Generating textual summary about physical location based on computing interactions pertaining to physical location

• US 10,089,326 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2014
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Mazniker, Boris, Datar, Mayur
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thu Nga
• Application Number:
  US14/504,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20160019238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for determining aspects of locations based on computing interactions of users that pertain to the locations. In some implementations, an aspect of a location may be determined based on comparing a first computing interaction measure for the location to a second measure. The first computing interaction measure may be determined based on a first group of computing interactions that pertain to the location. In some implementations, the second measure may be determined based on a second group of addition computing interactions. In some implementations, a textual summary may be generated automatically based on the first and/or second computing interaction measure, and/or based on the determined aspect.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying, from one or more databases, a first group of directional queries that seek directions to or from a physical location;

identifying, from the one or more databases, a second group of directional queries that seek directions to or from one or more additional physical locations, wherein the one or more additional physical locations satisfy one or more criteria;

determining a first count of the first group of directional queries;

determining at least a second count of the second group of directional queries;

automatically generating a textual description of the physical location based on comparison of the first count with the at least second count, wherein the textual description explicitly or implicitly conveys a relationship between the first count and the at least second count;

receiving, via one or more computer networks, from a user computing device, a subsequent search query;

identifying search results that are responsive to the subsequent search query, wherein the search results include at least one result pertaining to the physical location; and

providing, via the one or more computer networks, to the user computing device, information that causes the user computing device to render an interface that includes the textual description of the physical location.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria comprise being located within a geographic area associated with the physical location.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising selecting the geographic area based at least in part on a population or size of the geographic area.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria comprise being associated with a particular price range.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising defining the particular price range based on a price range associated with the physical location or a user preference.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria comprise being associated with a particular category.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the one or more criteria further comprise being located within a geographic area associated with the physical location.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining the one or more criteria based on contextual data associated with the user computing device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the contextual data includes a user search, performed on the user computing device, relating to physical locations that satisfy the one or more criteria.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the contextual data includes a location of the user computing device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the contextual data includes a directional query performed on the user computing device.

12. A system including memory and one or more processors operable to execute instructions stored in memory, comprising instructions to:

determine, from one or more databases, a first group of directional queries that seek directions to or from a physical location;

determine, from the one or more databases, a second group of directional queries that seek directions to or from;

one or more additional physical locations that are in addition to the physical location, or

the physical location at times that are temporally distinct from the directional queries of the first group; and

determine a first count of the first group of directional queries;

determine at least a second count of the second group of directional queries;

automatically generate a textual description of the physical location based on comparison of the first count with the at least second count, wherein the textual description explicitly or implicitly conveys a relationship between the first count and the at least second count;

receive, via one or more computer networks, from a user computing device, a subsequent search query;

identify search results that are responsive to the subsequent search query, wherein the search results include at least one result pertaining to the physical location; and

provide, via the one or more networks, to the user computing device, information that causes the user computing device to render an interface that includes the textual description of the physical location.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second group of directional queries pertain to one or more physical locations that satisfy one or more criteria.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more criteria comprise being located within a geographic area associated with the physical location.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising instructions to select the geographic area based at least in part on a population or size of the geographic area.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more criteria comprise being associated with a particular price range or with a particular category.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising instructions to determine the one or more criteria based on contextual data associated with the user computing device.

18. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, in response to execution of the instructions by a computing system, cause the computing system to perform the following operations:

identifying, based on contextual data associated with a user or a computing device operated by the user, a physical location of potential interest to the user;

identifying, from one or more databases, a first group of directional queries that seek directions to or from the physical location of potential interest to the user;

identifying, from the one or more databases, a second group of directional queries that seek directions to or from one or more additional physical locations, wherein the one or more additional physical locations satisfy one or more criteria;

determining a first count of the first group of directional queries;

determining at least a second count of the second group of directional queries;

determining an aspect of the physical location of potential interest to the user based on the first count and the at least second count;

automatically generating a textual description of the physical location based on the determined aspect, wherein the textual description explicitly or implicitly conveys a relationship between the first count and the at least second count; and

providing, via one or more networks, to the computing device operated by the user, information that causes the computing device to render an interface that includes the textual description of the physical location of potential interest to the user.