Apparatus and method for providing search pattern of user in mobile terminal

• US 9,201,983 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2011
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Jong-Min, Lee, Sung-Chan
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoleil, Jr., Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOANG, HAU HAI
• Application Number:
  US13/298,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20120310981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 707/705
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/903 Querying for retrieval from the web G06F16/953
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location

Abstract

In a mobile terminal, user search information used in a Location Based Service (LBS) application is stored. A user search pattern is determined from the user search information. User search pattern information corresponding to search condition data is extracted and displayed when the search condition data are input in a search pattern mode of the LBS application.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a memory configured to store user search information used in a Location Based Service (LBS) application at the mobile terminal;

a display; and

a controller configured to;

perform a search if a search request is received from a user in the LBS application, store user search information used during the search, iteratively compute and store in the memory search patterns for the user; and

if a specific condition is input by a user, to extract and display via the display user search pattern information, corresponding to the specific condition from the user search information stored in the memory, wherein the user search pattern information is extracted and displayed according to priorities for certain categories of searches or particular entities based upon search frequencies in cumulative search information of the user stored in the memory;

wherein,

the user search information includes at least one of a search word, a search result place, location information of a search place, a search time, a search execution place, a category of a search word, and a number of search attempts;

the user search pattern information is displayed with a marker on geographic map data or in an augmented reality mode, and detailed information with respect to the user search pattern information is displayed when the user search pattern information displayed on the geographic map data or in the augmented reality mode is selected; and

the specific condition is user selectable from a menu displayed on the display containing a plurality of search condition data that, when selected, collectively define the specific condition, the search condition data including;

i) at least one of a category of goods or services, and a specific goods or service; and

ii) at least one of a historical period of a prior search performed at the mobile terminal, and a number of times of searches made at the mobile terminal.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller performs a control operation so as to create and display a list of user search information arranged according to priorities given to the user search information according to a frequency of particular searches.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller extracts the user search pattern information corresponding to the specific condition from the user search information when the search condition data defining the specific condition are input in at least one search condition input window in a user search pattern mode of the LBS application.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the search condition data includes the historical period of a prior search, and the historical period is an intra-day time range within which the prior search occurred.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the search condition data comprises the number of times of searches made at the mobile terminal.

6. A method implemented in a mobile terminal, comprising:

storing user search information used in a Location Based Service (LBS) application in a memory at the mobile terminal;

performing a search if a search request is received from a user in the LBS application, and storing user search information used during the search;

iteratively computing and storing in the memory search patterns for the user; and

if a specific condition is input by a user, extracting and displaying user search pattern information corresponding to the specific condition from the stored user search information, according to priorities for certain categories of searches or particular entities based upon search frequencies in cumulative search information of the user stored in the memory;

wherein,

the user search information includes at least one of a search word, a search result place, location information of a search place, a search time, a search execution place, a category of a search word, and a number of search attempts;

the user search pattern information is displayed with a marker on geographic map data or in an augmented reality mode, and detailed information with respect to the user search pattern information is displayed when the user search pattern information displayed on the geographic map data or in the augmented reality mode is selected; and

the specific condition is user selectable from a displayed menu including a plurality of search condition data that, when selected, collectively define the specific condition, the search condition data including;

i) at least one of a category of goods or services, and a specific goods or service; and

ii) at least one of a historical period of a prior search performed at the mobile terminal, and a number of times of searches made at the mobile terminal.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising creating and displaying a list of user search information arranged according to priorities given to the user search information according to a frequency of particular searches.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein extracting of the user search pattern information comprises:

displaying at least one search condition input window in a user search pattern mode of the LBS application; and

extracting the user search pattern information corresponding to the search condition data defining the specific condition from the user search information when the search condition data are input in the at least one search condition input window.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the search condition data includes the historical period of a prior search, and the historical period is an intra-day time range.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the search condition data comprises the number of times of searches made at the mobile terminal.