Method and apparatus for multi-item searching

• US 8,725,706 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2010
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ollila, Elina Maria Inkeri, Immonen, Olli Esa, Arrasvuori, Juha Henrik, Rautava, Mika Antero, Tudor, Michael James, Berus, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Isaac M
• Application Number:
  US12/784,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20110238690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 707600-899
• US Class Current: 707/700
• 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; and

causing, at least in part, presentation of a user interface depicting an animation relating to a search location associated with the one or more search criteria based, at least in part, on the search, one or more results of the search, the one or more services, or a combination thereof, wherein the animation includes, at least in part, one or more ripples emanating from a search location.

2. A method of claim 1, 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; and

causing, at least in part, presentation of at least one of the one or more locations of interest in the user interface based, at least in part, on the determination that the edge of at least one of the one or more ripples is within a predetermined distance of the at least one location of interest.

3. A method of claim 2, 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 one or more search criteria, the another search location, the one or more other 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 search location; and

determining that another edge of at least one of the one or more other ripples is within a predetermined distance of the one location of interest, wherein the presentation of the at least one location of interest is further based, at least in part, on the determination with respect to the another edge.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein the input, the another input, or a combination thereof include, at least in part, a respective time parameter, the method further comprising:

determining whether hours of operation of the at least one location of interest are within the time parameters, wherein the presentation of the one at least 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 a combination thereof include, at least in part, a respective time parameter, the method further comprising:

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

generating a recommendation specifying a plurality of the one or more 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 at least one location of interest is further based, at least in part, on a proximity of the at least 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, at least in part, on the length of time, wherein the presentation of the one or more ripples is 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 a combination thereof 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 include, at least in part, 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 search 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 a 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, at least in part, on the context information.

14. A method of claim 1, wherein the animation includes, at least in part, one or more ripples emanating from the search location, the method further comprising:

causing, at least in part, presentation of at least one location of interest that is within proximity, a predetermined distance, or a combination thereof of an edge of at least one of the one or more ripples.

15. 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; and

cause, at least in part, presentation of a user interface depicting an animation relating to a search location associated with the one or more search criteria based, at least in part, on the search, one or more results of the search, the one or more services, or a combination thereof, wherein the animation includes, at least in part, one or more ripples emanating from a search location.

16. An apparatus of claim 15, 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; and

cause, at least in part, presentation of at least one of the one or more locations of interest in the user interface based, at least in part, on the determination that the edge of at least one of the one or more ripples is within a predetermined distance of the at least one location of interest.

17. An apparatus of claim 16, 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 one or more search criteria, the another search location, the one or more other 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 one or more other ripples is within a predetermined distance of the at least one location of interest, wherein the presentation of the at least one location of interest is further based, at least in part, on the determination with respect to the another edge.

18. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein characteristics of the presentation of the at least one location of interest is further based, at least in part, on a proximity of the at least 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.

19. An apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more services include, at least in part, 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 search criteria.

20. An apparatus of claim 19, 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.