Method and apparatus for searching geo-tagged information

• US 8,452,784 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Arrasvuori, Juha Henrik
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, THANH HA T
• Application Number:
  US12/604,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20110099180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 707/705, 707/706, 707/709, 707/712, 707/724, 707/726, 707/729, 707/754, 707/764, 707/918, 707/919, 707/920
• US Class Current: 707/754
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

An approach is provided for presenting search information based on search parameters including a specified search region. Input parameters graphically specifying a search region on an image of a map are received. The input parameters include a height parameter and the search region corresponds to one or more search criteria. A search based on the criteria is caused, at least in part, according to the specified search region to output a search result. Presentation of the search result is caused, at least in part, within the search region.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving input parameters graphically specifying a search region on an image of a map, wherein the input parameters include a height parameter, and the search region corresponds to one or more search criteria;

obtaining one or more filtering parameters based at least in part on a user profile, and filtering, by a processor, the search region based at least in part on the filtering parameters;

causing, at least in part, by the processor, a search based on the search criteria according to the filtered search region to obtain a search result; and

causing, at least in part, presentation of the search result within the search region,

wherein the presentation of the search result within the search region on the image of the map is on a first graphical user interface, and

wherein a filtered search result is visible to the user within the search region as a distortion, the method further comprising;

causing, at least in part, presentation of the search result within the search region on another image of the map with a different scale on a second graphical user interface, and

wherein the first graphical user interface and the second graphical user interface display the search result within the search region on images of the map with different scales simultaneously.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, moving the search region from the first graphical user interface to the second graphical user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving additional input parameters graphically specifying another search region on the map image, wherein the other search region corresponds to one or more other search criteria, and at least a portion of the other search region overlaps with the search region;

causing, at least in part, a search based on the other criteria according to the specified other search region to output another search result; and

causing, at least in part, presentation of the other search result within the other search region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the search region includes a circle, a polygon, a rectangle, a square, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the input parameters further include a center of the search region and a radius length from the center to a perimeter of the search region.

6. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

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

receive input parameters graphically specifying a search region on an image of a map, wherein the input parameters include a height parameter, and the search region corresponds to one or more search criteria;

obtain one or more filtering parameters based at least in part on a user profile, and filter the search region based at least in part on the filtering parameters;

cause, at least in part, a search based on the search criteria according to the filtered search region to obtain a search result; and

cause, at least in part, presentation of the search result within the search region,

wherein the presentation of the search result within the search region on the image of the map is on a first graphical user interface, and

wherein a filtered search result is visible to the user within the search region as a distortion, the method further comprising;

causing, at least in part, presentation of the search result within the search region on another image of the map with a different scale on a second graphical user interface, and

wherein the first graphical user interface and the second graphical user interface display the search result within the search region on images of the map with different scales simultaneously.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

cause, at least in part, moving the search region from the first graphical user interface to the second graphical user interface.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

receive additional input parameters graphically specifying another search region on the map image, wherein the other search region corresponds to one or more other search criteria, and at least a portion of the other search region overlaps with the search region;

cause, at least in part, a search based on the other criteria according to the specified other search region to output another search result; and

cause, at least in part, presentation of the other search result within the other search region.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the search region includes a circle, a polygon, a rectangle, a square, or a combination thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the input parameters further include a center of the search region and a radius length from the center to a perimeter of the search region.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

receiving input parameters graphically specifying a search region on an image of a map, wherein the input parameters include a height parameter, and the search region corresponds to one or more search criteria;

obtaining one or more filtering parameters based at least in part on a user profile, and filtering the search region based at least in part on the filtering parameters;

causing, at least in part, a search based on the search criteria according to the filtered search region to obtain a search result; and

causing, at least in part, presentation of the search result within the search region,

wherein the presentation of the search result within the search region on the image of the map is on a first graphical user interface, and

wherein a filtered search result is visible to the user within the search region as a distortion, the method further comprising;

causing, at least in part, presentation of the search result within the search region on another image of the map with a different scale on a second graphical user interface, and

wherein the first graphical user interface and the second graphical user interface display the search result within the search region on images of the map with different scales simultaneously.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to perform:

causing, at least in part, moving the search region from the first graphical user interface to the second graphical user interface.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to perform:

receiving additional input parameters graphically specifying another search region on the map image, wherein the other search region corresponds to one or more other search criteria, and at least a portion of the other search region overlaps with the search region;

causing, at least in part, a search based on the other criteria according to the specified other search region to output another search result; and

causing, at least in part, presentation of the other search result within the other search region.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the search region includes a circle, a polygon, a rectangle, a square, or a combination thereof.