System and method for displaying images in an online directory

• US 7,359,797 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2005
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Manber, Udi, Karls, Jason, Gold, Jonathan A., Ha, Huy T., Dorfman, Barnaby M., Caro-Bruce, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US11/045,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20050216186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-202, 701/208, 701/211, 701/25, 701/28, 701213-215, 340/988, 340/995.1, 340/995.19, 340/995.15, 342/357.06, 342/357.12
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0244 Optimization
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/006 Representation of non-cartographic information on maps, e.g. population distribution, wind direction, radiation levels, air and sea routes
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for generating an online listing, such as a yellow pages listing, that includes information about an object, such as a business, and also includes at least one image of the structure containing the object. For example, the image may be a digital image of the store front of a business taken at a street view. Additionally, a user may select an image from a plurality of images that the user perceives as being an appropriate representative image for the business. Based on votes received a default representative image may be identified that is provided in response to a request for information about the business.

Claims

1. A method for providing information regarding an object, the method comprising:

determining a location;

determining a range surrounding the location;

identifying an object within the range for which information is to be provided;

displaying information regarding the identified object, wherein the displayed information includes an image providing a ground view of the identified object taken from the ground adjacent to the object; and

displaying a map, wherein the map includes an identifier of the location and an identifier of the identified object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying an object includes:

receiving a search term; and

identifying an object within the range for which information is to be provided that corresponds to the search term.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying an object includes identifying a plurality of objects within the range for which information is to be provided.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein displaying information regarding the identified object includes displaying information regarding each of the plurality of identified objects.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the image is a digital image of the object taken from the ground adjacent to the object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the image is a street view of the object taken from the ground adjacent to the object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the image is of a store front of a business taken from the ground adjacent to the business.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the image is a user specified representative image.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the image is an image selected from a plurality of images representative of the object.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the map is a street map.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier of the identified object is an image representative of the object.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier of the identified object is displayed on the map at a position representative of a location of the object.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the information regarding the identified object, the image representative of the identified object, and the identifier of the identified object is interactive.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving an inquiry regarding the displayed information, emphasizing the identifier of the identified object.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein an inquiry is received in response to a user positioning a pointer over the displayed information.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving a selection of the displayed information, displaying additional information regarding the identified object.

17. A computer system for displaying information regarding an object, the computer system including a processor and memory, wherein the computer system is configured to execute computer instructions that cause the processor to:

determine a location;

determine a range surrounding the location;

identify an object within the range for which information is to be provided;

display information regarding the identified object, wherein the displayed information includes an image providing a ground view of the identified object taken from the ground adjacent to the object; and

display a map, wherein the map includes an identifier of the location and an identifier of the identified object.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein identifying an object includes:

receiving a search term; and

identifying an object within the range for which information is to be provided that corresponds to the search term.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein identifying an object includes identifying a plurality of objects within the range for which information is to be provided.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein displaying information regarding the identified object includes displaying information regarding each of the plurality of identified objects.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the image is an image selected from a plurality of images representative of the object.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the map is a street map.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the identifier of the identified object is an image representative of the object.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the identifier of the identified object is displayed on the map at a position representative of a location of the object.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the information regarding the identified object, the image representative of the identified object, and the identifier of the identified object is interactive.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the computer system is configured to execute computer instructions that further cause the processor to:

in response to receiving an inquiry regarding the displayed information, emphasize the identifier of the identified object.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein an inquiry is received in response to a user positioning a pointer over the displayed information.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the computer system is configured to execute computer instructions that further cause the processor to:

in response to receiving a selection of the displayed information, display additional information regarding the identified object.

29. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that direct a computing system to:

determine a location;

determine a range surrounding the location;

identify an object within the range for which information is to be provided;

display information regarding the identified object, wherein the displayed information includes an image providing a ground view of the identified object taken from the ground adjacent to the object; and

display a map, wherein the map includes an identifier of the location and an identifier of the identified object.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein identifying an object includes:

receiving a search term; and

identifying an object within the range for which information is to be provided that corresponds to the search term.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein identifying an object includes identifying a plurality of objects within the range for which information is to be provided.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein displaying information regarding the identified object includes displaying information regarding each of the plurality of identified objects.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the image is a user specified representative image.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the image is an image selected from a plurality of images representative of the object.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the map is a street map.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the identifier of the identified object is an image representative of the object.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the identifier of the identified object is displayed on the map at a position representative of a location of the object.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein at least one of the information regarding the identified object, the image representative of the identified object, and the identifier of the identified object is interactive.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the instructions stored thereon further direct the computing system to:

in response to receiving an inquiry regarding the displayed information, emphasize the identifier of the identified object.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein an inquiry is received in response to a user positioning a pointer over the displayed information.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the instructions stored thereon further direct the computing system to:

in response to receiving a selection of the displayed information, display additional information regarding the identified object.