System and Method for Mobile Application Search

• US 20120316955A1
• Filed: 04/06/2012
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2011
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hepworth, Guy, Ng, Polly, Liu, Peng, Zheng, Zhaohui, Panguluri, Anil, Han, Alice, Fan, Xin, Wang, Yuanyuan
• Application Number:
  US13/441,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20120316955A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9536 Search customisation based on social or collaborative filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Method, system, and programs for providing adaptive application searching are disclosed. An application search request relevant to a user is received. First information associated with the user and second information associated with a plurality of applications is obtained. At least one application of the plurality of applications is identified as of interest based on the application search request, the first information, and the second information. The at least one application is provided in response to the application search request.

Claims

1. A method implemented on at least one computing device, each computing device having at least one processor, storage, and a communication platform connected to a network for providing adaptive application searching, the method comprising:

receiving an application search request relevant to a user;

obtaining first information associated with the user and second information associated with a plurality of applications;

identifying at least one application of the plurality of applications of interest based on the application search request, the first information, and the second information; and

providing the at least one application as a response to the application search request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the application search request includes at least one of:

a query originating from the user or an automatically initiated application search request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information includes at least one of:

user device information, a profile associated with the user, trending data associated with the user, and past behavior data of the user with respect to usage of applications.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the at least one application comprises:

filtering the identified at least one application based on criterion comprising at least one of;

user social networking groups, user device location, user personal contacts, and user personal relationship data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing the at least one application to be automatically installed on a device associated with the user.

6. A machine readable non-transitory and tangible medium having information recorded for providing adaptive application searching, wherein the information, when read by the machine, causes the machine to perform the steps comprising:

receiving an application search request relevant to a user;

obtaining first information associated with the user and second information associated with a plurality of applications;

identifying at least one application of the plurality of applications of interest based on the application search request, the first information, and the second information; and

providing the at least one application as a response to the application search request.

7. The machine readable non-transitory and tangible medium of claim 6, wherein the application search request includes at least one of:

a query originating from the user or an automatically initiated application search request.

8. The machine readable non-transitory and tangible medium of claim 6, wherein the first information includes at least one of:

user device information, a profile associated with the user, trending data associated with the user, and past behavior data of the user with respect to usage of applications.

9. The machine readable non-transitory and tangible medium of claim 6, wherein the step of providing the at least one application comprises:

filtering the identified at least one application based on criterion comprising at least one of;

user social networking groups, user device location, user personal contacts, and user personal relationship data.

10. The machine readable non-transitory and tangible medium of claim 6, wherein the machine further performs the steps comprising:

causing the at least one application to be automatically installed on a device associated with the user.

11. A system providing adaptive application searching, comprising:

a search engine for receiving an application search request relevant to a user;

a user database storing first information associated with the user;

an application trend database storing second information associated with a plurality of applications;

an application search engine for identifying at least one application of the plurality of applications of interest based on the application search request, the first information, and the second information, and providing the at least one application as a response to the application search request.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the application search request includes at least one of:

a query originating from the user or an automatically initiated application search request.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first information includes at least one of:

user device information, a profile associated with the user, trending data associated with the user, and past behavior data of the user with respect to usage of applications.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the application search engine is configured to filter the identified at least one application based on criterion comprising at least one of:

user social networking groups, user device location, user personal contacts, and user personal relationship data.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the application search engine is configured to cause the at least one application to be automatically installed on a device associated with the user.

16. A method implemented on at least one computing device, each computing device having at least one processor, storage, and a communication platform connected to a network for presenting advertisements, the method comprising:

selecting at least one application based on user information;

associating at least one advertisement with the at least one application; and

providing the at least one advertisement for display when the at least one application is displayed in response to an application search query from a user associated with the user information.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

obtaining information related to presentation of the at least one advertisement associated with the at least one application;

determining statistics associated with the presentation;

updating a record associated with an advertiser based on the statistics;

receiving a payment associated with the at least one advertisement based on the updated record.

18. A method implemented on at least one computing device, each computing device having at least one processor, storage, and a communication platform connected to a network for providing sponsored application searching, the method comprising:

obtaining first information associated with a user;

obtaining second information associated with at least one application provided by a sponsor;

selecting at least one application relevant to the user based on the first information and the second information;

obtaining third information associated with activity of the user with respect to the selected at least one application;

providing the third information to the sponsor for analysis; and

providing a list of additional applications to the user based on the analyzed third information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the sponsor is at least one of:

an application developer, an application repository, an application distributor, and an application dealer.

20. A method implemented on at least one computing device, each computing device having at least one processor, storage, and a communication platform connected to a network for providing applications to a user, the method comprising:

analyzing first information associated with a user and second information associated with at least one application;

establishing a subscription plan allowing the user to access the at least one application in accordance with predetermined terms based on the analyzing; and

providing the user access to the at least one application based on the subscription plan.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the predetermined terms comprise at least one, of:

a fee for the subscription plan, a number of applications allowed by the subscription plan, an incentive program, and awards to be provided, based on conditions associated with usage of the applications.