Systems and Methods to Sort Information Related to Entities Having Different Locations

• US 20100036807A1
• Filed: 08/05/2008
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: YellowPages.com LLC (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Inventors: LIESKE, Jay H. JR., CHAPPELL, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,423,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

Systems and methods sort location dependent information based on selecting multiple groups of information according to location, ordering the groups based on location, and ordering the information within the groups based on at least one or more other criteria. The size(s) of the areas used to select the groups may be predetermined, or dynamically determined (e.g., based on clustering of information along distance to a location of interest).

Claims

1. A method implemented on a data processing system to prioritize a plurality of listings, the method comprising:

identifying a first set of listings located within a first geographic area;

sorting the first set of listings according to a parameter to generate a first sorted set;

identifying a second set of listings located within a second geographic area;

sorting the second set of listings according to the parameter to generate a second sorted set; and

appending the second sorted set to the first sorted set.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the first and second geographic areas based on clustering of listings along distance to a location of interest.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a third set of listings located within a third geographic area;

sorting the third set of listings according to the parameter to generate a third sorted set; and

appending the third sorted set to the second sorted set.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a search request from a customer, the search request including an indication of a location within the first geographic area; and

responsive to the search request, forwarding the first, second and third sorted sets.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first, second and third sorted sets include telephone listings of business entities.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the parameter is based on at least one of advertisement fee, user rating, and popularity.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the first, second and third sorted sets include at least one advertisement presented in response to the search request.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the first geographic area is centered at the location indicated in the search request;

the second geographic area comprises a ring surrounding the first geographic area; and

the third geographic area comprises a ring surrounding the second geographic area.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first, second and third geographic areas are separated by concentric circles centered at the location indicated in the search result.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the search request includes a keyword;

and the parameter is based at least in part on relatedness to the keyword.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting a size of the first geographic area according to a number of listings to be identified in the first geographic area.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a location of interest to a requester;

adjusting a size of the first geographic area centered at the location according to a desired number of listings to be identified in the first geographic area;

adjusting a size of the second geographic area surrounding the first geographic area according to a desired number of listings to be identified in the second geographic area; and

forwarding the first and second sorted sets to the requester.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second sorted sets comprise advertisements.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the size of the first geographic area is based on a distance from the location of interest.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving a search request from a customer;

identifying a location of interest; and

responsive to the search request, providing a plurality of listings according to a sorted order, including first listings followed by second listings, the first listings being located within a first geographic area and sorted according to a parameter, the second listings being located within a second geographic area outside the first geographic area and sorted according to the parameter, the first geographic area being closer to the location of interest than the second geographic area;

wherein the parameter is not based on a distance to the location of interest.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining a size of the first geographic area in response to the search request.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second listings are followed by third listings, the third listings being located within a third geographic area outside the first and second geographic areas and sorted according to the parameter, the first and second geographic areas being closer to the location of interest than the third geographic area;

wherein the second and third geographic areas are concentric rings surrounding the first geographic area.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of listings comprises telephone numbers of a plurality of entities and at least one advertisement of the plurality of entities.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein a difference between an inner radius of the second geographic area and an outer radius of the second geographic area is more than 0.1 mile.

20. A data processing system, comprising:

means for identifying a first set of listings located within a first geographic area;

means for sorting the first set of listings according to a parameter to generate a first sorted set;

means for identifying a second set of listings located within a second geographic area;

means for sorting the second set of listings according to the parameter to generate a second sorted set; and

means for appending the second sorted set to the first sorted set.