Location-based searching using a search area that corresponds to a geographical location of a computing device
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for providing location-based information, the method comprising:
- receiving, at a server system, a geographical location of a mobile computing device;
receiving, at the server system and from the mobile computing device, a request for content, wherein the request does not include a query that was generated by a user of the mobile computing device and that is for a search engine system;
identifying, by the server system, a group of search areas that correspond to the geographical location, at least one of the search areas in the group being geographically nested in at least one other of the search areas;
scoring, by the server system, particular ones of the search areas in the group, wherein scoring the particular ones of the search areas in the group is based, at least in part, on (i) a speed at which the mobile computing device is traveling, (ii) a direction in which the mobile computing device is traveling, or (iii) an accuracy of one or more determinations of geographical location;
selecting, by the server system, the search area that is most-relevantly scored among the search areas in the group;
submitting, by the server system and to the search engine system, information associated with the selected search area;
receiving, by the server system and from the search engine system, a search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the selected search area; and
providing, by the server system and for receipt by the mobile computing device, content that represents the received search result.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and programs for providing location-based information. A geographical location of a mobile computing device is received at a server system. A request for content is received at the server system and from the mobile computing device. A search area that corresponds to the geographical location is selected by the sever system. The search area is selected from among a collection of search areas that correspond to the geographical location. At least one of the search areas in the collection is geographically nested within at least one other of the search areas. A search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the selected search area is determined by the server system. Content that represents the determined search result is provided by the server system and for receipt by the mobile computing device.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for providing location-based information, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a server system, a geographical location of a mobile computing device; receiving, at the server system and from the mobile computing device, a request for content, wherein the request does not include a query that was generated by a user of the mobile computing device and that is for a search engine system; identifying, by the server system, a group of search areas that correspond to the geographical location, at least one of the search areas in the group being geographically nested in at least one other of the search areas; scoring, by the server system, particular ones of the search areas in the group, wherein scoring the particular ones of the search areas in the group is based, at least in part, on (i) a speed at which the mobile computing device is traveling, (ii) a direction in which the mobile computing device is traveling, or (iii) an accuracy of one or more determinations of geographical location; selecting, by the server system, the search area that is most-relevantly scored among the search areas in the group; submitting, by the server system and to the search engine system, information associated with the selected search area; receiving, by the server system and from the search engine system, a search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the selected search area; and providing, by the server system and for receipt by the mobile computing device, content that represents the received search result. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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7. A computer-implemented method for providing location-based information, the method comprising:
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determining, by a mobile computing device, a geographical location of the mobile computing device; providing, by the mobile computing device and for receipt by a server system that is remote from the mobile computing device, the geographical location; transmitting, by the mobile computing device and for receipt by the server system, a request for content that does not include a query that was generated by a user of the mobile computing device and that is for a search engine system, so as to cause the server system to; (i) identify a group of search areas that correspond to the geographical location, at least one of the search areas in the group being geographically nested in at least one other of the search areas, (ii) score particular ones of the search areas in the group, wherein scoring the particular ones of the search areas in the group is based, at least in part, on (i) a speed at which the mobile computing device is traveling, (ii) a direction in which the mobile computing device is traveling, or (iii) an accuracy of one or more determinations of geographical location, (iii) select the search area that is most-relevantly scored among the search areas in the group, (iv) submit, to the search engine system, information associated with the selected search area, and (v) receive, from the search engine system, a search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the selected search area; receiving, by the mobile computing device and from the server system, content that represents the received search result; and displaying, by the mobile computing device, the content that represents the received search result. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer-implemented system for providing location-based information, the system comprising:
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a search area determiner, executable by one or more processors, that is configured to receive a geographical location of a requesting computing device and a request for content that does not include a query that was generated by a user of the requesting computing device and that is for a search engine system, identify a group of search areas that correspond to the geographical location, at least one of the search areas in the group being geographically nested in at least one other of the search areas, score particular ones of the search areas in the group, and select the search area that is most-relevantly scored among the search areas in the group, wherein scoring the particular ones of the search areas in the group is based, at least in part, on (i) a speed at which the requesting computing device is traveling, (ii) a direction in which the requesting computing device is traveling, or (iii) an accuracy of one or more determinations of geographical location; and a search engine, executable by one or more processors, that is configured to determine a search result that is most-relevantly ranked for a query that includes the selected search area, and to provide content representing the determined search result to the requesting computing device, so as to cause the requesting computing device to display the content that represents the determined search result. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification