U.S. patent application number 13/789080 was filed with the patent office on 2013-08-08 for system and method for presenting geolocated relevance-based content.
This patent application is currently assigned to YAHOO! INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is YAHOO! INC.. Invention is credited to Vik Singh.
Application Number | 20130204868 13/789080 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44370350 |
Filed Date | 2013-08-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130204868 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Singh; Vik |
August 8, 2013 |
System and Method for Presenting Geolocated Relevance-Based
Content
Abstract
System and method for presenting geolocated relevance-based
content. In one example, presence of a user is detected at a
location. A plurality of search queries associated with the
location are obtained. At least one search query is identified from
the plurality of search queries based on information associated
with the user. A search result is then generated based on the at
least one identified search query to the user.
Inventors: |
Singh; Vik; (San Jose,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
YAHOO! INC.; |
Sunnyvale |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
YAHOO! INC.
Sunnyvale
CA
|
Family ID: |
44370350 |
Appl. No.: |
13/789080 |
Filed: |
March 7, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
12706410 |
Feb 16, 2010 |
8417683 |
|
|
13789080 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
707/724 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 16/29 20190101;
G06F 16/9537 20190101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/724 |
International
Class: |
G06F 17/30 20060101
G06F017/30 |
Claims
1. A method implemented on at least one machine each having at
least one processor, storage, and a communication platform
connected to a network for providing content, the method
comprising: detecting presence of a user at a location; obtaining a
plurality of search queries associated with the location;
identifying at least one search query from the plurality of search
queries based on information associated with the user; and
providing a search result generated based on the at least one
identified search query to the user.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the user is
detected based on a mobile device of the user.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with
the user includes at least one of demographics, preferences, and
search history.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the search history includes
information associated with search histories of the user and/or of
others.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one search query is
identified based on the search history.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a user
group associated with the user based on the information associated
with the user.
7. The method of claim 1, where the user group includes at least
one of: a group of users who perform searches at the location; and
a group of users who perform searches associated with a particular
topic at the location.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a scope
of the location; and identifying the at least one search query from
the plurality of search queries based on popularities of the
plurality of search queries within the scope of the location.
9. A method implemented on at least one machine each having at
least one processor, storage, and a communication platform
connected to a network for providing content, the method
comprising: detecting presence of a user at a location; obtaining a
plurality of search queries associated with the location;
determining a user group associated with the user and one or more
search queries associated with the user group based on information
associated with the user; identifying at least one search query
from the one or more search queries associated with the user group
based on the information associated with the user; and providing a
search result generated based on the at least one identified search
query to the user.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the location of the user is
detected based on a mobile device of the user.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the information associated with
the user includes at least one of demographics, preferences, and
search history.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the search history includes
information associated with search histories of the user and/or of
others.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one search query
is identified based on the search history.
14. The method of claim 9, where the user group includes at least
one of: a group of users who perform searches at the location; and
a group of users who perform searches associated with a particular
topic at the location.
15. The method of claim 9, further comprising: determining a scope
of the location; and identifying the at least one search query from
one or more search queries based on popularities of the one or more
search queries within the scope of the location.
16. A method implemented on at least one machine each having at
least one processor, storage, and a communication platform
connected to a network for providing content, the method
comprising: identifying a plurality of search queries associated
with a location, wherein the plurality of search queries were
received from a plurality of users at the location; determining at
least one user group based on information associated with the
plurality of users; and associating at least one of the plurality
of search queries with each of the at least one user group.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the information associated with
the plurality of users includes at least one of demographics,
preferences, and search history.
18. The method of claim 16, where the user group includes at least
one of: a group of users who perform searches at the location; and
a group of users who perform searches associated with a particular
topic at the location.
19. The method of claim 16, further comprising: ranking the
plurality of search queries by popularity.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of search queries
were entered through mobile devices of the plurality of users.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is a continuation of and claims
priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/706,410, filed Feb.
16, 2010, entitled, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRESENTING GEOLOCATED
RELEVANCE-BASED CONTENT, which is incorporated herein by reference
in its entirety.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
[0002] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains
material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright
owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of
the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the
Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise
reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The invention disclosed herein relates generally to the
search and presentation of content. More specifically, the present
invention provides systems, methods and computer program products
for searching and presenting geolocated relevance-based content to
users utilizing mobile devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The World Wide Web provides access to an extraordinary large
collection of informational resources (in various formats including
text, images, videos, other media content and combinations thereof)
relating to virtually every subject imaginable. Current search
technologies allow a user to enter a search query and are operative
to return a plurality of search result matches to a user. The
existing structure of a search result page usually consists of a
listing of the search results corresponding to the search query,
which a search engine may present in conjunction with extraneous
elements such as advertising links, links to other services of the
search engine, etc.
[0005] However, as these information resources available on the
World Wide Web become further accessible to an increasing list of
access devices, specifically mobile devices with web browser
capabilities such as smartphones, PDAs, notebooks and netbooks, the
retrieval of these information resources through the current search
technology of submitting a search query is a time consuming
process. Not only are users restricted by the limitations of such
access devices, such as smaller peripheral components (e.g.,
smaller and/or less responsive keyboard) or slower transfer speeds,
these users are typically in motion, having limited time to submit
a search query and consistently changing the search parameters for
the information which they are seeking
[0006] It is becoming almost ubiquitous that mobile devices include
global positioning capabilities. As this global positioning
information is now usable by the processing device, for example in
a mapping application, it is equally usable for other operations.
Often times this global position information can be presented to a
base station or central processing component, but user information
sharing restrictions prevent the amount of sharing or utilization
of this information.
[0007] As the growth of the use of mobile devices for operations
beyond mere voice communications, e.g. telephone calls, there are
needs for increasing the speed and efficiency of these operations,
such as a search operation. There are no current techniques for
coupling global positioning information with searching operations
in mobile device. The limited data transfer capacity for wireless
or cellular technology also limits the effectiveness of these
mobile processing devices and subsequent processing systems.
Therefore, there exists a need for converging global positioning
information with user search operations in a mobile processing
device to improve user experience and optimize processing
operations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention provides for a computerized method and
system for presenting geolocated relevance-based content including
determining a geographic location of a mobile processing device and
identifying a plurality of search queries associated with the
geographic location of the mobile processing device. The
computerized method and system further includes generating at least
one search result responsive to at least one of the plurality of
queries associated with the geographic location of the mobile
processing device. Therefore, in the method and system, the mobile
processing device is presented with one or more search results
based on the geographic location of the mobile processing
device.
[0009] In various embodiments, the computerized method and
processing system allows for the automated disposition of estimated
search results to a user based solely on the user's location. When
the user launches a search engine application, prior to receipt of
a search request, the computerized method and system estimates the
search query based on a popularity of recent searches, including
for example presenting to the user the most-popular search results.
Based on the geographic location, the computerized method and
system predicts the user's search request and presents predicted
results. Whereupon, the user can additionally enter search terms if
the popular search results are not the intended content.
[0010] In addition to estimating search results, the computerized
method and system is also operative to populate a database tracking
user searches. This tracking of user search activity is then usable
for determining the popular searches predicted and pushed to the
users upon application launch.
[0011] Whereby, the computerized method and system overcomes prior
technique limitations by harnessing and utilizing global position
information to augment search results and estimate and predict
search requests based on user popularity to push content in a more
efficient technique over receiving a search term request and
responding thereto.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The invention is illustrated in the figures of the
accompanying drawings which are meant to be exemplary and not
limiting, in which like references are intended to refer to like or
corresponding parts, and in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a block diagram of a
system for populating a query log database in order to present
geolocated relevance-based content;
[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram presenting one embodiment
of a method for populating a query log database in order to present
geolocated relevance-based content;
[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram presenting one embodiment
of a method for determining the top search queries in the query log
database in order to present geolocated relevance-based
content;
[0016] FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram presenting one embodiment
of a method for searching and presenting geolocated relevance-based
content; and
[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates a sample screenshot of a search results
page presenting geolocated relevance-based content.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] In the following description of the embodiments of the
invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form
a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration,
exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It
is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and
structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of
the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a system 100 for
generating and presenting geolocated relevance-based content. The
system 100 is operative for both predictive distribution of search
results to a user and monitoring or tracking user search activities
relative to geographic locations for database population, as
described in further detail below.
[0020] The illustrated embodiment of the system 100 includes a
computer network 110, a search provider 120, a first client 102, a
second client 104 and a third client 106, a first content provider
130 and a second content provider 132. In the present embodiment,
the search provider 120 includes an interface 122, a search engine
123, a geographic module 124, a content data store 125 and a search
query data store 126.
[0021] The computer network 110 may be any type of computerized
network capable of transferring data, such as the Internet.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the first client
device 102, the second client device 104 and the third client
device 106 are mobile communication devices comprising a processor,
transient and persistent storage devices, input/output subsystem
and a communication subsystem to provide a communications path
between components comprising the mobile communication device.
Exemplary mobile communication devices considered to fall within
the scope of the present invention include, but are not limited to,
mobile personal computers, notebooks, netbooks, hand held devices,
mobile handsets, data messaging devices, two-way pagers, wireless
Internet appliances, data communication device, personal digital
assistants (PDAs), wireless two-way e-mail communication devices,
etc. While illustrated with three separate client devices, it is
recognized that any suitable number of client devices may access
this system from any number geographic locations.
[0022] According to one embodiment of the invention, the search
provider 120 and the content providers 130 and 132 are programmable
processor-based computer devices that include persistent and
transient memory, as well as one or more network connection ports
and associated hardware for transmitting and receiving data on the
network 110. The search provider 120 and the content providers 130
and 132 may host websites, store data, serve ads, etc. Those of
skill in the art understand that any number and type of the
providers 120, 130 and 132 may be connected to the network 110.
[0023] The search engine 123 and the geographic module 124 may
include one or more processing elements performing processing
operations responsive to executable instructions, collectively as a
single element or as various processing modules. The content data
store 126 and the search query data store 128 may be one or more
data storage devices of any suitable type that are operative to
persistently store corresponding data therein.
[0024] In accordance with one embodiment, search provider 120,
first client 102, second client 104, third client 106, first
content provider 130 and second content provider 132 are
communicatively coupled to the computer network 110. Client devices
102, 104 and 106, communicate across the network 110 to submit a
search request to the search provider 120 for one or more web
documents responsive to the specific keywords of the search query
identified within in the search request. The client devices 102,
104 and 106 include global positioning information when accessing
the network, that position information indicates the user's
position, such as a physical address, longitude/latitude coordinate
or any other suitable type of position information.
[0025] For example, an individual using the mobile processing
(client) device 102 can be located in front of the Chrysler
Building at 405 Lexington Avenue, New York, N.Y. The user may
launch a web browser application and submit a search request for
"lunch spots" or some similar term. According to one embodiment,
the search provider 120 maintains the interface 122 through which
the search request is not only submitted, but the search is
conducted and results submitted back to the device 102.
[0026] Based on various embodiments, as described in further detail
below, the mobile processing device can be automatically presented
with predictive search results. For example, based on knowledge of
the global position and other information, such as for example a
time of day indicator or user profile information, the search
engine 123 can determine the most popular search request at this
location and predicatively present the user with those search
results before the user asks. Using the above example of 405
Lexington Ave., if the tracking of search history indicates a trend
for searching for lunch spots, restaurants, and/or delis at a
particular time, when the application is launched, those search
results may pushed directly to the client device 102 prior to
requiring the user to enter the search request on the client device
102. Through the interface 122, the user is still able to enter a
regular search request to the search engine 123 in the event the
predictive search results are that which the user seeks.
[0027] According to one embodiment, upon receipt of the search
request at the interface 122 of the search provider 120, the search
engine 123 simultaneously receives the search request and retrieves
one or more search results responsive to the query, for example in
the form of web documents, such as a news website, an online
shopping website, a blog website, etc. The search engine 123 may
retrieve the search results from the content data store 125.
According to another embodiment, the search engine 123 retrieves
responsive search results from the content providers 132 and 133,
via the network 110 via interface 122. The search engine 123
transmits the responsive search results back to the client device
102.
[0028] Consistent with search requests and result generation, the
search provider 100 additionally tracks and stores the search
information with at least the geographic information. As described
in further detail below, additional information can be used to
track or otherwise store the search information and results.
[0029] It is also recognized that the scope of the geographic
limitation directly relates to the reliability of the
predictability of results. If a small geographic scope is utilized,
this can provide a higher degree of reliability of search
information because this would infer a more concise sampling of
information, such as for example the scope of several feet, meters,
blocks, longitude/latitude degrees, etc. A larger scope may be, for
example, a city block, which has a higher degree of variables for
which users might be conducting search operations, therefore there
is less reliability in the predictiveness.
[0030] With reference back to FIG. 1, in one embodiment, the
geographic module 124 assigns a pointer for each of the responsive
search results in the content data store 125 to the corresponding
search query stored in the search query data store 126. The
responsive search results and the corresponding pointer to the
associated search query are stored in an index data structure
within the content data store 125.
[0031] As described in further detail in the flowcharts below, FIG.
2 illustrates the tracking and population of the search query data
store. FIG. 3 illustrates the ranking of search requests and search
terms for the predictive push of search results. FIG. 4 illustrates
the automated distribution or push of predictive search results to
the user.
[0032] FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a flow diagram for a
method for populating a query log database in order to present
geolocated relevance-based content. In accordance with the
embodiment of FIG. 2, the method may begin by receiving one or more
search queries from a user utilizing a client device, step 210. For
example, an individual using a mobile handset equipped with web
browser capabilities may be standing in front of Grand Central
Terminal in New York, N.Y. and may access the web browser in order
to submit a search query for "lunch spots in midtown manhattan"
[0033] The geographic location of the client device is then
determined, step 220. Continuing from the previous example, a
geographic module determines that the search query was received
from the address, 87 East 42nd Street, New York, N.Y., using
commonly known global positioning technology. It is recognized that
the client device may also use a global positioning system (GPS)
device and mark the location with a longitude/latitude identifier,
or any other suitable type of information.
[0034] The one or more search queries are stored according to the
geographic location of the client device from which it was sent
from, step 230. For example, the search query "lunch spots in
midtown manhattan" is stored in an index data structure in a data
store, along with the corresponding location, 87 East 42nd Street,
New York, N.Y.
[0035] As described in further detail below, it is also recognized
that additional information can be stored with the search request,
including for example user information and/or environment
information. For example, environment information may be
information such as the time of day or current weather details. For
example, user information may be user profile data, such as
indicating the user is a certain age, within a certain
demographics, has a preference for various items, e.g. instead of
just lunch spots, the user is a vegetarian also.
[0036] One or more search results responsive to the one or more
search queries are retrieved, step 240. Continuing from the
previous example, the search result list may include a consumer
review website offering reviews of different restaurants located in
midtown Manhattan, a blog website wherein individuals that work in
the vicinity discuss the cheapest places to buy lunch or a website
for steakhouse restaurants located in the vicinity. The one or more
search results responsive to the one or more search queries are
then stored according to the one or more search queries as
referenced by the geographic information, step 250. For example,
the geographic module 124 of FIG. 1 assigns a pointer for the
consumer review website offering reviews of different restaurants
located in midtown Manhattan stored in an index structure in a
content data store, which points to the search query "lunch spots
in midtown manhattan" stored in a search query data store. The one
or more search results responsive to the one or more search queries
are then returned to and displayed on the client device, step 260
and the process flow then terminates.
[0037] Thereby, through the method of FIG. 2, the search query data
store 126 of FIG. 1 is populated with user search request data.
This data tracks user search operations, including search terms,
based on the geographical location from whence the search request
is initiated, e.g. the physical position of the mobile processing
device, as referred to as the client device 102, 104 and/or 106. In
additional embodiments, the search query data store 126 further
includes the ancillary or additional information associated with
the search queries.
[0038] FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a flow diagram
presenting a method for determining the top search queries in the
query log database in order to present geolocated relevance-based
content. In one embodiment, this method may be performed
just-in-time with available processing capabilities, or in another
embodiment may be performed on a regular interval in back-end
processing operations. The method includes defining a geographic
location, step 310. For example, the geographic module 124 of FIG.
1 is operative to select a given location that is stored in a
search query data store, such as 87 East 42nd Street, New York,
N.Y., or could be longitude/latitude data, the method identifies
search queries received from the location, such as the examples of:
"lunch spots in midtown manhattan," "landmarks near Grand Central
Station," "churches in midtown manhattan" "clothing stores in Grand
Central terminal." The method determines the top search queries for
each geographic location, step 320. Continuing from the previous
example, the geographic module 124 of FIG. 1 can determine the top
search queries for the location 87 East 42nd Street, New York,
N.Y., by tabulating the popularity of the various queries. Based on
this tabulation, the geographic module may determine that the
search query "lunch spots in midtown manhattan" is the top search
query and that the search query "clothing stores in Grand Central
terminal" is the second most received query for this particular
location. This location information and associated search queries
are stored in the search query data store 132 of FIG. 1.
[0039] The further steps of FIG. 3 illustrate the iterative nature
of this process. As additionally search requests come in, the
ranking and hence popularity is similarly adjusted. It is
additionally noted that the flowchart of FIG. 3 relates exclusively
to actually submitted search requests. Whereas, as noted in FIG. 4,
when the predictive search results are what the user is seeking, no
search is then conducted. As this new search is not conducted,
there is the possibility of this search result not being counted
for popularity purposes because the user does not actually submit
the search terms. Therefore, in one embodiment, when a predictive
search term is proposed to a user and a search request is not
received in return, the system may count the predicted search terms
as another iteration of a search request, the implication being
that because the user did not submit a new search request, the
predictive terms correctly predicted the user's search request.
[0040] Additional search queries are received, step 330. For
example, another user located at 87 East 42nd Street, New York,
N.Y. may use his mobile device and access its web browser to the
submit the search queries "landmarks near Grand Central Station"
and "five star hotels in midtown manhattan." The one or more
additional search queries received from the additional client
devices are stored according to the geographic location of the
client device from which it was sent from, step 340. The top search
queries for each geographic location are then updated, step
350.
[0041] Continuing from the previous example, the search queries
"landmarks near Grand Central Station" and "five star hotels in
midtown manhattan" are stored in an index data structure and
associated with the location, 87 East 42nd Street, New York, N.Y.
The geographic module is then operative to update the top search
queries by performing a new tabulation for each of the search
queries associated with the location, 87 East 42nd Street, New
York, N.Y. The new tabulation may then alter the ranking of the top
search queries, where for example, based on the fact that an
additional user submitted a search query, "landmarks near Grand
Central Station" at the location, the search query "clothing stores
in Grand Central terminal" becomes the third most received query
for the location and the "landmarks near Grand Central Station"
becomes the second most received query. Process flow then reverts
back to step 330, where a continuous update is performed as to the
top search queries for a given location.
[0042] FIG. 2 describes the tracking of this search request
information and geographic information. FIG. 3 describes the
ranking or popularity determination of the search request
information. FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram presenting one
embodiment of a method for presenting geolocated relevance-based
content. A first step in this embodiment is to determine a
geographic location of the mobile processing device, step 410. With
reference to FIG. 1, this includes the mobile processing device
(client device) 102 recognizing its location using any suitable
technique and providing that location information to the search
provider 123. It is recognized that privacy restrictions can
complicate this step, including a perfunctory or required
user-permission request for sharing or distributing the user's
location information, therefore, one embodiment may include
receiving user permission prior to determining the geographic
location.
[0043] A next step, step 420 is identifying a plurality of search
queries associated with the geographic location of the mobile
processing device. As described above in FIG. 3, the search queries
can be ranked by one or more factors. The identification step may
include accessing an already-ranked list of queries or performing a
ranking in a just-in-time fashion. Using the geographic
information, whether it be an address, a longitude/latitude
coordinate or any other type of information, the method includes
referencing the database of associated search queries to identify
the one or more search queries.
[0044] A next step, step 430, is generating at least one search
result response to at least one of the plurality of queries
associated with the geographic location of the mobile processing
device. This step may include accessing a database of pre-saved
search results from earlier executed search operations. This step
may include using the search query terms and generating a
contemporaneous set of search results.
[0045] Whereby, the final step, step 440, in this embodiment, is
then presenting the one or more search results responsive to the
one or more search queries directly to the mobile processing
device. This step may include presenting this one or more search
results prior to the user entering any search request, whereby the
presented search results are predictive results. For example, on
the mobile processing device, the user might launch an application
or a web browser and seek to utilize a search engine.
[0046] When the mobile device makes that initial connection with
the search engine, the search engine may use the geographic
location information to thereby predict the user's search request
and present those search results back to the user without requiring
the user to enter the search terms. The user may be presented with
the search results and a search toolbar whereby if the predicted
results are not the intended results, the user can easily and
readily enter a new search, consistent with techniques the user
would encounter if the predictive search results were never
presented. The search queries are ranking and predicted based on
tracking of user search behaviors relative to the determined
location.
[0047] In another embodiment, the user may be presented with a dual
option interface, including the option to automatically receive the
most popular search results for a particular location or simply
receive a search toolbar for entering a search request. In
additional embodiments, the geographic location can be utilized to
influence term suggestion operations using predictive search term
techniques for when the user first enters the search term.
[0048] The ranking and predicting can also be tempered by
additional processing operations, such as filtering the tracking
information based on environmental factors. For example, if a
particular location is determined to be a hotel, filtering may be
utilized to distinguish between people randomly surfing on their
mobile processing devices and time-sensitive search operations. A
time sensitive searching operation may be a time of day and a
person looking for a particular result, this predictive technique
can predict the person is looking for a restaurant for example, but
if random activity is performed at a particular location, filtering
operations can be utilized to reduce extraneous noise. In one
example, machine-learning techniques can be utilized to determine
and filter seemingly random searching activities that might
indicate a non-time sensitive operation, just by of example
searching for a newspaper article or online web log in a hotel
lobby.
[0049] Another feature used for filtering or otherwise predicting
search results can be environmental or external information. For
example, if the user authorized sharing of information, the user's
personal preference can be utilized to help track and otherwise
filter the search information. This additional information provides
an additional computational factor for determining popularity.
Environmental information may indicate that a particular location
requires additional filtering, such as noting that a particular
location has multiple stories, so a search at one elevation may be
different from another elevation. It is recognized that other types
of information for filtering can be utilized, the listed examples
are for illustration purposes only and not meant to be expressly
limiting.
[0050] FIG. 5 illustrates a sample screenshot of a search results
page presenting geolocated relevance-based content according to one
embodiment of the present invention. Continuing from the previous
example, FIG. 5 lists one or more search results responsive to the
search query "lunch spots in midtown Manhattan," 510 and 512.
According to one embodiment, the search results 510 and 512 are
presented to a user who accesses the user interface of the search
provider based on top search query associated with the user's
geographic location, which is automatically populated in the search
field of the user interface, 502. According to another embodiment,
the search results 510 and 512 are presented to a user who accesses
the user interface of the search provider based on the top search
query associated with the user's geographic location without
reference to the top search query, presenting the user with
relevant content based on the user's geographic location.
[0051] Thereby, through the present method and system, the user can
receive predictive search results based on the user's location. The
back-end system can monitor and track search queries for locations
and thereby uses this information for predicting or estimating the
most likely user search request. If it is recognized that at a
particular location, the most popular search request is for the
same thing, the present method and system improves processing
efficiency by presenting users with this information without having
to be asked. Thereby, the present system and method improves
processing efficiencies and searching capabilities by accounting
for geographic locations of mobile processing devices performing
searching operations.
[0052] FIGS. 1 through 5 are conceptual illustrations allowing for
an explanation of the present invention. It should be understood
that various aspects of the embodiments of the present invention
could be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or
combinations thereof. In such embodiments, the various components
and/or steps would be implemented in hardware, firmware, and/or
software to perform the functions of the present invention. That
is, the same piece of hardware, firmware, or module of software
could perform one or more of the illustrated blocks (e.g.,
components or steps).
[0053] In software implementations, computer software (e.g.,
programs or other instructions) and/or data is stored on a machine
readable medium as part of a computer program product, and is
loaded into a computer system or other device or machine via a
removable storage drive, hard drive, or communications interface.
Computer programs (also called computer control logic or computer
readable program code) are stored in a main and/or secondary
memory, and executed by one or more processors (controllers, or the
like) to cause the one or more processors to perform the functions
of the invention as described herein. In this document, the terms
"machine readable medium," "computer program medium" and "computer
usable medium" are used to generally refer to media such as a
random access memory (RAM); a read only memory (ROM); a removable
storage unit (e.g., a magnetic or optical disc, flash memory
device, or the like); a hard disk; or the like.
[0054] Notably, the figures and examples above are not meant to
limit the scope of the present invention to a single embodiment, as
other embodiments are possible by way of interchange of some or all
of the described or illustrated elements. Moreover, where certain
elements of the present invention can be partially or fully
implemented using known components, only those portions of such
known components that are necessary for an understanding of the
present invention are described, and detailed descriptions of other
portions of such known components are omitted so as not to obscure
the invention. In the present specification, an embodiment showing
a singular component should not necessarily be limited to other
embodiments including a plurality of the same component, and
vice-versa, unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. Moreover,
applicants do not intend for any term in the specification or
claims to be ascribed an uncommon or special meaning unless
explicitly set forth as such. Further, the present invention
encompasses present and future known equivalents to the known
components referred to herein by way of illustration.
[0055] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will
so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others
can, by applying knowledge within the skill of the relevant art(s)
(including the contents of the documents cited and incorporated by
reference herein), readily modify and/or adapt for various
applications such specific embodiments, without undue
experimentation, without departing from the general concept of the
present invention. Such adaptations and modifications are therefore
intended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of the
disclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance presented
herein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology
herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation,
such that the terminology or phraseology of the present
specification is to be interpreted by the skilled artisan in light
of the teachings and guidance presented herein, in combination with
the knowledge of one skilled in the relevant art(s).
[0056] While various embodiments of the present invention have been
described above, it should be understood that they have been
presented by way of example, and not limitation. It would be
apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) that various changes
in form and detail could be made therein without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention
should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary
embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the
following claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *