Mapping item categories to ambiguous queries by geo-location

• US 9,773,018 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2013
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Cheung, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Baoquoc N
• Application Number:
  US14/067,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20150052171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 707999003, 707706, 707740
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means

Abstract

A method, system, and article of manufacture for disambiguating ambiguous queries based on location information. The system receives a query and location information for where the query was transmitted. Business information is requested from a GPS service. Based on the business information, a plurality of item categories are constrained to an item category related to the business information that satisfies the query. The constrained item category is sent to the user. The system may detect the absence of an item category related to the business information that satisfies the query, and may then determine one or more item category that does not meet the query but is related to the business information, to provide to the user. Other information related to the transmission of the query, such as the type of device, background audio, and the activity of the user, may used to constrain the plurality of item categories.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving by a least one computer processor, from a client device, a query including an ambiguity that ambiguously identifies an item to be purchased, wherein the item is offered for sale in a category that unambiguously identifies the item, and the ambiguity comprises the query not identifying the category that unambiguously identifies the item; and

matching the category that ambiguously identifies the item with the category that unambiguously identifies the item by;

receiving, by the at least one computer processor, information that comprises a location from which the query was transmitted and a name of a business located at the location from which the query was transmitted, wherein the information that comprises the location from which the query was transmitted and the name of the business located at the location from which the query was transmitted, is received via a system that employs satellite information;

using the name of the business, located at the location from which the query was transmitted, as a search query to search a database of categories of items offered for sale by businesses;

searching the database of categories of items offered for sale by businesses to locate the category that unambiguously identifies the item by detecting a business type of the business located at the location from which the query was transmitted; and

responsive to locating the category that unambiguously identifies the item, providing to the client device an offer for sale of at least one item in the located category that unambiguously identifies the item.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information further comprises music playing in a background at the location from which the query was transmitted, and an artist of the music, the method further comprising:

searching the database of categories;

obtaining a category relating to the artist; and

providing to the client device an offer for sale of at least one item in the category relating to the artist.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the information indicates activity of a user.

4. One or more computer-readable hardware storage devices having embedded therein a set of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to execute operations comprising:

receiving, from a client device, a query including an ambiguity that ambiguously identifies an item to be purchased, wherein the item is offered for sale in a category that unambiguously identifies the item, and the ambiguity comprises the query not identifying the category that unambiguously identifies the item; and

matching the category that ambiguously identifies the item with the category that unambiguously identifies the item by;

receiving, by the one or more processors, information that comprises a location from which the query was transmitted and a name of a business located at the location from which the query was transmitted, wherein the information that comprises the location from which the query was transmitted and the name of the business located at the location from which the query was transmitted, is received via a system that employs satellite information;

using the name of the business, located at the location from which the query was transmitted, as a search query to search a database of categories of items offered for sale by businesses;

searching the database of categories of items offered for sale by businesses to locate the category that unambiguously identifies the item by detecting a business type of the business located at the location from which the query was transmitted; and

responsive to locating the category that unambiguously identifies the item, providing to the client device an offer for sale of at least one item that is offered for sale in the category that unambiguously identifies the item.

5. The one or more computer-readable hardware storage devices of claim 4 wherein the information further comprises music playing in the background at the location from which the query was transmitted, and an artist of the music, the method further comprising:

searching the database of categories;

obtaining a category relating to the artist; and

providing to the client device an offer for sale of at least one item in the category relating to the artist.

6. The one or more computer-readable hardware storage devices of claim 4 wherein the information indicates activity of a user.

7. A system comprising:

one or more computer processors and storage configured to;

receive from a client machine a query including an ambiguity that ambiguously identifies an item to be purchased, wherein the item is offered for sale in a category that unambiguously identifies the item, and the ambiguity comprises the query not identifying the category that unambiguously identifies the item; and

match the category that ambiguously identifies the item with the category that unambiguously identifies the item by;

receipt of information that comprises a location from which the query was transmitted and a name of a business located at the location from which the query was transmitted, wherein the information that comprises the location from which the query was transmitted and the name of a business located at the location from which the query was transmitted, is received from a system that employs satellite information;

use of the name of the business, located at the location from which the query was transmitted, as a search query to search a database;

search a database of categories of items offered for sale by businesses to locate the category that unambiguously identifies the item that is offered for sale by businesses by detection of a business type of the business located at the location from which the query was transmitted; and

responsive to location of the category that unambiguously identifies the item, transmission to the client machine of an offer for sale of at least one item in the located category.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the information further comprises music playing in a background at the location from which the query was transmitted, and an artist of the music, the one or more computer processors and storage further configured to:

search the database of categories;

obtain a category relating to the artist; and

provide to the client device an offer for sale of at least one item in the category relating to the artist.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the information indicates activity of a user.