of the one or more merchants are along the second travel route. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the merchant display and selection programming module determines the set of merchants that are proximate to the first travel route, and are determined to have relevance to the user based on collected information associated with the user, wherein the collected information includes information regarding online behavior of the user. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the merchant display and selection programming module determines the set of merchants that are proximate to the first travel route, and are determined to have relevance to the user based on collected information associated with the user, wherein the collected information includes information on historical Web browsing activity of the user. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the merchant display and selection programming module determines the set of merchants that are proximate to the first travel route, and are determined to have relevance to the user based on collected information associated with the user, wherein the collected information includes information on historical Web browsing activity of the user, and wherein determining the set of merchants comprises: based at least in part on the Web browsing activity of the user, determining one or more keywords; and using the one or more keywords in determining the set of merchants. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, wherein the collected information includes information on social networking related activity of the user, information on purchases of the user, and information on errands of the user. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, wherein the collected information includes information on social networking activity of users in a group of users to which the user belongs. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein the collected information includes information on social networking activity including ratings of the user and assessed sentiment of the user. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, wherein the collected information includes information on social networking activity including ratings and assessed sentiment of users in a group of users to which the user belongs. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, further comprising a merchant targeting programming module that allows a merchant, of the set of merchants, to target the user with one or more content items or advertisements. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, further comprising a merchant targeting programming module that allows a merchant, of the set of merchants, to target the user with one or more content items or advertisements based at least in part on the collected information associated with the user. ### Claim 31 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, further comprising a merchant targeting programming module that allows a merchant, of the one or more merchants, to target the user with one or more content items or advertisements based at least in part on the collected information associated with the user and on the fact that the merchant is along the second travel route. ### Claim 32 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the first travel route and the second travel route are provided to the user on a portable electronic device of the user. ### Claim 33 A method comprising: providing, to a user, a Web-based mapping service for determining and displaying, to the user, a first travel route from a user-specified origin to a user-specified destination; determining, and displaying to the user, in connection with the first travel route, a set of merchants that are geographically proximate to the first travel route and are determined to have relevance to the user based at least in part on collected information regarding online behavior of the user; allowing selection by the user of one or more merchants of the set of merchants; based at least in part on the selection, determining, and displaying to the user, a second travel route, from the origin to the destination, such that each of the one or more merchants are along the second travel route; and allowing a merchant, of the one or more merchants, to target the user with one or more content items or advertisements, based at least in part on the collected information associated with the user and on the fact that the merchant is along the second travel route. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33, comprising determining the set of merchants that are proximate to the first travel route, and are determined to have relevance to the user based on collected information associated with the user, wherein the collected information includes Web browsing activity of the user. ### Claim 35 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33, comprising determining the set of merchants that are proximate to the first travel route, and are determined to have relevance to the user based on collected information associated with the user, wherein the collected information includes historical Web browsing activity of the user, and wherein determining the set of merchants comprises: based at least in part on the Web browsing activity of the user, determining one or more keywords; and using the one or more keywords in determining the set of merchants. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, comprising utilizing the collected information, wherein the collected information includes social networking related activity of the user, information on purchases of the user, and information on errands of the user. ### Claim 37 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, comprising utilizing the collected information, wherein the collected information includes social networking activity of users in a group of users to which the user belongs. ### Claim 38 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, comprising utilizing the collected information, wherein the collected information includes social networking activity including ratings and assessed sentiment of users in a group of users to which the user belongs. ### Claim 39 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium or media tangibly storing computer program logic capable of being executed by a computer processor, the program logic comprising: mapping service programming logic that provides, to a user, a Web-based mapping service for determining and displaying, to the user, a first travel route from a user-specified origin to a user-specified destination; merchant display and selection programming logic that: determines a set of merchants that are geographically proximate to the first travel route and are determined to have relevance to the user; displays, to the user, in connection with the first travel route, the set of merchants; and allows selection by the user of one or more merchants of the set of merchants; and travel route customization programming logic that, based at least in part on the selection, determines, and displays to the user, a second travel route, from the origin to the destination, such that each of the one or more merchants are along the second travel route. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium or media of claim 39, further comprising: merchant targeting programming logic that allows a merchant, of the one or more merchants, to target the user with one or more content items or advertisements, based at least in part on the collected information associated with the user and on the fact that the merchant is along the second travel route.