Method and System for Providing Local Information Over a Network

• US 20120284613A1
• Filed: 07/17/2012
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Assets 186 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Assets 186 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: McCrossin, James, Hiller, Dean, Kornutik, Richard
• Application Number:
  US13/551,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20120284613A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2895 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data provider application, e.g. reverse proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method and system is provided where a first computer (e.g., a central server) collects information to be presented to one or more users. The information is organized into a plurality of first web-sites where each of these web-sites is addressable by a unique Universal Resource Locator (URL). A physical location is associated with each of the first web-sites. One of the first web-sites may be provided to a user as a user web-site. When the user or other individual seeks to access the user web-site, links to a plurality of the first web-sites are provided based on a relationship between the physical locations associated with the first web-sites and the physical location associated with the user web-site.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending, by a first computing device to a second computing device, a first web page customized based on user selected information and including map information localized to a user selected geographic area; and

responsive to a request for information pertaining to a business indicated on the first web page, sending, by the first computing device to the second computing device, the requested information in the form of a second web page customized based on the business and including information pertaining to the business.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selected geographic area is an area including a user defined radius from a user defined physical location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selected geographic area is predefined as a default geographic area for the first web page.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selected geographic area is a zip-code area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information pertaining to the business includes a map including the user selected geographic area with a physical location of the business shown on the map.

6. A method comprising:

responsive to a request for information about a selected business located within a selected geographic area, determining, by a computing device, information associated with the selected business from a database that includes information about physical locations of businesses; and

transmitting, by the computing device, the determined information in the form of a web page, the determined information including map data for the selected geographic area, telephone information for the selected business, and hours of operation for the selected business.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the selected geographic area is an area including a user defined radius from a user defined physical location.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the selected geographic area is a zip-code area.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein a physical location of the selected business is identified on the map data with markers.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the web page includes tabs selectable to display additional information about the selected business.

11. A computing device configured to:

send a first web page customized based on user selected information and including map information localized to a user selected geographic area; and

responsive to a request for information pertaining to a business indicated on the first web page, send the requested information in the form of a second web page customized to the business and including information pertaining to the business.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the user selected geographic area is an area including a user defined radius from a user defined physical location.

13. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the user selected geographic area is predefined as a default geographic area for the first web page.

14. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the user selected geographic area is a zip-code area.

15. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the information pertaining to the business includes a map including the user selected geographic area with a physical location of the business shown on the map.

16. A computer readable storage medium storing thereon computer readable instructions, the computer readable storage medium comprising:

instructions for selecting information associated with a business located within a selected geographic area from a database that includes information about physical locations of businesses; and

instructions for sending the selected information in the form of a web page, the selected information including map data for the selected geographic area, telephone information for the business, and hours of operation for the business.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the selected geographic area is an area including a user defined radius from a user defined physical location.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the selected geographic area is a zip-code area.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein a physical location of the business is identified on the map data with markers.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the web page includes tabs selectable to display additional information about the business.