Abstract: News search and browse experience is personalized based on user preferences. User attributes like a geographic location are obtained and news sources preferred by other users with attributes similar to those of a requesting user are identified. News sources that are popular across different user groups are eliminated and relevant news items from the remaining news sources are retrieved and presented to the requesting user.

Abstract: A method determines core geographical information in a document by computing a score for each geographical name found in the document. The computation of the score uses the appearance frequency of the respective geographical name and positional weights assigned to various types of appearance positions of the geographical name in the document. The system determines the core geographical information in the document based on the scores of the geographical names found in the document. The method may further compute aggregated scores of geographical regions related to the geographical names and determine the core geographical information using both the aggregated scores of geographical regions and the scores of individual geographical names to increase accuracy.

Abstract: A method for incorporating information pertaining to geographic locations previously visited by a user into a search. The method includes: obtaining location information corresponding to a user account; determining, from the location information, one or more geographic locations that correspond to the location information; providing a user interface that includes a prompt that accepts search terms as input to a search query and an option to include a group of one or more geographic locations in the search query; and providing for display results related to the search terms and to one or more geographic locations in the group of one or more geographic locations when the option to include the group of one or more geographic locations is selected.

Abstract: Online posts may be categorized or sorted by poster's geographic location. The posts may also be categorized or sorted by post mood polarity. The selected posts based on location or mood polarity may be summarized and then presented to users in a concise form. The geographic location information may be verified by poster's confirmation.

Abstract: A portable device, a photography processing method, and a photography processing system having the same, the method including capturing a photo image; collecting identification (ID) information from neighboring devices; confirming ID information corresponding to the collected ID information; displaying one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements corresponding to the confirmed identification (ID) information; and transmitting the captured photo image to a device having ID information corresponding to a selected GUI element. Furthermore, the photography processing method tags the identification information of the GUI element selected by the photographer to the captured image, stores the tagged image, performs a photo transmission and a tagging, improves user convenience, data management, and search efficiency, and quickly transmits the photo image of the target person without using additional navigation operations.

Abstract: Techniques for correlating social media data with location information are described. In at least some embodiments, social media data is gathered from a social media platform, and the social media data is processed to determine correlations between topic information from the social media data and locations. The correlations can be aggregated to generate a database of social media information. The database can be searchable with various search terms to determine interest levels at different locations for topics associated with the social media data. Results of such a search can be provided in a variety of ways, such as via maps, tables, and so on.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, user input is received, a selected portion of a digital image is identified based on the user input, and a tag is applied to the selected portion of the digital image. The applied tag provides an association between the selected portion of the digital image and a data instance.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing weather data are adapted to receive requests in a free-form format, such as a text input, and specifying a geographic area. The system is adapted to identify geographic areas likely corresponding to the free-form input and retrieve weather data corresponding to those identified geographic areas from a weather observation location proximate to the geographic area.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method and device for operating an image database shared by a plurality of users. In an embodiment, each image captured by a user and stored in a shared image database is associating with the geographic coordinates of the location at which the image was captured. A search engine for the image database is configured to accept geographic coordinates as a search criterion for locating at least one captured image stored in the shared image database. The images having location coordinates within a predefined range of geographic coordinates is displayed to the user.

Abstract: Techniques for providing semantic search of a data store are disclosed. A similarity metric of a document comprising the data store to a concept represented in a semantic model derived at least in part from a reference source that includes content not included in the data store is determined. A relevance metric of a search query to the concept is computed. The similarity metric and the relevance metric are used to determine, at least in part, a ranking of the document with respect to the search query.

Abstract: A database searching system, method and controller is provided for interactively searching a database of data items in a descriptor space with a user, comprising a display for viewing by the user; a position selector for manipulation and activation by the user; a reference set selector for selecting a reference set (64a-64d) of two or more data items; a reference set coordinate obtainer for obtaining descriptor coordinates for each of the reference data items; a search results identifier for identifying a search results set of data items in the database which are close to or between one or more members of the reference set in the descriptor space; and a search results display controller for displaying the search results set on the display so that closeness on the display between particular data items is generally indicative of closeness in the descriptor space.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable medium are provided for displaying geographically referenced information. In one example, a method includes causing a display of search results from a search of geographically referenced information (e.g., point-of-interest locations, geo-tagged objects, other users, and so on), the display comprising text associated with each of the search results, where the text varies for at least one of the search results based on the distance of the search results from a user location. For example, text associated with relatively close search results displayed more prominently than relatively distant search results. The method may further include generating presentation data according to a display scheme for displaying search results and communicating the presentation data to a user device. The method may vary the text based on at least one of font size, font style, color, shading, three-dimensional height, associated features, animation, combinations thereof, and the like.

Abstract: In this invention, systems and methods for providing keywords for advertising are provided. After a user searches for another user in a social network, the webpage or blog of the queried user is retrieved, and keywords are extracted from this webpage. The keywords may be extracted from the user's profile on the social network (e.g., favorite sports, music artists, etc.), or keywords may be extracted from the text of the webpage (e.g., comments that comprise the blog entries). Once extracted, these keywords may then be used by an advertising system to provide targeted advertisements to the user.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for servicing search queries. In one aspect, a method includes determining that a general search query is a locally significant query for a user location that is associated with the user general search query. In turn, a local search query is generated using the general search query and a location phrase representing the user location. A set of set of general search results responsive to the general search query and a set of local search results responsive to the local search query are requested. A final set of search results responsive to the search query are selected. The final set of search results include at least one search result that is included in the set of local search results, and is not included in a pre-specified quantity of highest ranking search results from the set of general search results. Data that cause presentation of the final set of search results are provided.

Abstract: A system and method for aggregating and distributing geotagged content comprises a server, a database, and a user interface. A user accesses the user interface to identify a spatial area and request content from a plurality of content providers that is geotagged with a location within the identified spatial area. The user interface may be on a webpage.

Abstract: A user behavior model provides personalized recommendations based in part on time and location, particularly to users of mobile devices. Entity types are ranked according to relevance to the user. Example entity types are restaurant, hotel, etc. The relevance may be based on reference to a large-scale database containing queries from other users. Additionally, entities within each entity type may be ranked based on relevance to the user and the time and location context. A user interface may display a ranked list of entity types, such as restaurant, hotel, etc., wherein each entity type is represented by a highest-ranked entity with the entity type. Thus, the user interface may display a highest-ranked restaurant, a highest-ranked hotel, etc. Upon user selection of one such entity type the user interface is replaced with a second user interface, for example showing a ranked hierarchy of restaurants, headed by the highest-ranked restaurant.

Abstract: A physical location rating management system automatically calculates reputation scores for physical locations. A plurality of types of data concerning a plurality of physical locations are collected from a plurality of sources. It is determined to which specific physical location specific collected data pertains. Specific score adjustment factors quantifying adjustments to make to reputation scores are determined for multiple, specific physical locations, based on specific collected data. Score adjustment factors can be determined by, for example, performing keyword scoring and/or automated document classification of specific collected data. The determined score adjustment factors for each of the multiple, specific physical locations are aggregated, in real time, as the score adjustment factors are determined. Specific reputation scores for specific physical locations are calculated, based on the aggregated score adjustment factors for the specific physical locations.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing standard real world to virtual world links may include a processing element configured to receive indications of an image including an object, determine whether the object corresponds to a particular object having a predefined association based on a recognition of the object, and execute a function corresponding to the predefined association in response to the object corresponding to the particular object.

Abstract: A method and system for full text search (FTS) using a navigation system is disclosed. The FTS system generates interwoven data tokens for documents that are stored in a database. An interwoven data token is combination of two or more data tokens and is formed by interweaving characters of one data token with characters of another data token. The FTS system may generate and store interwoven data tokens in a full text search index for each document stored in a database. The FTS system may receive two or more search terms inputted by a user and generate one or more interwoven data tokens based on the inputted search terms. The FTS system may then use the generated interwoven data token to query the full text search index.

Abstract: Providing information includes identifying documents that are responsive to a query, some of the documents each being associated with a geographic feature, and providing a list of the documents in a sequence that is determined based on rank scores derived from one or more properties of the geographic features associated with the documents.

Abstract: A method and system for a location based full text search is disclosed. The system generates interwoven bit vectors for documents that are stored in a database. The system may determine a location value based on a portion of a map that a user is viewing. The system may also receive at least one search term inputted by a user. Based on the location value and the search term, the system may generate one or more interwoven bit vectors, which may be used to query an index that identifies responsive documents stored in the database.

Abstract: An information search server and an information search method thereof are provided. The information search server includes a transceiver and a processor. The transceiver receives a search message having an original store phone number of an original store from a user device. The processor performs a data mining procedure, according to the original store phone number, to obtain an original store name and an original store address associated with the original store phone number, a category associated with the original store name, an original store latitude and longitude associated with the original store address, and a recommended store information associated with the category and the original store latitude and longitude, and generates a result message having the recommended store information. The transceiver further transmits the result message to the user device.

Abstract: This disclosure is related to a method, related system, and related non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium that implements a social network for aggregating Internet news, and, more specifically, receiving and presenting news content to a user of the social network.

Abstract: Image galleries are automatically located within documents, such as web pages. Documents that are determined to contain image galleries may be treated differently when storing the document for later retrieval by an image search engine. In one implementation, the image galleries are automatically located within a document by calculating position information indicating relative positions of images in the document. The document may be determined to contain an image gallery when the position information indicates that the images in the document are generally evenly distributed.

Abstract: Improved systems and methods for navigating and interacting in virtual communication environments are described. At least some of these systems and methods provide a framework that includes one or more virtual areas and supports realtime communications between the communicants. At least some of these systems and methods provide an interface that includes navigation controls that enable a user to navigate virtual areas and interaction controls that enable the user to interact with other communicants in the one or more virtual areas.

Abstract: System, methods, apparatus and media for the geo-spatial capture and transcription of family trees, vital records, census records, land transfer records, cemetery records, and organizational membership records; for assigning deterministic and probabilistic relationships between people in geographic proximity; and for visualizing known, probable, and potential relationships in a geo-spatial context over time. Also disclosed are systems, methods, apparatus and media for organizing and analyzing genealogical information for searching and visualizing individuals and entities and their relationships to each other within a geo-spatial and temporal context. Further disclosed are systems, methods, apparatus and media for identifying a social networking site based on geo-spatial and temporal context data relating to individuals and entities and their relationships to each other.

Abstract: Techniques for ranking search results generated by a search engine are described. Consistent with some embodiments, a search engine processes a search query to identify member profiles of members of a social network service for presentation in a search results page or user interface. The member profiles are presented in the search results ordered based on a ranking score that is derived at least in part by identifying similarities in the member profile attributes of the member profiles satisfying the search query and the member profile of the person performing the search. Accordingly, to the extent that a member profile has similarities shared in common with the member profile of the member performing the search, that member profile is more likely to be presented more prominently in the search results.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a search query from a mobile-client system, where the mobile-client system has a location and a velocity vector, identifying one or more objects corresponding to the query, and determining a score for each object based on the location and velocity vector of the mobile-client system.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine-readable media for prioritizing points of interest for display in a map based on the categories associated with each of the points of interest have been described. In certain aspects, the system may include a logging module, a category module, and a ranking module. The logging module may be configured to obtain a plurality of user interactions associated with a one or more categories. The category module may be configured to increment a category count for each category associated with the user interaction for each user interaction of the plurality of user interactions and calculate a category score for the each category of one or more categories based on the category count for each category of the one or more categories. The ranking module may be configured to calculate a priority score for each of the points of interest based on category scores for the one or more categories associated with each of the points of interest.

Abstract: Client devices periodically capture ambient audio waveforms, generate waveform fingerprints, and upload the fingerprints to a server for analysis. The server compares the waveforms to a database of stored waveform fingerprints, and upon finding a match, pushes content or other information to the client device. The fingerprints in the database may be uploaded by other users, and compared to the received client waveform fingerprint based on common location or other social factors. Thus a client's location may be enhanced if the location of users whose fingerprints match the client's is known. In particular embodiments, the server may instruct clients whose fingerprints partially match to capture waveform data at a particular time and duration for further analysis and increased match confidence.

Abstract: A user's physical location and the time the user is at that location are sampled by an network-enabled mobile computing device at certain intervals, and used to construct a representation of the comparative relevance of the different physical locations where the user lives. This representation is then used then to optimize and prioritize results returned by a local network search operation, informing the user about which search result would be optimal for the user at her intended time for use of that choice.

Abstract: Techniques and systems for facilitating searching of digital media assets are disclosed. In one embodiment, a user can be assisted in entering search strings for searching a media repository (e.g., online media store) having a plurality of digital media assets that are available, e.g., available for purchase. When the user enters a search character, a list of possible complete search strings corresponding to digital media assets available in the media repository can be obtained over a network and presented to the user. The list of possible search strings can be filtered based on whether a client device supports a media type associated with a word or based on a location of the client device.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to the use of electronic maps and providing information about intersecting streets. A given region of interest on a map may include any number of features. Features of interest, including road segments and intersections, can be filtered to remove non-street data. The results may be analyzed according to individual street segments. Each segment may be identified by a feature ID, and the relationship each segment has with a given intersection is analyzed. Thus, the direction of a segment into or out of an intersection is determined, along with the physical locations of the beginning and end of the segment. This information is used to provide robust map information that may be displayed to a user. Heuristics can be applied to the map information to provide coherent address or direction information to the user for a given point of interest.

Abstract: Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems receive a search input, select a first cell related to the search input, and display data of the first cell and selectable objects in response to the search input. Each cell defines a way to display a portion of searchable data within a first contextual relationship and a way to display a portion of the searchable data within a second, different contextual relationship. Selection of a first selectable object results in displaying a first portion of the data of the first cell with a first set of other data related to the first portion based upon the first contextual relationship. Selection of a second selectable object results in the computer displaying a second portion of the data of the first cell with a second set of other data related to the second portion based upon the second contextual relationship.

Abstract: A method, system, and graphical user interface for alerting a computer user to new results for a prior search are disclosed. One aspect of the invention involves a graphical user interface on a computer that includes a plurality of links recommended by a search engine for a computer user. The plurality of links are determined by the search engine by: producing search results by rerunning a plurality of search queries that have been performed previously for the computer user; and evaluating the produced search results to select search results that meet predefined search result selection criteria. At least one of the criteria is based on Internet usage data for the user.

Abstract: A computer searching technique identifies high quantitative patterns in data. A spatial indexing technique, such as an R-tree is used to represent the data. Then a pattern searching algorithm is used to identify anchor points that define the componentwise minimum patterns. High quantitative patterns are found responsive to the componentwise minimum patterns. The search strategy is demonstrated relevant to the problem of finding suitable locations for a retail business with reference to environments of prior successful retail businesses.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for managing categories of waymarks is provided. Waymark records are each associated with a category and maintained on a database. Each waymark record includes metadata associated with at least one variable and one or more attributes specifying a type of the metadata for each variable. Access to the database is provided. A user having access to the database is identified based on a list of authorized users. A request from the user to present one such category and the associated waymark records is received. At least one waymark record from the requested category is processed. Input metadata is received from the user consistent with the variables and the attributes for that waymark record. At least a portion of the metadata is replaced with the input metadata.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for building and serving dynamic product advertisements. A request is received for content including request data. Product data is accessed representing multiple product records, each associated with a different product. Multiple matching rules are applied to each of the product records in order to identify a subset of product records satisfying the matching rules. For each of the product records satisfying the matching rules, multiple scores are generated, each score representing the relevance of the product to the request based on the request data. The scores are aggregated. One or more of the product records are selected based at least on the aggregate scores. A dynamic product content item is served in response to the request featuring the products associated with the one or more selected product records.

Abstract: A system for tasking, collecting, storing, and dispatching time-sensitive location-based information reports via an electronics communication network, comprising a central relational database management system, multiple computer-implemented services, and applications residing on computer-based mobile communication devices. The system provides: methods to convey the value of specific types of geospatial time-sensitive information from a world-wide population of information consumers to a world wide population of “eye witness” reporters (i.e.

Abstract: A method for performing an invitation triggered search by a query engine, involving receiving an invitation message associated with a project, wherein the query engine is a recipient of the invitation message, extracting at least one attribute from the invitation message, searching a plurality of sources to identify a plurality of resources associated with the at least one attribute, and sending a reply message including a display of the plurality of resources associated with the at least one attribute to a sender of the invitation message.

Abstract: Standard word lists that are often used for such operations as predictive text, spell checking, and word completion are based on general linguistic data that might not accurately reflect actual text usage patterns of particular users. Systems and methods of building and using a custom word list for use in text operations on an electronic device are provided. A collection of text items associated with a user of the electronic device is scanned to identify words in the text items. A weighting is then assigned to each identified word, and the words and corresponding weightings are stored.

Abstract: Provided is a navigation device wherein when a first and a second character string are input (STEP 1), a search category to which the first character string pertains and to which the second character string pertains are recognized (STEP 2); each of combination patterns of the first and the second search category is assigned with a priority score (STEP 3, 4); a weighting is applied to the priority score of a combinations pattern related to a search item composed of a first search character string including the first character string and a second search character string including the second character string according to a distance from a self vehicle to a geographic area specified by the first or the second search character string (STEP 5); and a facility as a destination candidate in order from a search item having a higher priority is searched (STEP 6 to STEP 10).

Abstract: A system and methods for third-party access to a network-based system for providing location-based upcoming event information are described. The location-based upcoming event information may be accessed from the network-based system by a server-side web application implemented by a third party. The server-side web application may be configured to communicate with the network-based system that provides online marketplace and ticket fulfillment services and to generate a query based upon the location of a user and other event criteria. The server-side web application may communicate the query to the network-based system and, in response, receive location-based upcoming event information which may be displayed to a user as a list and/or information on a map. The location-based upcoming event information may comprise an aggregate of ticket inventory available from multiple online marketplaces providing the user with multiple purchasing options. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A system and method for aggregating and distributing geotagged content comprises a server, a database, and a user interface. A user accesses the user interface to identify a spatial area and request content from a plurality of content providers that is geotagged with a location within the identified spatial area. The user interface may be on a webpage.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for generating address component synonyms. In one aspect, a method includes determining that a plurality of addresses cannot be geocoded by a geocoding system. Variants of the addresses that can be geocoded by the geocoding system are generated, wherein each variant of a respective address lacks a removed term. Name terms for each variant are provided by the geocoding system. Each removed term is associated with name terms received for all variants that lack the removed term, including determining, for each associated name term of each removed term, a count of the number of variants for which the geocoding system provided the name term. Whether a name term is an address term synonym for a removed term is determined based at least in part on the count of the number of variants.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate generally to ranking geographic locations based on perceived user interest. More specifically, a database of three-dimensional models of buildings or other architectural features may be used to determine the level of user interest in a particular location and accordingly rank, for example, geographic locations or web or map search results with local intent. For example, various signals such as the number of models created by users for a particular location, the number of clicks or requests for the models of the particular location, the number of POIs contained within or associated with the models associated with the particular geographic location, number of categories associated with a model associated with the geographic location, number of embedded views or views of the models associated with the particular location on other web sites, and the age of the models associated with the particular geographic location.

Abstract: A method is provided for providing location and spatial data about the physical environment. The method includes: sensing a tag provided in the environment by a mobile device; receiving data from the tag at the mobile device, the data including location and spatial data relating to the physical environment of the tag; and representing the location and spatial data from the tag by the mobile device. In one embodiment, sensing a tag may include sensing a tag in the form of a machine-readable symbol; and receiving data from the tag receives data by processing an image of the machine-readable symbol by the mobile device. In another embodiment, sensing a tag includes sensing a tag in the form of a transmitter device; and receiving data from the tag receives data by receiving a signal by the mobile device.

Abstract: A mobile communication device for identifying a location to be named comprising a position locator component configured to determine a location of a user and a communication interface component configured to provide the location for use in determining user-specific location information including at least one of a number of times and an amount of time the user is present at or near the location. The location naming component is configured to receive an identification of the location as a location of interest. The location naming component is configured to provide a prompt for naming the location of interest for presentation by a graphical user interface component. The location naming component is configured to receive name information for naming the location. The graphical user interface component is configured to present the name information for the location of interest on the mobile communication device.

Abstract: A method disclosed herein comprises ranking a service provider or a product for a user based on scorings of the service provider by one or more members of a network of the user and weights assigned to each of the scorings, wherein the weights are determined based on the user.

Abstract: In a corpus of scientific articles such as a digital library, documents are connected by citations and one document plays two different roles in the corpus: document itself and a citation of other documents. A Bernoulli Process Topic (BPT) model is provided which models the corpus at two levels: document level and citation level. In the BPT model, each document has two different representations in the latent topic space associated with its roles. Moreover, the multi-level hierarchical structure of the citation network is captured by a generative process involving a Bernoulli process. The distribution parameters of the BPT model are estimated by a variational approximation approach.