Determining a score for a product based on a location of the product

• US 8,554,757 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2012
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Branson, Michael J., Hintermeister, Gregory R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US13/343,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20130173636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/748
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A method, computer-readable storage medium, and computer system are provided. In an embodiment, a request is received from a requestor. The request specifies a search term and a plurality of weights of a plurality of criteria. A plurality of products are found that satisfy the search term. A plurality of locations where the plurality of products are located are determined. A plurality of scores of the plurality of locations are calculated based on the plurality of weights of the plurality of criteria and a plurality of ratings of the plurality of criteria at the plurality of locations. A best product of the plurality of products located at a best location with a best score of the plurality of scores is selected. In an embodiment, a supplier of the product that is not selected as the best product is notified of the score.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a requestor that specifies a search term and a plurality of weights of a plurality of criteria;

finding a plurality of products that satisfy the search term;

determining a plurality of geographical locations where the plurality of products are physically located;

calculating a plurality of scores of the plurality of geographical locations based on the plurality of weights of the plurality of criteria and a plurality of ratings of the plurality of criteria at the plurality of geographical locations, wherein the plurality of criteria describe a plurality of environments of the plurality of geographical locations that are external to the plurality of products;

selecting a best product of the plurality of products physically located at a best geographical location with a best score of the plurality of scores; and

if the best score is better than a minimum score and a verification level of a best geographical location of the best product meets a minimum verification level, wherein the best geographical location is one of the plurality of geographical locations, the best geographical location has required criteria, and the best geographical location does not have banned criteria, performing the request using the best product.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying a supplier of one of the plurality of products that was not selected by the selecting, wherein the supplier modifies the criteria of the geographical location of the one of the plurality of products in response to the notifying.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the search term specifies an application, wherein the best product comprises a best server, and wherein performing the request comprises executing the application on the best server at the best geographical location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the product comprises a page that comprises a keyword that satisfies the search term, and wherein performing the request comprises returning the page to the requestor from the best geographical location.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the best score is not better than the minimum score, refraining from performing the request.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the verification level of the best geographical location of the best product does not meet the minimum verification level, refraining from performing the request.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the best geographical location does not have the required criteria, refraining from performing the request.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the best geographical location has the banned criteria, refraining from performing the request; and

sending the plurality of scores to the requestor.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions, wherein the instructions when executed comprise:

receiving a request from a requestor that specifies a search term and a plurality of weights of a plurality of criteria;

finding a plurality of products that satisfy the search term;

determining a plurality of geographical locations where the plurality of products are physically located;

calculating a plurality of scores of the plurality of geographical locations based on the plurality of weights of the plurality of criteria and a plurality of ratings of the plurality of criteria at the plurality of geographical locations, wherein the calculating the plurality of scores further comprises calculating a sum of the plurality of weights multiplied by the plurality of ratings, wherein the plurality of criteria describe a plurality of environments of the plurality of geographical locations that are external to the plurality of products;

selecting a best product of the plurality of products physically located at a best geographical location with a best score of the plurality of scores; and

if the best score is better than a minimum score and a verification level of a best geographical location of the best product meets a minimum verification level, wherein the best geographical location is one of the plurality of geographical locations, the best geographical location has required criteria, and the best geographical location does not have banned criteria, performing the request using the best product.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising:

notifying a supplier of one of the plurality of products that was not selected by the selecting, wherein the supplier modifies the criteria of the geographical location of the one of the plurality of products in response to the notifying.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the search term specifies an application, wherein the best product comprises a best server, and wherein performing the request comprises executing the application on the best server at the best geographical location.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the product comprises a page that comprises a keyword that satisfies the search term, and wherein performing the request comprises returning the page to the requestor from the best geographical location.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising:

if the best score is not better than the minimum score, refraining from performing the request.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising:

if the verification level of the best geographical location of the best product does not meet the minimum verification level, refraining from performing the request;

if the best geographical location does not have the required criteria, refraining from performing the request;

if the best geographical location has the banned criteria, refraining from performing the request; and

sending the plurality of scores to the requestor.

15. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

memory communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the memory is encoded with instructions, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor comprise

receiving a request from a requestor that specifies a search term and a plurality of weights of a plurality of criteria,

finding a plurality of products that satisfy the search term,

determining a plurality of geographical locations where the plurality of products are physically located,

calculating a plurality of scores of the plurality of geographical locations based on the plurality of weights of the plurality of criteria and a plurality of ratings of the plurality of criteria at the plurality of geographical locations, wherein the calculating the plurality of scores further comprises calculating a sum of the plurality of weights multiplied by the plurality of ratings, wherein the plurality of criteria describe a plurality of environments of the plurality of geographical locations that are external to the plurality of products,

selecting a best product of the plurality of products physically located at a best geographical location with a best score of the plurality of scores, and

if the best score is better than a minimum score and a verification level of a best geographical location of the best product meets a minimum verification level, wherein the best geographical location is one of the plurality of geographical locations, the best geographical location has required criteria, and the best geographical location does not have banned criteria, performing the request using the best product.

16. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

notifying a supplier of one of the plurality of products that was not selected by the selecting, wherein the supplier modifies the criteria of the geographical location of the one of the plurality of products in response to the notifying.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the search term specifies an application, wherein the best product comprises a best server, and wherein performing the request comprises executing the application on the best server at the best geographical location, wherein the instructions further comprise:

in response to a change to at least one of the plurality of ratings of the plurality of criteria at the plurality of geographical locations, calculating a new best score, selecting a new best product of the plurality of products physically located at a new best geographical location with the new best score, and executing the application at the new best product.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the product comprises a page that comprises a keyword that satisfies the search term, and wherein performing the request comprises returning the page to the requestor from the best geographical location.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the instructions further comprise:

if the best score is not better than the minimum score, refraining from performing the request;

if the verification level of the best geographical location of the best product does not meet the minimum verification level, refraining from performing the request;

if the best geographical location does not have the required criteria, refraining from performing the request;

if the best geographical location has the banned criteria, refraining from performing the request; and

sending the plurality of scores to the requestor.