Method and system for searching an information retrieval system according to user-specified location information
First Claim
1. A method for searching a database in an information retrieval system according to user-identified geographical location information using a mobile communications device operating on a wireless network, comprising:
- creating a database for storing at least geographical location information for each of a plurality of items of interest, wherein creating the database comprises;
prompting a user of the mobile communications device to provide a location name for a desired geographical location remote from the present geographic location of the mobile communications device;
receiving geographical location information corresponding to the present geographical location of a user'"'"'s communications device;
comparing the present location with the desired location;
if the desired location is different from the present location, confirming the desired location with the user of the wireless communications device; and
storing in a database the desired location and the provided location name, for subsequent access by the user;
receiving a search request from the user;
detecting whether the request is to search the database for items of interest located in a vicinity of the present geographical location of the user'"'"'s communications device or of a different geographical location identified by the user and being a previous geographical location of the user'"'"'s mobile communications device, wherein information regarding the previous geographical location is pre-configured by the user at a prior time;
if the request is for items of interest located in the vicinity of present geographical location, generating a search query for items of interest only within a certain geographical proximity of the present location; and
if the request is for items of interest in a vicinity of the previous geographical location,generating a search query for items of interest only within a certain geographical proximity of the previous geographical location identified by the user.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for searching an information retrieval system for items of interest that are in proximity to geographical locations provided by the user. The information retrieval system can perform a search for specified types of businesses or items of interest that surround or are in close proximity to the user'"'"'s present geographical location, or a geographical location that the user has pre-configured in a database. The system receives geographical location information concerning the user'"'"'s position from the wireless network carrier, which tracks the location of the user'"'"'s mobile communications device. When the user desires to store a geographical location and geographical name for a future search, the information is entered into the pre-configured database. When conducting an information search at a later time, the user can narrow a search request to a geographical area in the vicinity of the stored geographical location.
184 Citations
11 Claims
-
1. A method for searching a database in an information retrieval system according to user-identified geographical location information using a mobile communications device operating on a wireless network, comprising:
-
creating a database for storing at least geographical location information for each of a plurality of items of interest, wherein creating the database comprises; prompting a user of the mobile communications device to provide a location name for a desired geographical location remote from the present geographic location of the mobile communications device; receiving geographical location information corresponding to the present geographical location of a user'"'"'s communications device; comparing the present location with the desired location; if the desired location is different from the present location, confirming the desired location with the user of the wireless communications device; and storing in a database the desired location and the provided location name, for subsequent access by the user; receiving a search request from the user; detecting whether the request is to search the database for items of interest located in a vicinity of the present geographical location of the user'"'"'s communications device or of a different geographical location identified by the user and being a previous geographical location of the user'"'"'s mobile communications device, wherein information regarding the previous geographical location is pre-configured by the user at a prior time; if the request is for items of interest located in the vicinity of present geographical location, generating a search query for items of interest only within a certain geographical proximity of the present location; and if the request is for items of interest in a vicinity of the previous geographical location, generating a search query for items of interest only within a certain geographical proximity of the previous geographical location identified by the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
Specification