Method, system, and apparatus for location-aware search

• US 7,966,306 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Quiroz Castro, Carlos, Aarnio, Ari, Strandell, Toni
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai; Hanh B
• Application Number:
  US12/072,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/706, 707/707, 707/759, 707/771, 725/105, 701/26, 701/207, 701/210
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

Performing location-aware search involves intercepting a network request targeted for an Internet-based search engine. The network request includes a location-dependent query containing a location term, and the location term cannot be used by the search engine to positively determine a target location. A location descriptor that can be used by the search engine to positively determine a target location is determined via a location database. The location database may include a location sensor such as GPS. The network request is modified to replace the location term with the location descriptor, and the modified network request is sent to the search engine.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause, apparatus to perform at least the following,

determine to intercept a network request targeted for an Internet-based search engine, wherein the network request includes a location-dependent query containing a location term, wherein the location term cannot be used by the search engine to positively determine a target location;

determine, via a location database of the apparatus, a location descriptor that can be used by the search engine to positively determine the target location;

cause, at least in part, modification of the network request to replace the location term with the location descriptor; and

determine to send the modified network request to the search engine.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location database comprises a global positioning satellite sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein location descriptor comprises at least one of a street address and a geo-location descriptor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location term comprises a generic term indicating the current location of the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location term comprises a reference to a dynamically generated navigational route of a navigation application.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the location descriptor comprises a plurality of location descriptions along the route.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine, via the location database, a current location of the apparatus while the apparatus is traversing the navigational route; and

cause, at least in part, actions that result in limiting the location descriptor to a region that includes portions of the navigational route not yet traversed.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

repeatedly determine, via the location database, current locations of the apparatus while the apparatus is traversing the route;

determine to form additional network requests based on the modified request and current locations; and

determine to send the additional requests to the search engine while the apparatus is traversing the route.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location database comprises a proximate mobile device externally coupled to the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein determining the location descriptor via the location database of the apparatus comprises accessing a network server that receives location data from the location database and provides the location data in response to network queries.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile Web server that provides the location descriptor in response to a Web service request.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein intercepting the network request and modifying the network request comprises accessing and modifying a document object model of a document via a browser, wherein the browser renders the document and enables user input of the location dependent query via the document.

13. A method comprising:

determining to intercept a network request targeted for an Internet-based search engine, wherein the network request includes a location-dependent query containing a location term, wherein the location term cannot be used by the search engine to positively determine a target location;

determining, via a location database of the apparatus, a location descriptor that can be used by the search engine to positively determine a target location;

causing, at least in part, modification of the network request to replace the location term with the location descriptor;

determining to send the modified network request to the search engine.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the location database comprises a global positioning satellite sensor.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the location descriptor comprises at least one of a street address and a geo-location descriptor.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the location term comprises a generic term indicating the current location of the apparatus.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the location database comprises a proximate mobile device externally coupled to the apparatus.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the location term comprises a reference to a dynamically generated navigational route of a navigation application.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the location descriptor comprises a plurality of location descriptions along the navigational route.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining, via the location database, a current location of the apparatus while the apparatus is traversing the navigational route; and

limiting the location descriptor to a region that includes portions of the route not yet traversed.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

repeatedly determining, via the location database, current locations of the apparatus while the apparatus is traversing the route; and

forming additional network requests based on the modified request and current locations sending the additional requests to the search engine while the apparatus is traversing the route.

22. A computer-readable storage medium including instructions executable by a processor of an apparatus for:

determining to intercept a network request of the apparatus that is targeted for a search engine, wherein the network request includes a location-dependent query containing a location term, wherein the location term cannot be used by the search engine to positively determine a target location;

determining, via a location database of the apparatus, a location descriptor that can be used by the search engine to positively determine the target location;

causing, at least in part, modification of the network request to replace the location term with the location descriptor; and

determining to send the modified network request to the search engine.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the location database comprises a proximate mobile device externally coupled to the apparatus.

24. A system comprising:

means for determining to intercept a network request from an apparatus that is targeted for a search engine, wherein the network request includes a location-dependent query containing a location term, wherein the location term cannot be used by the search engine to positively determine a target location;

means for determining, via a location database of the apparatus, a location descriptor that can be used by the search engine to positively determine the target location;

means for causing, at least in part, modification of the network request to replace the location term with the location descriptor; and

means for determining to send the modified network request to the search engine.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the location database comprises a proximate mobile device externally coupled to the apparatus.