Entity display priority in a distributed geographic information system

• US 10,592,537 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2017
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Jones, Michael T., McClendon, Brian, Charaniya, Amin, Ashbridge, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Baoquoc N
• Application Number:
  US15/839,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20180101548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 707705, 707706, 705 1464, 701409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/288 Entity relationship models
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/444 Spatial browsing, e.g. 2D maps, 3D or virtual spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location

Abstract

A system for ranking geospatial entities is described. In one embodiment, the system comprises an interface for receiving ranking data about a plurality of geospatial entities and an entity ranking module. The module uses a ranking mechanism to generate place ranks for the geospatial entities based on the ranking data. Ranked entity data generated by the entity ranking module is stored in a database. The entity ranking module may be configured to evaluate a plurality of diverse attributes to determine a total score for a geospatial entity. The entity ranking module may be configured to organize ranked entity data into placemark layers.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to provide personalized maps, the method comprising:

obtaining, by one or more computing devices, entity data that describes a plurality of geospatial entities, each geospatial entity having a geometry and located at a physical location;

receiving, by the one or more computing devices, an indication that a user has designated one or more of the plurality of geospatial entities as one or more favorite geospatial entities;

storing, by the one or more computing devices, user data that identifies the one or more favorite geospatial entities designated by the user;

receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a request for a map, the request associated with the user; and

providing, by the one or more computing devices, the map for display to the user, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of at least one of the one or more favorite geospatial entities.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of only geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities by the user.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities by the user and also indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have not been selected as favorite geospatial entities by the user.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

ranking, by the one or more computing devices, at least a first portion of the plurality of geospatial entities according to a ranking mechanism, wherein geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities by the user are ranked higher than geospatial entities that have not been designated as favorite geospatial entities by the user; and

selecting, by the one or more computing devices, at least a second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities for inclusion in the map according to the ranking, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of each of the second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities by the user and also indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have not been selected as favorite geospatial entities by the user.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities is a subset of the first portion of the plurality of geospatial entities.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

ranking, by the one or more computing devices, at least a first portion of the plurality of geospatial entities according to a ranking mechanism; and

selecting, by the one or more computing devices, at least a second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities for inclusion in the map according to the ranking, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of each of the second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities, and wherein geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities by the user are selected for the second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities regardless of their respective ranking.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities by the user and also geospatial entities that have not been selected as favorite geospatial entities by the user.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

ranking, by the one or more computing devices, at least a first portion of the plurality of geospatial entities into a plurality of layers, wherein the plurality of layers are respectively associated with a plurality of levels of detail, and wherein geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities by the user are ranked higher than geospatial entities that have not been designated as favorite geospatial entities by the user;

wherein providing, by the one or more computing devices, the map for display to the user comprises;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, a current level of detail associated with the request for the map; and

providing, by the one or more computing devices, the map for display to the user, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities included in the layer associated with the current level of detail.

10. A computer system for providing personalized maps, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage media that store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computer system to perform operations, the operations comprising;

obtaining entity data that describes a plurality of geospatial entities, each geospatial entity having a geometry and located at a physical location;

receiving an indication that a user has designated one or more of the plurality of geospatial entities as one or more favorite geospatial entities;

storing user data that identifies the one or more favorite geospatial entities designated by the user;

receiving a request for a map, the request associated with the user; and

providing the map for display to the user, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of at least one of the one or more favorite geospatial entities.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of only geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities by the user.

12. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities by the user and also indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have not been selected as favorite geospatial entities by the user.

13. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

ranking at least a first portion of the plurality of geospatial entities according to a ranking mechanism, wherein geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities by the user are ranked higher than geospatial entities that have not been designated as favorite geospatial entities by the user; and

selecting at least a second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities for inclusion in the map according to the ranking, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of each of the second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities by the user and also indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have not been selected as favorite geospatial entities by the user.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities is a subset of the first portion of the plurality of geospatial entities.

16. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

ranking at least a first portion of the plurality of geospatial entities according to a ranking mechanism; and

selecting at least a second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities for inclusion in the map according to the ranking, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of each of the second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities, and wherein geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities by the user are selected for the second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities regardless of their respective ranking.

17. One or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage media that collectively store instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving a request for a map, the request associated with a user;

obtaining user data that identifies at least one geospatial entity designated by the user as a favorite geospatial entity;

identifying a plurality of geospatial entities that can be included in the map;

ranking at least a first portion of the geospatial entities according to a ranking mechanism;

selecting at least a second portion of the geospatial entities to be included in the map according to the ranking, wherein the at least one geospatial entity designated by the user as the favorite geospatial entity is included in the second portion of the geospatial entities; and

providing the map for display to the user, wherein the map indicates a physical location of each of the second portion of the geospatial entities.

18. The one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein ranking at least the first portion of the geospatial entities according to the ranking mechanism comprises crediting a rank bonus to the at least one favorite geospatial entity, wherein the rank bonus increases the ranking of the at least one favorite geospatial entity.

19. The one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein selecting at least the second portion of the geospatial entities to be included in the map comprises selecting the at least one favorite geospatial entity to be included in the map regardless of the ranking of the at least one favorite geospatial entity.

20. The one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein selecting at least the second portion of the geospatial entities to be included in the map comprises overriding a generalized ranking scheme to include the at least one favorite geospatial entity.