Defining Relevant Content Area Based on Category Density

• US 20140074820A1
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Murphy, Bruce W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,767,484 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/34 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/35 Clustering; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location

Abstract

A method for defining a relevant area for displaying advertisements based on a category of a user search is disclosed. The method includes receiving a search request from a user; determining a business category based on the search request; determining a location associated with the search request; determining business category density information based at least on the determined business category and the location associated with the search request; determining an extent based on business category density information for the location; determining local content to provide to the user based at least in part on the determined extent, the business category, and the location; and providing for display to the user the local content, wherein the local content is provided to the user in addition to the search results. The location may be explicitly included in the search request, associated with responsive search results, or associated with the search request.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, using one or more computing devices, a search request from a user;

determining, using the one or more computing devices, a business category based on the search request;

determining, using the one or more computing devices, a location associated with the search request, wherein the location is selected from the group comprising an explicit location included in the search request, a location associated with results responsive to the search request, and a location of interest associated with the search request;

determining, using the one or more computing devices, business category density information based at least in part on the determined business category and the location associated with the search request;

determining, using the one or more computing devices, an extent based on business category density information for the location;

determining, using the one or more computing devices, local content to provide to the user based at least in part on the determined extent, the business category, and the location; and

providing for display to the user, using the one or more computing devices, the local content, wherein the local content is provided to the user in addition to the search results.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a business category is based on a result associated with the search request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a business category includes receiving search results to the search request and evaluating the search results to identify the business category.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the search request includes a business category or a specific business belonging to a business category.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the extent defines a relevance area that the user would consider as being relevant to the search request.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the relevance area differs by one or more of business category or region.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the relevance area is dependent on a population density associated with the location.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, using the one or more computing devices, a global directory of businesses, each business being characterized as being associated with a business category, and wherein determining a business category includes using the global directory of businesses.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the business category density information comprises querying the global directory of businesses,

the method further comprising providing, using the one or more computing devices, a map of business density globally by business category.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the extent defines an area from the location that is to be used as a criteria for selecting content.

11. The method of claim 1, where the extent defines a non-circular region that includes a point of origin associated with the location.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the extent includes identifying a threshold number of search request results to be returned to the user,

identifying an extent that likely will include the threshold number of search request results,

querying a database of business entities to locate entities relating to the business category that are within the extent, and

determining the number of entities relating to the business category that are within the extent.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, determining the extent further includes, when the number of entities relating to the business category that are within the extent is greater than the threshold number, modifying the extent to increase the number of business entities to be equal to the threshold number.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein, determining the extent further includes, when the number of entities relating to the business category that are within the extent is less than the threshold number, modifying the extent to decrease the number of business entities to be equal to the threshold number.

15. A system comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

one or more non-transitory computer readable devices that include instructions that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, causes the processors to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a search request from a user;

determining a business category based on the search request;

determining a location associated with the search request, wherein the location is selected from the group comprising an explicit location included in the search request, a location associated with results responsive to the search request, and a location of interest associated with the search request;

determining business category density information based at least in part on the determined business category and the location associated with the search request;

determining an extent based on business category density information for the location;

determining local content to provide to the user based at least in part on the determined extent, the business category, and the location; and

providing for display to the user the local content, wherein the local content is provided to the user in addition to the search results.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein determining a business category is based on a result associated with the search request.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the extent defines a relevance area that the user would consider as being relevant to the search request.

18. A method comprising:

receiving from a user, using one or more computing devices, a search request associated with a location and a business category;

determining, using the one or more computing devices, business category density information for the location;

determining, using the one or more computing devices, an extent based on business category density information for the location;

generating a map, using the one or more computing devices, defining a relevance area based on the extent, wherein the relevance area is an area that the user is presumed to be willing to travel;

conducting an auction, using the one or more computing devices, for business entities in the business category located in the relevance area; and

providing, for display to the user, using the one or more computing devices, content to the user responsive to the search request based at least in part on the auction.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining the extent includes

identifying a threshold number of search request results to be returned to the user,

identifying an extent that likely will include the threshold number of search request results,

querying a database of business entities to locate entities relating to the business category that are within the extent,

determining the number of entities relating to the business category that are within the extent, and

adjusting the extent based on a comparison of the number of entities relating to the business category that are within the extent and the threshold number.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein providing, for display to the user, content to the user responsive to the search request based at least in part on the auction, comprises displaying the content on the map, wherein the map further displays the relevance area.