Polling in a geo-spatial environment

• US 8,204,776 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2007
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Abhyanker, Raj Vasant
• Primary Examiner(s): FLEISCHER, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US11/897,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20090063252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,757 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.32, 705/7.34
• US Class Current: 705/7.32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system of polling in a geo-spatial environment are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes generating a community network of user profiles, each user profile associated with a specific geographic location, determining a geographic region associated with a neighborhood, determining a first group of user profiles, the specific geographic location of each user profile associated with the geographic region, generating a first play view to include a three-dimensional map view embodied by the community network and the first group of the user profiles represented at locations in the three-dimensional map view associated with the specific geographic location of each user profile, generating a poll associated with the first group of user profiles and receiving poll results associated with the poll via a communication mode. The method may also include automatically tabulating the poll results and publishing, via the communication mode, the poll results.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

generating, by a processor of a computing device, a community network of user profiles, each user profile of the user profiles associated with a specific geographic location;

determining, using the processor, a geographic region associated with a neighborhood;

determining, using the processor, a first group of user profiles, the specific geographic location of each user profile of the first group of user profiles associated with the geographic region;

generating, using the processor, a first display view to include a three-dimensional map view depicting the community network and the first group of the user profiles represented at locations in the three-dimensional map view associated with the specific geographic location of each user profile of the first group of user profiles;

generating, using the processor, via a communication mode, a poll associated with at least the first group of user profiles;

receiving, using the processor, via the communication mode, poll results associated with the poll from a set of respondents; and

generating, using the processor, a second display view using the three-dimensional map view and including in the three-dimensional map view representations depicting geographic locations of user profiles of the set of respondents, and representations of the poll results, each poll result displayed in association with a corresponding user profile of the set of respondents.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically tabulating the poll results.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising publishing the poll results to include at least one of the set of respondents'"'"' names, a response associated with each respondent of the set of respondents, a response category, and a percentage associated with a response category.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating poll group invitations, each poll group invitation associated with a user profile; and

receiving poll group responses associated with the poll group invitations.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating with the poll, a claim invitation associated with claiming an unclaimed user profile of the first group of user profiles.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

authenticating an email address associated with the unclaimed user profile of the first group of user profiles; and

enabling a claim of the unclaimed user profile of the first group of user profiles.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing search categories;

selecting at least one search category of the search categories;

generating a search of the user profiles based on the at least one search category; and

displaying, in the three-dimensional map view, the user profiles matching the at least one search category, represented at locations in the three-dimensional map view associated with the specific geographic location of each user profile matching the at least one search category.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the search categories include elections, candidates, debates, elected officials, neighborhood groups, and neighbor profiles.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the poll is associated with a category selected from a group comprising an interest, a political subject, and a neighborhood issue.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the political subject includes at least one of an election, a political party, a political issue, a platform, a candidate, and a vote.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication mode includes at least one of an online mode and a physical mode.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the online mode includes at least one of a webpage, an email, an instant message, and a telephone.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the physical mode includes at least one of a physical mailing and a newspaper.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium embodying a set of instructions that, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform

generating a community network of user profiles, each user profile of the user profiles associated with a specific geographic location;

determining a geographic region associated with a neighborhood;

determining a first group of user profiles, the specific geographic location of each user profile of the first group of user profiles associated with the geographic region;

generating a first display view to include a three-dimensional map view depicting the community network and the first group of the user profiles represented at locations in the three-dimensional map view associated with the specific geographic location of each user profile of the first group of user profiles;

generating, via a communication mode, a poll associated with at least the first group of user profiles;

receiving, via the communication mode, poll results associated with the poll from a set of respondents; and

generating a second display view using the three-dimensional map view and including in the three-dimensional map view representations depicting geographic locations of user profiles of the set of respondents, and representations of the poll results, each poll result displayed in association with a corresponding user profile of the set of respondents.

15. A system, comprising:

a memory configured to store executable code; and

a processor operably coupled to the memory and configured to execute the executable code such that the system;

generates a community network of user profiles, each user profile of the user profiles associated with a specific geographic location;

determines a geographic region associated with a neighborhood;

determines a first group of user profiles, the specific geographic location of each user profile of the first group of user profiles associated with the geographic region;

generates a first display view to include a three-dimensional map view depicting the community network and the first group of the user profiles represented at locations in the three-dimensional map view associated with the specific geographic location of each user profile of the first group of user profiles;

generates a poll associated with at least the first group of user profiles;

receives poll results associated with the poll from a set of respondents;

generates a second display view using the three-dimensional map view and includes in the three-dimensional map view representations depicting geographic locations of user profiles of the set of respondents, and representations of the poll results, each poll result displayed in association with a corresponding user profile of the set of respondents.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a tabulate module of the geo-spatial environment to automatically tabulate the poll results.