System and method of displaying search results based on density

• US 8,037,166 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2009
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Procopiuc, Octavian, Kang, Nina, Seefeld, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter; Kenneth R
• Application Number:
  US12/359,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20100191797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/203, 709217-219, 709/223, 707/724, 707/723, 707/735, 707/736, 707/754, 707/756, 707/769, 707/780, 707/918, 707/919, 707/921
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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

A system and method is provided of generating a map. In one aspect, the map is selected based on a location provided by a user and listings are selected based on their proximity to the location, whether they match a query provided by the user, and the number of matching listings within regions of the map.

Claims

1. A method, executing on hardware, of providing a map covering an area comprising:

receiving a query, wherein the query includes a search term and a search area;

determining matching listings, wherein a matching listing comprises a listing associated with a geographic location within the search area having information corresponding to the search term;

dividing the search area into a plurality of regions and selecting a number of matching listings for each region, wherein for each region the selected number of matching listings is proportional to the density of matching listings in that region;

determining a score for each matching listing in a given region;

smoothing the score for each matching listing in the given region based on a distance between the geographical location associated with the matching listing and a location within the given region;

using the smoothed scores for each matching listing in the given region to select the number of matching listings for the given region; and

providing a map of the search area and information about the selected number of matching listings for each region in the search area.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a listing has information corresponding to the search term when the listing has information that includes the search term.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a matching listing comprises a business listing associated with a street address.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the search area is determined from the coordinates of a map that is displayed to the user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of regions are substantially equal in area.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the information about the selected number of matching listings for each region comprises a second map showing the location of at least one of the selected number of matching listings.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising compositing the second map with the map of the search area.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the information about the selected number of matching listings for each region comprises text data for at least one of the selected number of matching listings.

9. A system of providing a map covering an area comprising:

a memory having instructions stored therein; and

a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory in order to;

receive a query, wherein the query includes a search term and a search area;

determine matching listings, wherein a matching listing comprises a listing associated with a geographic location within the search area having information corresponding to the search term;

divide the search area into a plurality of regions and select a number of matching listings for each region, wherein for each region the selected number of matching listings is proportional to the density of matching listings in that region;

determine a score for each matching listing in a given region;

smooth the score for each matching listing in the given region based on a distance between the geographical location associated with the matching listing and a location within the given region;

use the smoothed scores for each matching listing in the given region to select the number of matching listings for the given region; and

provide a map of the search area and information about the selected number of matching listings for each region in the search area.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein a listing has information corresponding to the search term when the listing has information that includes the search term.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein a matching listing comprises a business listing associated with a street address.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the search area is determined from the coordinates of a map that is displayed to the user.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the plurality of regions are substantially equal in area.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the information about the selected number of matching listings for each region comprises a second map showing the location of at least one of the selected number of matching listings.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions to composite the second map with the map of the search area.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the information about the selected number of matching listings for each region comprises text data for at least one of the selected number of matching listings.