Visualizing location-based datasets using "tag maps"

• US 20080148175A1
• Filed: 12/15/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Davis, Marc E., Naaman, Mor, Jaffe, Alexander B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,769,745 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

The visualization of datasets by associating text (keywords) with location and optionally with time is disclosed. This visualization may help the user better understand and analyze the contents of the dataset. The visualization takes as input a keyword and related parameters such as location, importance/relevance factors, time, visualization level, and keyword category, and displays the selected keywords on a map, at their associated location, with the size or other characteristic of the keyword varying according to its relevance.

Claims

1. An apparatus for visualizing location-based keywords according to their relevance, comprising:

visualization logic operable for applying a visualization scheme to one or more location-based keywords, the one or more location-based keywords including keywords not intrinsically linked to a particular geographical feature, the visualization scheme generating presentation data in accordance with a relevance parameter associated with the keyword.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the visualization logic operable for receiving visualization data, the visualization data including the one or more location-based keywords and the relevance parameter and a location parameter associated with each of the keywords.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, the visualization logic operable for applying the visualization scheme to all of the location-based keywords in the visualization data.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, comprising rendering logic operable for integrating the presentation data for each location-based keyword with map data in accordance with the location parameter associated with the keyword to enable the one or more keywords to be rendered along with the map data in accordance with their location and relevance.

13. A main server comprising the apparatus of claim 2.

14. A server system comprising the main server of claim 13, and comprising a context server coupled to the main server for providing the visualization data.

15. A server system comprising the main server of claim 13, and comprising a map server coupled to the main server for providing the map data.

4-9. -9. (canceled)

11-12. -12. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. A method for visualizing location-based keywords according to their relevance, comprising:

altering an appearance of each of one or more location-based keywords in accordance with a relevance parameter associated with the keyword, the one or more location-based keywords including one or more keywords not intrinsically linked to a geographical feature; and

providing for display to a user each location-based keyword on a map in accordance with a location parameter associated with the keyword.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising receiving visualization data, the visualization data including the one or more location-based keywords and the relevance parameter and a location parameter associated with each of the keywords.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising altering the appearance of all of the location-based keywords in the visualization data.

20. The method of claim 18, the visualization data including a category parameter associated with each keyword, the method comprising altering the appearance of only those location-based keywords in the visualization data having one or more particular category parameters.

21. The method of claim 18, comprising altering the appearance of only those location-based keywords in the visualization data within a selected map area.

22. The method of claim 17, comprising altering the appearance of the keywords utilizing an appearance characteristic selected from the group consisting of font size, font style, color, shading, three-dimensional height, and animation.

23. The method of claim 17, comprising altering the appearance of the keywords utilizing an appearance element selected from the group consisting of symbols, links, graphics, and thumbnails.

24. The method of claim 17, comprising altering the appearance of the keywords in accordance with viewing limitations selected from the group consisting of zoom level, screen-viewable area, type of screen, screen resolution, screen colors, and supported fonts.

25. The method of claim 18, the visualization data including a temporal parameter associated with each keyword, the method comprising displaying each location-based keyword on the map in accordance with the location parameter associated with the keyword for only those keywords in the visualization data having an associated temporal parameter falling within a particular range.

26. The method of claim 18, comprising altering the appearance of each of one or more location-based keywords in accordance with a popularity parameter associated with the keyword for only those location-based keywords in the visualization data having an associated location parameter falling within a geographic range defined by the map data.

27. A computer-readable medium comprising program code for visualizing location-based keywords according to their relevance, the program code for causing performance of a method comprising:

altering an appearance of each of one or more location-based keywords in accordance with a relevance parameter associated with the keyword, the one or more location-based keywords including one or more keywords not intrinsically linked to a geographical feature; and

providing for display to a user each location-based keyword on a map in accordance with a location parameter associated with the keyword.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, comprising program code for receiving visualization data, the visualization data including the one or more location-based keywords and the relevance parameter and a location parameter associated with each of the keywords.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, comprising program code for altering the appearance of all of the location-based keywords in the visualization data.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, comprising program code for altering the appearance of only those location-based keywords in the visualization data within a selected map area.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, comprising program code for altering the appearance of the keyword utilizing an appearance characteristic selected from the group consisting of font size, font style, color, shading, three-dimensional height, and animation.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, comprising program code for altering the appearance of the keyword utilizing an appearance element selected from the group consisting of symbols, links, graphics, and thumbnails.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, comprising program code for altering the appearance of the keywords in accordance with viewing limitations selected from the group consisting of zoom level, screen-viewable area, type of screen, screen resolution, screen colors, and supported fonts.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, comprising program code for altering the appearance of each of one or more location-based keywords in accordance with a popularity parameter associated with the keyword for only those location-based keywords in the visualization data having an associated location parameter falling within a geographic range defined by the map data.

30. (canceled)

35. (canceled)