Ranking documents based on a location sensitivity factor

1. A method performed by a server device, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors of the server device, a query;

determining, by one or more processors of the server device, a geographic location associated with the query;

determining, by one or more processors of the server device, a topic corresponding to the query;

determining, by one or more processors of the server device, a location sensitivity factor associated with the topic;

identifying, by one or more processors of the server device, a set of documents based, at least in part, on the query;

determining, by one or more processors of the server device, for each document in the set of documents, a topical score based, at least in part, on the query;

determining, by one or more processors of the server device, for each document in the set of documents, a distance score based on a measure of distance between a geographic location associated with the document and the geographic location associated with the query, and on the location sensitivity factor;

generating, by one or more processors of the server device, for each document in the set of documents, a combined score based, at least in part, on the topical score and the distance score for the document; and

ordering, by one or more processors of the server device, the set of documents based, at least in part, on the combined scores for the set of documents.

2. The method of claim 1 , where the topical score, for a particular document in the set of documents, is an increasing function of a relevance of the particular document with regard to the query.

3. The method of claim 1 , where the distance score, for a particular document in the set of documents, is a decreasing function of the measure of distance for the particular document.

4. The method of claim 1 , where the location sensitivity factor differs for different topics with which a query may be associated.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

assigning a first weight to the topical score, for a particular document in the set of documents, to generate a weighted topical score; and

assigning a second weight to the distance score, for the particular document, to generate a weighted distance score;

where generating the combined score includes calculating the combined score for the particular document based, at least in part, on the weighted topical score and the weighted distance score.

6. The method of claim 5 , where the first weight differs from the second weight.

7. The method of claim 5 , where the first weight and the second weight are based, at least in part, on the topic.

8. The method of claim 5 , where the first weight and the second weight are based, at least in part, on a keyword included in the query.

9. The method of claim 1 , where determining the distance score includes:

calculating a straight-line distance between the geographic location, associated with a particular document in the set of documents, and the geographic location, associated with the query, and

calculating the distance score, for the particular document, based, at least in part, on the straight-line distance.

10. The method of claim 1 , where determining the distance score includes:

calculating a driving distance between the geographic location, associated with a particular document in the set of documents, and the geographic location, associated with the query, and

calculating the distance score, for the particular document, based, at least in part, on the driving distance.

11. A system, comprising:

one or more devices comprising:

means for receiving a query;

means for determining a geographic location associated with the query;

means for determining a topic associated with the query;

means for determining a location sensitivity factor associated with the topic;

means for identifying a plurality of documents based, at least in part, on the query;

means for determining a topical score for a particular document, of the plurality of documents, based, at least in part, on the query;

means for determining a distance score for the particular document based, at least in part, on a measure of distance between a location associated with the document and the geographic location associated with the query, and on the location sensitivity factor;

means for generating a score for the particular document based, at least in part, on the topical score and the distance score;

and

means for ranking the particular document among the plurality of documents based, at least in part, on the score.

12. A server device, comprising:

a processor to implement:

a document locator to:

receive a search query, and

identify a set of documents based, at least in part, on the search query;

a location component to:

determine a geographic location associated with the search query,

determine a topic associated with the search query, and

determine a location sensitivity factor associated with the topic, where the location sensitivity factor differs for different topics; and

a ranking component to:

determine a topical score for each document, in the set of documents, based, at least in part, on the search query,

determine a distance score for each document in the set of documents based, at least in part, on a measure of distance between a location associated with the document and the geographic location associated with the search query, and on the location sensitivity factor,

compute a score for each document in the set of documents based, at least in part, on the topical score and the distance score,

rank each document within the set of documents, based, at least in part, on the score for the document, to generate a ranked set of documents, and

provide information regarding the ranked set of documents in response to the search query.

13. The server device of claim 12 , where the topical score is an increasing function of a relevance of the particular document with regard to the search query.

14. The server device of claim 12 , where the distance score is a decreasing function of the measure of distance for the particular document.

15. The server device of claim 12 , where, when determining the distance score, the ranking component is configured to:

calculate a straight-line distance between a geographic location, associated with the particular document, and the geographic location, associated with the query, and

calculate the distance score, for the particular document, based, at least in part, on the straight-line distance.

16. The server device of claim 12 , where, when determining the distance score, the ranking component is configured to:

calculate a driving distance between a geographic location, associated with the particular document, and the geographic location, associated with the query, and

calculate the distance score, for the particular document, based, at least in part, on the driving distance.

17. A storage device containing instructions executable by at least one processor, the executable instructions comprising:

one or more instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

receive a query;

determine a geographic location associated with the query;

determine a topic corresponding to the query;

determine a location sensitivity factor associated with the topic;

identify a plurality of documents based, at least in part, on the query;

determine, for a particular document of the plurality of documents, a relevance score based, at least in part, on the query;

determine a distance score for the particular document based, at least in part, on a measure of distance between a geographic location associated with the particular document and the geographic location associated with the query, and on the location sensitivity factor;

generate a combined score for the particular document based, at least in part, on the relevance score and the distance score for the particular document;

rank the particular document, among the plurality of documents, based, at least in part, on the combined score for the particular document, to form a ranked set of documents; and

provide information regarding the ranked set of documents in response to the query.

18. The storage device of claim 17 , where the one or more instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

assign a first weight to the relevance score, for the particular document, to generate a weighted relevance score; and

assign a second weight to the distance score, for the particular document, to generate a weighted distance score;

where the one or more instructions that cause the at least one processor to generate the combined score include one or more instructions to cause the at least one processor to calculate the combined score for the particular document based, at least in part, on the weighted relevance score and the weighted distance score.

19. The storage device of claim 18 , where the first weight differs from the second weight.

20. The storage device of claim 18 , where the first weight and the second weight are based, at least in part, on the topic.

21. The storage device of claim 18 , where the first weight and the second weight are based, at least in part, on a keyword included in the query.