Density modified search results

• US 10,282,478 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2014
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perry Street Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Perry Street Software, Inc.
• Inventors: Silverberg, Eric, Marchant, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Bibbee, Jared M
• Application Number:
  US14/462,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20160048590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

The present disclosure is related to a system and a method for varying search results of a user-based networking application. In one example, the disclosure includes a method that includes operations such as accessing from a processing element a results list responsive to an inquiry, determining by the processing element a population density corresponding to a selected location; and based on the population density, varying by the processing element one or more parameters of the results list for displaying on a user device.

Claims

1. A method for varying search results of a user-based networking application, comprising:

accessing from a processing element a results list responsive to an inquiry, the results list containing information;

determining by the processing element a population density corresponding to a selected location;

determining by the processing element an error criterion dependent on the determined population density; and

modifying, by the processing element, the information of the results list by introducing an error into the information of the results list according to the error criterion, to create a modified-results list having the information with the error for display on a user device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the results list to, receiving the inquiry from, and displaying the modified-results list on the user device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the error criterion is dependent on a population density of user devices within the selected location.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the error criterion comprises a random error introduced into the information.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein introducing the error according to the error criterion comprises a modification of the location information such that the level of error in the location information is within a percentage range compared to the initial parameter.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the error criterion comprises a decimal location for introduction of the error.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the error is introduced by replacing the information of the results list at the decimal location with a different number to generate the modified-results list.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the different number is a random number used to generate the modified-results list.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the error criterion comprises a number of significant digits that remain unchanged in the information of the results list.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the error criterion comprises a mathematical function; and

the error is introduces by applying the mathematical function to the information of the original results list to generate the modified-results list.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the error criterion that is dependent on a determined population density comprises establishing a threshold population density for triggering introduction of the error according to the error criterion.

4. A method for varying search results of a user-based networking application, comprising:

receiving an inquiry from a querying user device and generating a results list based thereon;

determining by a processing element a population density corresponding to a selected location;

based on the population density, introducing by the processing element an error into the information of the results list to produce a modified results list for display on the querying user device, thereby increasing a level of error of the results list for display; and

transmitting the results list with the introduced error to the querying user device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the population density corresponds to a population density of users of the networking application encompassed within the selected location.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving data on a location of the user device, wherein the selected location is a location of the querying user device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the information of the results list relates to locations of one or more member devices within the selected location.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining one or more actual member locations corresponding to the locations of the one or more member devices within the selected location.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein introducing the error by the processing element into the information of the results list comprises:

determining by the processing element an error criterion, wherein one or more characteristics of the error criterion is selected based on the population density; and

modifying by the processing element the one or more actual member locations by the error criterion.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the error criterion comprises a decimal location for insertion of a random number.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the error criterion comprises a magnitude of potential error, which magnitude is dependent on the population density.

12. A system for providing results to one or more user devices comprising:

a network for transmitting data; and

a server in communication with the network and configured to perform the following operations;

receive an inquiry from a querying user device, the inquiry including a location and a distance characteristic related to the location;

determine a population density of the location;

based on the population density, determining an error criterion;

introducing an error into location information of a results list of the inquiry by modifying the location information of the results list according to the error criterion to generate a modified-results list having an increased level of error in the location information; and

transmit the modified-results list to the querying user device.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising a querying user device in communication with the network, wherein the querying user device is configured to perform the following operations:

transmit to the server the inquiry;

receive the modified-results list from the server; and

display on a display screen the modified-results list, wherein the modified-results list is displayed in a grid configuration.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of member user devices in communication with the network, wherein the plurality of member user devices are configured to perform the following operations:

transmit to the server an actual location of the member user device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the server is further configured to:

modify the one or more actual member locations by the error criterion.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the error criterion comprises a decimal location for insertion of a random number.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the error criterion comprises a magnitude of potential error.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the introduction of the error limits the ability of a user to determine the initial location information based on the modified parameter.