Method, system, and apparatus for location-aware search

• US 20090222438A1
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Aarnio, Ari, Strandell, Toni, Quiroz-Castro, Carlos
• Granted Patent: US 7,966,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

Performing location-aware search involves intercepting a network request targeted for an Internet-based search engine. The network request includes a location-dependent query containing a location term, and the location term cannot be used by the search engine to positively determine a target location. A location descriptor that can be used by the search engine to positively determine a target location is determined via a location database. The location database may include a location sensor such as GPS. The network request is modified to replace the location term with the location descriptor, and the modified network request is sent to the search engine.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface capable of communicating with an Internet-based search engine;

a processor coupled to the network interface;

a location database; and

memory coupled to the processor and the location database, wherein the memory includes instructions that cause the processor to;

intercept a network request targeted for the search engine, wherein the network request includes a location-dependent query containing a location term, wherein the location term cannot be used by the search engine to positively determine a target location;

determine, via a location database of the apparatus, a location descriptor that can be used by the search engine to positively determine the target location;

modify the network request to replace the location term with the location descriptor; and

send the modified network request to the search engine.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location database comprises a global positioning satellite sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein location descriptor comprises at least one of a street address and a geo-location descriptor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location term comprises a generic term indicating the current location of the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location term comprises a reference to a dynamically generated navigational route of a navigation application.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the location descriptor comprises a plurality of location descriptions along the route.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the memory includes instructions that further cause the processor to:

determine, via the location database, a current location of the apparatus while the apparatus is traversing the navigational route; and

limit the location descriptor to a region that includes portions of the navigational route not yet traversed.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the memory includes instructions that further cause the processor to:

repeatedly determine, via the location database, current locations of the apparatus while the apparatus is traversing the route;

form additional network requests based on the modified request and current locations; and

send the additional requests to the search engine while the apparatus is traversing the route.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location database comprises a proximate mobile device externally coupled to the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein determining the location descriptor via the location database of the apparatus comprises accessing a network server that receives location data from the location database and provides the location data in response to network queries.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile Web server that provides the location descriptor in response to a Web service request.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein intercepting the network request and modifying the network request comprising accessing and modifying a document object model of a document via a browser, wherein the browser renders the document and enables user input of the location dependent query via the document.

13. A method comprising:

intercepting a network request targeted for an Internet-based search engine, wherein the network request includes a location-dependent query containing a location term, wherein the location term cannot be used by the search engine to positively determine a target location;

determining, via a location database of the apparatus, a location descriptor that can be used by the search engine to positively determine a target location;

modifying the network request to replace the location term with the location descriptor;

sending the modified network request to the search engine.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the location database comprises a global positioning satellite sensor.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein location descriptor comprises at least one of a street address and a geo-location descriptor.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the location term comprises a generic term indicating the current location of the apparatus.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the location database comprises a proximate mobile device externally coupled to the apparatus.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the location term comprises a reference to a dynamically generated navigational route of a navigation application.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the location descriptor comprises a plurality of location descriptions along the navigational route.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining, via the location database, a current location of the apparatus while the apparatus is traversing the navigational route; and

limiting the location descriptor to a region that includes portions of the route not yet traversed.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

repeatedly determining, via the location database, current locations of the apparatus while the apparatus is traversing the route; and

forming additional network requests based on the modified request and current locations

sending the additional requests to the search engine while the apparatus is traversing the route.

22. A computer-readable storage medium including instructions executable by a processor of an apparatus for:

intercepting a network request of the apparatus that is targeted for a search engine, wherein the network request includes a location-dependent query containing a location term, wherein the location term cannot be used by the search engine to positively determine a target location;

determining, via a location database of the apparatus, a location descriptor that can be used by the search engine to positively determine the target location;

modifying the network request to replace the location term with the location descriptor; and

sending the modified network request to the search engine.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the location database comprises a proximate mobile device externally coupled to the apparatus.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the location database comprises a proximate mobile device externally coupled to the apparatus.

24. A system comprising:

means for intercepting a network request from an apparatus that is targeted for the search engine, wherein the network request includes a location-dependent query containing a location term, wherein the location term cannot be used by the search engine to positively determine a target location;

means for determining, via a location database of the apparatus, a location descriptor that can be used by the search engine to positively determine the target location;

means for modifying the network request to replace the location term with the location descriptor; and

means for sending the modified network request to the search engine.