IT201800009416A1 - METHOD, SYSTEM AND IT PRODUCT FOR THE GENERATION OF TRAVEL ITINERARIES - Google Patents

Description

TITLE: METHOD, SYSTEM AND IT PRODUCT FOR THE GENERATION OF TRAVEL ITINERARIES

DESCRIPTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method for generating one or more personalized and interactive tour itineraries traced between a place of departure and a place of destination, passing through one or more points of interest (henceforth indicated with the acronym POI, acronym of the "Point Of Interest" translation into English) chosen on the basis of criteria and constraints established by the user. The invention also relates to a system and a computer product to be loaded into a processing unit of the system for implementing the method.

STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

In recent years, it has become customary to plan trips, excursions, trips, holidays, etc. by consulting IT media, whether they are sites, portals, blogs, social platforms or applications, in order to obtain information quickly, practically and economically. Thanks to the use of laptops, tablets or smart phones, this consultation can be carried out at any time and in any place.

There are known devices, methods and IT products (hereinafter referred to as "systems") that allow a user to interactively create an itinerary based on criteria and parameters set by the user.

The user who uses one of these systems will be more oriented towards a product that provides him with as much information as possible on all aspects associated with the journey he plans to undertake, and that is as interactive as possible, allowing him to limit the number of resources consulted, saving time and effort.

Currently, the most important limitation of the main traditional IT applications is the impossibility of combining the two cardinal functions of the application sector, namely: the generation of itineraries and the personalized and targeted search for POIs within a map. The first function is performed by software (eg Google Maps) that implement a local or global geographic map, defined and updated on a satellite basis, on which it is possible to manually search for addresses or places of interest, create itineraries between a starting point and a favorite destination, or possibly between several consecutive points, calculate distances and receive technical information (traffic, roads, travel times, etc.). The second function is carried out by software that offer the user the opportunity to consult a database containing technical and tourist information on POI, possibly proposing generalized and pre-set visit routes; an example is the Via Michelin application.

There are hybrid applications, in which the two functions coexist. An example is the YAMGU system, described in WO2017042644A1. This system is able to create at least one itinerary for a specific trip based on a user profile and information, appropriately screened, also coming from web sources, to preset activity bookings based on the itinerary, and to create itineraries alternatives, even in real time, by becoming aware of an event that may have an impact on the itinerary generated or on the itineraries generated. The problem with these hybrid applications is that the degree of customization and depth of research, as well as the presence of complementary utilities, are rather limited. In fact, the database of the YAMGU system is limited exclusively to the city routes of the main tourist resorts. In addition, the POIs to be included in an itinerary are provided with a classification relating only to the type, without taking into account the degree of interest expressed by the user.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

An aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a method, a system and a computer product, which overcome and avoid the main defects and the most serious limitations of the known art.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method, a system and a computer product that are capable of generating one or more personalized and interactive tour itineraries, traced between a place of departure and a place of destination and passing through one or more more POIs appropriately chosen by the user.

A further purpose of the present invention is to provide a method, a system and a computer product that, through a guided procedure, provides the user with one or more itineraries that meet the set criteria.

These and other objects are achieved with the method, the system and the computer product with the characteristics claimed in the appended claims.

In particular, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a method is proposed for generating a personalized and interactive tour itinerary, traced between a place of departure and a place of destination, which crosses one or more points of interest (POI) appropriately chosen. by the user, which includes at least the following operations: choose the criteria and constraints for defining an itinerary; propose a plurality of POIs, extracted from a database, to be included in the itinerary; select at least one proposed POI and generate, in the form of a graph, a map of an initial geographical area including all selected POIs; analyze and verify the availability of graph nodes corresponding to the selected POIs; select the available nodes and verify compliance with the imposed constraints; integrating the at least one further selected node into the graph, updating a path being defined; and propose to the user at least one itinerary including at least one of the selected POIs.

If the system generates more itineraries, these will be advantageously classified according to the degree of interest, and / or the distance and / or the interest-distance ratio.

Preferably, the constraints include at least: a starting location of the itinerary; a duration of the visit and a maximum distance, from the place of departure, of the POIs to be included in the itinerary. Optionally, in an alternative embodiment, a place of arrival can be set, if it is chosen not to end the itinerary in the place of departure.

Preferably, the POIs are grouped in the database into categories and are associated with information on their level of interest. The criteria then include at least the categories of POIs and a minimum threshold of interest for each category, which can be set by the user, and the operation of proposing one or more POIs to the user involves proposing POIs having a level of interest not lower. at said threshold.

According to another aspect of the invention, a system is proposed to generate a personalized and interactive tour itinerary, traced between a place of departure and a place of destination, which crosses one or more points of interest (POI) appropriately chosen by the user.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, a computer product is proposed, which can be loaded into the memory of a central unit (server) and made available to users, through one or more processing units connected to an interface, as a service that can be used via the web and / or through an application. The computer product therefore comprises portions of software code for implementing the method of the invention, when said product is executed on the processing unit. As used herein, the reference to such a computer product is intended as equivalent to the reference to a computer readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system or device in order to coordinate the implementation of the method according to the invention.

In a preferred application of the invention, the at least one processing unit is represented by the processing unit of a mobile user terminal, such as an intelligent mobile phone or tablet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

These and other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of preferred embodiments made by way of non-limiting example with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

- FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an interactive system for the generation of itineraries according to the invention;

- FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of the route generation method according to the invention;

- FIG. 3 shows the initial screen during the execution of the method, with the choice of the constraints and criteria which must satisfy a route to be generated;

- FIG. 4 shows a second screen during the execution of the method, with the choice of the proposed places to visit;

- FIG. 5 shows a third screen during the execution of the method, with the choice of the proposed POIs to visit;

- FIG. 6 shows a fourth screen during the execution of the method, with the choice of the proposed itineraries;

- FIG. 7 is a representation of an itinerary generated with the method according to the invention, shown on a road map.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED FORM OF PRODUCTION

Fig. 1 shows in schematic form the structure of a system 1 for the interactive generation of one or more personalized travel and / or visit itineraries.

The system 1 comprises a plurality of users, equipped with respective user devices 10a, 10b ... 10n, each schematized by a processing unit 11a, 11b ... 11n and by a user interface 12a, 12b. ..12n. The user devices 10a, 10b ... 10n may be personal computers, smart mobile phones, tablets, etc., and preferably they will be mobile terminals. The user interface 12a, 12b ... 12n will then be the keyboard plus screen assembly of one of these terminals, or a touch screen, etc. Hereinafter, the terms "user" and "user device" will be used interchangeably. An application and / or program designed to implement the method according to the invention are loaded and stored on a central unit or server 30.

An appropriate communication network 20, for example the Internet network, allows the connection between said server 30 and the users 10a ... 10n. In particular, the connection takes place via a SaaS (Software as a Service) distribution model, thanks to which the application and / or program is made available to the user through the Internet. Suitable archives or databases 40 in which information to be used for creating the itineraries are stored are associated with the system and are accessible to the server 30, for example through a communication network 50. By way of example, two separate databases have been shown 40a, 40b containing respectively information relating to the set of POIs and information for generating maps. Obviously, databases with different types of information may be accessible, p. ex. information relating to transport services, hotel services, etc. To create an itinerary, user 10 will provide the system 1 with initial parameters (in particular, constraints and criteria that the itinerary must satisfy, as will be better explained in the following description of the method) and any information requested from time to time. time from the system during operations. As a result, one or more routes will be displayed on the screen of the user device 10.

Fig. 2 is a flow chart of the method according to the invention. The method, indicated as a whole with 100, is interactive and allows the user, through a series of control screens, to indicate criteria and constraints which must satisfy an itinerary to be generated and to express a plurality of preferences, in order to generate one or more itineraries corresponding to the requested characteristics and classified according to the degree of interest of the POIs crossed by the itinerary.

When starting the method, the first step (step 101) is the choice of the constraints and criteria for defining an itinerary. By way of non-limiting example, the constraints are represented by: a place of departure (localization constraint); a maximum radius, expressed in kilometers, around the place of departure within which to organize the itinerary (proximity constraint); and a time limit for the visit expressed in days (time constraint). The time constraint may also concern, in addition, the travel dates. In addition, you can indicate a place of arrival, in case you do not want to return to the place of departure at the end of the itinerary. Another alternative constraint can be constituted by a ceiling on the expenditure that you want to incur.

In turn, the criteria are represented by categories to which the POIs belong. Examples of categories can be: cities and villages; artistic heritage (eg castles, architecture and historic districts, religious buildings, archaeological and historical sites, museums and works of art ...); natural parks; sporting events and shows; industrial facilities, etc. The individual POIs are stored in the database 40a (Fig. 1), in which each of them is accompanied by a series of information (eg a description, opening / closing times, entrance ticket costs ... ) and is associated, as in conventional paper tourist guides, with indications of interest. A certain number of categories can be predefined and stored by the system, but the invention allows the user to add other categories of his interest.

In addition, the system can assign a default value of interest to the various POI categories, which can be modified by the user, according to his preferences, in the selection phase. In particular, in the selection phase 101, the user has the possibility to assign to each category a minimum value of interest that acts as a threshold, in order to include or exclude from the itinerary the POIs that, respectively, reach or do not reach. this threshold. The default value can be 0, so that, in the absence of any indication of interest for a selected category, the system will propose to the user all the POIs of the category.

To allow the user to choose the constraints and criteria for defining an itinerary, an initial screen is shown on the user's terminal, represented in Fig. 3, possibly containing appropriate drop-down menus and / or scroll bars for the various voices. In this figure, for the sake of clarity of description and by way of example, it has been assumed that in the system the following categories of POI are predefined and shown in the initial screen: cities and villages; castles, architecture and historic districts; religious buildings; archaeological and historical sites; museums and works of art; industrial tourism and parks. In this initial screen, each category is associated with a scroll bar on a judgment scale, extended from a minimum value (e.g. zero points) to a maximum value (e.g. five points), by which the user can assign threshold values to the POIs of the chosen categories.

It is clear that, if the default number of categories is high, these will be presented to the user in the form of a menu, p. ex. a drop-down menu, instead of already being shown on the screen.

In the lower part of the initial screen there are the fields (in the example shown in the form of a drop-down menu or scroll bar) for the choice of constraints, i.e. starting and possibly arrival locations, maximum distance (in kilometers) of the POIs from the place of departure, duration of the trip (in days).

In the following description, again for clarity of description and by way of example, it is assumed that the user's choices lead to the generation of one or more itineraries departing from Siena (Tuscany, Italy), lasting 3 days, which pass through POI belonging to the categories cities and villages, castles, architecture and historic districts, religious buildings, archaeological and historical sites, museums and works of art, evaluated with different judgment values and located within a radius of 250 km from the city of departure.

Therefore, the user will select the categories indicated above from the list of categories on the screen and will attribute to each of these certain threshold values of interest which, in the above example, are maximum for the category of museums and works of art, and will enter, in the appropriate fields, the place of departure, the duration and the maximum distance, as shown in the figure. In the case considered, the "City of arrival" field is not filled in; this indicates that the itinerary generated by the system will have to return to the place of departure following a visit to one or part of the selected places. Alternatively, the itinerary can be closed in a loop following a preferred route generated by the system, such that the distance parameters and / or the degree of interest are optimized.

In general, the system is programmed to provide, in addition to the at least one itinerary generated in compliance with the constraints set and the POIs selected, or alternatively to it if there are none, at least one itinerary that presents a maximized degree of interest. and / or cost parameters (distance and duration) minimized compared to the values set by the user.

If the user does not express, through the initial screen of Fig. 3, any preference regarding the POI categories to be included in the search, and / or if said preferences are too limited or insufficient to generate one or more specific itineraries, the device is programmed, in a preferred embodiment, to emit a signal which warns the user of the presence of too high a number of results and which requests the restriction of the search field. Said signal can manifest itself, for example, in the form of a text string located in any of the control screens and, in particular, in the screen shown in figure 3. A similar signal can be generated in the event that the constraints and / o the criteria are not defined and / or are not sufficient to start a search for itineraries.

Following the confirmation of these preliminary parameters, in a second and third interface screen, represented in Figures 4 and 5, the device 100 proposes (step 102) to the user a plurality of POIs, read from the database 40a, which meet the constraints / criteria set in the previous step. These POIs are shown classified according to the total interest score obtained, deriving from the sum of the partial scores assigned to the individual categories listed in the first screen. The device requires the user to include and / or exclude the different locations according to their interests (POI selection, step 103). The POIs resulting from this selection are included in a special list. In the preferred embodiment example, the POIs proposed by the system to the user are divided into two different levels, illustrated respectively in the images of Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. The first level (Fig. 4) includes the places of interest that satisfy the criteria and constraints set in step 101. The screen offers the user the possibility to select the places he wants to visit. Based on the selection, through appropriate links, it is possible to access the second level (Fig. 5), including the POIs (monuments, buildings, tourist sites ...) associated with the individual locations selected. In particular, in Fig. 5, POIs associated with the place of departure have been indicated. This screen also offers the user the ability to select the POIs they want to visit. The device is programmed to provide and propose to the user also one or more POIs, present in the database 40a, not directly selected by the user in step 103. For example, said proposal may concern one or more POIs having a level of interest lower than that indicated in step 101, as illustrated by way of example in Fig. 5, or, on the contrary, POIs falling within the parameters of interest but which deviate from the distance and time constraints always set in step 101.

Subsequently, the method comprises a second phase, divided into a sequence of several stages (steps 104 - 111), in which the system performs the necessary processing to calculate all the possible paths that comply with the indications provided by the user in the previous phase ( steps 101 - 103).

This second phase starts with an initialization step (step 104), in which the system prepares a geographic map centered around the starting location indicated in step 101. This map is essentially a graph whose nodes coincide with every single possible point of interest within the selected area, i.e. they represent the totality of the localities present within said geographical area. The function of step 104 is therefore to restrict the field of interest of the geographic map to the dimensions defined by the imposition of space / time constraints. The nodes of the graph corresponding to the POIs responding to the user's choices and the criteria and constraints set, ie the POIs resulting from the selection made in step 103, will also be referred to as "target nodes" in what follows. The operation carried out in step 104 is followed by an analysis of the nodes aimed at eliminating from the list of target nodes the nodes that do not respect the imposed proximity and time constraints (step 105). The result of step 105 is a graph that contains all the nodes available and suitable for the definition of a path corresponding to the requests. Here and in the following the standard term "path" will be used to indicate the connection path between two or more successive nodes of a graph. This path, once the selected POIs have been associated with the graph nodes, will identify itself with the travel itinerary generated by the method and proposed to the user. Next, the possibility of visiting other nodes is checked (step 106). If at least one further node is available (step 106, Output Yes), said node is selected and integrated into the graph (step 107), always checking (step 108) that the constraints and criteria referred to in steps 101 and 102 are respected In particular, if more nodes are available, in step 107 the system chooses the most promising node, determined on the basis of a heuristic of the system itself.

Traditional graph visitation algorithms, designed to analyze and search a series of nodes on a graph, in order to arrange them (all or part of them) in an order established by previously entered constraints and / or criteria, generally , this search step by step, visiting all the nodes in width and / or depth. That is, starting from an initial node, all the nodes adjacent to it directly connectable are examined in a first step, then, in the following steps, for each of these adjacent nodes, the respective nodes adjacent to them are analyzed, thus proceeding , by means of a so-called cascade process, until the nodes are exhausted. Algorithms of this kind are completely inefficient and / or useless in the context of very large graphs and / or with a very high number of nodes. An evolution of this traditional technique consists in applying to the algorithm a heuristic based on a cost criterion, through which only the nodes that at each step are the closest to those of the previous step are analyzed.

The method according to the invention, on the other hand, uses an optimized heuristic, adding the effects of the "cost function" described above to the effects of a "forecasting function", which allows the distance to be analyzed step by step. between the respective node and one of the target nodes. In the example of interest, if more POIs are foreseen between a starting point and an arrival point, the algorithm associated with the system calculates the mutual distances between the respective nodes both with respect to the starting point and the arrival point, allowing to generate an optimized path. This results in a saving in terms of process management times and costs.

If no further nodes are available (step 106, output No), the method proceeds directly to step 109, where the graph is updated, integrating the examined node. If the node selected in step 107 is not compatible with the constraints imposed (step 108, Output No), the search for alternative nodes is started, resuming the analysis referred to in steps 105 - 108; if, on the other hand, the constraints are respected (step 108, exit Sì), one goes to step 109 of updating and integrating the path on the graph, described above. Steps 106 - 108 therefore coincide with the steps for creating a path and, in particular, represent the steps in which any nodes, subsequent to the starting node, are progressively searched, selected and filtered, before being associated with the graph in the next step. Step 110 provides for the verification of the insertion in the graph of all available nodes. If not, what happens if the insertion of all nodes prevents compliance with the constraints imposed in step 101, the last node is cut (step 111), coinciding, for example, with the last target node shown in step 109. At this point we repeat the operations of analysis and search of nodes (steps 105 - 110) until the latter are available. If the cutting of the last node alone is not sufficient to bring the path within the limits imposed by the selected criteria and constraints, the cycle consisting of steps 111 and 105 - 110 is repeated until the goal is reached.

This way of proceeding according to the invention allows you to generate proposals regarding itineraries that are even only partial with respect to the user's original interests, which itineraries, however, could still be convenient and / or attractive in the eyes of the user. The practice of a traditional method would have required to discard and eliminate a priori a path that does not comply with the set criteria, thus significantly limiting the number of proposals that could be presented to the user.

If all the target nodes have been included in the graph (step 110, exit Yes), a route or a list of routes (step 112) is generated that crosses (crosses) all the POIs selected in the previous steps. The itinerary (or each itinerary) is shown to the user on a special screen, represented in Fig. 6, in the form of a respective geographical / road map, on which (on each of which) the itinerary (a itinerary) and the one or more POIs related to it are indicated. In case of several itineraries, these are sorted by p. ex. based on the degree of interest. By degree of interest we mean the total sum of the values of interest assigned to each POI included in the itinerary at steps 101 and / or 102. Alternatively, or with the same degree of interest, the sorting can be done on the basis of distance and / or o to the interest / distance ratio, where by distance we mean the length of the route and, by interest / distance ratio, we mean the parameter that optimizes the two aforementioned variables.

If there are no complete solutions, in particular there are no itineraries that cross the entire sequence of POIs in compliance with the constraints set, because, for example, the previously imposed time and / or distance limits are exceeded, the method 100 however provides at least a partial path comprising a plurality of POIs, preferably chosen on the basis of their degree of interest.

Through these screens, by means of an appropriate link associated with each generated itinerary, the user can consult again the information relating to the POIs (first and second level) included in the at least one itinerary and, in the event that he deems the analysis of the unsatisfactory nodes, can, by varying the parameters and evaluations of the POIs, start a new search, for the generation of alternative itineraries. Also through the aforementioned links associated with the generated itineraries it is possible to access a final screen, illustrated in Fig. 7, which shows an enlarged figure of the selected itinerary, accompanied by images, for illustrative purposes, depicting all the POIs ( i.e. the localities) crossed by the route.

In the example shown, the POIs are marked along the route of the itinerary through special pointers on a geographical map. The latter can be implemented through one of the standard formats commonly used in the industry. In particular, the standard format owned by Google Maps - KML (Keyhole Markup Language) - can be used, which allows you to manage geo-spatial data in three dimensions, by specifying a set of elements integrated into the map and geo-localized. , such as: geographic bookmarks, images, geometric pointers, textual descriptions and labels, etc. However, other electronic map formats are also possible, in particular formats based on open source software.

The method according to the invention solves and overcomes the limitations and defects of the known technique as it provides methods of selecting and filtering the POIs to visit, supporting the user in the choice. Furthermore, by verifying the constraints indicated by the user on the proposed tour itineraries, the result is an optimization according to the most convenient visit order.

It is evident that what has been described is given by way of non-limiting example and that variants and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the attached claims.

Claims (10)

TITLE: METHOD, SYSTEM AND IT PRODUCT FOR THE GENERATION OF TRAVEL ITINERARIES CLAIMS 1. Method (100) to generate personalized and interactive tour itineraries, traced between a place of departure and a place of destination, which cross one or more points of interest, in short POI, characterized by the fact that they include the following operations: - choose (101) criteria and constraints which an itinerary must satisfy; - extracting from one or more databases (40, 40a, 40b), on the basis of the chosen criteria and constraints, and proposing (102) to a user a plurality of POIs that satisfy the aforementioned criteria and constraints; - select (103) at least one proposed POI; - generate (104), in the form of a graph, an initial geographical area including all the selected POIs; - analyze (105) and verify (106) the availability of graph nodes corresponding to the selected POIs; - select (107) the available nodes and verify (108) compliance with the imposed constraints; - integrating in the graph (109) the at least one further selected node, updating a path being defined; And - generate and propose (112) to the user at least one itinerary including at least one of the selected POIs. Method (100) according to claim 1, comprising the following additional operations: - verify (110) if all the selected nodes respecting the constraints have been included in the path; - cut (111) the last node if the previous condition is not verified, repeating the previous analysis operations (105 - 110). Method (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said constraints include at least: - a starting point of the itinerary; - a duration of the visit; - a maximum distance of the POIs to be included in the itinerary from the place of departure; And - a place of arrival, if the itinerary does not include a return to the place of departure. Method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said POIs are grouped in the database (40, 40a, 40b) in categories and are associated with information on a level of interest thereof, and said criteria include at least categories of POIs and a minimum threshold of interest for each category, which can be set by the user. Method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said operation of proposing one or more POIs to the user envisages proposing POIs having a level of interest not lower than said threshold. 6. Method (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the POIs proposed to the user are divided into two levels associated respectively with places of interest and sites of attraction associated with said places. Method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an alert is generated if the constraints and / or criteria set and / or the POIs selected are insufficient to generate at least one itinerary. 8. System for generating personalized and interactive tour itineraries, traced between a place of departure and a place of destination, which cross one or more points of interest, including a central unit (30) capable of storing an IT product to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, and a plurality of user devices (10a, 10b ... 10n) equipped with respective processing units (11a, 11b ... 11n) and adapted to connect with the unit central (30) via a communication network (20) to use said IT product. 9. IT product that can be loaded into the memory of a central processing unit (30) and made available to users (10a, 10b ... 10n) through respective processing units (11a, 11b ... 11n) as a service usable by the users themselves , the computer product comprising portions of software code for carrying out the method of the invention, when said product is executed on the processing unit of a user. 10. Computer product according to claim 9, characterized in that each of said user processing units (11a, 11b ... 11n) is the processing unit of a mobile user terminal.