Electronically capturing consumer location data for analyzing consumer behavior

Abstract

In embodiments, methods and systems for electronically capturing consumer location data for consumer behavior analysis may be provided. The location data may be gathered for one or more consumers from any suitable source. In some cases, the location data may be gathered using electronic devices associated with consumers, such as mobile phones. The gathered data may be analyzed to determine behavior patterns or other characteristics of the one or more consumers. Further, inferences or predictions about consumers may be derived based on the characteristics. The inferences and predictions may be the basis of consumer analytics supplied to a business or other entity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for performing consumer analytics based on location data for consumers of a plurality of consumers, wherein the location data comprises geographic location data determined using Global Positioning System (GPS) and/or Assisted GPS (AGPS) techniques implemented by mobile devices operated by the plurality of consumers, the method comprising:
 operating at least one programmed processor to perform a set of acts, the at least one programmed processor being programmed with executable instructions identifying the set of acts, the set of acts comprising:
 identifying, in the location data, a plurality of paths taken by the plurality of consumers, each path comprising a route traveled by a consumer of the plurality of consumers and comprising at least two settings visited by the consumer during the path, wherein the at least two settings of each path comprise a starting endpoint and a finishing endpoint of the path and wherein the starting endpoint and finishing endpoint for each path are personally-relevant locations for the consumer who traveled the path, and wherein identifying the plurality of paths in the location data comprises identifying in the location data visits by the plurality of consumers to personally-relevant locations for those consumers and identifying the plurality of paths based on the identified personally-relevant locations; 
 generating information identifying a context in which a first consumer visited a first business, wherein generating the information identifying the context comprises identifying a path in which the first consumer visited the first business and identifying a behavior in which the consumer was engaged during the path in which the first consumer visited the first business.