Method and Apparatus for Multi-Item Searching

• US 20110238690A1
• Filed: 05/20/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Arrasvuori, Juha Henrik, Tudor, Michael James, Berus, Bernard, Rautava, Mika Antero, Ollila, Elina Maria Inkeri, Immonen, Olli Esa
• Granted Patent: US 8,725,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

An approach is provided for multi-item searching. A searching platform receives an input at a device for specifying one or more search criteria. The searching platform then causes, at least in part, a search for one or more services based, at least in part, on the one or more search criteria, and a presentation of a user interface including an animation based, at least in part, on the search, one or more results of the search, the one or more services, or a combination thereof.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an input at a device for specifying one or more search criteria;

causing, at least in part, a search for one or more services based, at least in part, on the one or more search criteria;

causing, at least in part, presentation of a user interface including an animation based, at least in part, on the search, one or more results of the search, the one or more services, or a combination thereof.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the one or more search criteria include a search location, the method further comprising:

determining one or more locations of interest based, at least in part, on the search location, the one or more search criteria, or a combination thereof;

causing, at least in part, generation of the animation to include one or more ripples emanating from the search location;

determining that an edge of at least one of the ripples is within a predetermined distance of one of the locations of interest; and

causing, at least in part, presentation of the one location of interest in the user interface based, at least in part, on the determination.

3. A method of claim 2, method further comprising:

receiving another input for specifying another search location associated with one or more other search criteria, wherein the search is further based, at least in part, on the search criteria, the another search location, the another search criteria, or a combination thereof;

causing, at least in part, presentation in the user interface of another animation of one or more other ripples emanating from the another location; and

determining that another edge of at least one of the other ripples is within a predetermined distance of the one location of interest,

wherein the presentation of the one location of interest is further based on the determination with respect to the another edge.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein the input, the another input, or both include a respective time parameter, the method further comprising:

determining whether hours of operation of the one location of interest are within the time parameters,

wherein the presentation of the one location of interest is further based, at least in part, on the determination with respect to the time parameters.

5. A method of claim 3, wherein the input, the another input, or both include a respective time parameter, the method further comprising:

receiving information specifying a plurality of destinations from among the locations of interest; and

generating a recommendation specifying one or more of the locations of interest as the respective plurality of destinations based, at least in part, on whether a user can travel among the recommended locations of interest within the time parameters.

6. A method of claim 2, wherein characteristics of the presentation of the one location of interest is further based on a proximity of the one location of interest to the edge of the at least one ripple, the characteristics including, at least in part, visual characteristics, audio characteristics, or a combination thereof.

7. A method of claim 2, wherein the input includes a length of time associated with the search location, the method further comprising:

determining a perimeter based on the length of time,

wherein the presentation of the search ripples are bound by the perimeter and wherein the search is further based, at least in part, on the perimeter.

8. A method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving another input for specifying a frequency, a speed, or both of the ripples,

wherein the animation is based, at least in part, on the another input.

9. A method of claim 1, wherein the one or more services includes at least a social networking service, and wherein the search for the one or more services comprises:

selecting one or more feeds of the social networking service based, at least in part, on the one or more criteria.

10. A method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining whether a user of the device is registered with, logged into, or a combination thereof with respect to the social networking service; and

suggesting registration with, logging into, or the combination thereof with respect to the social networking service based, at least in part on the determination.

11. A method of claim 9, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, association of the one or more feeds with an account of the social network service, the account associated with a user of the device.

12. A method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving authentication credentials associated with the user for accessing the social networking service,

wherein the association of the one or more feeds with the account is based, at least in part, on the authentication credentials.

13. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining context information associated with device, a user of the device, the one or more services, the one or more criteria, or a combination thereof,

wherein the search is further based on the context information.

14. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

receive an input at a device for specifying one or more search criteria;

cause, at least in part, a search for one or more services based, at least in part, on the one or more search criteria;

cause, at least in part, presentation of a user interface including an animation based, at least in part, on the search, one or more results of the search, the one or more services, or a combination thereof.

15. An apparatus of claim 14, wherein the one or more search criteria include a search location, and wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine one or more locations of interest based, at least in part, on the search location, the one or more search criteria, or a combination thereof;

cause, at least in part, generation of the animation to include one or more ripples emanating from the search location;

determine that an edge of at least one of the ripples is within a predetermined distance of one of the locations of interest; and

cause, at least in part, presentation of the one location of interest in the user interface based, at least in part, on the determination.

16. An apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive another input for specifying another search location associated with one or more other search criteria, wherein the search is further based, at least in part, on the search criteria, the another search location, the another search criteria, or a combination thereof;

cause, at least in part, presentation in the user interface of another animation of one or more other ripples emanating from the another location; and

determine that another edge of at least one of the other ripples is within a predetermined distance of the one location of interest,

wherein the presentation of the one location of interest is further based on the determination with respect to the another edge.

17. An apparatus of claim 15, wherein characteristics of the presentation of the one location of interest is further based on a proximity of the one location of interest to the edge of the at least one ripple, the characteristics including, at least in part, visual characteristics, audio characteristics, or a combination thereof.

18. An apparatus of claim 14, wherein the one or more services includes at least a social networking service, and wherein the search for the one or more services causes the apparatus to:

select one or more feeds of the social networking service based, at least in part, on the one or more criteria.

19. An apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine whether a user of the device is registered with, logged into, or a combination thereof with respect to the social networking service; and

suggest registration with, logging into, or the combination thereof with respect to the social networking service based, at least in part on the determination.

20. An apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, association of the one or more feeds with an account of the social network service, the account associated with a user of the device.

21-67. -67. (canceled)