Apparatus and methods for providing geographically oriented internet search results to mobile users

• US 20070022097A1
• Filed: 07/25/2005
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Twalt, Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 8,548,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

A method of providing Internet search results to a user on a mobile platform. Search terms are received from the user via a web portal. Information pertaining to the user and/or to the platform is used to identify a marketplace relevant to the user. A search engine is selected based on the identified marketplace. The search terms are submitted to the selected search engine.

Claims

1. A method of providing Internet search results to a user on a mobile platform, the method comprising:

receiving search terms from the user via a web portal;

identifying a marketplace relevant to the user, said identifying performed using information pertaining to the user and/or to the platform;

selecting a search engine based on the identified marketplace; and

submitting the search terms to the selected search engine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying search results received from the selected search engine to the user.

3. The method of claim 1, performed without requiring the user to input the information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating a destination of the user with a marketplace served by a search engine.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating a destination of the platform with a marketplace served by a search engine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein using information pertaining to the user and/or to the platform includes using at least one of the following:

a platform departure location, a platform destination, and a user destination.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein submitting the search terms comprises using at least one of the following to refine the search terms:

a platform type, a user location in the platform, a type of user device, a user setting, and a user profile.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a search toolbar client of a device of the user to obtain at least some of the information pertaining to the user and/or the platform.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a toolbar client of a device of the user to obtain information pertaining to another mobile platform when the user is on the other mobile platform.

10. An apparatus for providing Internet search results to a user on a mobile platform, the apparatus comprising:

a portal accessible on the platform whereby a user may enter an Internet search request; and

a controller configured to;

receive the search request;

use information pertaining to the platform and/or to the user to identify a marketplace relative to which a search is to be performed;

select a search engine based on the identified marketplace;

submit the search request to the selected search engine; and

send search results received from the selected search engine to the user.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the information pertaining to the platform and/or to the user comprises at least one of the following:

a platform departure location, a platform destination, and a user destination.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a user device connected to the portal whereby the user enters the search request; and

a toolbar client operating in the user device;

the controller further configured to store information in the toolbar client for refining the search request.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, comprising a plurality of search engines, the controller further configured to select a first search engine for a first identified marketplace and a second search engine for a second identified marketplace;

wherein the second search engine is different from the first search engine.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller uses at least one of the following to personalize the search request:

a platform type, a user location in the platform, a type of user device, a user setting, and a user profile.

15. A method of providing Internet search results to a user on a mobile platform, the method comprising:

receiving a search request from the user via a web portal of a mobile communications system of the platform;

obtaining at least one of the following pieces of information;

a departure location of the platform,

a destination of the platform, and

a destination of the user;

using the at least one piece of obtained information to identify an Internet marketplace in which to perform a search based on the search request;

using the identified marketplace to select a search engine; and

using the selected search engine to perform the search in the identified market.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a search result from the selected search engine; and

delivering the search result to the user via the portal.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing different search engines for different marketplaces.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

selecting a first of the search engines to perform a search in a first of the marketplaces; and

selecting a second of the search engines to perform a search in a second of the marketplaces.