System, method and computer program product for searching and retrieving ranked points of interest within a polygonal area of interest

• US 20060069504A1
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TVL LP (Sabre Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Travelocity.com LP (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chesworth, Richard, Miller, Chris, McPherson, Jared, Drexel, Richard J. III, Kulshreshtha, Ashima, Gawronski, Chris, Bradley, Lance P., Shukla, Minaxi H., Nagenhalli, Shylaja, Hahne, Summer
• Granted Patent: US 7,715,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

A method of searching and retrieving ranked points of interest (POIs) within a polygonal area of interest (AOI) includes defining an AOI. The AOI has a polygon shape and includes a plurality of points. The method also includes identifying at least one POI within the defined AOI, and organizing the identified POIs in an order of rankings associated with the identified POIs. Then, information related to the identified POIs is requested, and presented in the order of the rankings associated with the respective POIs.

Claims

1. A system for performing a method of searching and retrieving ranked points of interest (POIs) within a polygonal area of interest (AOI), wherein the system comprises at least one processing element for at least one of performing or facilitating performance of the method, the method comprising:

defining an AOI, the AOI having a polygon shape including a plurality of points defining the AOI;

identifying at least one POI within the defined AOI; and

organizing the identified POIs in an order of rankings associated with the identified POIs, the POIs being organized such that information related to at least some of the identified POIs is capable of being requested and thereafter presented in the order of the rankings associated with the respective POIs.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the defining step comprises:

presenting a map of a geographic area;

selecting, on the map, a plurality of points defining an AOI; and

presenting at least a portion of the AOI after selecting each of at least some of the points, the portion of the AOI being presented as a shaded overlay of the map, the shaded overlay capable of changing with selection of at least some of the points as the AOI is being defined.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the identifying step comprises:

selecting at least one characteristic of at least one POI; and

searching for at least one POI having the selected characteristics and a location within the AOI to thereby identify at least one POI within the defined AOI, a location within the defined AOI being determinable based upon the plurality of points defining the AOI.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the defining step comprises defining two or more AOIs, and wherein the identifying step further comprises selecting an AOI within which to search for at least one POI before searching for at least one POI.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein the searching step comprises sending the selected characteristics and a plurality of points defining the AOI across at least one network to an information provider, the information provider being capable of searching two or more POI records for two or more POIs to thereby identify at least one POI within the defined AOI, and capable of returning the identified POIs across the network.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the organizing step comprises:

organizing at least one selected POI in an order higher than rankings associated with the respective selected POIs.

7. A system according to claim 1 further comprising:

generating a search record for the identified POIs; and

providing the search record to an information provider such that the service provider is thereafter capable of receiving, from a client, a request for information related to at least some of the identified POIs, searching the search record for the requested information, and sending the requested information to the client.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the identifying step further comprises identifying at least one POI at two or more subsequent instances, and

wherein the generating step further comprises, for at least one of the subsequent instances, updating the search record to include at least one additional POI identified during the respective subsequent instance.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein the defining step comprises defining two or more AOIs, wherein the identifying step comprises identifying at least one POI within a defined AOI at two or more subsequent instances, wherein at least one POI is capable of being identified within two or more different AOIs, and

wherein the generating step further comprises, for at least one of the subsequent instances, updating the search record to include at least one additional AOI within which an identified POI is located during the respective subsequent instance.

10. A computer-implemented method of searching and retrieving ranked points of interest (POIs) within a polygonal area of interest (AOI), the method comprising:

defining an AOI, the AOI having a polygon shape including a plurality of points defining the AOI;

identifying at least one POI within the defined AOI; and

organizing the identified POIs in an order of rankings associated with the identified POIs, the POIs being organized such that information related to at least some of the identified POIs is capable of being requested and thereafter presented in the order of the rankings associated with the respective POIs.

11. A computer-implemented method according to claim 10, wherein the defining step comprises:

presenting a map of a geographic area;

selecting, on the map, a plurality of points defining an AOI; and

presenting at least a portion of the AOI after selecting each of at least some of the points, the portion of the AOI being presented as a shaded overlay of the map, the shaded overlay capable of changing with selection of at least some of the points as the AOI is being defined.

12. A computer-implemented method according to claim 10, wherein the identifying step comprises:

selecting at least one characteristic of at least one POI; and

searching for at least one POI having the selected characteristics and a location within the AOI to thereby identify at least one POI within the defined AOI, a location within the defined AOI being determinable based upon the plurality of points defining the AOI.

13. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, wherein the defining step comprises defining two or more AOIs, and wherein the identifying step further comprises selecting an AOI within which to search for at least one POI before searching for at least one POI.

14. A computer-implemented method according to claim 12, wherein the searching step comprises sending the selected characteristics and a plurality of points defining the AOI across at least one network to an information provider, the information provider being capable of searching two or more POI records for two or more POIs to thereby identify at least one POI within the defined AOI, and capable of returning the identified POIs across the network.

15. A computer-implemented method according to claim 10, wherein the organizing step comprises:

organizing at least one selected POI in an order higher than rankings associated with the respective selected POIs.

16. A computer-implemented method according to claim 10 further comprising:

generating a search record for the identified POIs; and

providing the search record to an information provider such that the service provider is thereafter capable of receiving, from a client, a request for information related to at least some of the identified POIs, searching the search record for the requested information, and sending the requested information to the client.

17. A computer-implemented method according to claim 16, wherein the identifying step further comprises identifying at least one POI at two or more subsequent instances, and

wherein the generating step further comprises, for at least one of the subsequent instances, updating the search record to include at least one additional POI identified during the respective subsequent instance.

18. A computer-implemented method according to claim 16, wherein the defining step comprises defining two or more AOIs, wherein the identifying step comprises identifying at least one POI within a defined AOI at two or more subsequent instances, wherein at lest one POI is capable of being identified within two or more different AOIs, and

wherein the generating step further comprises, for at least one of the subsequent instances, updating the search record to include at least one additional AOI within which an identified POI is located during the respective subsequent instance.

19. A computer program product for performing a method of searching and retrieving ranked points of interest (POIs) within a polygonal area of interest (AOI), wherein the computer program product comprises at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable, executable program code portions stored therein for at least one of performing and facilitating performance of the method, the method comprising:

defining an AOI, the AOI having a polygon shape including a plurality of points defining the AOI;

identifying at least one POI within the defined AOI; and

organizing the identified POIs in an order of rankings associated with the identified POIs, the POIs being organized such that information related to at least some of the identified POIs is capable of being requested and thereafter presented in the order of the rankings associated with the respective POIs.

20. A computer program product according to claim 19, wherein the defining step comprises:

presenting a map of a geographic area;

selecting, on the map, a plurality of points defining an AOI; and

presenting at least a portion of the AOI after selecting each of at least some of the points, the portion of the AOI being presented as a shaded overlay of the map, the shaded overlay capable of changing with selection of at least some of the points as the AOI is being defined.

21. A computer program product according to claim 19, wherein the identifying step comprises:

selecting at least one characteristic of at least one POI; and

searching for at least one POI having the selected characteristics and a location within the AOI to thereby identify at least one POI within the defined AOI, a location within the defined AOI being determinable based upon the plurality of points defining the AOI.

22. A computer program product according to claim 21, wherein the defining step comprises defining two or more AOIs, and wherein the identifying step further comprises selecting an AOI within which to search for at least one POI before searching for at least one POI.

23. A computer program product according to claim 21, wherein the searching step comprises sending the selected characteristics and a plurality of points defining the AOI across at least one network to an information provider, the information provider being capable of searching two or more POI records for two or more POIs to thereby identify at least one POI within the defined AOI, and capable of returning the identified POIs across the network.

24. A computer program product according to claim 19, wherein the organizing step comprises:

organizing at least one selected POI in an order higher than rankings associated with the respective selected POIs.

25. A computer program product according to claim 19 further comprising:

generating a search record for the identified POIs; and

providing the search record to an information provider such that the service provider is thereafter capable of receiving, from a client, a request for information related to at least some of the identified POIs, searching the search record for the requested information, and sending the requested information to the client.

26. A computer program product according to claim 25, wherein the identifying step further comprises identifying at least one POI at two or more subsequent instances, and

wherein the generating step further comprises, for at least one of the subsequent instances, updating the search record to include at least one additional POI identified during the respective subsequent instance.

27. A computer program product according to claim 25, wherein the defining step comprises defining two or more AOIs, wherein the identifying step comprises identifying at least one POI within a defined AOI at two or more subsequent instances, wherein at lest one POI is capable of being identified within two or more different AOIs, and

wherein the generating step further comprises, for at least one of the subsequent instances, updating the search record to include at least one additional AOI within which an identified POI is located during the respective subsequent instance.