Spatial (i.e., Location Based) Patents (Class 707/724)
  • Publication number: 20140372422
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for displaying microblog dynamics. The method includes: obtaining a microblog viewing request containing first location information; searching microblog dynamic information containing second location information, wherein a distance between the first location and the second location is within a preset range; and obtaining an electronic map corresponding to the first location information, and showing the microblog dynamic information in a location corresponding to the second location information on the electronic map. Various embodiments of the present invention also provide a device for displaying microblog dynamics and a computer storage medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Jing ZHANG, Xiaomin Hou, Yang Zhao, Liwei Qiao
  • Publication number: 20140372421
    Abstract: A system and computer program product for indicating an optimal magnification level for displaying search query results in a mapping application running in a computer device. The method comprises: obtaining search results for a business or category of interest in a geographical area; determining the search results to be displayed within a mapping application; determining an optimal magnification level corresponding to a search result; generating a magnification indicator for indicating an optimal magnification level for the search result to be displayed within the mapping application; and adjusting the display within the mapping application to change to the determined optimal magnification level responsive to selecting the magnification indicator for that search result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa Seacat DeLuca, Lydia M. Do, Charles M. Kinard
  • Publication number: 20140372420
    Abstract: Embodiments include a computer-implemented method that includes receiving mobile business location information indicative of a geographic location of a mobile business, receiving a search request, identifying a set of search results responsive to the search request, the set of search results including a search result corresponding to the mobile business, identifying a current geographic location of the mobile business based at least in part on the mobile business location information, ranking the set of search results based at least in part on the current geographic location associated with the mobile business to generate a set of ranked search results, and providing the set of ranked search results for display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Mitchell Warren Slep
  • Patent number: 8914360
    Abstract: To display a multimedia presentation together with location-based content, a client device reports its location to a content server. The device receives and displays video content from the content server. The device also receives location-based information related to the multimedia presentation. This location-based information may be textual data in an XML (extensible markup language) format. In some embodiments, the multimedia presentation is video content that includes an advertisement for a good or service, and the location-based content identifies a nearby establishment offering the good or service. The client device renders the video and textual data together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Michael A. Gailloux, Devon L. Biere
  • Publication number: 20140365476
    Abstract: A technique in which a tag associated with a target object is sent to a user device to provide information regarding the target object. The tag includes a rating indicator for a recipient of the tag to respond to the rating indicator, in which the rating indicator is used to request a rating of one or more characteristics related to the target object. The rating response is collected with verification information to determine a level of verification of the rating response, in which the verification may include reliability of the rater providing the rating response. The response and level of verification are used to rank the rating response and provide further filtering of the tag related to the target object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasantha Nirmal Rajakarunanayake, James Duane Bennett, Wael William Diab
  • Patent number: 8909630
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, including a method that comprises: determining excess queries for a target geographic feature, where the geographic feature defines a location; determining one or more candidate geographic features that have similar excess queries, but displaced in time; determining a time offset between the target geographic feature and a candidate geographic feature based on the displacement in time of the similar excess queries; and targeting content to the candidate geographic feature using the time offset and based on content targeted to the target geographic feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
  • Patent number: 8909629
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for creating and using personalized location information tags (geotags). Personalized geotags take the place of generic location information such as latitude/longitude coordinates or granular city/state information. Such geotags may be published to present to selected people, e.g., family and friends, a user's current location. Thus, the user's location may be shown as “Home” or “Gym,” providing user-specific information without having to list a street address or latitude/longitude coordinates. Personalized geotags may be inferred based upon historical location information of the user. Geotags may also be inferred based upon geotag selections from other users in a network. A matching engine may select an appropriate geotag given the current location of a user device or based upon historical location information associated with the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Rohan Seth, Chris Lambert, Jean Zheng, Michael Chu
  • Patent number: 8909631
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products, including computer programs encoded on a computer readable storage medium, for providing content to a user based on the mode of the user. A method includes: providing a data structure that includes query logs; processing query logs to determine candidate queries that satisfy a criteria, the processing including determining a location of interest, if any, for each query log entry and where the criteria requires an entry to have been submitted from a location that is different from a location of interest associated with the entry; evaluating the candidate queries to determine targeting information for the location of interest; receiving a request for content from a user that is proximate to the location of interest or has expressed an interest in the location of interest; and providing content to the user based at least in part on the targeting information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
  • Publication number: 20140358912
    Abstract: Techniques, systems, and articles of manufacture for identifying event-specific social discussion threads. A method includes identifying a spatial relationship and one or more additional relationships across two or more topical clusters derived from a text source, extracting one or more temporally evolving discussion sequences across the two or more topical clusters, identifying at least one social discussion thread across the two or more topical clusters by identifying a correlation between the one or more additional relationships and the one or more temporally evolving discussion sequences, and to identifying a geographically-constrained social discussion thread among the at least one identified social discussion thread by identifying a correlation between the spatial relationship across the two or more topical clusters and the at least one identified social discussion thread.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Kuntal Dey, Seema Nagar, Kanika Narang, Sameep Mehta, L. Venkata Subramaniam, Mukesh K. Mohania
  • Publication number: 20140351248
    Abstract: A computer-based method for use in geotargeting online ads to users of search engines by allowing comparison of user's search terms with a set of geo-keywords. The method includes providing a geographic keyword generator on a server that is linked to the Internet. The method includes providing a spatial database storing classes of geographic keywords. The method continues with receiving a keyword request including a business address from a client node. The keyword generator determines a service area based on this location, and a set of geographic keywords is retrieved from the spatial database that are associated (e.g., within) the determined service area. This set of keywords is transmitted or reported to the client node (e.g., displayed in a web browser or user interface) for use in geotargeting of their online advertisements. The keyword request includes a business type, and the service area is sized based on the business type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: IAN WHITE, TIM CARO-BRUCE, RIYAZ FAZAL, NINO WALKER
  • Patent number: 8898150
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for collecting and compiling information regarding search operations. In one aspect, a query log that stores search event data items for identifiers is accessed. A proper subset of the search event data items is identified, the proper subset of search event data items being search event data items for search events related to an image search. A proper subset of the identifiers is identified, the proper subset of identifiers being identifiers associated with a search event data item for a search event related to an image search. For each identifier of the proper subset of identifiers, an image search session data object is generated using the proper subset of search event data items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Michihiro Kuramochi, James M. Synge, Zhongli Ding
  • Patent number: 8880559
    Abstract: A computer system that includes a computer that couples with a database. The computer includes program code or modules to gather location and activity content from disparate sources, and through text analytics, extract associations from the content and populate the database with the associations between locations and activities. Further modules provide end user interaction through presentation of a search user interface specific to locations and activities. Additional modules provide the capability to search the database, rank the results of the search and present the results to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Inventor: Brian Bartell
  • Patent number: 8880516
    Abstract: Methods and systems for improving user search experience with a search engine by providing a way for associated users to create and share personalized lists of local search results and/or advertisements through endorsements of such local search results and/or ads. Local search endorsements can be used to personalize the search engine's ranking of local search results by offering a way for users to re-rank the results for themselves and for those who trust them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Christopher Korte, Sumit Agarwal, Celia Neuhoff Saino
  • Patent number: 8880496
    Abstract: A search engine may allow a user to add and modify geographic constraints interactively through the use of a map. In one example, the user enters a search query, and the search engine determines whether the query is amenable to a geographic constraint. If the query is amenable to a geographic constraint, then the search engine may provide an interactive map through which the user may specify a geographic boundary. The search engine may then uses the geographic boundary as a constraint on the search, and may return documents that relate to the geographic area indicated by the boundary. The user may zoom in or out on the region defined by the boundary, or may move the boundary, thereby interactively focusing, de-focusing, and modifying the search based on geography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Sree Hari Nagaralu, Puneet Agrawal, Vijay Krishnan
  • Publication number: 20140324843
    Abstract: In an exemplary method, a request for images of a location is received. In response to the request, a set of images depicting different conditions at the location is identified. Each image of the set of images is associated with condition information defining the conditions depicted in that image. It may be determined when a user will be at the location at a future point in time. Information identifying current environmental conditions at the location for the future point in time may be received. The set of images are ranked based on the received environmental information and the condition information for each image. An image from the set of images is selected for display based on the selected image's rank relative to other images of the set of images. The selected image depicts current conditions at the location most closely matching environmental conditions expected at the future point in time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Evan Rapoport, Jeremy Bryant Pack
  • Publication number: 20140324845
    Abstract: A universal video-related lookup system and method receives a request for information associated with specific video content from a requesting device. The system and method identify a first video content identifier associated with the specific video content and retrieves first metadata associated with the specific video content based on the first video content identifier. Next, the system and method translate the first video content identifier into a second video content identifier associated with the specific video content and retrieves second metadata based on the second video content identifier. The first metadata and the second metadata are then provided to the requesting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: VDOQWEST, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alexander Bronstein, Michael Bronstein, Shlomo Selim Rakib
  • Publication number: 20140324844
    Abstract: A Universal Geographic Database (“UGD”) is provided that includes a real-time, automated registry/clearinghouse for the publication and retrieval of real-world locations and location-related information for businesses and other entities. By this registry, entities may publish their location and location-related information in a single place, and information services and their users can refer to this single place, via telecommunications devices, to obtain static, real-time location and location-based information about the registered locations. Each UGD record is keyed by a proprietary location address (PLA) based on the World Geographic Referencing System (WGRS). PLAs may be used as key reference and addressing terms, e.g., imbedded in digital documents, websites, GPS devices, or other information services to provide links to maps, directions, and information in the registry related to such locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: WGRS Licensing Company, LLC
    Inventors: S. Lee Hancock, Jordan Hastings, Scott D. Morrison
  • Publication number: 20140317102
    Abstract: A system and method for providing location information for communications through an access network in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. The system and method involve receiving a communication including a message from an origination device. The communication includes access point information and the message includes an identifier of the communication. The access point information from the communication is extracted and the access point information or geographic data based on the access point information is stored in a database. The message including the identifier is sent to a destination device of the message. The storing of the access point information or the geographic data in the database enables the destination device to obtain the access point information or the geographic data using the identifier included in the message by querying the database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: Unwired Planet, LLC
    Inventor: William T. Cooper
  • Patent number: 8868550
    Abstract: A method of providing an answer, comprising receiving a criteria, identifying a subset of a set of answers in a data store based on the criteria, calculating a random value for each of the answers in the subset, ranking the subset of answers based on the random values, selecting one of the answers of the subset based on the ranking; and providing an output including the selected answer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: CitySearch, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Doppelt, Ethan Lowry, Patrick O'Donnell
  • Publication number: 20140310268
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to associating location data with one or more entities. Location data from, for example, mobile devices carried by users, may indicate a first entity as being associated with the given location data. However, one or more affirmative user inputs may indicate that a second entity is additionally, and/or alternatively associated with location data. Accordingly, location data may be associated with the second entity. In some implementations the first entity may be dissociated from the first location data. In some implementations second location data may be identified as being associated with the first entity and the second location data may be associated with the first entity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Jesse M. Rosenstock, Matthew T. D'Zmura
  • Publication number: 20140304258
    Abstract: Systems and methods for location identification are provided. Hierarchical organization of geographic regions is utilized to determine if a document targets a particular location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jayesh Vyas, Piyush Prahladka
  • Publication number: 20140304259
    Abstract: The present invention includes systems and methods for retrieving information via a flexible and consistent targeted search model that employs interactive multi-prefix, multi-tier and dynamic menu information retrieval techniques that provide context-specific functionality tailored to particular information channels, as well as to records within or across such channels, and other known state information. Users are presented with a consistent search interface among multiple tiers across and within a large domain of information sources, and need not learn different or special search syntax. A thin-client server-controlled architecture enables users of resource-constrained mobile communications devices to locate targeted information more quickly by entering fewer keystrokes and performing fewer query iterations and web page refreshes, which in turn reduces required network bandwidth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: G. Gregory Carpenter, Timothy L. Kay
  • Patent number: 8856115
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for presenting local query suggestions. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of determining a general location and a specific location for a client device. Methods also include while receiving a query stem, and before receiving an input submitting a query to the search engine, obtaining general queries containing the query stem, each general query having a first quality measure. Methods also include obtaining local queries containing the query stem, each local query having a second quality measure. Methods also include combining at least one of the general queries and at least one of the local queries into combined queries, the combined queries having a presentation order based on the respective quality measures of the queries. Methods also include presenting the queries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Huffman, Rehan Khan, Uri Bernstein, Natalia Marmasse
  • Publication number: 20140297617
    Abstract: A system and method provide for geo-augmentation through virtual tagging. A search infrastructure supports creation, managing and searching geo-coded virtual tags using mobile communication devices. Associated geolocations are added to a geolocation database along with pointers to the stored content. Searching of the geolocation database is performed upon receiving geolocation search input, wherein the infrastructure applies the geolocation based search input to the search database yielding search results delivered from the mobile communications device for presentation to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasantha Nirmal Rajakarunanayake, William Stuart Bunch, Wael William Diab
  • Publication number: 20140297629
    Abstract: An approach for categorizing a content object by geographical location of the content object. In one embodiment, a first computer receiving a content object and geographical location associated with the content object from a second computer. The first computer further generates a container for the geographical location of the content object if such container does not exist. The first computer also generates a record of the content object. Further, the first computer generates a record of the content object. The first computer also classifies the record of the content object based on the geographical location. The first computer files the record of the content object to the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Lijing E. Lin
  • Patent number: 8849808
    Abstract: A computer implemented method of generating an ordered list of geographical locations having similarities in preselected categories relative to a first geographical location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Location Inc. Group Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew Schiller
  • Publication number: 20140289235
    Abstract: A method to allocate memory, in response to application requests, for a compact data structure having location data and a trailer section is provided. The trailer section of the compact data structure is checked to determine an offset for listings and indices representing the location data. Upon determining the offset, the listings and indices are loaded into memory and responses to the application requests are generated by utilizing the listings and indices stored in the memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Baskaran DHARMARAJAN, Jay C. JACOBS
  • Patent number: 8843480
    Abstract: A server includes: an input information database 14 for storing input information in which position information indicating a geographical position and a user ID specifying a user having performed an input operation relating to the geographical position are associated with each other; and an association unit 18 for, when it is determined that the plurality of common users performed the input operation in the predetermined number or more of common geographical ranges, associating multiple pieces of input information, which correspond to the plurality of common users and respectively include pieces of position information indicating geographical positions included in a common geographical range, with each other by extracting the multiple pieces of input information and then allocating a common identifier to the extracted multiple pieces of input information, for each of the predetermined number or more of common geographical ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Rakuten, Inc.
    Inventor: Udana Bandara
  • Patent number: 8843479
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for scoring documents in response, in part, to parameters related to the document, source, and/or cluster score. Methods and apparatus are also described for scoring a cluster in response, in part, to parameters related to documents within the cluster and/or sources corresponding to the documents within the cluster. In one embodiment, the invention may detect at least one document within the cluster; analyze a parameter corresponding to the document; and compute a cluster score based, in part, on the parameter, wherein the cluster score corresponds with at least one document within the cluster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Krishna Bharat, Jeff Dean, Michael Curtiss, Amitabh Singhal, Michael Schmitt
  • Publication number: 20140280103
    Abstract: A system and method for managing geotag data associated with content within a geofeed is provided. The content may be tagged with metadata such as geotag data that may specify a location where the content was created. The generated content may be geotagged by one or more geotag sources including a GPS-enabled device, a user input, a content provider, a user profile, or other sources. The system may determine the geotag data for the content that is not already associated with geotag data. The system may determine a confidence level of the geotag data, whether already geotagged or not. The confidence level may be indicative of a likelihood that the geotag data accurately describes a location where the content was actually created.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Geofeedr, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip B. Harris, Scott K. Mitchell, Michael J. Mulroy
  • Publication number: 20140280104
    Abstract: A system providing trademark search results includes: a controller; a display controlled by the controller; and a memory coupled to the controller, wherein the memory is configured to store program instructions executable by the controller; wherein in response to executing the program instructions, the controller is configured to: receive a data set of trademark search results including a searched mark, a plurality of reference, and at least one proximity score between each reference and the searched mark; and provide through the display an interactive visual representation of the search results including a displayed relationship between the searched mark and at least two of the plurality of references, wherein the displayed relationship between the searched mark and the at least two of the plurality of references is a visual representation of the proximity score between the searched mark and each of the at least two of the plurality of references.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Cindy Summerfield
  • Publication number: 20140280101
    Abstract: Techniques are described for generating search results and content recommendations using a distance metric on a space of media titles. In one embodiment, each media title may be associated with metadata tags and represented by a vector which indicates those associated tags. The distance metric may measure distance as an angle between vectors representing media titles in a bent vector space that accounts for correlations between tags. Further, a non-linear scaling may be applied to the vectors representing media titles to correct for under-tagging and redundant tagging. Based on the distance metric, a search or recommendation application may generate search results and/or content recommendations and cause the same to be presented to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventor: JANIS STIPINS, III
  • Publication number: 20140280102
    Abstract: Some implementations can include a method comprising obtaining moving company information and verifying moving company information. The method can also include adding moving company information to a database and providing moving company information in response to a database query. The moving company information can be provided to a mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Randal Viggiani
  • Publication number: 20140280100
    Abstract: A cloud-based phone system with methodologies for suggesting account configuration settings is provided. In one embodiment, for example, techniques are provided for suggesting how a particular user should configure a particular account configuration parameter of a plurality of account configuration parameters available to the particular user. One or more parameters of the plurality of account configuration parameters that are related to the particular parameter are identified. One or more other users are identified that have configured the one or more parameters similar to how the particular user has configured the one or more parameters. A suggestion of how the particular user should configure the particular parameter is made based on settings for the particular parameter made by the one or more other users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: RINGCENTRAL, INC.
    Inventor: Vi Chau
  • Patent number: 8838621
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for processing location queries. In one aspect, a method includes obtaining a location search profile for a user. The location search profile specifies, for each geographic location, a set of references to location resources that were previously requested through user interaction, by the user, with previous search results that were provided in response to a previous location query. A current location query is received from a user device that is associated with the user. In response to receiving the current location query a reference to at least one of the location resources from the set of references and search results responsive to the current location query are selected. In turn, data that cause presentation of the selected reference and the search results are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Niyati Yagnik
  • Patent number: 8838586
    Abstract: The following relates to ranking search results consisting of locations or recommending locations to visit based on recorded data representing visits by a plurality of users to the locations represented as search results or recommended locations to visit. The data representing users' visits can be recorded by receiving data anonymously reported by handheld communication devices carried by the plurality of users. A handheld communication device, which is carried by a user, can report to the system the user's present location optionally associated with a time stamp. The handheld communication device can report either a single location coordinate or a collection of coordinates gathered over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jaron Waldman, Chad Richard
  • Publication number: 20140258281
    Abstract: When location information and a user Identification (ID) is received from a client terminal device of a user X, a grid Y, to which the location information belongs, is determined. The user ID and the location information of the user X is stored in a list of the grid Y. The grid Y is in a grid array obtained by dividing a surface of the earth into the grids and areas of the grids are the same. Users in the grid Y and other grids are searched. The grid Y and the other grids form an N-grid and the grid Y is a center of the N-grid. The users are ranked in an ascending order of distances between the users and the user X. The ranked user IDs and distances between the users and the user X are sent to the client terminal device of the user X.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Junchao CHEN, Zhonghua LAI, Haochuan CUI, Yu WU, Cuilong MA, Jingqiong FENG, Tianqing HUANG, Wa YE, Xiangyao LIN, Xueqin LIN, Yuxuan ZHANG, Kunfeng RONG, Guo LING
  • Publication number: 20140258280
    Abstract: Embodiments include a computer-implemented method that includes receiving microposts including tokens, identifying a subset of the microposts that include a given token, determining a geographic location corresponding to the subset of the microposts that include the given token, associating the given token with the geographic location, and updating an index to reflect an association between the given token and the geographic location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventors: Marc Peter Tarca Wilson, Fiona Elizabeth Herring
  • Patent number: 8832094
    Abstract: A user may use a mobile device to request information related to a selected topic or a point of interest. A location of the mobile device may be determined to provide the user with informational content related to the selected topic or point of interest. The mobile device may receive and display the informational content as a set of search results. The user may select search results to review content referenced by the selected search results. A verification process or step may ensure that the selected information is relevant to the selected topic or determined location, and a link may be generated relating the topic, the selected search result(s), and the determined location. Moreover, a rating system may be used to provide an indication of the relevancy of search results. Thereafter, users may be provided access to the link when located in close proximity to the determined location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: MapHook, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Patrick Carter
  • Patent number: 8832096
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for evaluating image similarity. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, by a data processing apparatus, image search data for different search sessions, a search session being a pre-specified period, the image search data for a search session including: search query data specifying search queries that were received during the search session; responsive image data specifying images that were identified in response to the search queries; and interaction data specifying images referenced by search results with which a user interacted. Sets of learning images are identified based on the image search data. The sets of learning images include co-selected images for the search sessions. A query-dependent image profile for a particular image is determined based in part on the co-selected images that were identified in response to the particular query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Yushi Jing, Wei Cai
  • Patent number: 8832093
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a user of a social networking system requests to search for a place near the user's current location. The social networking system generates a list of places near the user's current location, select a sub-set from the list of places based on visibility and activity of the user and the user's social contacts for each place in the list, and returns the sub-set to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Redstone, Benjamin J. Gertzfield, Eyal M. Sharon, Srinivasa P. Narayanan, Daniel Jeng-Ping Hui
  • Publication number: 20140250113
    Abstract: A technique is provided for identifying geographic context in a media object to embed meta tags for the geographic context in the media object. Input is received of the media object including geographic relevant expressions. Each of the geographic relevant expressions in the media object is identified for display to a user. The geographic relevant expressions in the media object are displayed with an option for the user to enter values for each of the geographic relevant expressions. The values are respectively included in meta tags. The meta tags are assigned to the geographic relevant expressions in the media object, such that the meta tags include the values respectively corresponding to each of the geographic relevant expressions. The meta tags having the values for the geographic relevant expressions are embedded in the media object, such that the meta tags in the media object are available for searching and indexing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gregory D. Dallari, Thomas E. Murphy, JR., Adiswong Puiam
  • Publication number: 20140244634
    Abstract: Embodiments include a computer-implemented method that includes receiving, from a user, a plurality of search queries, receiving, from the user, a plurality of search refinements associated with the plurality of search queries (the search refinements resulting in the display of a plurality of refined results to the user) mapping one of the plurality of search queries to one of the refined results, receiving, from the user, the one of the plurality of search queries mapped to one of the refined results, and, in response to receiving the one of the plurality of search queries mapped to one of the refined results, providing, for display to the user, refined content corresponding to the one of the refined results mapped to the one of the plurality of search queries received from the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventors: Krzysztof Duleba, Maciej Szymon Nowakowski
  • Publication number: 20140244635
    Abstract: An optimized method of processing queries requesting a description of a spatial relationship between a test geometry and a query geometry, such as points, lines, polygons, and collections thereof, is disclosed. A first part of the method finds a first spatial relationship between a minimum bounding rectangle (MBR) of the test geometry and an In-Memory R-tree (IMR-tree) built to describe the query geometry. If the first relationship does not specify the requested description, then a second part of the method uses the IMR-tree of the query geometry to find a second spatial relationship between the test geometry itself and the query geometry. Optimizations are applied to the first part and to the second part. Optimizations in the second part depend on the test geometry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: ORACLE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ying Hu, Siva Ravada, Richard J. Anderson, Bhuvan Bamba
  • Publication number: 20140236937
    Abstract: When a first map application initiates a search of a first geographic database associated with the first map application, for geographic data or when the first geographic database does not return at least a portion of the geographic data in response to the search, the first map application initiates a search of a second geographic database for at least the portion of the geographic data. The second geographic database is associated with a second map application. If the second geographic database includes the portion of the requested data, the first map application displays the geographic data, which is received from the first database, the second database, or a combination thereof. The first map application also requests that a user input the portion of the geographic data not included in the first geographic database, which may then be added to the first geographic database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Navteq B.V.
    Inventor: Cory James Hohs
  • Patent number: 8812475
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for facilitating object search in a virtual world environment where each object is defined by a plurality of attributes and the search is performed on any attributes of the object however is not limited to a 3-D search. The co-ordinate location of each object in the virtual world is also provided in the search result and the range within which to perform the search may also be specified. Optionally, the user has the ability to teleport/transport to the location of the object using the search result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Salvatore Branca, Paolo Cavazza
  • Publication number: 20140229469
    Abstract: In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for providing search results automatically to a user of a computing device. A spoken input provided by a user to a computing device is received. The spoken input is transmitted to a computer server system that is remote from the computing device. Search result information that is responsive to the spoken input is receiving by the computing device and in response to the transmitted spoken input. An alert is provided to the user that the device will connect the user to a target of the search result information if the user does not intervene to stop the connecting of the user. The user is connected to the target of the search result information based on a determination that the user has not intervened to stop the connecting of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. LeBeau, John Nicholas Jitkoff, William J. Byrne
  • Publication number: 20140229468
    Abstract: A geo-search server receives a query from a user device operated by a user and determines candidate locations that may be associated with the query based on the text of the query, using a geodata index. The geodata index contains information about location names and the geo-locations associated with those names. A relevance score is generated for each candidate location and a target location is selected based on the relevance scores. A query classification is determined based on the query, using a domain index, and query response candidates are selected from a content index based on the target location and the query classification. A relevance score is generated for each of the query response candidates, and a query response is selected based on the relevance scores. The query response is sent to the user device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Inventors: Yan Or, Anand Kumar Sankaran, Madhu Gopinathan, Vinu Sundaresan
  • Patent number: 8805813
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for facilitating object search in a virtual world environment where each object is defined by a plurality of attributes and the search is performed on any attributes of the object however is not limited to a 3-D search. The co-ordinate location of each object in the virtual world is also provided in the search result and the range within which to perform the search may also be specified. Optionally, the user has the ability to teleport/transport to the location of the object using the search result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Salvatore Branca, Paolo Cavazza
  • Patent number: 8805828
    Abstract: A system is configured to identify prior search history associated with a user, where the prior search history includes information regarding searches initiated by the user and information regarding search results provided based on the searches. The system is further configured to filter the prior search history to select one of the search results, generate an information item for the search result, and provide the information item to a client, associated with the user, for presentation on a display associated with the client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Lu Ngo, Nicholas Gordon Fey, Junichi Uekawa, Noritaka Adachi