Density dependent search functions

• US 10,296,549 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2014
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perry Street Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Perry Street Software, Inc.
• Inventors: Silverberg, Eric, Marchant, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Daye, Chelcie L
• Application Number:
  US14/462,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20160048525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 707706, 707776, 709204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

The present disclosure is related to a system and a method for varying search results of a user-based networking application. In one example, the disclosure includes a method that includes operations such as accessing from a processing element a results list responsive to an inquiry, determining by the processing element a population density corresponding to a selected location; and based on the population density, varying by the processing element one or more parameters of the results list for displaying on a user device.

Claims

1. A method for varying search results of a user-based networking application, comprising:

accessing from a processing element an original results list of items, which the original results list is responsive to an inquiry, the original results list containing a plurality of parameters having original information corresponding to the one or more parameters and to the one or more of the items within the original results list;

independent from the inquiry, determining by the processing element a population density corresponding to a selected location, wherein the population density is independent of the original results list; and

based on the population density, varying by the processing element the original information corresponding to one or more of the parameters of the original results list to generate a modified results list containing modified information based on an error criterion, wherein the modified information corresponding to at least some of the parameters and to at least some of the items is present within the modified results list and is different than the corresponding original information contained within the original results list for displaying on a user device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the modified results list to the user device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving the inquiry from the user device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the modified results list with the modified information.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected location is selected based on the inquiry.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining by the processing element a results range of the inquiry, wherein the selected location corresponds to the results range.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the population density corresponds to a census population of the selected.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified results list includes the selected one or more of the items for displaying the selected one or more of the items and their modified information on the user device.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the information corresponding to each of the one or more of the items of the original list comprises a plurality of parameters; and

the varying of the information includes varying one or more of the parameters of the original results list to generate modified parameters for the one or more items.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the information of the original results list is varied to generate the modified results list containing modified information corresponding to all of the items for displaying on a user device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein:

the information comprises a plurality of parameters that correspond to a plurality of the items of the original list; and

the varying of the information includes varying one or more of the parameters corresponding to each of the items of the original results list to generate modified parameters of the modified information corresponding to each of the items in the modified results list.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the population density corresponds to a number of user devices within the selected location.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein

the information corresponding to each of the items comprises a parameter, wherein each item has a content for the parameter;

and

varying the information to generate the modified results list comprises modifying a the content to generate a modified content for the parameter based on the error criterion, wherein the modified results list comprises the modified parameter.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein

the information corresponding to each of the items comprises a parameter, wherein each item has a content for the parameter;

and

varying the information to generate the modified results list comprises changing the content for the parameter, wherein the parameter and the changed content is retained in the modified results list.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified information is an inaccurate representation based on the error criterion of the original information of the original results list.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein varying the original information to generate the modified results list comprises introducing an error into the original information such that the modified information comprises the original information with the introduced error.

5. A method for varying search results of a user-based networking application, comprising:

accessing from a processing element an original results list of items, which original results list is responsive to an inquiry, the results list containing information corresponding to one or more of the items;

independent from the inquiry, determining by the processing element a population density corresponding to a selected location, wherein the population density is independent of the original results list; and

based on the population density, varying by the processing element the information of the original results list by adding additional information to the selected one or more of the items of the original results list to generate a modified results list containing modified information corresponding to a selected one or more of the items for displaying on a user device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the additional information is an events listing corresponding to one or more of the selected one or more of the items and the additional information is configured to be displayed along with the modified results list on the user device.

7. A method for varying search results of a user-based networking application, comprising:

receiving an inquiry from a querying user device;

generating a first results list of items responsive to the inquiry, the first results list comprising a plurality of parameters and information corresponding to one or more of the parameters and one or more of the items within the results list;

determining by a processing element a population density corresponding to a number of people in a selected geographic location, wherein the population density is independent from the first results list based on the inquiry;

changing by the processing element the information corresponding to one or more of the parameters of the first results list to generate a second results list in which the changed information in the second results list corresponding to at least some of the parameters and to at least some of the items is present and is an inaccurate representation of the original information based on an error criterion contained within the first results list, wherein the second results list is configured to be displayed on the querying user device based on the population density; and

transmitting the second results list to the querying user device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving data on the location of the user device, wherein the selected location is a location of the querying user device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the selected location is a predetermined area relative to the query location.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more parameters comprises an events list corresponding to events occurring in or around the selected location.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more parameters further comprises an attending list of users attending the events.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more parameters comprises a favorites list, wherein the favorites list is configured to be displayed on a querying user device instead of the results list or simultaneously with the results list.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the favorites list comprises a list of restaurants, bars, or clubs.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the second results list is to be displayed on the querying user device in a grid.

15. A system for providing results to one or more user devices comprising:

a network for transmitting data; and

a server in communication with the network and configured to perform the following operations;

receive an inquiry from a querying user device;

access, by generating or retrieving, a results list responsive to the inquiry, wherein the results list includes a plurality of items, parameters corresponding to the plurality of items, and original information related to each of the items and the parameters;

determine a population density of a selected location, wherein the population density is determined based on information that includes information independent from the inquiry or the results list;

changing the original information corresponding to one or more parameters of the results list to generate a varied results list having changed information for at least one item within the result list, wherein the changed information is changed based on an error criterion and includes an error relative to the original information and is changed based on the population density, wherein the changed information corresponding to at least some of the parameters and to at least some of the items is present and different in the varied results list than the corresponding original information contained within the results list; and

transmit the varied results list to the querying user device.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising a querying user device in communication with the network, wherein the querying user device is configured to perform the following operations:

transmit to the server the inquiry;

receive the results list from the server; and

display on a display screen the results list, wherein the result list is displayed in a grid configuration.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of member user devices in communication with the network, wherein the plurality of member user devices are configured to perform the following operations:

transmit to the server an actual location of the member user device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more parameters comprise an additional feature configured to be displayed with or separate from the results list.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the additional feature is at least one of an events list or a favorite retail list.

30. The system of claim 15, wherein the selected location is associated with the location of the inquiry or the results list, but determined based on information separate from either the inquiry or the results list.