Information retrieval system and method employing spatially selective features
View Patent ↗A geo-coded database stores advertiser records which include location information. Received search requests are matched with database records based on location information in the search requests and the record location information. In this manner, a user can search for information on a local basis and receive only the most relevant local search results.
1. An information retrieval method employing spatially selective features, the method comprising:
(i) receiving a search request from a user, the search request defining a search area and user locating information;
(ii) automatically defining a minimum search area needed to locate and retrieve a minimum, specified number of search results;
(iii) in a geo-coded database including a plurality of records, each record being associated with a database record owner and including advertising information associated with the database record owner, and each record having geo-locating information including a defined search area availability, indexing records beyond the defined minimum search area for the respective records;
(iv) automatically searching and retrieving records in the database, commencing at a specified point and extending over a search area beyond the defined search area availability of at least one record and automatically extending the search until one or more records are located;
(v) creating a dynamic set of categories to present to the user;
(vi) evaluating records and automatically determining an appropriate default search area to ensure the provision of search results in all appropriate categories of the set of categories;
(vii) displaying the search results as tabular and graphical information on a display page, wherein the tabular information includes prioritized information, wherein the tabular and graphical information are linked; wherein the graphical information comprises graphical representations of the search location, the determined geo-spatial distance, and the search results on a map display; and wherein the graphical representations of the search location comprise points indicating the location of the search results on the map display;
(viii) determining if one or more points overlap; and
(ix) selecting at least two of the overlapping points to combine into a single larger point to eliminate the overlap.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the automatically extending the search until one or more records are located, comprises:
automatically extending the search until a number of records exceeds a pre-defined threshold value.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving a record update for a specified record from the database record owner; and
updating the specified record in response to the received record update.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the search area comprises a geographic polygon.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving a search request comprises at least one of receiving a keyword search request, a category search request, a user click on a map display interface, a cookie holding location information, a geo-position from a wireless device, or combinations thereof.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the search request comprises a conceptual location specification.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:
converting the conceptual location specification into longitude and latitude values for use in determining the geo-spatial distance from the search location.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the prioritized information comprises prioritizing the search results according to at least one of a top-of-list promotion, a spatial alert, and a pay-per-ad restriction.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving a database search request from a database user;
detecting user-specific information associated with the database user; and
customizing the search results according to the user-specific information.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein detecting user-specific information comprises:
reading a cookie received with the search request; and
processing the cookie to retrieve the user-specific information.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein customizing the search results comprises:
prioritizing the search results according to a business promotion.
12. The method of claim 9 wherein customizing the search results comprises:
customizing a mapping icon for presentation of the search results.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphical representation of the determined geo-spatial distance comprises a circle on the map display.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the geo-locating information comprises latitude and longitude coordinates.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the defined search area availability comprises a specified distance radially extending from a specified latitude and longitude coordinates, wherein the distance represents a geographic range within which a record may be located and retrieved.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein the user selects a search result on the display page, the displaying further comprising:
displaying a pop-up, wherein the pop-up provides additional information relating to the selected search result.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein the linked tabular and graphical information comprises:
linking the information via color, via geometry, or combinations thereof.