Travel Destination Contact Location System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Social networking websites face challenges in facilitating in-person meetings between users, particularly when users travel to new destinations, as existing platforms lack effective methods to identify and connect users with contacts in proximity to their travel locations.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that analyzes online resources such as travel websites, social networking services, and calendaring programs to identify travel profiles and locate contacts within a predetermined proximity of a user's intended destination, providing notifications to the user with contact locations based on their social networking services and previous electronic communications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If social networking websites provide basic contact listing functionality, then users can view their contacts, but the system cannot automatically identify contacts at travel destinations or facilitate in-person meetings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple previously separate systems (social networking contact database, travel reservation systems, location services) into a unified platform that automatically identifies contacts at travel destinations. This merging enables the system to provide location-based contact identification without requiring users to manually search through their contact lists or separately check travel reservations.
Solution Approach 2:
The social networking platform is extended to perform multiple functions: traditional contact management, automatic travel destination identification, location-based contact filtering, and meeting facilitation. This multi-functionality allows the same system to serve both social networking purposes and travel-related contact discovery without requiring separate specialized tools.
2Measurement precision
If the system analyzes multiple online resources to identify travel profiles and contacts, then contact location accuracy improves, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring and pre-processing travel reservation data and contact information in the background before travel occurs. Travel profiles are identified and contacts are pre-filtered based on potential destinations, so that when a user travels, the system can quickly retrieve and present relevant contact information without performing extensive real-time analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system efficiently processes and skips through large volumes of contact and travel data by using indexed databases and pre-computed location information. Instead of analyzing every contact's details in real-time, the system quickly filters contacts based on pre-stored location data and travel itinerary information, rapidly identifying relevant contacts at the destination.
3Productivity
If the system provides comprehensive contact information including locations, then user connection opportunities increase, but user privacy and data security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different levels of information disclosure to different contacts based on their location relative to the user's travel destination. Only contacts located at or near the travel destination have their location information disclosed to the user, while other contacts maintain their normal privacy settings. This localized information sharing enables connection facilitation while minimizing unnecessary privacy exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system acts as an intermediary that selectively reveals contact information based on predefined criteria and user permissions. Rather than directly exposing all contact details, the system filters and presents only relevant location information for contacts at the travel destination, mediating between the user's need for connection information and the privacy requirements of the contact network.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for locating connections/contacts of a user of social networking websites based on an intended travel destination of the user. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention will analyze a set of online resources (e.g., travel websites, social networking services, calendaring programs, etc.) to identify one or more travel profiles (e.g., reservations) associated with the user. Based on one or more intended destinations set forth in the travel profile(s), social networking websites associated with the user may be analyzed to identify and locate contacts/connections of the user that are located within a predetermined proximity of the intended destination(s). Once such contacts have been identified, the user may be provided with a notification that identifies the contact and provides the contact's location.