Notifications using enhanced map-based imagery

• US 20060200382A1
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Housevalues, Inc. (Zillow Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Housevalues, Inc. (Zillow Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Arutunian, Ethan B., Huey, David E.
• Application Number:
  US11/207,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20060200382A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.580
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location

Abstract

Notifying potential consumers of opportunities of interest may include obtaining contact information from a potential consumer of opportunities of interest and obtaining subject of interest information from the potential consumer of opportunities of interest, wherein the subject of interest information is associated with a localized identifiable geographical area. Based on the obtained information, a notification may be automatically generated. The notification may include an aerial image and associated overlay data, wherein the aerial image is based on aerial photography, satellite data, or a combination of aerial photography and satellite data, and wherein the associated overlay data provides information related to the subject of interest.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of notifying potential consumers of opportunities of interest, the method comprising:

obtaining contact information from a requester;

obtaining subject of interest information from the requester, wherein the subject of interest information is associated with a localized identifiable geographical area;

automatically generating a notification associated with the subject of interest, wherein the notification includes a map and an associated overlay data, and wherein the associated overlay data provides information related to the subject of interest; and

providing the automatically generated notification to the requester.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the subject of interest relates to open houses in an identified area, and wherein the notification, including the aerial map, includes open house information.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the subject of interest is recent home sales in an identified area, and wherein the notification, including the map, includes recent home sale information.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the subject of interest is recent real estate listings in an identified area, and wherein the notification, including the map, includes recent listing information.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the subject of interest is determined through the requestor interacting with an interactive map from a web site.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the map and associated overlay data are configured as an interactive map that allows the requestor to zoom in from a large geographical area on the map to a smaller geographical area on the map.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the contact information is obtained by having the requestor complete and submit a registration form.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the subject of interest relates to commercial points of interest in a selected area that are displayable on the map, and wherein an indication of the commercial points of interest in the selected area are indicated using the overlay data.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the notification includes sending the automatically generated notification via email.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the notification includes sending the automatically generated notification to a mobile device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the associated overlay provides iconic, graphical, or textual representations associated with the subject of interest.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the map is configured as an interactive map and wherein the associated overlay is displayable as clickable vectors or points on the interactive map.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the aerial map is configured as a static map and wherein the notification includes a link to a web page including an interactive map that is related to the static map.

14. A system for notifying potential consumers of opportunities of interest, the system comprising:

means for obtaining contact information from a user;

means for obtaining subject of interest information from the user, wherein the subject of interest information is associated with a localized identifiable geographical area;

means for automatically generating a notification associated with the subject of interest, wherein the notification includes a map and an associated overlay data, and wherein the associated overlay data provides information identifying the subject of interest on the map; and

means for providing the automatically generated notification to the user.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the subject of interest is real estate.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for facilitating interactivity of the aerial map.

17. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing a method for notifying potential consumers of opportunities of interest, the method comprising:

obtaining contact information from a potential consumer of opportunities of interest;

obtaining subject of interest information from the potential consumer of opportunities of interest, wherein the subject of interest information is associated with a localized identifiable geographical area;

automatically generating a notification associated with the subject of interest, wherein the notification includes a map and an associated overlay data, wherein the associated overlay data provides information related to the subject of interest, and wherein the automatic generation includes projecting the associated overlay data to match a projection associated with the map.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the computer-readable medium is a computer-readable disk.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the computer-readable medium is a data transmission medium carrying a generated data signal containing the contents.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the computer-readable medium is a memory of a computer system.