USER-GENERATED ACTIVITY MAPS

• US 20090171939A1
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: ATHSANI, Athellina R.A., O'Sullivan, Joseph, Martinez, Ron, Davis, Marc, Kalaboukis, Chris T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

Apparatus and computer-readable media for associating metadata with a geographic location are provided. The apparatus includes logic for detecting that a mobile device is present at a geographic location relevant to a user of the mobile device, logic for retrieving context information associated with the location, logic for selecting a program code module based upon a contextual relevancy of the location, logic for providing the program code module for execution, where the program code module is capable of performing processing specific to at least one aspect of the location, the processing is based upon the context information, and the program code module is further capable of receiving at least one input data item from the mobile device, where the at least one input data item describes an activity of the user at the location, and logic for associating the at least one input data item with the location.

Claims

1. An apparatus for receiving metadata to be associated with a geographic location, the apparatus comprising:

logic for detecting that a mobile device is present at a geographic location, wherein the location is relevant to a user of the mobile device;

logic for retrieving context information associated with the location;

logic for selecting a program code module based upon a contextual relevancy of the location;

logic for providing the program code module for execution, wherein the program code module is operable to perform processing specific to at least one aspect of the location, the processing is based upon the context information, and the program code module is further operable to receive at least one input data item from the mobile device, wherein the at least one input data item describes an activity of the user at the location; and

logic for associating the at least one input data item with the location.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the context information comprises user-independent information, user-specific information associated with the user, or a combination thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein detecting that a mobile device is present at a geographic location comprises receiving coordinates of the mobile device and waiting until the mobile device has been present at the location for more than a threshold period of time.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the program code module comprises a widget.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein providing comprises providing the program code module to a client device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein providing comprises causing execution of the program code module.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein processing comprises displaying the context information, querying a computer system for the at least one input data item, receiving the at least one input data item from the computer system, querying a user for the at least one input data item, receiving the at least one input data item from the user via an input device of the mobile device, or a combination thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein associating the at least one input data item with the location comprises storing the at least one input data item in a database in association with the location.

9. An apparatus for providing metadata for use at a geographic location, the apparatus comprising:

logic for detecting that a mobile device is present at a geographic location, wherein the location is relevant to a user of the mobile device;

logic for retrieving context information associated with the location;

logic for selecting a program code module based upon a contextual relevancy of the location; and

logic for providing the program code module for execution, wherein the program code module is operable to perform processing specific to at least one aspect of the location, wherein the processing is based upon the context information, and the program code module is further operable to select at least one output data item from the context information and to provide the at least one output data item to the mobile device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the context information comprises user-independent information, user-specific information associated with the user, or a combination thereof.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein detecting that a mobile device is present at a geographic location comprises receiving coordinates of the mobile device and waiting until the mobile device has been present at the location for more than a threshold period of time.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the program code module comprises a widget.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein providing comprises providing the program code module to a client device.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein providing comprises causing execution of the program code module.

15. An apparatus for gathering and presenting data related to location-based activities, the apparatus comprising:

logic for receiving a location of a user, wherein the location corresponds to geographical coordinates of the user;

logic for retrieving context information that corresponds to the location;

logic for determining if the location is relevant to the user, based upon the context information;

logic for selecting a program code module if the location is relevant to the user, wherein the program code module is selected based upon the contextual relevancy of the location to the user, and the contextual relevancy is based upon the location and the context information; and

logic for providing the program code module for execution, wherein the program code module is operable to provide at least one output data item, receive at least one input data item, or a combination thereof.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the program code module is operable to generate the at least one output data item based upon the context information.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising logic for retrieving user context information that corresponds to the location.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the location is within a predetermined distance of the geographical coordinates of the user.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the program code module comprises a widget.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein providing comprises providing the program code module to a client device.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein providing comprises causing execution of the program code module.

22. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for receiving metadata to be associated with a geographic location, the instructions for:

detecting that a mobile device is present at a geographic location, wherein the location is relevant to a user of the mobile device;

retrieving context information associated with the location;

selecting a program code module based upon a contextual relevancy of the location;

causing execution of the program code module, wherein the program code module is operable to perform processing specific to at least one aspect of the location, wherein the processing is based upon the context information, and the program code module is further operable to receive at least one input data item from the mobile device, wherein the at least one input data item describes an activity of the user at the location; and

associating the at least one input data item with the location.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the context information comprises user-independent information, user-specific information associated with the user, or a combination thereof.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein detecting that a mobile device is present at a geographic location comprises receiving coordinates of the mobile device and waiting until the mobile device has been present at the location for more than a threshold period of time.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the program code module comprises a widget.

26. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for providing metadata for use at a geographic location, the instructions for:

detecting that a mobile device is present at a geographic location, wherein the location is relevant to a user of the mobile device;

retrieving context information associated with the location;

selecting a program code module based upon a contextual relevancy of the location; and

causing execution of the program code module, wherein the program code module is operable to perform processing specific to at least one aspect of the location, wherein the processing is based upon the context information, and the program code module is further operable to select at least one output data item from the context information and to provide the at least one output data item to the mobile device.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein providing the at least one output data item comprises causing display of the at least one output data item on a mobile device.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein providing the at least output data item comprises transmitting the at least one output data item to the computer via a network.

29. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for gathering and presenting data related to location-based activities, the instructions for:

receiving a location of a user, wherein the location corresponds to geographical coordinates of the user;

retrieving context information that corresponds to the location;

determining if the location is relevant to the user, based upon the context information;

selecting a program code module in response to the location being relevant to the user, wherein the program code module is selected based upon the contextual relevancy of the location to the user, and the contextual relevancy is based upon the location and the context information; and

providing the program code module for execution, wherein the program code module is operable to provide at least one output data item, receive at least one input data item, or a combination thereof.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the program code module is operable to generate the at least one output data item based upon the context information.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, the instructions further comprising retrieving user context information that corresponds to the location.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the location is within a predetermined distance of the geographical coordinates of the user.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the program code module comprises a widget.