Local Query Suggestions

• US 20150169605A1
• Filed: 12/27/2012
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kogan, David, Koulomzin, Daniel G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,111,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90324 using system suggestions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for providing query suggestions. One of the methods includes receiving query log data that identifies a query and a location where the query was issued. A point of interest near the location where the query was issued is identified. A category of the point of interest near the location where the query was issued is identified. The query is associated with the category of the point of interest near the location where the query was issued.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

responsive to identifying a first query including one or more characters and a first user location where the first query was issued;

identifying a first point of interest within a first predefined proximity to the first user location;

determining a first category of the first point of interest;

identifying, using a database that maps categories to queries issued by users at locations within predefined proximities to points of interest having the first category, a first category-specific query suggestion, wherein the first category-specific query suggestion includes the one or more characters included in the first query; and

providing, to a user, one or more query suggestions including the first category-specific query suggestion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a predefined proximity specifies a threshold distance between a user location where a query is issued and a point of interest.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more query suggestions include two query suggestions;

and further comprising;

responsive to receiving the first query;

identifying a second point of interest within a second predefined proximity to the first user location;

determining a second category of the second point of interest;

obtaining, from a database that maps categories to queries issued by users at locations within predefined proximities to points of interest having the second category, a second category-specific query suggestion; and

providing, to the user, the second category-specific query suggestion as one of the two query suggestions.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first overall count representing a total number of times the first query was issued by users; and

providing the first category-specific query suggestion in accordance with the first overall count.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more query suggestions include two query suggestions, and providing the first category-specific query suggestion in accordance with the first overall count comprises:

ranking the first category-specific query suggestion within the two query suggestions in accordance with the first overall count.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first category-specific count representing a total number of times the first query was issued by users from user locations having the first category; and

providing the first category-specific query suggestion in accordance with the first category-specific count.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more query suggestions include two query suggestions, and providing the first category-specific query suggestion in accordance with the first category-specific count comprises:

ranking the first category-specific query suggestion within the two query suggestions in accordance with the first category-specific count.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a first category of the first point of interest comprises:

identifying the first category in accordance with a database that maps points of interest to categories.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the first query as a query prefix; and

providing, to the user, the first category-specific query suggestion as a complete query including the query prefix

issued.

10. A system comprising:

one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

responsive to identifying a first query including one or more characters and a first user location where the first query was issued;

identifying a first point of interest within a first predefined proximity to the first user location;

determining a first category of the first point of interest;

identifying, using a database that maps categories to queries issued by users at locations within predefined proximities to points of interest having the first category, a first category-specific query suggestion, wherein the first category-specific query suggestion includes the one or more characters included in the first query; and

providing, to a user, one or more query suggestions including the first category-specific query suggestion.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a predefined proximity specifies a threshold distance between a user location where a query is issued and a point of interest.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more query suggestions include two query suggestions;

and the operations further comprise;

responsive to receiving the first query;

identifying a second point of interest within a second predefined proximity to the first user location;

determining a second category of the second point of interest;

obtaining, from a database that maps categories to queries issued by users at locations within predefined proximities to points of interest having the second category, a second category-specific query suggestion; and

providing, to the user, the second category-specific query suggestion as one of the at least two query suggestions.

13. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

determining a first overall count representing a total number of times the first query was issued by users; and

providing the first category-specific query suggestion in accordance with the first overall count.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more query suggestions include two query suggestions, and providing the first category-specific query suggestion in accordance with the first overall count comprises:

ranking the first category-specific query suggestion within the two query suggestions in accordance with the first overall count.

15. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

determining a first category-specific count representing a total number of times the first query was issued by users from user locations having the first category; and

providing the first category-specific query suggestion in accordance with the first category-specific count.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more query suggestions include two query suggestions, and providing the first category-specific query suggestion in accordance with the first category-specific count comprises:

ranking the first category-specific query suggestion within the two query suggestions in accordance with the first category-specific count.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein determining a first category of the first point of interest comprises:

identifying the first category in accordance with a database that maps points of interest to categories.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying the first query as a query prefix; and

providing, to the user, the first category-specific query suggestion as a complete query including the query prefix

issued.

19. A computer-implemented method comprising:

responsive to receiving a query prefix from a user;

determining a user location where the query prefix was issued;

identifying a first point of interest within a first predefined proximity to the user location;

determining a first category of the first point of interest;

identifying, using a database that maps categories to queries issued by users at locations within predefined proximities to points of interest having the first category, a first category-specific query, wherein the first category-specific query includes the query prefix; and

providing, to the user, one or more queries including the first category-specific query as a query suggestions for the query prefix.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein a predefined proximity specifies a threshold distance between a user location where a query prefix is issued and a point of interest.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the one or more queries include two queries;

and further comprising;

responsive to receiving the query prefix;

identifying a second point of interest within a second predefined proximity to the user location;

determining a second category of the second point of interest;

obtaining, from a database that maps categories to query issued by users at locations within predefined proximities to points of interest having the second category, a second category-specific query; and

providing, to the user, the second category-specific query as one of the two queries.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining a first category-specific count representing a total number of times the query prefix was issued by users from user locations having the first category; and

providing the first category-specific query suggestion in accordance with the first category-specific count.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the one or more queries include two queries, and providing the first category-specific query suggestion in accordance with the first category-specific count comprises:

ranking the first category-specific query within the two queries in accordance with the first category-specific count.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein determining a first category of the first point of interest comprises:

identifying the first category in accordance with a database that maps points of interest to categories.

21. (canceled)

26. A system comprising:

one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising

responsive to receiving a query prefix from a user;

determining a user location where the query prefix was issued;

identifying a first point of interest within a first predefined proximity to the user location;

determining a first category of the first point of interest;

identifying, using a database that maps categories to query issued by users at locations within predefined proximities to points of interest having the first category, a first category-specific query, wherein the first category-specific query includes the query prefix; and

providing, to the user, one or more queries including the first category-specific query as query suggestions for the query prefix.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein a predefined proximity specifies a threshold distance between a user location where a query prefix is issued and a point of interest.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the one or more queries include two queries;

and the operations further comprise;

responsive to receiving the query prefix;

identifying a second point of interest within a second predefined proximity to the user location;

determining a second category of the second point of interest;

obtaining, from a database that maps categories to query issued by users at locations within predefined proximities to points of interest having the second category, a second category-specific query; and

providing, to the user, the second category-specific query as one of the two queries.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a first category-specific count representing a total number of times the query prefix was issued by users from user locations having the first category; and

providing the first category-specific query suggestion in accordance with the first category-specific count.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the one or more queries include two queries, and providing the first category-specific query suggestion in accordance with the first category-specific count comprises

ranking the first category-specific query within the two queries in accordance with the first category-specific count.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein determining a first category of the first point of interest comprises:

identifying the first category in accordance with a database that maps points of interest to categories.

28. (canceled)