Data engine for ranking popularity of landmarks in a geographical area

• US 7,831,381 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2005
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Thota, Chandrasekhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATTON, SPENCER D
• Application Number:
  US11/197,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20070032942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,923 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701208-210, 701/206, 701/207, 701/211, 340/995.13, 340/995.14, 340/995.24
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/008 Touring maps or guides to public transport networks

Abstract

A mechanism of rating, ranking and/or filtering landmarks located in a predefined geographic area is provided. More particularly, the subject mechanisms can facilitate rating landmarks and related criteria (e.g., points of interest (POI)) associated therewith. Thus, the mechanisms can facilitate intelligent rendering of landmark choices to users. The subject innovation facilitates rating the landmarks by analyzing items and entities in proximity to each landmark. A popularity index rating represents a sum of the number of POIs, number of commonly named entities and number of access routes to the landmark. Accordingly, this popularity index rating can allow users to rank, filter and sort landmarks in the order of popularity or interest thus maximizing available sightseeing time.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates ranking landmarks within a geographical area, comprising:

a data reception component configured to receive data that identifies the geographical area;

a processor configured to access a database to identify a landmark located within the identified geographical area and to construct a popularity index relating to the landmark, the popularity index is constructed by factoring a quantity of access routes to the identified landmark, a quantity of additional landmarks within a defined distance from the identified landmark, and a common name factor, wherein the quantity of access routes represents a numerical value of access routes that grant access to the landmark and the common name factor includes other landmarks that share at least part of a name with the identified landmark; and

a rating component configured to establish a rating of the identified landmark based at least in part upon the popularity index, wherein the rating component applies a separate weight value to both the quantity of access routes and the common name factor,

and wherein the rating is at least one of stored on a computer readable storage medium, displayed on a display device, employed by one or more processes executed on one or more processors, or transmitted between two or more processes executing on one or more processors.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data identifies a city.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a ranking component configured to rank the identified landmark against one or more disparate landmarks based at least in part upon the rating and one or more disparate ratings that correspond to the one or more disparate landmarks.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the system displays the identified landmark and the one or more disparate landmarks in order of the popularity index associated with the landmark and the one or more disparate landmarks such that a landmark with a highest popularity index is displayed first.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the geographical area is defined by a radius, the radius is based at least in part upon a user defined preference.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the rating component performs a summation of each of the popularity index factors to determine the popularity index.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor analyzes temporal factors to determine the popularity index, wherein the temporal factors include a time of day or a time of year.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor analyzes demographic information of a user to determine the popularity index, wherein the demographic information includes age of the user.

9. A computer-implemented method in a computerized environment for ranking landmarks within a geographical area, the method comprising:

identifying a geographical area, wherein the geographical area is a city;

identifying a landmark located within the geographical area;

determining, utilizing a first computer process, a popularity index for the landmark located within the geographical area, wherein determining the popularity index includes;

(i) identifying a quantity of access routes that grant access to the landmark, wherein the quantity of access routes represents a numerical value of access routes that grant access to the landmark;

(ii) identifying a quantity of additional landmarks within a defined distance from the landmark; and

(iii) identifying a common name factor, wherein the common name factor includes others other landmarks that share at least a part of a name with the landmark;

rating, utilizing a second computer process, the landmark based at least in part on the popularity index, wherein rating the landmark includes applying a separate weight value to each of the quantity of access routes, the quantity of additional landmarks within a defined distance from the landmark, and the common name factor, and wherein the weight factor is determined based on user preference; and

displaying the rating of the landmark,

wherein the first and second computer processes are executed utilizing one or more computing devices.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the popularity index further includes identifying demographic information of a user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the demographic information of a user is an age of the user.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the popularity index further includes identifying temporal factors.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein temporal factors include a time of day and a time of year.

14. A computer-implemented method in a computerized environment for ranking landmarks within a geographical area, the method comprising:

identifying a geographical area, wherein the geographical area is a city;

identifying a plurality of landmarks located within the geographical area;

determining, utilizing a first computer process, a first popularity index for a first landmark within the geographical area, wherein determining the first popularity index includes;

(i) identifying a first quantity of access routes that grant access to the first landmark, wherein the first quantity of access routes represents a numerical value of access routes that grant access to the first landmark;

(ii) identifying a first quantity of additional landmarks within a defined distance from the first landmark; and

(iii) identifying a first common name factor, wherein the first common name factor includes other landmarks that share at least a part of a name with the first landmark;

applying a separate weight value to each of the first quantity of access routes, the first quantity of additional landmarks within a defined distance from the first landmark, and the first common name factor, wherein the weight factor is determined based on user preference;

determining, utilizing a second computer process, a second popularity index for a second landmark within the geographical area, wherein determining the second popularity index includes;

(i) identifying a second quantity of access routes that grant access to the second landmark, wherein the second quantity of access routes represents a numerical value of access routes that grant access to the second landmark;

(ii) identifying a second quantity of additional landmarks within a defined distance from the second landmark; and

(iii) identifying a second common name factor, wherein the second common name factor includes other landmarks that share at least a part of a name with the second landmark;

applying a separate weight factor to each of the second quantity of access routes, the second quantity of additional landmarks within a defined distance from the second landmark, and the second common name factor, wherein the weight factor is determined based on user preference;

ranking the first landmark and the second landmark based upon the first popularity index and the second popularity index; and

displaying a list of landmarks including the first landmark and the second landmark, wherein the list of landmarks is organized such that a landmark with a highest popularity index is displayed first on the list,

wherein the first and second computer processes are executed utilizing one or more computing devices.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein ranking landmarks includes performing a summation of each of the first popularity index factors to determine the first popularity index and performing a summation of each of the second popularity index factors to determine the second popularity index.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the geographical area is defined by a radius, wherein the radius is based at least in part on a user defined preference.