Ranking of geographic information

• US 9,684,727 B1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Balakrishnan, Ramesh, Katragadda, Lalitesh, Norris, James S., Ito, Keith, Muller, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHONG H
• Application Number:
  US13/620,572
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 707723, 707724, 707748
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

Ranking of geographic information includes receiving information about geographic features, identifying documents based on the information, each document being associated with one of the geographic features, and generating a rank score for each document based on one or more properties of the geographic feature associated with the document.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving information about a geographic feature;

identifying a plurality of contexts related to the geographic feature, and

for each context, identifying a distinct respective ranking function for generating rank scores for geographic features, where each context is a respective purpose of a query; and

generating, for each context, using the respective ranking function for the context and based on a relationship between the geographic feature and at least another geographic feature, a rank score for the geographic feature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of contexts comprise at least a context of tourism or a context of real-estate investment.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the rank scores comprises generating the rank scores based on at least one of the area occupied by the geographic feature, the population density of the geographic feature, the total length of roads of the geographic feature, economic factors associated with the geographic feature, infrastructure quality of the geographic feature, or visual prominence of the geographic feature.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the rank scores comprises generating the rank scores based on a confidence score associated with the source of the information, the confidence score being higher for a more reliable source.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the geographic feature comprises a road, and the rank scores are generated based on at least one of the total length of the road, the width of the road, the number of lanes of the road, the type of paving of the road, the capacity of the road, or the degree of networking of the road.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the degree of networking comprises at least one of the number of intersections with other roads, the degree of access to the general public, the complexity of intersections with other roads, or the prominence of intersections with other roads.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the respective rank score for each context for later use by a search engine.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving first information about a first plurality of geographic features and a context, each geographic feature having a type and a rank score that is generated (i) using a respective ranking function for the type of the geographic feature that is specific to the context and (ii) based on a relationship between the geographic feature and at least another geographic feature;

receiving second information identifying a first geographic feature not in the first plurality of geographic features, the first geographic feature having a first type;

generating a first rank score for the first geographic feature using the ranking function for the first type specific to the context, parameters of the ranking function including the rank scores for geographic features in the first plurality of geographic features; and

modifying, for each geographic feature in a second plurality of geographic features, the respective rank score based on the first rank score according to the ranking function for the type of the geographic feature specific to the context, wherein geographic features in the second plurality of geographic features are geographically connected to the first geographic feature.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first geographic feature comprises a transportation network and a geographic feature in the first plurality of geographic features comprises a segment of the transportation network.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing the first rank score to at least one of a search engine, a map application, or a navigation application.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein a geographic feature in the first plurality of geographic features is located within the first geographic feature.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the first geographic feature comprises a road, and a geographic feature in the first plurality of geographic features comprises a point of interest or a listing associated with the road.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the first geographic feature comprises a point of interest or a listing, and a geographic feature in the first plurality of geographic features comprises a road associated with the point of interest or the listing.

14. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving information about a geographic feature;

identifying a plurality of contexts related to the geographic feature, and

for each context, identifying a distinct respective ranking function for generating rank scores for geographic features, where each context is a respective purpose of a query; and

generating, for each context, using the respective ranking function for the context, a rank score for the geographic feature,

wherein the geographic feature comprises a road, and the rank scores are generated based on at least one of the total length of the road, the width of the road, the number of lanes of the road, the type of paving of the road, the capacity of the road, or the degree of networking of the road.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the degree of networking comprises at least one of the number of intersections with other roads, the degree of access to the general public, the complexity of intersections with other roads, or the prominence of intersections with other roads.