Location-aware business data retrieval

1. A method comprising:

sending to a geocoding service, a search string that includes an indicator of a location and other information, wherein said geocoding service returns (i) a bounding box that defines a geographic area, and (ii) a set of terms, from said search string, that said geocoding service utilized to produce said bounding box;

comparing said set of terms to said search string, thus yielding a comparison;

identifying from said comparison, a term from said search string that is not in said set of terms, thus yielding a leftover word;

constructing an augmentation query that includes said leftover word and said bounding box; and

sending said augmentation query to a business search engine that searches a database and returns results that include coordinates of a set of business entities located within said geographic area.

2. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said bounding box is a first bounding box and said geographic area is a first geographic area, and

wherein said method further comprises:

computing a second bounding box that defines a second geographic area that is within said first geographic area and that encompasses said coordinates of said set of business entities.

3. The method of claim 2 ,

wherein said set of business entities is a first set of business entities and said augmentation query is a first query, and

wherein said method further comprises:

sending to said business search engine, a second query that includes said second bounding box and an additional parameter, wherein said business search engine returns coordinates of a second set of business entities located within said second geographic area.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

displaying a map that indicates locations of said second set of business entities, based on said coordinates of said second set of business entities.

5. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said business search engine returns said results in descending order of relevance, and

wherein said relevance is a metric selected from the group consisting of (a) rarity of said leftover word in said database, (b) frequency of said leftover word in individual records of said results, and (c) density of said leftover word as compared to a result record size.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that contains instructions that are readable by said processor and cause said processor to:

send to a geocoding service, a search string that includes an indicator of a location and other information, wherein said geocoding service returns (i) a bounding box that defines a geographic area, and (ii) a set of terms, from said search string, that said geocoding service utilized to produce said bounding box;

compare said set of terms to said search string, thus yielding a comparison;

identify from said comparison, a term from said search string that is not in said set of terms, thus yielding a leftover word;

construct an augmentation query that includes said leftover word and said bounding box; and

send said augmentation query to a business search engine that searches a database and returns results that include coordinates of a set of business entities located within said geographic area.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 ,

wherein said bounding box is a first bounding box and said geographic area is a first geographic area, and

wherein said instructions also cause said processor to:

compute a second bounding box that defines a second geographic area that is within said first geographic area and that encompasses said coordinates of said set of business entities.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 ,

wherein said set of business entities is a first set of business entities and said augmentation query is a first query, and

wherein said instructions also cause said processor to:

send to said business search engine, a second query that includes said second bounding box and an additional parameter, wherein said business search engine returns coordinates of a second set of business entities located within said second geographic area.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said instructions also cause said processor to:

display a map that indicates locations of said second set of business entities, based on said coordinates of said second set of business entities.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 ,

wherein said business search engine returns said results in descending order of relevance, and

wherein said relevance is a metric selected from the group consisting of (a) rarity of said leftover word in said database, (b) frequency of said leftover word in individual records of said results, and (c) density of said leftover word as compared to a result record size.

11. A non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions that are readable by a processor and cause said processor to:

send to a geocoding service, a search string that includes an indicator of a location and other information, wherein said geocoding service returns (i) a bounding box that defines a geographic area, and (ii) a set of terms, from said search string, that said geocoding service utilized to produce said bounding box;

compare said set of terms to said search string, thus yielding a comparison;

identify from said comparison, a term from said search string that is not in said set of terms, thus yielding a leftover word;

construct an augmentation query that includes said leftover word and said bounding box; and

send said augmentation query to a business search engine that searches a database and returns results that include coordinates of a set of business entities located within said geographic area.

12. The non-transitory storage media of claim 11 ,

wherein said bounding box is a first bounding box and said geographic area is a first geographic area, and

wherein said instructions also cause said processor to:

compute a second bounding box that defines a second geographic area that is within said first geographic area and that encompasses said coordinates of said set of business entities.

13. The non-transitory storage media of claim 12 ,

wherein said set of business entities is a first set of business entities and said augmentation query is a first query, and

wherein said instructions also cause said processor to:

send to said business search engine, a second query that includes said second bounding box and an additional parameter, wherein said business search engine returns coordinates of a second set of business entities located within said second geographic area.

14. The non-transitory storage media of claim 13 , wherein said instructions also cause said processor to:

display a map that indicates locations of said second set of business entities, based on said coordinates of said second set of business entities.

15. The non-transitory storage media of claim 11 ,

wherein said business search engine returns said results in descending order of relevance, and

wherein said relevance is a metric selected from the group consisting of (a) rarity of said leftover word in said database, (b) frequency of said leftover word in individual records of said results, and (c) density of said leftover word as compared to a result record size.

16. A method comprising:

sending to a geocoding service, a search string that includes an indicator of a location and other information, wherein said geocoding service returns (i) a bounding box that defines a geographic area, and (ii) a set of terms, from said search string, that said geocoding service utilized to produce said bounding box;

comparing said set of terms to said search string, thus yielding a comparison;

identifying from said comparison, a term from said search string that is not in said set of terms, thus yielding a leftover word;

constructing an augmentation query that includes said leftover word and said bounding box;

sending said augmentation query to a business search engine that searches a database and returns results that include an identifier of a first business entity located within said geographic area and an indicator of an industry in which said first business entity is engaged; and

sending to said business search engine, a query that includes said bounding box and said indicator of said industry in which said first business entity is engaged, wherein said business search engine returns coordinates of a second business entity located within said geographic area.

17. The method of claim 16 ,

wherein said business search engine returns said results in descending order of relevance, and

wherein said relevance is a metric selected from the group consisting of (a) rarity of said leftover word in said database, (b) frequency of said leftover word in individual records of said results, and (c) density of said leftover word as compared to a result record size.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that contains instructions that are readable by said processor and cause said processor to:

send to a geocoding service, a search string that includes an indicator of a location and other information, wherein said geocoding service returns (i) a bounding box that defines a geographic area, and (ii) a set of terms, from said search string, that said geocoding service utilized to produce said bounding box;

compare said set of terms to said search string, thus yielding a comparison;

identify from said comparison, a term from said search string that is not in said set of terms, thus yielding a leftover word;

construct an augmentation query that includes said leftover word and said bounding box;

send said augmentation query to a business search engine that searches a database and returns results that include an identifier of a first business entity located within said geographic area and an indicator of an industry in which said first business entity is engaged; and

send to said business search engine, a query that includes said bounding box and said indicator of said industry in which said first business entity is engaged, wherein said business search engine returns coordinates of a second business entity located within said geographic area.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 ,

wherein said business search engine returns said results in descending order of relevance, and

wherein said relevance is a metric selected from the group consisting of (a) rarity of said leftover word in said database, (b) frequency of said leftover word in individual records of said results, and (c) density of said leftover word as compared to a result record size.

20. A non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions that are readable by a processor and cause said processor to:

send to a geocoding service, a search string that includes an indicator of a location and other information, wherein said geocoding service returns (i) a bounding box that defines a geographic area, and (ii) a set of terms, from said search string, that said geocoding service utilized to produce said bounding box;

comparing said set of terms to said search string, thus yielding a comparison;

identify from said comparison, a term from said search string that is not in said set of terms, thus yielding a leftover word;

construct an augmentation query that includes said leftover word and said bounding box;

send said augmentation query to a business search engine that searches a database and returns an identifier of a first business entity located within said geographic area and an indicator of an industry in which said first business entity is engaged; and

send to said business search engine, a query that includes said bounding box and said indicator of said industry in which said first business entity is engaged, wherein said business search engine returns coordinates of a second business entity located within said geographic area.

21. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 20 ,

wherein said business search engine returns said results in descending order of relevance, and

wherein said relevance is a metric selected from the group consisting of (a) rarity of said leftover word in said database, (b) frequency of said leftover word in individual records of said results, and (c) density of said leftover word as compared to a result record size.