System and method of transmitting search results based on arbitrary queries
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of displaying a map comprising:
- receiving, from a first computer at a first node of a network to a second computer at a second node of the network, a search query, including a location;
receiving a first layer of image data representing a map covering one or more areas that include the location;
receiving a second layer of image data representing a first set of ranked listings responsive to the search query, wherein a number of listings in the first set of ranked listings satisfies a density threshold of listings for at least one area of the one or more areas;
determine a smoothing score for each listing of the first set of ranked listings to mitigate visual artifacts on the map associated with the at least one area by filtering listings in that area;
receiving text data representing a second set of ranked listings responsive to the search query and the smoothing score associated with the first set of ranked listings, each of the listings in the second set having a higher rank than each of the listings in the first set; and
displaying the first layer of image data representing the map, the second layer of image data representing the first set of ranked listings and a plurality of icons respectively representing the locations of the listings in the second set of ranked listings, wherein the first layer of image data, the second layer of image data and the plurality of icons are aligned such that the second layer indicates the locations of the listings in the first set of ranked listings on the map and the icons indicate the locations of the listings in the second set of ranked listings on the map.
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Abstract
A system and method is provided of generating a map. In one aspect, the map is transmitted by a server as an image. Listings are selected based on both their proximity to the location and whether they match arbitrary words provided by a user, with one set being transmitted as text and another set being transmitted as image data representing icons on a transparent background. In response, a user'"'"'s computer displays the image of the second set as an overlay on the map, and processes the text to display the first set as icons on the map.
41 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of displaying a map comprising:
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receiving, from a first computer at a first node of a network to a second computer at a second node of the network, a search query, including a location; receiving a first layer of image data representing a map covering one or more areas that include the location; receiving a second layer of image data representing a first set of ranked listings responsive to the search query, wherein a number of listings in the first set of ranked listings satisfies a density threshold of listings for at least one area of the one or more areas; determine a smoothing score for each listing of the first set of ranked listings to mitigate visual artifacts on the map associated with the at least one area by filtering listings in that area; receiving text data representing a second set of ranked listings responsive to the search query and the smoothing score associated with the first set of ranked listings, each of the listings in the second set having a higher rank than each of the listings in the first set; and displaying the first layer of image data representing the map, the second layer of image data representing the first set of ranked listings and a plurality of icons respectively representing the locations of the listings in the second set of ranked listings, wherein the first layer of image data, the second layer of image data and the plurality of icons are aligned such that the second layer indicates the locations of the listings in the first set of ranked listings on the map and the icons indicate the locations of the listings in the second set of ranked listings on the map. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system comprising:
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a memory storing data and instructions; a processor processing the data in accordance with the instructions stored in memory to; receive, from a first computer at a first node of a network to a second computer at a second node of the network, a search query, including a location; receive a first layer of image data representing a map covering one or more areas that include the location; receive a second layer of image data representing a first set of ranked listings responsive to the search query, wherein a number of listings in the first set of ranked listings satisfies a density threshold of listings for at least one area of the one or more areas; determine a smoothing score for each listing of the first set of ranked listings to mitigate visual artifacts on the map associated with the at least one area by filtering listings in that area; receive text data representing a second set of ranked listings responsive to the search query and the smoothing score associated with the first set of ranked listings, each of the listings in the second set having a higher rank than each of the listings in the first set; and display the first layer of image data representing the map, the second layer of image data representing the first set of ranked listings and a plurality of icons respectively representing the locations of the listings in the second set of listings, wherein the first layer of image data, the second layer of image data and the plurality of icons are aligned such that the second layer indicates the locations of the listings in the first set of ranked listings on the map and the icons indicate the locations of the listings in the second set of ranked listings on the map. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method of transmitting a map comprising:
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receiving, at a first computer at a first node of a network from a second computer at a second node of the network, a search query, including a location; selecting, with a processor of the first computer, data representing a map covering one or areas that include the location; selecting, with a processor of the first computer, a first set of ranked listings responsive to the search query, wherein a number of listings in the first set of ranked listings satisfies a density threshold of listings for at least one area of the one or more areas; determining, with a processor of the first computer, a smoothing score for each listing of the first set of ranked listings to mitigate visual artifacts on the map associated with the at least one area by filtering listings in that area; selecting, with a processor of the first computer, a second set of ranked listings responsive to the search query and the smoothing score associated with the first set of ranked listings, wherein each listing in the second set of ranked listings is ranked higher than each listing in the first set of ranked listings; transmitting the map data as a first layer of image data from the first computer to the second computer; generating, with a processor of the first computer, a second layer of image data based on the first set of ranked listings, where the second layer of image data includes a plurality of icons respectively representing the locations of the listings in the first set of ranked listings on the map; transmitting the second layer of image data from the first computer to the second computer; and transmitting text data representing the second set of ranked listings from the first computer to the second computer, wherein the first layer of image data, the second layer of image data and the plurality of icons are aligned such that the second layer indicates the locations of the listings in the first set of ranked listings on the map and the icons indicate the locations of the listings in the second set of ranked listings on the map.
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Specification