Providing location-based auto-complete functionality

• US 7,774,003 B1
• Filed: 07/14/2009
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ortega, Ruben E., Frederick, Robert, Dorfman, Barnaby
• Primary Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US12/502,963
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

Common search queries can be provided to a mobile device that are associated with a current location of a mobile device. Once a location of a mobile device is determined, common search queries associated with the location can be automatically transmitted to the mobile device. The queries can be used to update an auto-complete function for partial queries or strings entered by a user of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for updating auto-complete functionality for the entry of search requests based on location, comprising:

under control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions;

determining a current location of a mobile device;

automatically generating a set of search requests determined to be relevant to the current location; and

transmitting the set of search requests to the mobile device,

wherein upon a user entering at least a portion of a search string on the mobile device, at least one suggestion for an auto-completion string is presented to the user, the at least one suggestion being determined at least in part upon analyzing the set of search requests on the mobile device, each of the set of search requests capable of being executed from the mobile device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of search requests is capable of being used on the mobile device to bias suggested auto-completion strings to favor auto-completion strings that correspond to search requests relevant to the current location.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of search requests is capable of being used on the mobile device to reduce a prominence of auto-completion strings that are determined to be substantially irrelevant to the current location.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one suggestion for an auto-completion string is selected from the set of search requests.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of search requests is capable of being used on the mobile device to re-rank auto-completion strings for the portion of the search string.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of search requests is capable of being used on the mobile device to suggest auto-completion strings based on fewer characters than when the mobile device does not have a set of search requests specific to the current location.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of search requests comprises a set of frequently submitted search requests determined to be relevant to the current location over at least a period of time.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of search requests is filtered based on a geographic proximity of the search requests to the current location.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of search requests is filtered such that only search requests performed by at least one defined user group are used in generating the set.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of search requests is filtered based on one or more attributes of the mobile device or a user associated with the mobile device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of search requests is filtered based on information received from at least one external source of content.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining a current location includes receiving coordinates from a global positioning satellite or receiving a current location generated based on cell tower triangulation.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the set of search requests includes generating the set based on a location type associated with the current location.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of search requests includes search information associated with each of the search requests, and further comprising:

sorting the set of search requests based on the search information associated with the search requests.

15. A system for updating auto-complete functionality for the entry of search requests based on location, comprising:

a processor;

memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor provide for, automatically and without user input;

receiving a current location of a mobile device;

automatically generating a set of search requests determined to be relevant to the current location; and

transmitting the set of search requests to the mobile device,

wherein upon a user entering at least a portion of a search string on the mobile device, at least one suggestion for an auto-completion string is able to be presented to the user based at least in part upon the set of search requests, each of the set of search requests capable of being executed from the mobile device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the set of search requests is capable of being used on the mobile device to bias suggested auto-completion strings to favor strings corresponding to search requests relevant to the current location.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the set of search requests is capable of being used on the mobile device to reduce a prominence of auto-completion strings that are not determined to be relevant to the current location.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the set of search requests is capable of being used on the mobile device to suggest auto-completion strings based on fewer characters than when the mobile device does not have a set of search requests specific to the current location.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the set of search requests comprises a set of frequently submitted search requests determined to be relevant to the current location over at least a period of time.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the set of search requests is filtered based on a geographic proximity of the search requests to the current location.

21. A computer readable storage medium including executable instructions for updating auto-complete functionality for the entry of search requests based on location that, when executed by at least one processing device, cause the at least one processing device to, automatically and without user input:

receive a current location of a mobile device;

automatically generate a set of search requests determined to be relevant to the current location; and

transmit the set of search requests to the mobile device,

wherein upon a user entering at least a portion of a search string on the mobile device, at least one suggestion for an auto-completion string is presented to the user based at least in part upon the set of search requests, each of the set of search requests capable of being executed from the mobile device.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the set of search requests is capable of being used on the mobile device to bias suggested auto-completion strings to favor strings corresponding to search requests relevant to the current location.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the set of search requests is capable of being used on the mobile device to reduce a prominence of auto-completion strings that are not determined to be relevant to the current location.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the set of search requests is capable of being used on the mobile device to suggest auto-completion strings based on fewer characters than when the mobile device does not have a set of search requests specific to the current location.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the set of search requests comprises a set of frequently submitted search requests determined to be relevant to the current location over at least a period of time.