Ranking location search results based on multiple distance measures
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method performed by a data processing apparatus, comprising:
- receiving, by one or more processors, a search query and a geographic region associated with the search query, the geographic region having a central location and a bounding polygon;
identifying, by the one or more processors, a plurality of candidate search results responsive to the search query, each candidate search result being associated with a geographic location;
calculating, by the one or more processors and for each candidate search result, a central distance score, wherein the central distance score comprises a score based on a first geographic distance between the geographic location of the candidate search result and the central location of the geographic region;
calculating, by the one or more processors and for each candidate search result, a polygon distance score, wherein the polygon distance score changes as a scoring function of a second geographic distance between the geographic location of the candidate search result and an edge of the bounding polygon of the geographic region nearest the geographic location of the candidate search result, wherein the scoring function uses the second geographic distance as an input and the polygon distance score is subject to a score limit;
calculating, by the one or more processors and for each candidate search result, a respective location relevance score based on the central distance score and the polygon distance score for the candidate search result; and
ranking, by the one or more processors, the plurality of candidate search results based at least in part on the calculated location relevance scores of the plurality of candidate search results.
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Abstract
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for calculating a location relevance score for search results is disclosed. In one aspect, a location relevance score is calculated for each search result based on three distances to a physical address associated with the search result. The first distance is measured from a polygon approximating the boundary of a specified region of interest. The second distance is measured from a combined area associated with the associated zip codes of the specified region of interest. The third distance is measured from a central location determined according to criteria independent of geometry of the specified region of interest. The search results are ranked according to their associated location relevance scores.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method performed by a data processing apparatus, comprising:
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receiving, by one or more processors, a search query and a geographic region associated with the search query, the geographic region having a central location and a bounding polygon; identifying, by the one or more processors, a plurality of candidate search results responsive to the search query, each candidate search result being associated with a geographic location; calculating, by the one or more processors and for each candidate search result, a central distance score, wherein the central distance score comprises a score based on a first geographic distance between the geographic location of the candidate search result and the central location of the geographic region; calculating, by the one or more processors and for each candidate search result, a polygon distance score, wherein the polygon distance score changes as a scoring function of a second geographic distance between the geographic location of the candidate search result and an edge of the bounding polygon of the geographic region nearest the geographic location of the candidate search result, wherein the scoring function uses the second geographic distance as an input and the polygon distance score is subject to a score limit; calculating, by the one or more processors and for each candidate search result, a respective location relevance score based on the central distance score and the polygon distance score for the candidate search result; and ranking, by the one or more processors, the plurality of candidate search results based at least in part on the calculated location relevance scores of the plurality of candidate search results. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A non-transitory 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:
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receiving a search query and a geographic region associated with the search query, the geographic region having a central location and a bounding polygon; identifying a plurality of candidate search results responsive to the search query, each candidate search result specifying a geographic location; calculating, for each candidate search result, a central distance score, wherein the central distance score comprises a score based on a first geographic distance between the geographic location of the candidate search result and the central location of the geographic region; calculating, for each candidate search result, a polygon distance score, wherein the polygon distance score changes as a scoring function of a second geographic distance between the geographic location of the candidate search result and an edge of the bounding polygon of the geographic region nearest the geographic location of the candidate search result, wherein the scoring function uses the second geographic distance as an input and the polygon distance score is subject to a score limit; calculating, for each candidate search result, a respective location relevance score based on the central distance score and the polygon distance score for the candidate search result; and ranking the plurality of candidate search results based at least in part on the calculated location relevance scores of the plurality of candidate search results. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system, comprising:
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one or more processors; memory including instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising; receiving a search query and a geographic region associated with the search query, the geographic region having a central location and a bounding polygon; identifying a plurality of candidate search results responsive to the search query, each candidate search result specifying a geographic location; calculating, for each candidate search result, a central distance score, wherein the central distance score comprises a score based at least in part on a first geographic distance between the geographic location of the candidate search result and the central location of the geographic region; calculating, for each candidate search result, a polygon distance score, wherein the polygon distance score changes as a scoring function of a second geographic distance between the geographic location of the candidate search result and an edge of the bounding polygon of the geographic region nearest the geographic location of the candidate search result, wherein the scoring function uses the second geographic distance as an input and the polygon distance score is subject to a score limit; calculating, for each candidate search result, a respective location relevance score based on the central distance score and the polygon distance score for the candidate search result; and ranking the plurality of candidate search results based at least in part on the calculated location relevance scores of the plurality of candidate search results. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification