Determining travel routes by using auction-based location preferences

Abstract

A method and system for determining a travel route that includes a location as a result of an auction. A user request is received for determining a route from point A to point B. Locations are selected that are capable of being included along routes from point A to point B. Selecting the locations is based on the request. An auction among vendors is initiated. The vendor winning the auction is determined. The route is determined so that a location of the selected locations is included along the route. The location is associated with the winning vendor. The determined route is presented to the user as a recommended route.

1 . A computer-implemented method of determining a recommended route that includes a location as a result of an auction, said method comprising:
 receiving a request from a user for a determination of a route from a first point to a second point;   selecting a plurality of locations capable of being included along a plurality of routes from said first point to said second point, wherein said selecting said plurality of locations is based on said request;   initiating an auction among a plurality of vendors that submits a plurality of bids in said auction, wherein said vendors and said bids are associated in a one-to-one correspondence;   determining that a vendor of said plurality of vendors wins said auction based on a bid of said plurality of bids, wherein said bid is associated with said vendor;   a processor of a computer system determining said route (determined route) so that a location of said plurality of locations is included along said determined route, wherein said location is associated with said vendor that wins said auction based on said bid; and   presenting said determined route to said user as said recommended route.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving said plurality of bids submitted by said plurality of vendors, wherein said receiving said plurality of bids is performed subsequent to said receiving said request. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a plurality of parameters from said plurality of vendors prior to said receiving said request; and   receiving said plurality of bids submitted by said plurality of vendors, wherein said receiving said plurality of bids is performed prior to said receiving said request to facilitate conducting said auction as an instantaneous auction in response to said receiving said request and said selecting said plurality of locations, wherein said plurality of bids is based on said plurality of parameters, and wherein said selecting said plurality of locations is further based on said plurality of parameters.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 tracking an actual route traveled by said user subsequent to said presenting said determined route;   determining that said location is included along said actual route; and   determining a surcharge to be charged to said vendor as a result of said determining that said location is included along said actual route.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 retrieving a rule indicating that said determined route is presented as said recommended route by said presenting only if a difference N between a first measurement of said determined route and a second measurement of an optimal route from said first point to said second point does not exceed a predefined threshold value X;   determining said difference N;   determining said difference N does not exceed said predefined threshold value X; and   in response to said determining said difference N does not exceed said predefined threshold value X, designating said determined route as said recommended route.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a second request from a second user for a determination of a second route from a third point to a fourth point;   selecting a second plurality of locations capable of being included along a second plurality of routes from said third point to said fourth point, wherein said selecting said second plurality of locations is based on said second request;   initiating a second auction among a second plurality of vendors that submits a second plurality of bids in said auction;   determining that a vendor (winning vendor) of said second plurality of vendors wins said second auction based on a bid (winning bid) of said second plurality of bids, wherein said winning bid is associated with said winning vendor;   determining said second route so that a second location is included along said second route, wherein said second location is associated with said winning vendor; and   retrieving a rule indicating that a first length (determined route length) of said second route is not permitted to exceed a second length (optimal route length) of a second optimal route from said third point to said fourth point by more than X percent;   determining said determined route length is N percent more than said optimal route length;   determining said N percent is greater than said X percent; and   in response to said determining said N percent is greater than said X percent, indicating said second route is not recommended to said second user and is not to be presented to said second user.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 retrieving a rule indicating that a first number of recommended routes that pass through a constrained area is not permitted to exceed a second number;   receiving an indication of said constrained area;   presenting N recommended routes subsequent to a receipt of N requests for N routes, wherein said N recommended routes pass through said constrained area, and wherein said presenting said N recommended routes includes said presenting said determined route to said user as said recommended route;   determining an (N+1)-th route that passes through said constrained area, wherein said determining said (N+1)-th route is based on a receipt of a request from a second user for a determination of said (N+1)-th route;   determining said first number is not greater than said second number, wherein said first number is said N+1;   in response to said determining said first number is not greater than said second number, designating said (N+1)-th route as an (N+1)-th recommended route.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 retrieving a rule indicating that a first number of recommended routes that pass through a constrained area is not permitted to exceed a second number;   receiving an indication of said constrained area;   presenting N recommended routes subsequent to a receipt of N requests for N routes, wherein said N recommended routes pass through said constrained area, and wherein said presenting said N recommended routes includes said presenting said determined route to said user as said recommended route;   determining an (N+1)-th route that passes through said constrained area, wherein said determining said (N+1)-th route is based on a receipt of a request from a second user for a determination of said (N+1)-th route;   determining said first number is greater than said second number, wherein said first number is said N+1;   in response to said determining said first number is greater than said second number, indicating that said (N+1)-th route is not a recommended route and is not to be presented to said second user.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising retrieving profile data that describes one or more behaviors of said user, wherein said selecting said location is further based on said profile data, and wherein said profile data includes a preference of said user for purchasing a good or a service. 
     
     
         10 . A computer system comprising a processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising a software application, said software application comprising instructions that when carried out by said processor implement the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . A computer program product, comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program code stored therein, said computer readable program code containing instructions executable by a processor of a computer system to implement a method of determining a recommended route that includes a location as a result of an auction, said method comprising:
 receiving a request from a user for a determination of a route from a first point to a second point;   selecting a plurality of locations capable of being included along a plurality of routes from said first point to said second point, wherein said selecting said plurality of locations is based on said request;   initiating an auction among a plurality of vendors that submits a plurality of bids in said auction, wherein said vendors and said bids are associated in a one-to-one correspondence;   determining that a vendor of said plurality of vendors wins said auction based on a bid of said plurality of bids, wherein said bid is associated with said vendor;   determining said route (determined route) so that a location of said plurality of locations is included along said determined route, wherein said location is associated with said vendor that wins said auction based on said bid; and   presenting said determined route to said user as said recommended route.   
     
     
         12 . The program product of  claim 11 , wherein said method further comprises receiving said plurality of bids submitted by said plurality of vendors, wherein said receiving said plurality of bids is performed subsequent to said receiving said request. 
     
     
         13 . The program product of  claim 11 , wherein said method further comprises:
 receiving a plurality of parameters from said plurality of vendors prior to said receiving said request; and   receiving said plurality of bids submitted by said plurality of vendors, wherein said receiving said plurality of bids is performed prior to said receiving said request to facilitate conducting said auction as an instantaneous auction in response to said receiving said request and said selecting said plurality of locations, wherein said plurality of bids is based on said plurality of parameters, and wherein said selecting said plurality of locations is further based on said plurality of parameters.   
     
     
         14 . The program product of  claim 11 , wherein said method further comprises:
 tracking an actual route traveled by said user subsequent to said presenting said determined route;   determining that said location is included along said actual route; and   determining a surcharge to be charged to said vendor as a result of said determining that said location is included along said actual route.   
     
     
         15 . The program product of  claim 11 , wherein said method further comprises:
 retrieving a rule indicating that said determined route is presented as said recommended route by said presenting only if a difference N between a first measurement of said determined route and a second measurement of an optimal route from said first point to said second point does does not exceed a predefined threshold value X;   determining said difference N;   determining said difference N does not exceed said predefined threshold value X; and   in response to said determining said difference N does not exceed said predefined threshold value X, designating said determined route as said recommended route.   
     
     
         16 . The program product of  claim 11 , wherein said method further comprises:
 receiving a second request from a second user for a determination of a second route from a third point to a fourth point;   selecting a second plurality of locations capable of being included along a second plurality of routes from said third point to said fourth point, wherein said selecting said second plurality of locations is based on said second request;   initiating a second auction among a second plurality of vendors that submits a second plurality of bids in said auction;   determining that a vendor (winning vendor) of said second plurality of vendors wins said second auction based on a bid (winning bid) of said second plurality of bids, wherein said winning bid is associated with said winning vendor;   determining said second route so that a second location is included along said second route, wherein said second location is associated with said winning vendor; and   retrieving a rule indicating that a first length (determined route length) of said second route is not permitted to exceed a second length (optimal route length) of a second optimal route from said third point to said fourth point by more than X percent;   determining said determined route length is N percent more than said optimal route length;   determining said N percent is greater than said X percent; and   in response to said determining said N percent is greater than said X percent, indicating said second route is not recommended to said second user and is not to be presented to said second user.   
     
     
         17 . A process for supporting computing infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in a computing system comprising a processor, wherein said processor carries out instructions of said code to cause the computing system to specify a method of determining a recommended route that includes a location as a result of an auction, said method comprising:
 receiving a request from a user for a determination of a route from a first point to a second point;   selecting a plurality of locations capable of being included along a plurality of routes from said first point to said second point, wherein said selecting said plurality of locations is based on said request;   initiating an auction among a plurality of vendors that submits a plurality of bids in said auction, wherein said vendors and said bids are associated in a one-to-one correspondence;   determining that a vendor of said plurality of vendors wins said auction based on a bid of said plurality of bids, wherein said bid is associated with said vendor;   a processor of a computer system determining said route (determined route) so that a location of said plurality of locations is included along said determined route, wherein said location is associated with said vendor that wins said auction based on said bid; and   presenting said determined route to said user as said recommended route.   
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 17 , wherein said method further comprises receiving said plurality of bids submitted by said plurality of vendors, and wherein said receiving said plurality of bids is performed subsequent to said receiving said request. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 17 , wherein said method further comprises:
 receiving a plurality of parameters from said plurality of vendors prior to said receiving said request; and   receiving said plurality of bids submitted by said plurality of vendors, wherein said receiving said plurality of bids is performed prior to said receiving said request to facilitate conducting said auction as an instantaneous auction in response to said receiving said request and said selecting said plurality of locations, wherein said plurality of bids is based on said plurality of parameters, and wherein said selecting said plurality of locations is further based on said plurality of parameters.   
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 17 , wherein said method further comprises:
 tracking an actual route traveled by said user subsequent to said presenting said determined route;   determining that said location is included along said actual route; and   determining a surcharge to be charged to said vendor as a result of said determining that said location is included along said actual route.