System and method for automatic searches and advertising

• US 9,245,040 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2006
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: BlackBerry Corporation (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Currie, Robert, Tzamaloukas, Assimakis
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruiz, Angelica
• Application Number:
  US11/525,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,413 Days
• Field of Search: 707600-831, 707/899, 707999001-999206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A system and method provides location-aware search results from a navigation or other device and provides one or more enhanced listings or advertisements with the results to offset the communication cost of the search. The sponsor may be charged for the listing or advertisement and the charge may be based on whether the device arrives in an area around the sponsor location within a threshold amount of time.

Claims

1. A method for providing location-based search results to a device, the method comprising:

identifying a first location of the device;

receiving user input at the device of at least one search term;

providing an identifier of the first location and the at least one search term to a server;

receiving from the server a first set of results corresponding to the at least one search term and the identifier of the first location of the device, the search results including a sponsored listing; and

at least partly defraying communication costs incurred in providing the identifier of the first location and the at least one search term to the server and receiving from the server the first set of results by using a fee paid by a sponsor of the sponsored listing, wherein the communication costs comprise data connection charges.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one search term is selected from a set of predetermined terms.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving user input in relation to the sponsored listing to cause a follow-up action related to the sponsored listing.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the follow-up action comprises obtaining and displaying address information of, or route directions to, a location of the sponsor of the sponsored listing.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining whether the device travels to the location of the sponsor within a threshold period of time and recording an enhanced fee chargeable to the sponsor in response to the device traveling to the location of the sponsor within the threshold period of time.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the follow-up action comprises obtaining and displaying contact information for the sponsor of the sponsored listing and communicating with the sponsor in response to further user input.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a second location of the device; and

when the second location of the device is different from the first location of the device by at least a distance threshold, providing an identifier of the second location to the server and receiving a second set of results from the server corresponding to the at least one search term and the identifier of the second location of the device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the second set of results is automatically received in response to the identifier of the second location being provided to the server after the at least one search term is provided to the server.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining a time difference between identifying the first location and the second location of the device, and when the time difference exceeds a time threshold, receiving the second set of results.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the second set of results is automatically received in response to the identifier of the second location and the at least one search term being provided to the server.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer readable program code for configuring a computer to receive search results:

identifying a first location of a device;

receiving user input from a user interface of the device of at least one search term;

providing an identifier of the first location and the at least one search term to a server;

receiving from the server a first set of results corresponding to the search term and the identifier of the first location of the device, the search results including a sponsored listing; and

wherein communication costs associated with providing the identifier of the first location and the at least one search term to a server and receiving from the server the first set of results are at least partly defrayed by a sponsor of the sponsored listing using a fee paid by the sponsor for the sponsored listing, wherein the communication costs comprise one or both of data connection charges.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the at least one search term is selected from a set of predetermined terms.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising code for providing an indication with the search request that the search request is an automatic search request.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 11 further comprising code for:

identifying a second location of the device; and

when the second location is different from the first location by at least a distance threshold, sending a search request comprising an identifier of the second location to the server and receiving a second set of results from the server corresponding to the at least one search term and the identifier of the second location.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein the second set of results is automatically received in response to the identifier of the second location being provided to the server after the at least one search term is provided to the server.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising code for determining a time difference between identifying the first location and the second location of the device, and when the time exceeds a time threshold, receiving the second set of results.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the second set of results is automatically received in response to the identifier of the second location and the at least one search term being provided to the server.

18. A device comprising:

a location identifier adapted to identify a location of the device; and

a search manager adapted to;

receive user input via a user interface that includes at least one search term;

provide an identifier of a first location of the device from the location identifier and the at least one search term to a server;

receive, from the server, a first set of results corresponding to the at least one search term and the identifier of the first location of the device, the search results including a sponsored listing; and

wherein communication costs associated with providing the identifier of the first location and the at least one search term to a server and receiving from the server the first set of results are at least partly defrayed by a sponsor of the sponsored listing using a fee paid by the sponsor for the sponsored listing, wherein the communication costs comprise one or both of data connection charges.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the at least one search term is selected from a set of predetermined terms.

20. The device of claim 18 wherein the search manager is further adapted to:

receive a second location of the device from the location identifier;

when the second location of the device is different from the first location of the device by at least a distance threshold, the search manager is adapted to provide an identifier of the second location to the server and receive a second set of results from the server corresponding to the at least one search term and the identifier of the second location of the device.

21. The device of claim 20, further comprising an automatic search execution manger adapted to compare the first location of the device and the second location of the device and to provide an indication to the search manager in the event a difference between the first location of the device and the second location of the device exceeds the distance threshold.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the automatic search execution manager is arranged to determine a time difference between identifying the first location and the second location of the device, and when the time difference exceeds a time threshold, receiving the second set of results.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the second set of results is received by the search manager after the first set of results is received by the search manager.