Systems and Methods for Selecting Geographic Locations for Use in Biasing Search Results

• US 20150234889A1
• Filed: 02/06/2013
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Southey, Finnegan, Duleba, Krzysztof
• Application Number:
  US13/760,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20150234889A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

Embodiments include a computer-implemented method that includes identifying a plurality of geolocations associated with a user based on a plurality of received geolocation signals, receiving, from a user device, a search query from the user, selecting one of the plurality of geolocations as a query geolocation based on application of a plurality of rules in a predefined order, identifying a set of search query results responsive to the search query based at least in part on the query geolocation, and providing, to the user device, the set of search query results for display to the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying a plurality of geolocations associated with a user based on a plurality of received geolocation signals, the plurality of geolocations being different geolocations associated with the same user;

receiving, from a user device, a search query from the user;

obtaining a plurality of conditions for selecting one of the plurality of geolocations, wherein each condition, when satisfied, corresponds to one of the plurality of geolocations;

determining a priority for each of the plurality of conditions;

applying the plurality of conditions to the plurality of geolocations in a predefined order according to the determined priority for each condition including;

in response to determining that a first condition of the plurality of conditions having a first priority and corresponding to a first geolocation is not satisfied, determining that a second condition of the plurality of conditions having a second priority lower than the first priority is satisfied; and

selecting a second geolocation of the plurality of geolocations which corresponds to the second condition as a query geolocation, wherein the second geolocation is different from the first geolocation,

identifying a set of search query results responsive to the search query based at least in part on the query geolocation; and

providing, to the user device, the set of search query results for display to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of geolocations associated with the user include at least three of:

a current geolocation of the user;

a geolocation requested by the user in the query;

a geolocation explicitly identified by the user as a preferred geolocation;

a geolocation determined to have previously been visited by the user;

a geolocation implicitly identified as a preferred geolocation based on past actions by the user; and

a geolocation included in one or more previous queries submitted by the user during a current user session.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a set of search query results responsive to the search query based at least in part on the query geolocation comprises:

identifying a set of search query results responsive to the search query; and

ranking the set of search query results based at least in part on the query geolocation to generate a set of ranked search results, and

wherein providing the set of search query results for display to the user comprises providing the ranked set of search query results for display to the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein ranking the set of search query results based at least in part on the query geolocation to generate a set of ranked search results comprises adjusting a ranking of a search result based on proximity of a geolocation associated with the search result to the query geolocation.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of conditions includes two or more of:

(a) the user requested a geolocation in the received search query;

(b) the user previously submitted a plurality of queries within a threshold period of time, wherein at least a first threshold number of the plurality of queries includes a same or similar geolocation as the current geolocation of the user;

(c) a topic of the search query corresponds to the geolocation determined to have previously been visited by the user;

(d) a second threshold number of the plurality of queries previously submitted by the user includes a same or similar geolocation as the geolocation implicitly identified as the preferred geolocation based on past actions by the user, wherein the second threshold number is less than the first threshold number; and

(e) a third threshold number of the plurality of queries previously submitted by the user includes a same or similar geolocation as the geolocation explicitly identified as the preferred geolocation by the user, wherein the third threshold number is less than the second threshold number.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of conditions further include two or more of:

(f) the current geolocation of the user has changed by at least a threshold distance, and the user has not explicitly identified another geolocation as the preferred location since the current geolocation of the user has changed by the threshold distance;

(g) a geolocation is explicitly identified by the user as the preferred geolocation;

(h) a geolocation is implicitly identified as the preferred geolocation based on past actions by the user; and

(i) the current geolocation of the user satisfies a quality threshold.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding geolocation for a condition is selected as the query geolocation when the condition is a highest priority condition of the plurality of conditions that is satisfied.

3-8. -8. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. A system comprising:

one or more memories storing instructions; and

one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories and configured to execute the instructions stored thereon to perform the following steps;

identifying a plurality of geolocations associated with a user based on a plurality of received geolocation signals, the plurality of geolocations being different geolocations associated with the same user;

receiving, from a user device, a search query from the user;

obtaining a plurality of conditions for selecting one of the plurality of geolocations, wherein each condition, when satisfied, corresponds to one of the plurality of geolocations;

determining a priority for each of the plurality of conditions;

applying the plurality of conditions to the plurality of geolocations in a predefined order according to the determined priority for each condition including;

in response to determining that a first condition of the plurality of conditions having a first priority and corresponding to a first geolocation is not satisfied, determining that a second condition of the plurality of conditions having a second priority lower than the first priority is satisfied; and

selecting a second geolocation of the plurality of geolocations which corresponds to the second condition as a query geolocation, wherein the second geolocation is different from the first geolocation,

identifying a set of search query results responsive to the search query based at least in part on the query geolocation; and

sending, to the user device, the set of search query results for display to the user.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of geolocations associated with the user include at least three of:

a current geolocation of the user;

a geolocation requested by the user in a query;

a geolocation explicitly identified by the user as a preferred geolocation;

a geolocation determined to have previously been visited by the user;

a geolocation implicitly identified as a preferred geolocation based on past actions by the user; and

a geolocation included in one or more previous queries submitted by the user during a current user session.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of conditions includes two or more of:

(a) the user requested a geolocation in the received search query;

(b) the user previously submitted a plurality of queries within a threshold period of time, wherein at least a first threshold number of the plurality of queries includes a same or similar geolocation as the current geolocation of the user; and

(c) a topic of the search query corresponds to the geolocation determined to have previously been visited by the user;

(d) a second threshold number of the plurality of queries previously submitted by the user includes a same or similar geolocation as the geolocation implicitly identified as the preferred geolocation based on past actions by the user, wherein the second threshold number is less than the first threshold number; and

(e) a third threshold number of the plurality of queries previously submitted by the user includes a same or similar geolocation as the geolocation explicitly identified as the preferred geolocation by the user, wherein the third threshold number is less than the second threshold number.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the plurality of conditions further include two or more of:

(f) the current geolocation of the user has changed by at least a threshold distance, and the user has not explicitly identified another geolocation as the preferred location since the current geolocation of the user has changed by the threshold distance;

(g) a geolocation is explicitly identified by the user as the preferred geolocation;

(h) a geolocation is implicitly identified as the preferred geolocation based on past actions by the user; and

(i) the current geolocation of the user satisfies a quality threshold.

26. The system of claim 13, wherein identifying a set of search query results responsive to the search query based at least in part on the query geolocation comprises:

identifying a set of search query results responsive to the search query; and

ranking the set of search query results based at least in part on the query geolocation to generate a set of ranked search results, and

wherein providing the set of search query results for display to the user comprises providing the ranked set of search query results for display to the user.

27. The system of claim 13, wherein ranking the set of search query results based at least in part on the query geolocation to generate a set of ranked search results comprises adjusting a ranking of a search result based on proximity of a geolocation associated with the search result to the query geolocation.

28. The system of claim 13, wherein the corresponding geolocation for a condition is selected as the query geolocation when the condition is a highest priority condition of the plurality of conditions that is satisfied.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon that are executable by one or more processors to cause steps comprising:

identifying a plurality of geolocations associated with a user based on a plurality of received geolocation signals, the plurality of geolocations being different geolocations associated with the same user;

receiving, from a user device, a search query from the user;

obtaining a plurality of conditions for selecting one of the plurality of geolocations, wherein each condition, when satisfied, corresponds to one of the plurality of geolocations;

determining a priority for each of the plurality of conditions;

applying the plurality of conditions to the plurality of geolocations in a predefined order according to the determined priority for each condition including;

in response to determining that a first condition of the plurality of conditions having a first priority and corresponding to a first geolocation is not satisfied, determining that a second condition of the plurality of conditions having a second priority lower than the first priority is satisfied; and

selecting a second geolocation of the plurality of geolocations which corresponds to the second condition as a query geolocation, wherein the second geolocation is different from the first geolocation,

identifying a set of search query results responsive to the search query based at least in part on the query geolocation; and

providing, to the user device, the set of search query results for display to the user.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the plurality of geolocations associated with the user include at least three of:

a current geolocation of the user;

a geolocation requested by the user in a query;

a geolocation explicitly identified by the user as a preferred geolocation;

a geolocation determined to have previously been visited by the user;

a geolocation implicitly identified as a preferred geolocation based on past actions by the user; and

a geolocation included in one or more previous queries submitted by the user during a current user session.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein identifying a set of search query results responsive to the search query based at least in part on the query geolocation comprises:

identifying a set of search query results responsive to the search query; and

ranking the set of search query results based at least in part on the query geolocation to generate a set of ranked search results, and

wherein providing the set of search query results for display to the user comprises providing the ranked set of search query results for display to the user.

33. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein ranking the set of search query results based at least in part on the query geolocation to generate a set of ranked search results comprises adjusting a ranking of a search result based on proximity of a geolocation associated with the search result to the query geolocation.

15-20. -20. (canceled)

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein the plurality of conditions includes two or more of:

(a) the user requested a geolocation in the received search query;

(b) the user previously submitted a plurality of queries within a threshold period of time, wherein at least a first threshold number of the plurality of queries includes a same or similar geolocation as the current geolocation of the user;

(c) a topic of the search query corresponds to the geolocation determined to have previously been visited by the user;

(d) a second threshold number of the plurality of queries previously submitted by the user includes a same or similar geolocation as the geolocation implicitly identified as the preferred geolocation based on past actions by the user, wherein the second threshold number is less than the first threshold number; and

(e) a third threshold number of the plurality of queries previously submitted by the user includes a same or similar geolocation as the geolocation explicitly identified as the preferred geolocation by the user, wherein the third threshold number is less than the second threshold number.

31. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein the plurality of conditions further include one or more of:

(f) the current geolocation of the user has changed by at least a threshold distance, and the user has not explicitly identified another geolocation as the preferred location since the current geolocation of the user has changed by the threshold distance;

(g) a geolocation is explicitly identified by the user as the preferred geolocation;

(h) a geolocation is implicitly identified as the preferred geolocation based on past actions by the user; and

(i) the current geolocation of the user satisfies a quality threshold.