System and method for dynamically retrieving data specific to a region of a layer

• US 20080104027A1
• Filed: 11/01/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Imler, Sean Michael, Cheng, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,533,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• 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: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour

Abstract

A method for retrieving data from a data source by querying the data source with data points of a layer. The data points may be encompassed within a determined region of the layer. The steps of the method may include: determining the region of the layer, dynamically querying the data source with one or more data points of the layer encompassed within the region upon determining the region, and receiving the data from the data source.

Claims

1. A method for retrieving data from a data source by querying the data source with data points of a layer, the data points being encompassed within a determined region of the layer, comprising:

determining the region of the layer;

dynamically querying the data source with one or more data points of the layer encompassed within the region upon determining the region; and

receiving the data from the data source.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein an area of the region can be changed by dragging a boundary of the region.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a first scale of the region changes when a second scale of the layer changes.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first scale of the region changes when the second scale of the layer changes while the area of the region remains unchanged.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the data source is dynamically queried by one or more data points of the layer encompassed within the region and a criterion, upon determining the region.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the region is movable separate from the layer without having to redraw

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the layer is movable separate from the region without having to redraw.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the data points of the layer comprise a longitude value and a latitude value.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the layer comprises a map.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the data comprises advertisement data.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein the data source is dynamically queried with one or more data points of the layer encompassed within the region upon changing the area of the region.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein the data source is dynamically queried with one or more data points of the layer encompassed within the region upon moving the region.

13. The method of claim 3 wherein the data source is dynamically queried with one or more data points of the layer encompassed within the region upon changing the second scale of the layer.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the data source is dynamically queried with a data set representing the one or more data points of the layer encompassed within the region upon determining the region.

14. (canceled)

16. A system for selecting a region of a layer from which data points are used to retrieve data from a data source, comprising:

a memory able to store a set of data points that comprise a layer;

a display operatively connected to the memory for displaying the layer stored in the memory and displaying the data retrieved from the data source;

an interface operatively connected to the memory and the display, which an operator can manipulate to select the region of the layer; and

a processor operatively connected to the memory, the display and the interface which determines the data points in the selected region of the layer, communicates a query to the data source with the data points from the selected region of the layer and receives the data from the data source;

wherein the operator can determine the region of the layer using the interface and dynamically receive the data from the data source relevant to the region upon the determining of the region.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein an area of the region can be changed by using the interface to drag a boundary of the region.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the data retrieved from the data source is also queried by a criterion.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the region is movable without having to redraw.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the display comprises a monitor.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the operator dynamically receives the data from the data source relevant to the region upon changing the area of the region.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the operator dynamically receives the data from the data source relevant to the selected region upon moving the region.

23. A method for finding information on a map comprising:

determining a region of the map; and

dynamically receiving information specific to the region upon determining the region.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of determining a region of the map further comprises using an overlay tool to determine the region wherein the region comprises an area of the map encompassed by the overlay tool.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the overlay tool is transparent.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the overlay tool is persistent.