Geo-aware spellchecking and auto-suggest search engines

• US 9,443,036 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: YP Holdings LLC (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Inventors: Sood, Sanjay Chand, Sahu, Sudheer, He, Guobin, Krishnamaneni, Krishna, Chaudhary, Vaibhav, Sugana, Kiran, Diep, Nathan Lih Feng
• Primary Examiner(s): Casanova, Jorge A
• Application Number:
  US14/157,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20140207748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90324 using system suggestions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating geo-aware auto-suggestions for searching are provided. Characters corresponding to user input for a search query to a searching service may be processed prior to completion of the search query. Information about a geographical location may be processed. A geographical area of interest and potential correction(s) may be identified. Geo-specific suggestions may be determined based on the search query and/or a selected correction. The geo-specific suggestions may correspond to one or more identified businesses located in the geographical area of interest. The determining the geo-specific suggestions may include identifying business listing information corresponding to the geographical area of interest and the search query and/or a selected correction. The geo-specific suggestions may be indicated as a user-selectable option to complete the search query in a search query field for a search engine and/or to submit to the search engine as a selected search query.

Claims

1. A method for providing geo-aware auto-suggestions for a search engine, the method comprising:

processing, by a computing system, one or more characters corresponding to user input for a search query to a searching service, wherein the processing is prior to completion of the search query, and wherein the searching service comprises one or more information repositories retaining business listing information about a plurality of businesses;

processing, by the computing system, information about a geographical location, wherein the information about the geographical location corresponds to at least one of;

(a) automatically-gathered location information about the end-user computing device;

(b) user-entered location information gathered from the end user;

(c) location information previously associated with the end-user;

(d) location information previously associated with the end-user computing device; and

(e) location information inferred from the one or more characters corresponding to the search query;

identifying, by the computing system, a geographical area of interest at least partially based on the information about the geographical location;

identifying, by the computing system, one or more potential spelling corrections to at least a portion of the search query based at least in part on (a) the one or more characters of the user input corresponding to the search query being detected in real-time prior to completion of the search query, and (b) the geographical area of interest;

determining, by the computing system, one or more geo-specific suggestions at least partially based on the at least the portion of the search query and/or a selected correction of the one or more potential spelling corrections to the at least the portion of the search query, wherein;

the one or more geo-specific suggestions correspond to one or more identified businesses located in the geographical area of interest; and

the determining the one or more geo-specific suggestions comprises identifying a set of business listing information corresponding to the geographical area of interest and the at least the portion of the search query and/or a selected correction of the one or more potential spelling corrections to the at least the portion of the search query; and

causing, by the computing system, indication of at least one of the one or more geo-specific suggestions as a user-selectable option to complete the search query in a search query field for a search engine and/or submission of the at least one of the one or more geo-specific suggestions to the search engine as a selected search query.

2. The method for providing geo-aware auto-suggestions for the search engine of claim 1, wherein the processing is prior to user entry of additional characters subsequent to the one or more characters corresponding to the search query.

3. The method for providing geo-aware auto-suggestions for the search engine of claim 1, wherein the user-selectable option is presented as a type-ahead user-selectable option in the search query field.

4. The method for providing geo-aware auto-suggestions for the search engine of claim 1, wherein the determining the one or more geo-specific suggestions further comprises determining a relevancy of the at least the portion of the search query to the geographical area of interest and determining one or more relevancies of the one or more potential spelling corrections to the geographical area of interest.

5. The method for providing geo-aware auto-suggestions for the search engine of claim 1, wherein the determining the one or more geo-specific suggestions further comprises assigning one or more relevancy scores to the one or more identified businesses located in the geographical area of interest and to the one or more potential spelling corrections.

6. The method for providing geo-aware auto-suggestions for the search engine of claim 5, wherein the determining the one or more geo-specific suggestions further comprises:

determining a relevancy differential, wherein the relevancy differential is based at least in part on the respective relevancy scores of the one or more relevancy scores assigned to the one or more identified businesses located in the geographical area of interest or the one or more potential spelling corrections; and

determining a relevancy threshold, wherein the relevancy threshold corresponds to at least one of a predetermined acceptable level of confidence and the relevancy differential of at least two of the one or more identified businesses located in the geographical area of interest.

7. The method for providing geo-aware auto-suggestions for the search engine of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of the one or more geo-specific suggestions is based at least in part on the at least the portion of the search query and is indicated a first user-selectable option to complete the search query; and

at least one of the one or more geo-specific suggestions is based at least in part on the one or more potential spelling corrections to the at least the portion of the search query, and is indicated a second user-selectable option to complete the search query.

8. The method for providing geo-aware auto-suggestions for the search engine of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether to generate a list of search results for display or to select for display a page that corresponds to a single search result, the determination being at least partially based on a whether a selection corresponding to the at least one of the one or more geo-specific suggestions is made.

9. The method for providing geo-aware auto-suggestions for the search engine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more potential spelling corrections to at least a portion of the search query corresponds to at least one of removing and replacing a character of the one or more characters of the user input.

10. A system to provide geo-aware auto-suggestions for a search engine, comprising:

one or more network interfaces configured to provide access to one or more networks;

one or more processors coupled to the one or more network interfaces, the one or more processors to execute instructions to;

process one or more characters corresponding to user input for a search query to a searching service, wherein the processing is prior to completion of the search query, and wherein the searching service comprises one or more information repositories retaining business listing information about a plurality of businesses;

process information about a geographical location, wherein the information about the geographical location corresponds to at least one of;

(a) automatically-gathered location information about the end-user computing device;

(b) user-entered location information gathered from the end user;

(c) location information previously associated with the end-user;

(d) location information previously associated with the end-user computing device; and

(e) location information inferred from the one or more characters corresponding to the search query;

identify a geographical area of interest at least partially based on the information about the geographical location;

identify one or more potential spelling corrections to at least a portion of the search query based at least in part on (a) the one or more characters of the user input corresponding to the search query being detected in real-time prior to completion of the search query, and (b) the geographical area of interest;

determine one or more geo-specific suggestions at least partially based on the at least the portion of the search query and/or a selected correction of the one or more potential spelling corrections to the at least the portion of the search query, wherein;

the one or more geo-specific suggestions correspond to one or more identified businesses located in the geographical area of interest; and

the determining the one or more geo-specific suggestions comprises identifying a set of business listing information corresponding to the geographical area of interest and the at least the portion of the search query and/or a selected correction of the one or more potential spelling corrections to the at least the portion of the search query; and

cause indication of at least one of the one or more geo-specific suggestions as a user-selectable option to complete the search query in a search query field for a search engine and/or submission of the at least one of the one or more geo-specific suggestions to the search engine as a selected search query; and

one or more storage media coupled to the one or more processors to retain the instructions.

11. The system to provide geo-aware auto-suggestions for the search engine of claim 10, wherein the processing is prior to user entry of additional characters subsequent to the one or more characters corresponding to the search query.

12. The system to provide geo-aware auto-suggestions for the search engine of claim 10, wherein the user-selectable option is presented as a type-ahead user-selectable option in the search query field.

13. The system to provide geo-aware auto-suggestions for the search engine of claim 10, wherein the determining the one or more geo-specific suggestions further comprises determining a relevancy of the at least the portion of the search query to the geographical area of interest and determining one or more relevancies of the one or more potential spelling corrections to the geographical area of interest.

14. The system to provide geo-aware auto-suggestions for the search

engine of claim 10, wherein the determining the one or more geo-specific suggestions further comprises assigning one or more relevancy scores to the at least the portion of the search query and to the one or more potential spelling corrections.

15. The system to provide geo-aware auto-suggestions for the search engine of claim 10, wherein:

at least one of the one or more geo-specific suggestions is based at least in part on the at least the portion of the search query and is indicated a first user-selectable option to complete the search query; and

at least one of the one or more geo-specific suggestions is based at least in part on the one or more potential spelling corrections to the at least the portion of the search query, and is indicated a second user-selectable option to complete the search query.

16. The system to provide geo-aware auto-suggestions for the search engine of claim 10, the one or more processors to further execute instructions to:

determine whether to generate a list of search results for display or to select for display a page that corresponds to a single search result, the determination being at least partially based on a whether a selection corresponding to the at least one of the one or more geo-specific suggestions is made.

17. One or more non-transitory machine-readable media having machine-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more computers or other processing devices, cause the one or more computers or other processing devices to:

process one or more characters corresponding to user input for a search query to a searching service, wherein the processing is prior to completion of the search query, and wherein the searching service comprises one or more information repositories retaining business listing information about a plurality of businesses;

process information about a geographical location, wherein the information about the geographical location corresponds to at least one of;

(a) automatically-gathered location information about the end-user computing device;

(b) user-entered location information gathered from the end user;

(c) location information previously associated with the end-user;

(d) location information previously associated with the end-user computing device; and

(e) location information inferred from the one or more characters corresponding to the search query;

identify a geographical area of interest at least partially based on the information about the geographical location;

identify one or more potential spelling corrections to at least a portion of the search query based at least in part on (a) the one or more characters of the user input corresponding to the search query being detected in real-time prior to completion of the search query, and (b) the geographical area of interest;

determine one or more geo-specific suggestions at least partially based on the at least the portion of the search query and/or a selected correction of the one or more potential spelling corrections to the at least the portion of the search query, wherein;

the one or more geo-specific suggestions correspond to one or more identified businesses located in the geographical area of interest; and

the determining the one or more geo-specific suggestions comprises identifying a set of business listing information corresponding to the geographical area of interest and the at least the portion of the search query and/or a selected correction of the one or more potential spelling corrections to the at least the portion of the search query; and

cause indication of at least one of the one or more geo-specific suggestions as a user-selectable option to complete the search query in a search query field for a search engine and/or submission of the at least one of the one or more geo-specific suggestions to the search engine as a selected search query.

18. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 17, wherein the processing is prior to user entry of additional characters subsequent to the one or more characters corresponding to the search query.

19. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 17, wherein the user-selectable option is presented as a type-ahead user-selectable option in the search query field.

20. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 17, wherein the determining the one or more geo-specific suggestions further comprises determining a relevancy of the at least the portion of the search query to the geographical area of interest and determining one or more relevancies of the one or more potential spelling corrections to the geographical area of interest.

21. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 17, wherein the determining the one or more geo-specific suggestions further comprises assigning one or more relevancy scores to the at least the portion of the search query and to the one or more potential spelling corrections.

22. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 17, wherein:

at least one of the one or more geo-specific suggestions is based at least in part on the at least the portion of the search query and is indicated a first user-selectable option to complete the search query; and

at least one of the one or more geo-specific suggestions is based at least in part on the one or more potential spelling corrections to the at least the portion of the search query, and is indicated a second user-selectable option to complete the search query.