Map service with network-based query for search

• US 9,702,721 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2016
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Blumenberg, Christopher, Matas, Michael, Pylappan, Seejo, Williamson, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): BURGESS, JOSEPH D
• Application Number:
  US15/003,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20160265932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

On a mobile device a “live” network-based query for search is performed (e.g., performed automatically) in response to a map display update or other trigger event. In some implementations, when the map display is updated (or other trigger event occurs) a network-based map service is queried to obtain information related to the current location of the mobile device. The information can be presented on the map display. In some implementations, when multiple search results matching the query are provided by the map service, a confirmation request is presented on the mobile device to allow the user to select a search result. The selected search result (e.g., a destination) can be presented on the map display. A route from the current location of the mobile device to a destination can be drawn on the map display.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

obtaining a search query through a graphical user interface of a mobile device, the search query including one or more keywords that describes an entity associated with a plurality of locations;

performing a first search for the entity using the search query and first location information of the mobile device;

obtaining a first search result from the first search, the first search result including a plurality of first locations for the entity, each first location determined to be near the mobile device based on the first location information;

displaying the first search result on a map display of the mobile device, the map display showing a first geographic area associated with the first location information and a plurality of identifiers on the map display, each identifier positioned on the map display at a position that corresponds to a first location of the entity;

determining a second location to which the mobile device is predicted to move from a first location associated with the first location information, wherein the second location is associated with second location information and a second geographic area that is different from the first geographic area;

determining a saturation level of the plurality of identifiers on the map display;

responsive to determining the second location and based on the saturation level;

performing a second search for the entity using search query and the second location information of the mobile device; and

obtaining a second search result for the second search, the second search result identifying a plurality of second new locations for the entity determined to be near the second location to which the mobile device is predicted to move based on the second location information;

determining that the mobile device has moved to the second location; and

in response to determining that the mobile device has moved to the second location, displaying the plurality of new second locations on the map display of the mobile device as a respective plurality of identifiers.

2. The method of claim 1, where the second search is automatically performed in response to determining the second location and based on the saturation level.

3. The method of claim 1, where the entity is a destination.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

presenting on the map display a route between a location associated with the first or second location information of the mobile device and the first location of the destination.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining multiple first or second search results; and

receiving input through the graphical user interface selecting one of the first or second search results.

6. The method of claim 1, where the graphical user interface is presented on a touch sensitive display.

7. The method of claim 1, where the second search results include results associated with a geographic area outside the map display.

8. A system comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising;

obtaining a search query through a graphical user interface of a mobile device, the search query including one or more keywords that describes an entity associated with a plurality of locations;

performing a first search for the entity using the search query and first location information of the mobile device;

obtaining a first search result from the first search, the first search result including a plurality of first locations for the entity determined to be near the mobile device based on the first location information;

displaying the first search result on a map display of the mobile device, the map display showing a first geographic area associated with the first location information and a plurality of first identifiers, each identifier identifying a first location on the map display;

determining a second location to which the mobile device is predicted to move from a first location associated with the first location information, wherein the second location is associated with second location information and a second geographic area that is different from the first geographic area;

determining a saturation level of the plurality of first identifiers on the map display; and

responsive to determining the second location and based on determining the saturation level;

performing a second search for the entity using search query and the second location information of the mobile device; and

obtaining a second search result for the second search, the second search result identifying a plurality of second new locations for the entity determined to be near the second location to which the mobile device is predicted to move based on the second location information.

9. The system of claim 8, where the second search is automatically performed in response to determining the second location and based on the saturation level of the plurality of first indentifiers.

10. The system of claim 8, where the entity is a destination.

11. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

presenting on the map display a route between a location associated with the first or second location information of the mobile device and the first location of the destination.

12. The system of claim 8, where the graphical user interface is presented on a touch sensitive display.

13. The system of claim 8, where the second search results include results associated with a geographic area outside the map display.

20. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the mobile device has moved to the second location; and

in response to determining that the mobile device has moved to the second location, displaying the plurality of new second locations on the map display of the mobile device as a respective plurality of second identifiers.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a search query through a graphical user interface of a mobile device, the search query including one or more keywords that describes an entity associated with a plurality of locations;

performing a first search for the entity using the search query and first location information of the mobile device;

obtaining a first search result from the first search, the first search result including a plurality of first locations for the entity determined to be near the mobile device based on the first location information;

displaying the first search result on a map display of the mobile device, the map display showing a first geographic area associated with the first location information, the first search result displayed as a plurality of first identifiers displayed at a plurality of respective positions on the map display, each position corresponding to a first location;

determining a second location to which the mobile device is predicted to move from a first location associated with the first location information, wherein the second location is associated with second location information and a second geographic area that is different from the first geographic area;

determining a saturation level of the plurality of first identifiers on the map display;

responsive to determining the second location and based on the saturation level;

performing a second search for the entity using search query and the second location information of the mobile device; and

obtaining a second search result for the second search, the second search result identifying a plurality of second new locations for the entity determined to be near the second location to which the mobile device is predicted to move based on the second location information;

determining that the mobile device has moved to the second location;

in response to determining that the mobile device has moved to the second location, displaying the plurality of new second locations on the map display of the mobile device as a respective plurality of identifiers; and

determining that the second search has been performed based on a saturation level of the plurality of identifiers on the map.

15. The medium of claim 14, where the second search is automatically performed in response to determining the second location and based on the saturation level.

16. The medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

presenting on the map display a route between a location associated with the first or second location information of the mobile device and the first location of the destination.

17. The medium of claim 14, the operations further comprising:

obtaining multiple first or second search results; and

receiving input through the graphical user interface selecting one of the first or second search results.

18. The medium of claim 14, where the second search results include results associated with a geographic area outside the map display.

19. A system comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising;

obtaining a search query through a graphical user interface of a mobile device, the search query including one or more keywords that describes an entity associated with a plurality of locations;

performing a first search for the entity using the search query and first location information of the mobile device;

obtaining a first search result from the first search, the first search result including a plurality of first locations for the entity determined to be near the mobile device based on the first location information;

displaying the plurality of first locations identified in the first search result on a map display of the mobile device as a plurality of first identifiers, the map display showing a first geographic area associated with the first location information, each first identifier corresponding to a respective first location;

determining that the mobile device has moved from a first location associated with the first location information to a second location associated with second location information and a second geographic area that is different from the first geographic area;

displaying the second geographic area instead of the first geographic area in the map display;

determining a saturation level of the plurality of first identifiers on the map display; and

responsive to determining the saturation level of the plurality of first identifiers on the map display, performing a second search for the entity using the search query and the second location information for the mobile device.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to performing the second search for the entity using the search query and the second location information for the mobile device, obtaining from the network-based service a plurality of second search results for the second search identifying a plurality of new second locations for the entity determined to be near the mobile device based on the second location information; and

displaying the plurality of new second locations on the map display of the mobile device as a respective plurality of identifiers.