METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM OF DISCOVERING RELEVANT SERVICES AND APPLICATIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE OVER THE INTERNET OR OTHER COMMUNCATIONS NETWORK

• US 20160275179A1
• Filed: 03/22/2016
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensoriant, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sensoriant, Inc.
• Inventors: Naqvi, Shamim A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,599,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/328 Management therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3344 using natural language analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/345 Summarisation for human users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups

Abstract

A system and method is presented that extracts snippets form web pages according to specially designed logic. The extracted snippets might be made relevant to, i.e., indexed by, a location and time/day applicability. Such snippets may be thought of as apps or services that are defined only when a mobile terminal is in a pre-defined geographical area at a certain time and day (e.g., as defined by a calendar of events). Extracted snippets are stored and made searchable. Methods and a system are described to control the display of snippet search results. Snippets may be selected by user or by programmed logic and executed on the mobile terminal or in remote servers without the need to download the app or source code associated with the snippet.

Claims

1. A method of building a searchable index, comprising:

acquiring at least one snippet from each of a plurality of web resources, each of the snippets including one or more attributes of the web resource with which it is respectively associated, at least one of the attributes being a calendar attribute or a geographic attribute, the calendar attribute specifying when additional information in the snippet is applicable and the geographic attribute specifying where the additional information in the snippet is applicable; and

storing the snippets in a searchable data structure that is configured so that in response to a search request the attributes in the searchable data structure are searchable to identify snippets that are searchable based at least in part on their applicability to a mobile device that is to receive results of the search request, the applicability of the snippets being determined based at least in part on a search of the calendar attributes and/or the geographic attributes of the stored snippets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the applicability of the snippets includes comparing a context of the mobile device to the calendar attributes and/or the geographic attributes of the stored snippets.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the context of the mobile device includes a location of the mobile device at a time when the search request is received and a date and time when the search request is received.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the web resources include a web page and acquiring the at least one snippet includes extracting at least one snippet by deconstructing the web page by recognizing visual boundaries that are predefined in source code of the web page.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising pushing one or more of the stored snippets to a mobile device when the pushed snippets are applicable to the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one additional snippet from a web resource that is pushed to the searchable data structure by a provider of the web resource or an entity associated with the provider of the web resource and storing the additional snippet in the searchable data structure.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the snippets in the searchable data structure further includes storing an association between each of the snippets and the respective web resource from which it is extracted.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein acquiring at least one snippet includes extracting at least one snippet from each of the plurality of web resources.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein acquiring at least one snippet includes receiving at least one snippet from each of the plurality of web resources.

27. A searchable data structure constructed in accordance with the method of claim 1.

29. The snippet discovery system of claim 27, wherein snippet discovery component is further configured to determine the applicability of the snippets by comparing a context of the mobile device to the calendar attributes and/or the geographic attributes of the stored snippets.

31. The snippet discovery system of claim 27, wherein at least one of the web resources include a web page and acquiring at least one snippet includes extracting at least one snippet by deconstructing the web page by recognizing visual boundaries that are predefined in source code of the web page.

32. The snippet discovery system of claim 27 wherein the snippet discovery component is further configured to push one or more of the stored snippets to a mobile device when the pushed snippets are applicable to the mobile device.

33. The snippet discovery system of claim 27, wherein the snippet acquisition component is further configured to receive at least one additional snippet pushed to the snippet acquisition component from a web resource by a provider of the web resource or an entity associated with the provider of the web resource.

34. The snippet discovery system of claim 33, wherein the snippet storage component is further configured to store an association between each of the snippets and the respective web resource from which it is acquired.

38. The snippet discovery system of claim 27, further comprising a display control component for assembling the identified snippets into a snippet page that is displayable on the mobile device.

39. The snippet discovery system of claim 27, further comprising a ranking component for ranking the identified snippets so that search results are presented to the mobile device in rank order.

40. The snippet discovery system of claim 38, wherein the identified snippets are ranked based at least in part on predicting which of the identified snippets will be most useful to a user of the mobile device.

41. The snippet discovery system of claim 40, wherein predicting which of the identified snippets will be most useful is based at least in part on online trending information.

43. The snippet discovery system of claim 27, wherein the calendar and geographic attributes respectively specify when and where an application and/or service is available for use from the respective web resource from which the snippet was extracted, the snippets being applicable to the mobile device when the application and/or services respectively specified by the snippets are available when and where the mobile device is located.

44. The snippet discovery system of claim 43, wherein the search results only include services or applications that are currently available for use by the mobile device at said location and said date and time.

45. The snippet discovery system of claim 27, wherein the snippet discovery component is further configured to receive the request from the mobile device.

46. The snippet discovery system of claim 27, wherein the snippet discovery component is further configured to receive the request from programmatic logic without user intervention, the programmatic logic being associated with the mobile device.

4. A method of searching a searchable index, comprising:

receiving a request to search a searchable index, the searchable index including a searchable data structure that stores at least at least one snippet extracted from each of a plurality of web resources, each of the snippets including one or more searchable attributes of the web resource with which it is respectively associated, at least one of the searchable attributes being a calendar attribute or a geographic attribute, the calendar attribute specifying when additional information in the snippet is applicable and the geographic attribute specifying where the additional information in the snippet is applicable; and

responsive to the search request, identifying snippets stored in the searchable data structure based at least in part on their applicability to a mobile device that is to receive results of the search request, the applicability of the snippets being determined based at least in part on a search of the calendar attributes and/or the geographic attributes of the stored snippets;

delivering the search results to the mobile device or a display device associated with the mobile device, the search results including the identified snippets.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the applicability of the snippets includes comparing a context of the mobile device to the calendar attributes and/or the geographic attributes of the stored snippets.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the context of the mobile device includes information relating to movement of the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the information relating to the movement of the mobile device includes information relating to the movement relative to a given location.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the information relating to the movement relative to a given location includes a number of times the mobile device returns to the given location or a length of time the mobile device lingers at the given location.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein delivering the search results includes assembling the identified snippets into a snippet page that is displayable on the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 4, further comprising ranking the identified snippets, wherein delivering the search results includes presenting the identified snippets in rank order.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the identified snippets are ranked based at least in part on predicting which of the identified snippets will be most useful to a user of the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein predicting which of the identified snippets will be most useful is based at least in part on online trending information.

17. The method of claim 5, wherein the context of the mobile device includes a location of the mobile device at a time when the search request is received and a date and time when the search request is received.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the calendar and geographic attributes respectively specify when and where an application and/or service is available for use from the respective web resource from which the snippet was extracted, the snippets being applicable to the mobile device when the application and/or services respectively specified by the snippets are available when and where the mobile device is located.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the search results only include services or applications that are currently available for use by the mobile device at said location and said date and time.

20. The method of claim 4, wherein the request is received from the mobile device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the request is received from programmatic logic without user intervention.

22. A snippet extraction and discovery system, comprising:

a snippet extraction component for extracting at least one snippet from each of a plurality of web resources, each of the snippets including one or more attributes of the web resource with which it is respectively associated, at least one of the attributes being a calendar attribute or a geographic attribute, the calendar attribute specifying when additional information in the snippet is applicable and the geographic attribute specifying where the additional information in the snippet is applicable;

a snippet storage component for storing the snippets in a searchable data structure; and

a snippet discovery component for searching the searchable data structure in response to a request, the snippet discovery component being configured to identify snippets stored in the searchable data structure based at least in part on their applicability to a mobile device that is to receive results of the search request, the applicability of the snippets being determined based at least in part on a search of the calendar attributes and/or the geographic attributes of the stored snippets.

52. The snippet extraction and discovery system of claim 22 wherein the snippet discovery component is further configured to identify snippets stored in the searchable data structure based at least in part on their applicability to user context information received with the search request.

53. The snippet extraction and discovery system of claim 22 wherein the snippet discovery component is further configured to identify snippets stored in the searchable data structure based at least in part on their applicability to user specified search terms included with the search request.

23. A method of searching a searchable index, comprising:

sending, from a mobile device, a request to search a searchable index, the searchable index including a searchable data structure that stores at least at least one snippet extracted from each of a plurality of web resources, each of the snippets including one or more searchable attributes of the web resource with which it is respectively associated, at least one of the searchable attributes being a calendar attribute or a geographic attribute, the calendar attribute specifying when additional information in the snippet is applicable and the geographic attribute specifying where the additional information in the snippet is applicable; and

responsive to the search request, receiving search results from the searchable index, the search results including snippets stored in the searchable data structure that have been identified based at least in part on their applicability to the mobile device, the applicability of the snippets to the mobile device being determined based at least in part on a search of the calendar attributes and/or the geographic attributes of the stored snippets.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein sending the request includes receiving user input selected from the group consisting of a user gesture on a touch screen of the mobile device, an audio command and a haptic command.

47. The method of claim 23 wherein the search request includes user context information.

48. The method of claim 23 wherein the search request includes user specified search terms.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the search results include snippets that have been further identified based at least in part on the user specified search terms.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein sending the search request includes receiving a user command on a user input of the mobile device.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the user input includes a haptic gesture and/or a verbal command.

28. A snippet discovery system, comprising:

a snippet acquisition component for receiving at least one snippet from each of a plurality of web resources, each of the snippets including one or more attributes of the web resource with which it is respectively associated, at least one of the attributes being a calendar attribute or a geographic attribute, the calendar attribute specifying when additional information in the snippet is applicable and the geographic attribute specifying where the additional information in the snippet is applicable;

a snippet storage component for storing the snippets in a searchable data structure; and

a snippet discovery component for searching the searchable data structure in response to a request, the snippet discovery component being configured to identify snippets stored in the searchable data structure based at least in part on their applicability to a mobile device that is to receive results of the search request, the applicability of the snippets being determined based at least in part on a search of the calendar attributes and/or the geographic attributes of the stored snippets.

30. The snippet discovery system of claim 28, wherein the context of the mobile device includes a location of the mobile device at a time when the search request is received and a date and time when the search request is received.

35. The snippet discovery system of claim 28 wherein the context of the mobile device includes information relating to movement of the mobile device.

36. The snippet discovery system of claim 35, wherein the information relating to the movement of the mobile device includes information relating to the movement relative to a given location.

37. The snippet discovery system of claim 36, wherein the information relating to the movement relative to a given location includes a number of times the mobile device returns to the given location or a length of time the mobile device lingers at the given location.

42. The snippet discovery system of claim 28, wherein the context of the mobile device includes a location of the mobile device at a time when the search request is received and a date and time when the search request is received.

54. The snippet discovery system of claim 28 wherein the snippet discovery component is further configured to identify snippets stored in the searchable data structure based at least in part on their applicability to user context information received with the search request.

55. The snippet discovery system of claim 28 wherein the snippet discovery component is further configured to identify snippets stored in the searchable data structure based at least in part on their applicability to user specified search terms included with the search request.