LOCATION-AWARE QUERY BASED EVENT RETRIEVAL AND ALERTING

• US 20110295875A1
• Filed: 05/27/2010
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: SALAS, SALLY, CLARK, JAMES, EL DAHER, ANTOINE, ALI, FARAH M.
• Application Number:
  US12/788,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20110295875A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

Hybrid search results are provided based on analyzing a web-query and a location. Hybrid search results may include a web-search result and an event-search result. The event-search result may be identified based on identifying a location associated with the search engine user and the web-query. The event-search result may include event details, such as time, location and descriptive information. Additionally, an event-alert link may be provided. An event-alert link may allow a user to receive updates related to an event.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method comprising:

receiving a web-query from a user;

identifying a location associated with the user;

identifying an event-search result based on the location and the web-query;

identifying a web-search result based on the web-query; and

providing the web-search result and the event-search result for display to the user.

2. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the location is identified based on analyzing one or more of the following:

an IP address of the user, the GPS coordinates of the user, a profile associated with the user, and content of the web-query.

3. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the event-search result is identified based on querying an event database.

4. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 3, wherein the event database is populated utilizing an API.

5. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an event-alert request from the user; and

creating an event alert associated with the user in response to the event-alert request.

6. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein the event alert notifies the user of an event associated with the web-query via email.

7. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein the event alert is associated with the location of the user at the time the web-query was received.

8. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining that the web-query is related to an event category.

9. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the user is provided with an opportunity to purchase a ticket for the event.

10. One or more computer-readable media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method comprising:

receiving a web-query from a user;

identifying a location associated with the user;

determining that there is no event associated with the location and the web-query;

identifying a web-search result based on the web-query; and

providing the web-search result and an event-alert link for display to the user.

11. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises determining that the web-query is related to an event.

12. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein determining that the web-query is related to an event comprises analyzing the web-query for non-event context.

13. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an event-alert request from the user;

storing a token associated with the event-alert request in a database; and

providing an event alert to the user based on querying the database.

14. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein determining to provide an event-alert link to the user comprises determining a probability that a future event related to the web-query will be added to the event database.

15. One or more computer-readable media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to provide hybrid search-results, the hybrid search-results comprising:

a web-search result, the web-search result being associated with a web page; and

an event-search result, the event-search result being associated with a time and a location.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the event-search result is identified based on querying an event database.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the web-search result and event-search result are identified based on analyzing a web-query received from a user.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein it is determined to provide hybrid search-results based on analyzing a web-query received from a user.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein analyzing the web-query comprises determining that the web-query does not contain non-event context.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein it is determined to provide hybrid search-results based on analyzing a user profile.