Apparatus and method for searching among and presenting information associated with geographical position data

• US 20080281800A1
• Filed: 04/02/2008
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Bengtsson, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for searching and presenting information associated with geographical position data. The apparatus comprises a GPS receiver adapted to receive geographical position data, an input device comprising a user interface comprising at least a first input text box adapted to receive a first text item, wherein said first text item is a general search text item, at least a second input text box adapted to receive a second text item, wherein said second text item is a geographical position text item, and a user actuation input device. The apparatus further comprises a database selection engine adapted to select a number of databases from a plurality of databases based upon said first and second text item, a database search engine adapted to perform a database search in said number of databases based upon said first and second text item, upon reception of a user input actuation, via said user actuation input device, an output device adapted to present information associated with geographical position data based upon data retrieved from a database selection engine or a database search engine.

Claims

1. A method for searching and presenting information associated with geographical position data using an apparatus, wherein

said method comprising the steps of:

generating a search profile from a first and a second input item, wherein said first input item is a general search input item and said second input item is a geographical position input item,

selecting a number of databases from a plurality of databases,

performing an overall search in said number of databases based upon said search profile,

presenting said overall search result based upon data retrieved from said number of databases,

receiving a user input actuation corresponding to at least one of said number of databases,

performing a detailed database search, in said at least one of said number of databases, and

presenting said detailed database search.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

adding advertisement data to said information associated with geographical position data by using an advertisement data engine.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising searching information associated with geographical position data by using a client-based database search engine.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising searching information associated with geographical position data by using a server-based database search engine.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting information associated with geographical position data by using a client-based database selection engine.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting information associated with geographical position data by using a server-based database selection engine.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising separating said output device to said apparatus by using a separate output device connected to said apparatus, via a wireless transmission.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising automatically retrieving said second input item by using a GPS receiver.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising remotely or locally placing said plurality of databases by using remote or local databases or a combination thereof.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting said first input item from a group consisting of name, an address and a business category.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising basing said database selection engine upon geographical position data, and selecting said geographical position data from a group consisting of country, user profile preferences and user profile accesses.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising manually entering said second input item as geographical position data.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising adapting said output device for presenting said geographical position data in a categorised manner.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising subscribing for a certain selection of databases.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising manually selecting said number of databases.

16. An apparatus for searching and presenting information associated with geographical position data, said apparatus comprising:

a GPS receiver adapted to receive geographical position data,

an input device comprising

a user interface comprising at least a first input field adapted to receive a first input item, wherein said first input item is a general search input item, at least a second input item adapted to receive a second input item, wherein said second input item is a geographical position input item,

wherein said input device is adapted to generate a search profile, and

a user actuation input device, wherein said apparatus further comprising

a database selection engine adapted to select a number of databases from a plurality of databases based upon said first and second input item,

a database search engine adapted to perform an overall and a detailed database search in said number of databases based upon said search profile, upon reception of a user input actuation, via said user actuation input device,

an output device adapted to present information associated with geographical position data based upon data retrieved from a database selection engine or a database search engine.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said first input field comprises a first text box and first search input item comprises a first search text item.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said second input field comprises a second text box and second search input item comprises a second search text item.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising an advertisement engine configured to add advertisement data to said information associated with geographical position data.

20. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said database search engine is a client-based database search engine.

21. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said database search engine is a server-based database search engine.

22. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said database selection engine is a client-based database selection engine.

23. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said database selection engine is a server-based database selection engine.

24. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said output device is a separate output device connected to said apparatus, via a wireless transmission.

25. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said second input item is automatically retrieved from said GPS receiver.

26. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said plurality of databases is remote or local databases or a combination thereof.

27. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said first input item is selected from a group consisting of a name, an address and a business category.

28. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said database selection engine is based upon geographical position data, and wherein said geographical position data is selected from a group consisting of country, user profile capabilities, user profile preferences and user profile accesses.

29. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said second input item is manually entered geographical position data.

30. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said output device is adapted to present said geographical position data in a categorised manner.

31. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a database subscription module comprising database user specific subscription information.

32. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said number of databases is manually selected.

33. A system for searching and presenting information associated with geographical position data, said apparatus comprising:

a communications network,

an apparatus according to claim 16 connected to said communications network, and

a plurality of databases connected to said communications network.