Location query processing

• US 8,838,621 B1
• Filed: 06/16/2011
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Yagnik, Niyati
• Primary Examiner(s): BURKE, JEFF A
• Application Number:
  US13/161,757
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 707/705
• US Class Current: 707/751
• 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

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for processing location queries. In one aspect, a method includes obtaining a location search profile for a user. The location search profile specifies, for each geographic location, a set of references to location resources that were previously requested through user interaction, by the user, with previous search results that were provided in response to a previous location query. A current location query is received from a user device that is associated with the user. In response to receiving the current location query a reference to at least one of the location resources from the set of references and search results responsive to the current location query are selected. In turn, data that cause presentation of the selected reference and the search results are provided.

Claims

1. A method performed by data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a current location query referencing a geographic location from a user;

identifying, via a processor, search results responsive to the current location query;

identifying a resource previously selected by the user when presented to the user in response to a previous location query that referenced a matching geographic location, irrespective of whether the resource is responsive to the current location query, wherein the identifying comprises;

receiving search log data for the user, the search log data specifying one or more previous location queries that were previously submitted by the user;

identifying, for each of the one or more previous location queries, references to resources that were previously requested by the user when they were provided in response to the previous location query;

creating a location search profile for the user based on the search log data, the location search profile specifying one or more geographic locations that were respectively referenced by the one or more previous location queries, and for each geographic location a set of associated resources that were requested by the user;

identifying a geographic location in the location search profile that matches the geographic location of the current location query; and

identifying a resource in the location search profile that is associated with the matching geographic location; and

providing data that cause presentation of a search results page that includes data identifying the search results responsive to the current location query, the previously selected resource, and an indication that the previously selected resource was previously selected by the user when previously presented in response to a previous location query that referenced the matching geographic location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a geographic location in the location search profile that matches the geographic location of the current location query comprises:

identifying a geographic location that is within a threshold geographic distance from the geographic location of the current location query.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a geographic location in the location search profile that matches the geographic location of the current location query comprises:

identifying a geographic location having a label that matches a location phrase for the geographic location in the current location query.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the label for the identified geographical location is the same as the location phrase for the geographic location in the current location query.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the resource identified in the location search profile is a resource that was most recently requested by the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing data that cause presentation of an indication that the previously selected resource was previously selected by the user comprises providing data that cause presentation of a date or time at which the user previously selected the resource.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing data further comprises providing data that cause presentation of a page preview for the previously selected resource.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing data that cause presentation of the previously selected resource comprises providing data that cause presentation of the previously selected resource at a portion of a display that is visually distinguished from another portion of the display in which the search results are presented.

9. A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving a current location query referencing a geographic location from a user;

identifying, via a processor, search results responsive to the current location query;

identifying a resource previously selected by the user when presented to the user in response to a previous location query that referenced a matching geographic location, irrespective of whether the resource is responsive to the current location query, wherein the identifying comprises;

receiving search log data for the user, the search log data specifying one or more previous location queries that were previously submitted by the user;

identifying, for each of the one or more previous location queries, references to resources that were previously requested by the user when they were provided in response to the previous location query;

creating a location search profile for the user based on the search log data, the location search profile specifying one or more geographic locations that were respectively referenced by the one or more previous location queries, and for each geographic location a set of associated resources that were requested by the user;

identifying a geographic location in the location search profile that matches the geographic location of the current location query; and

identifying a resource in the location search profile that is associated with the matching geographic location; and

providing data that cause presentation of a search results page that includes data identifying the search results responsive to the current location query, the previously selected resource, and an indication that the previously selected resource was previously selected by the user when previously presented in response to a previous location query that referenced the matching geographic location.

10. A system comprising:

a user device; and

one or more computers operable to interact with the user device and to perform operations including;

receiving a current location query referencing a geographic location from a user;

identifying, via a processor, search results responsive to the current location query;

identifying a resource previously selected by the user when presented to the user in response to a previous location query that referenced a matching geographic location, irrespective of whether the resource is responsive to the current location query, wherein the identifying comprises;

receiving search log data for the user, the search log data specifying one or more previous location queries that were previously submitted by the user;

identifying, for each of the one or more previous location queries, references to resources that were previously requested by the user when they were provided in response to the previous location query;

creating a location search profile for the user based on the search log data, the location search profile specifying one or more geographic locations that were respectively referenced by the one or more previous location queries, and for each geographic location a set of associated resources that were requested by the user;

identifying a geographic location in the location search profile that matches the geographic location of the current location query; and

identifying a resource in the location search profile that is associated with the matching geographic location; and

providing data that cause presentation of a search results page that includes data identifying the search results responsive to the current location query, the previously selected resource, and an indication that the previously selected resource was previously selected by the user when previously presented in response to a previous location query that referenced the matching geographic location.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein identifying a geographic location in the location search profile that matches the geographic location of the current location query comprises:

identifying a geographic location that is within a threshold geographic distance from the geographic location of the current location query.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein identifying a geographic location in the location search profile that matches the geographic location of the current location query comprises:

identifying a geographic location having a label that matches a location phrase for the geographic location in the current location query.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the label for the identified geographical location is the same as the location phrase for the geographic location in the current location query.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the resource identified in the location search profile is a resource that was most recently requested by the user.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein providing data that cause presentation of an indication that the previously selected resource was previously selected by the user comprises providing data that cause presentation of a date or time at which the user previously selected the resource.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more computers are operable to provide data that cause presentation of a page preview for the previously selected resource.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein providing data that cause presentation of the previously selected resource comprises providing data that cause presentation of the previously selected resource at a portion of a display that is visually distinguished from another portion of the display in which the search results are presented.