Systems and Methods for Ranking Points of Interest

• US 20130103697A1
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MapQuest, Inc. (System1 LLC)
• Inventors: Quinion, Brian, Risser, Adam, Laffray, Emilie, Hill, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 8,983,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/748
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 13/00 Voting apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for ranking points of interest (POIs). According to one implementation, a computer-implemented method may be provided that includes receiving geographic information from a user device, and selecting a plurality of points of interest within the geographic region. The method may also include generating an initial ranking of the selected points of interest based on voting information received from the user device, viral input from a user'"'"'s social network, and/or additional input based on searches for maps and travel directions for traversing a route. In addition, the method may include calculating a modified ranking of the selected points of interest.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining, using at least one processor, initial rankings for a plurality of points of interest associated with a geographic region;

generating an instruction to transmit information associated with the points of interest to a user device, the transmitted information comprising the initial rankings;

in response to the transmitted information, obtaining voting information associated with at least a subset of the points of interest, the voting information being provided by at least one of a user of the user device or a member of a social network associated with the user; and

calculating, using the at least one processor, modified rankings for the points of interest based on at least the initial rankings and the voting information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an instruction to transmit at least the modified rankings of the points of interest to the user device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the plurality of points of interest based on geographic information received from the user device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining popularity data associated with the points of interest, the popularity data indicating popularities of corresponding ones of the points of interest with at least one of a resident or a visitor to the geographic region; and

determining the initial rankings for the points of interest based on the obtained popularity data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating comprises generating, based on the voting information, at least one of (i) a modified ranking for a first point of interest that exceeds a corresponding initial ranking or (ii) a modified ranking for a second point of interest that falls below a corresponding initial ranking.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the geographic region comprises a neighborhood; and

the neighborhood comprises one or more clusters of the points of interest.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining popularities associated with corresponding ones of the clusters, based on popularity data associated with the points of interest; and

identifying one or more hotspots within the neighborhood based on at least the determined popularities, the hotspots being associated with corresponding ones of the clustered points of interest;

computing initial boundaries for the hotspots using a flood-fill algorithm.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining, for a corresponding one of the hotspots, whether an area enclosed by the initial boundaries exceeds a threshold percentage of an area of the neighborhood;

when the enclosed area fails to exceed the threshold percentage, establishing the initial boundaries as final boundaries for the corresponding hotspot; and

generating an identifier for the corresponding hotspot, based on at least one of (i) the popularity data or (ii) information identifying one or more streets disposed within the final boundaries.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, when the enclosed area exceeds the threshold percentage, computing the final boundaries for the corresponding hotspot based on geographic locations of the corresponding points of interest.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining whether a first one of the hotspots is disposed proximate to a second one of the hotspots; and

merging the initial boundaries of the first and second hotspots, when the first hotspot is disposed proximate to the second hotspot.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the geographic region corresponds to a hotspot of a neighborhood; and

the hotspot is associated with a cluster of the points of interest.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating a preliminary edginess score for the hotspot, based a demographic profile associated with the hotspot and a social factor associated with a corresponding one of the points of interest within the hotspot;

adjusting the preliminary edginess score to account for at least one of an income level or an educational level of residents and visitors to the hotspot; and

generating an instruction to transmit the adjusted edginess score to the user device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising normalizing the adjusted edginess score based on a political unit associated with the hotspot.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating a preliminary walkability score for the hotspot, based at least the cluster of points of interest;

adjusting the preliminary walkability score based on at least one of a distance decay, an intersection density, or a city block length;

modifying the adjusted walkability score based on at least one of a number of hotspots within the neighborhood or a class of roads enclosed within the hotspot; and

generating an instruction to transmit the modified walkability score to the user device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein generating the preliminary walkability score comprises generating preliminary walkability score based on categories associated with corresponding ones of the clustered points of interest, the categories being associated with standard industry classifications.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing information identifying a plurality of queries for geographic information, the information comprising destination addresses associated with corresponding ones of the queries;

matching the destination addresses to corresponding ones of the points of interest within the geographic region;

generating ranking information for a point of interest based on corresponding numbers of matched destination addresses, the rankings specifying combinations of categories associated with the point of interest and geographic regions associated with the points of interest; and

selecting at least a portion of the generated ranking information for presenting the point of interest to a user of the user device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the queries comprise searches for geographic information and requests for travel directions, and the method further comprises:

assigning weights to corresponding ones of the searches and requests; and

generating the ranking information for the point of interest based on corresponding weighted numbers of the matched destination addresses.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising assigning acceleration factors to corresponding ones of the weighted requests, the acceleration factors being based on a travel distance associated with the requested travel directions.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a storage device; and

at least one processor coupled to the storage device, wherein the storage device stores a program for controlling the at least one processor, and wherein the at least one processor, being operative with the program, is configured to;

determine initial rankings for a plurality of points of interest associated with a geographic region;

generate an instruction to transmit information associated with the points of interest to a user device, the transmitted information comprising the initial rankings;

in response to the transmitted information, obtain voting information associated with at least a subset of the points of interest, the voting information being provided by at least one of a user of the user device or a member of a social network associated with the user; and

calculate modified rankings for the points of interest based on at least the initial rankings and the voting information.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to generate an instruction to transmit at least the modified rankings of the points of interest to the user device.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to select the plurality of points of interest based on geographic information received from the user device.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to:

obtain popularity data associated with the points of interest, the popularity data indicating popularities of corresponding ones of the points of interest with at least one of a resident or a visitor to the geographic region; and

determine the initial rankings for the points of interest based on the obtained popularity data.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to generate, based on the voting information, at least one of (i) a modified ranking for a first point of interest that exceeds a corresponding initial ranking or (ii) a modified ranking for a second point of interest that falls below a corresponding initial ranking.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the geographic region comprises a neighborhood; and

the neighborhood comprises one or more clusters of the points of interest.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine popularities associated with corresponding ones of the clusters, based on popularity data associated with the points of interest; and

identify one or more hotspots within the neighborhood based on at least the determined popularities, the hotspots being associated with corresponding ones of the clustered points of interest;

compute initial boundaries for the hotspots using a flood-fill algorithm.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine, for a corresponding one of the hotspots, whether an area enclosed by the initial boundaries exceeds a threshold percentage of an area of the neighborhood;

when the enclosed area fails to exceed the threshold percentage, establish the initial boundaries as final boundaries for the corresponding hotspot; and

generate an identifier for the corresponding hotspot, based on at least one of (i) the popularity data or (ii) information identifying one or more streets disposed within the final boundaries.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to, when the enclosed area exceeds the threshold percentage, compute the final boundaries for the corresponding hotspot based on geographic locations of the corresponding points of interest.

29. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the geographic region corresponds to a hotspot of a neighborhood; and

the hotspot is associated with a cluster of the points of interest.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate a preliminary edginess score for the hotspot, based a demographic profile associated with the hotspot and a social factor associated with a corresponding one of the points of interest within the hotspot;

adjust the preliminary edginess score to account for at least one of an income level or an educational level of residents and visitors to the hotspot; and

generate an instruction to transmit the adjusted edginess score to the user device.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the processor is further configured to normalize the adjusted edginess score based on a political unit associated with the hotspot.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate a preliminary walkability score for the hotspot, based at least the cluster of points of interest;

adjust the preliminary walkability score based on at least one of a distance decay, an intersection density, or a city block length;

modify the adjusted walkability score based on at least one of a number of hotspots within the neighborhood or a class of roads enclosed within the hotspot; and

generate an instruction to transmit the modified walkability score to the user device.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the processor is further configured to generate the preliminary walkability score based on categories associated with corresponding ones of the clustered points of interest, the categories being associated with standard industry classifications.

34. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to:

access information identifying a plurality of queries for geographic information, the information comprising destination addresses associated with corresponding ones of the queries;

match the destination addresses to corresponding ones of the points of interest within the geographic region;

generate ranking information for a point of interest based on corresponding numbers of matched destination addresses, the rankings specifying combinations of categories associated with the point of interest and geographic regions associated with the points of interest; and

select at least a portion of the generated ranking information for presenting the point of interest to a user of the user device.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the queries comprise searches for geographic information and requests for travel directions, and the processor is further configured to:

assign weights to corresponding ones of the searches and requests; and

generate the ranking information for the point of interest based on corresponding weighted numbers of the matched destination addresses.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured to assign acceleration factors to corresponding ones of the weighted requests, the acceleration factors being based on a travel distance associated with the requested travel directions.

28. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether a first one of the hotspots is disposed proximate to a second one of the hotspots; and

merge the initial boundaries of the first and second hotspots, when the first hotspot is disposed proximate to the second hotspot.

37. A tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method, comprising:

determining initial rankings for a plurality of points of interest associated with a geographic region;

generating an instruction to transmit information associated with the points of interest to a user device, the transmitted information comprising the initial rankings;

in response to the transmitted information, obtaining voting information associated with at least a subset of the points of interest, the voting information being provided by at least one of a user of the user device or a member of a social network associated with the user; and

calculating modified rankings for the points of interest based on at least the initial rankings and the voting information.