User interface and method in a local search system with automatic expansion

• US 7,921,108 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IAC Search & Media Incorporated (IAC/InterActiveCorp)
• Original Assignee: IAC Search & Media Incorporated (IAC/InterActiveCorp)
• Inventors: Reed, William Edward Jr., Wang, Yue Rona, Massie, William Ryan, Jouline, Anton V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong; Cam Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, CECILE H
• Application Number:
  US11/941,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20090132483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 707/E17.121, 707999003-999005, 707/999.102, 707/999.107, 707/724
• US Class Current: 707/724
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24535 of sub-queries or views
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

The invention also provides a method of interfacing with a client computer system, wherein search results include search results with geographic locations outside the first selected area if the number of the search results that have geographic locations within the selected area are less than a predetermined threshold value.

Claims

1. A method of interfacing with a client computer system, comprising:

(i) transmitting a first view from a server computer system to the client computer system, the first view including a search identifier;

(ii) in response to a user interacting with the search identifier, receiving a search request from a client computer system at the server computer system;

(iii) utilizing the search request at the server computer system to extract a plurality of search results from a search data source, each search result including information relating to a geographic location;

(iv) determining a number of the search results that have geographic locations within a smaller circle with a smaller radius;

(v) determining whether the number of search results within the smaller circle with a smaller radius is more than a predetermined threshold value;

(vi) determining whether the number of search results that have geographic locations within a larger circle with a larger radius outside the smaller radius is more than the predetermined threshold value; and

(vii) transmitting at least part of a second view from the server computer system to the client computer system for display at the client computer system, including at least a subset of the search results, wherein the search results that are included in the second view include only search results with geographic locations within the smaller circle if the determination in (v) is that the number of the search results that have geographic locations inside the smaller circle is more than the predetermined threshold value, the search results include search results with geographic locations in the larger circle if the determination in (v) is that the number of search results that have geographic locations within the smaller circle is less than the predetermined threshold value, the search results include only search results with geographic location in the larger circle if the determination in (vi) is that the number of search results that have geographic locations inside the larger circle is more than the predetermined threshold value and the search results include search results with geographic locations outside the larger circle if the determination in (vi) is made that the number of search results that have geographic locations within the larger circle is less than the predetermined threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(viii) determining a number of the search results that have geographic locations within a smaller circle with a smaller radius;

(ix) determining whether the number of search results within the smaller circle is more than a predetermined threshold value; and

(x) transmitting, at least part of a second view from the server computer system to the client computer system for display at the client computer system, including at least a subset of the search results, wherein the search results that are included in the second view include only search results with geographic locations within the smaller circle if the determination in (ix) is that the number of the search results that have geographic locations inside the smaller circle is more than the predetermined threshold value and the search results include search results with geographic locations in a larger circle with a larger radius outside the smaller radius if the determination in (ix) is that the number of search results that have geographic locations within the selected area is less than the predetermined threshold value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the geographic location includes an address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second view includes a map and the information relating to the geographic location is used to indicate the geographic location on the map.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a plurality of search results is transmitted, each including information relating to a different geographic location, wherein information relating to a respective one of the search results is displayed on the map upon selection of at least one component of the respective search result.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the search request includes an area and a boundary of the area is displayed on the map.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the view is configured to make an addition to the map.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the first view includes a map and the second view includes at least a first static location marker at a first fixed location on the map of the second view due to selection of a location marker at the fixed location on the map of the first view.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a profile page, wherein the first view includes a plurality of verticals, selection of a respective vertical causing the display of a respective search identifier associated with the respective vertical, the search request received from a client computer system at the server computer system being in response to the user interacting with one of the search identifiers, and display of the profile page independent of the search identifier that the user interacts with.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of search results is extracted and included in the second view, further comprising:

receiving a driving direction request relating to a select one of the search results from the client computer system at the server computer system;

in response to the driving direction request, calculating driving directions to the selected search result; and

transmitting at least part of a third view from the server computer system to the client computer system, the third view including the driving directions to the selected search result and at least one of the search results other than the selected search result.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second view includes at least one component that is in substantially the same location as in the first view.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a third view from the server computer system to the client computer system, the third view including a reproduction selector; and

in response to a reproduction command transmitted from the client computer system to the server computer system upon selection of the reproduction selector, transmitting a fourth view from the server computer system to the client computer system, the fourth view including the search result included in the second view.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first view includes a plurality of vertical search determinators, wherein the search result depends on a respective one of the vertical search determinators.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the search request is used to extract a plurality of related search suggestions and the second view includes the plurality of related search identifiers, selection of a respective related search identifier causing transmission of a related search request from the client computer system to the server computer system.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first view includes a location identifier, a selected location being transmitted from the client computer system to the server computer system due to interaction of the user with the location identifier, causing at least one of the search results to be based on the selected location.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the search result is extracted due to a comparison between the search request and a first field of the search result and the search result is extracted due to a comparison between the search request and a second field of the search result.

17. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of at least one computer, executes a method comprising:

(i) transmitting a first view from a server computer system to the client computer system, the first view including a search identifier;

(ii) in response to a user interacting with the search identifier, receiving a search request from a client computer system at the server computer system;

(iii) utilizing the search request at the server computer system to extract a plurality of search results from a search data source, each search result including information relating to a geographic location;

(iv) determining a number of the search results that have geographic locations within a smaller circle with a smaller radius;

(v) determining whether the number of search results within the smaller circle with a smaller radius is more than a predetermined threshold value;

(vi) determining whether the number of search results that have geographic locations within a larger circle with a larger radius outside the smaller radius is more than the predetermined threshold value; and

(vii) transmitting at least part of a second view from the server computer system to the client computer system for display at the client computer system, including at least a subset of the search results, wherein the search results that are included in the second view include only search results with geographic locations within the smaller circle if the determination in (v) is that the number of the search results that have geographic locations inside the smaller circle is more than the predetermined threshold value, the search results include search results with geographic locations area in the larger circle if the determination in (v) is that the number of search results that have geographic locations within the smaller circle is less than the predetermined threshold value, the search results include only search results with geographic location in the larger circle if the determination in (vi) is that the number of search results that have geographic locations inside the larger circle is more than the predetermined threshold value and the search results include search results with geographic locations outside the larger circle if the determination in (vi) is made that the number of search results that have geographic locations within the larger circle is less than the predetermined threshold value.