System for searching property listings based on location

• US 8,346,796 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2011
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HomeSpotter LLC (Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mobilerealtyapps.com LLC (Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kardell, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Phuong Thao
• Application Number:
  US13/091,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20110264692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 707/769, 707/999.003, 707/609, 707/693, 707/802, 707/946, 707/999.101
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A system for searching property listings based on location may include storing, in a database of a mobile electronic device, a set of property listing entries, wherein a property listing entry includes an identification data field and a location coordinate data field. A property searching application may be executed on a processor of the mobile electronic device, wherein executing the property searching application includes multiple operations. Updated property listing entries may be received from a listing server. The set of property listing entries may be transformed based on the updated property listings. A search area may be determined. The database may be queried to retrieve one or more property listing entries from the set of property listing entries based on a comparison between the search area and the location coordinate data fields of the property listing entries.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing, in a database of a mobile electronic device, a set of property listing entries,

wherein a property listing entry includes an identification data field and a location coordinate data field;

receiving from a listing server, via a network interface of the mobile electronic device, updated property listing entries;

transforming the set of property listing entries based on the updated property listing entries;

determining a search area;

querying the database to retrieve one or more property listing entries from the set of property listing entries based on a comparison between the search area and the location coordinate data fields of the set of property listing entries;

determining ones of the one or more property listing entries that do not have detailed attribute information stored on the mobile electronic device;

downloading, from the listing server, detailed attribute information for the ones of the one or more property listings entries;

updating the set of property listing entries with the downloaded detailed attribute information; and

displaying, on a display device of the mobile electronic device, representations of the one or more property listing entries on a map.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a

selection of a representation of a property listing entry; and

displaying detailed property attributes of the property listing entry, wherein the detailed property attributes include price and address information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input indicating an updated search area; and

updating the map based on the user input.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user search preferences of property attributes; and

filtering the one or more property listing entries based on the user search preferences of property attributes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the set of property listing entries comprises:

storing partial property attributes in one or more data fields of a property listing entry, wherein the partial property attributes include a price range.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting information stored in the identification data field of the one or more property listing entries to the listing server; and

receiving additional attribute information of the one or more property listing entries.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the search area includes determining a location of the mobile electronic device.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the downloaded detailed attribute information includes a single value within the price range.

9. A storage device comprising instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

store, in a listing database, a set of property listing entries;

store in an application database, a set of application identification entries, wherein an application identification identifies a download of a property searching application;

receive, via a network interface, a request from a mobile electronic device for updated property listing entries, wherein the request includes an application identification;

determine changes in property listing entries already stored on the mobile electronic device since a last request for updated property listing entries from the mobile electronic device based on the received application identification;

format a response message, wherein the response message includes a list of property listing entries to delete from the mobile electronic device and wherein the response message includes additional property listing entries added after the last request;

transmit the response message to the mobile electronic device; and

receive a request from the mobile electronic device for detailed attribute information of a property listing, wherein the request includes an identification of a property listing;

query the listing database for the detailed attribute information based on the identification of the property-listing; and

transmit the detailed attribute information to the mobile electronic device;

wherein the instructions to format the response message comprise instructions to;

select a subset of available attributes of a property listing, wherein the subset of available attributes includes an identification, and location coordinates of the property listing; and

compress price information of one or more property listing entries into a series of price ranges.

10. The storage device of claim 9 wherein the instructions to transmit the detailed attribute information to the mobile electronic device comprise instructions to transmit a photo file of the property listing.

11. The storage device of claim 9, further comprising instructions to:

update the application identification entry associated with the request for updated property listing entries, wherein updating includes storing a timestamp of the request for updated property listing entries.

12. The storage device of claim 9, further comprising instructions to:

receive property listing entries from a multiple listing services database; and

update the listing database with the property listing entries from the multiple listing services database.

13. The storage device of claim 12, further comprising instructions to:

update the listing database with a timestamp associated with receiving the property listing entries received from the multiple listing services database.

14. The storage device of claim 9, further comprising instructions to:

receive a request from the mobile electronic device for detailed price information of a property listing, wherein the request includes an identification of a property listing;

query the listing database for the detailed price information based on the identification of the property listing; and

transmit the detailed price information to the mobile electronic device.

15. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a database storing a set of property listing entries, wherein a property listing entry includes an identification data field and a location coordinate data field;

a hardware-implemented receiving module to receive, from a listing server, via a network interface of the mobile electronic device, updated property listing entries;

a hardware-implemented transforming module to transform the set of property listing entries based on the updated property listing entries;

a hardware-implemented determination module to determine a location of the mobile electronic device;

a hardware-implemented querying module to;

query the database to retrieve one or more property listing entries from the set of property listing entries based on a comparison between a search area and the location coordinate data fields of the set of property listing entries;

determine ones of the one or more entries that do not have detailed attribute information stored on the mobile electronic device;

download, from the listing server, detailed attribute information for the ones of the one or more property listing entries;

update the set of property listing entries with the downloaded detailed attribute information; and

a hardware-implemented display module to display, on a display device of the mobile electronic device, representations of the one or more property listing entries on a map.

16. The mobile electronic device of claim 15, wherein the database stores detailed property attributes in one or more data fields of a property listing entry, wherein the detailed property attributes include square footage, address, and a number of bedrooms.

17. The mobile electronic device of claim 15, where the search area is based on a location of the mobile electronic device.

18. The mobile electronic device of claim 15, wherein the hardware-implemented receiving module is to receive a selection of a representation of a property listing entry and wherein the hardware-implemented display module is to display detailed attributes of the property listing entry, wherein the detailed attributes include price and address information.