Revising a map area based on user feedback data

• US 9,280,558 B1
• Filed: 01/13/2012
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yelp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Yelp, Inc.
• Inventors: Billings, John Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Dennis
• Application Number:
  US13/350,708
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 707/724, 707/743, 707/999.005, 707/751, 707/918, 701/455, 701/532, 340/995.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

Revising a map area based on user feedback data is disclosed. In some embodiments, an initial map area corresponding to a prescribed location identifier is obtained from a third-party mapping service, and a revised map area corresponding to the location identifier is determined based on the initial map area and user feedback data associated with the location identifier.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining an initial map area corresponding to a prescribed location identifier from a third-party mapping service, wherein the location identifier identifies a geographical region;

storing user feedback data from a plurality of different users received with respect to one or more past map areas presented for the location identifier, wherein the user feedback data comprises historical user click data including latitude and longitude coordinates of where the users click;

determining a revised map area corresponding to the location identifier based on the initial map area and user feedback data; and

providing the determined revised map area to subsequent users searching using the location identifier;

wherein the revised map area comprises a different map area than the initial map area and has a higher click coverage according to historical user click data and wherein all map areas comprise geographical map areas bound by latitude and longitude coordinates.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a specification of the revised map area.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating a search results map using the specification of the revised map area.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing the search results map to a user in response to a query from the user comprising the location identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the revised map area is determined by considering an area that is larger than an area encompassed by the initial map area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the revised map area comprises considering a set of candidate map areas, computing a score for each candidate map area that is a function of one or more metrics, and selecting a candidate map area with a highest score as the revised map area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the revised map area is determined based at least in part on a click coverage metric that represents clicks received within an area encompassed by the revised map area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the revised map area is determined based at least in part on a zoom level metric that represents an extent of geographical area covered by the revised map area.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the revised map area is determined based at least in part on an intercentroid distance metric that represents a distance between an average location of clicks received in an area encompassed by the revised map area and a center of the revised map area.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user feedback data indicates past user behavior with respect to either or both a search results listing and a search results map provided in response to a query comprising the location identifier.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the user feedback data satisfies a targeting condition.

12. A system, comprising:

a processor configured to;

obtain an initial map area corresponding to a prescribed location identifier from a third-party mapping service, wherein the location identifier identifies a geographical region;

store user feedback data from a plurality of different users received with respect to one or more past map areas presented for the location identifier, wherein the user feedback data comprises historical user click data including latitude and longitude coordinates of where the users click;

determine a revised map area corresponding to the location identifier based on the initial map area and user feedback data; and

provide the determined revised map area to subsequent users searching using the location identifier;

wherein the revised map area comprises a different map area than the initial map area and has a higher click coverage according to historical user click data and wherein all map areas comprise geographical map areas bound by latitude and longitude coordinates; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide instructions to the processor.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the revised map area is determined by considering an area that is larger than an area encompassed by the initial map area.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein to determine the revised map area comprises considering a set of candidate map areas, computing a score for each candidate map area that is a function of one or more metrics, and selecting a candidate map area with a highest score as the revised map area.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the revised map area is determined based at least in part on a click coverage metric that represents clicks received within an area encompassed by the revised map area.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the revised map area is determined based at least in part on a zoom level metric that represents an extent of geographical area covered by the revised map area.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the revised map area is determined based at least in part on an intercentroid distance metric that represents a distance between an average location of clicks received in an area encompassed by the revised map area and a center of the revised map area.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the user feedback data indicates past user behavior with respect to either or both a search results listing and a search results map provided in response to a query comprising the location identifier.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the user feedback data satisfies a targeting condition.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to store a specification of the revised map area.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a search results map using the specification of the revised map area.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the processor is further configured to provide the search results map to a user in response to a query from the user comprising the location identifier.

21. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

obtaining an initial map area corresponding to a prescribed location identifier from a third-party mapping service, wherein the location identifier identifies a geographical region;

storing user feedback data from a plurality of different users received with respect to one or more past map areas presented for the location identifier, wherein the user feedback data comprises historical user click data including latitude and longitude coordinates of where the users click;

determining a revised map area corresponding to the location identifier based on the initial map area and user feedback data; and

providing the determined revised map area to subsequent users searching using the location identifier;

wherein the revised map area comprises a different map area than the initial map area and has a higher click coverage according to historical user click data and wherein all map areas comprise geographical map areas bound by latitude and longitude coordinates.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the revised map area is determined by considering an area that is larger than an area encompassed by the initial map area.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein determining the revised map area comprises considering a set of candidate map areas, computing a score for each candidate map area that is a function of one or more metrics, and selecting a candidate map area with a highest score as the revised map area.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the revised map area is determined based at least in part on a click coverage metric that represents clicks received within an area encompassed by the revised map area.

25. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the revised map area is determined based at least in part on a zoom level metric that represents an extent of geographical area covered by the revised map area.

26. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the revised map area is determined based at least in part on an intercentroid distance metric that represents a distance between an average location of clicks received in an area encompassed by the revised map area and a center of the revised map area.

27. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the user feedback data indicates past user behavior with respect to either or both a search results listing and a search results map provided in response to a query comprising the location identifier.

28. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the user feedback data satisfies a targeting condition.

31. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising computer instructions for storing a specification of the revised map area.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, further comprising computer instructions for generating a search results map using the specification of the revised map area.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, further comprising computer instructions for providing the search results map to a user in response to a query from the user comprising the location identifier.