Method of configuring a personalized consumer rating area
First Claim
1. A method of defining and applying a geographical area personalized to a user by a computer system, the method comprising:
- identifying a plurality of locations associated with the user by the computer system, wherein identifying the plurality of locations comprises;
identifying the plurality of places at which the first user has spent time, andfor each identified place, defining a corresponding location to include a limited geographical area encompassing the place, wherein each location includes an area of a size and shape, the size and shape determined based at least in part on an amount of time the user has spent in the identified place;
defining for the user an irregular personalized geographical area comprising the plurality of locations;
receiving from the user one of;
a request for consumer ratings of one or more establishments; and
a request to identify establishments matching one or more specified criteria; and
presenting the user with responses to the received request for one or more establishments within said personalized geographical area.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of configuring a personalized geographical area for a user. An electronic system for providing a geographical-based service (e.g., a business directory, mapping, consumer opinions) obtains information regarding locations that can be associated with the user. Such locations may include his home address, the zip code in which he works, a business district he provides or reviews consumer opinions for, an address of an establishment for which he requests a map, etc. Using the various locations associated with the user, a personalized geographical area is configured for the user, to act as his default area when reviewing consumer opinions, requesting business locations and/or other purposes. His personalized area may change over time as the system obtains newer information regarding his activities. The personalized area may be of any size and shape, particularly non-circular, as it may be derived based on travel distances over terrain (i.e., instead of straight-line distance).
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of defining and applying a geographical area personalized to a user by a computer system, the method comprising:
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identifying a plurality of locations associated with the user by the computer system, wherein identifying the plurality of locations comprises; identifying the plurality of places at which the first user has spent time, and for each identified place, defining a corresponding location to include a limited geographical area encompassing the place, wherein each location includes an area of a size and shape, the size and shape determined based at least in part on an amount of time the user has spent in the identified place; defining for the user an irregular personalized geographical area comprising the plurality of locations; receiving from the user one of; a request for consumer ratings of one or more establishments; and a request to identify establishments matching one or more specified criteria; and presenting the user with responses to the received request for one or more establishments within said personalized geographical area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of defining and applying a geographical area personalized to a user, the method comprising:
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identifying a plurality of locations associated with the user, which comprises; identifying the plurality of places at which the user has spent time, and for each identified place, defining a corresponding location to include a limited geographical area encompassing the place, wherein each location includes an area of a size and shape, the size and shape determined based at least in part on an amount of time the user has spent in the identified place; defining for the user an irregular personalized geographical area comprising the plurality of locations; receiving from the user one of; a request for consumer ratings of one or more establishments; and a request to identify establishments matching one or more specified criteria; and presenting the user with responses to the received request for one or more establishments within said personalized geographical area.
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14. A computer system for defining a user'"'"'s personalized geographical area, comprising:
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a processor; a memory coupled with the processor; an identifying mechanism configured to identify a plurality of places at which the user has spent time; a defining mechanism configured to define, for each identified place, a corresponding location to include a limited geographical area encompassing the place, wherein each location includes an are of a size and shape, the size and shape determined based at least in part on an amount of time the user has spent in the identified place; and
wherein the defining mechanism is further configured to define a personalized area of interest of the user that comprises the defined geographical areas; anda communication module configured to serve to the user information customized to said personalized area of interest. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification