DETERMINING RELEVANT BUSINESS LOCATIONS BASED ON TRAVEL DISTANCES

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a request for content from a user device;

identifying, by one or more processors, a content item for delivery to the user device responsive to the request;

determining a location of the user device;

determining a threshold distance that a user is likely willing to travel when visiting a physical location associated with the content item or content sponsor;

identifying a bounding region associated with the location of the user device;

identifying one or more location extensions that are associated with the content item;

determining, by one or more processors, when one of the one or more location extensions is included in the bounding region and when a distance between the location extension and a current location of the user is less than the determined threshold distance; and

augmenting, based on the determining when the distance is less than the determined threshold distance, the content item with the one location extension.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the request for content is associated with a search query, a map request or page request.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the user device is a mobile device and location information for the user is provided as part of the request.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein determining the threshold distance includes evaluating requests from plural users and determining the threshold distance as a mathematical function derived from the evaluating.

5 . The method of claim 4 wherein evaluating includes evaluating driving direction requests received from users that terminate at a location associated with the one location extension.

6 . The method of claim 4 wherein the mathematical function is a numeric average and wherein the threshold distance represents an average distance a user would drive to visit the location.

7 . The method of claim 4 wherein the threshold distance is determined based on a characterization associated with a sponsor of the content item.

8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the characterization is based on a type of product or service offered by the sponsor.

9 . The method claim 1 wherein identifying one or more location extensions includes identifying plural location extensions that are included in the bounding region and selecting one of the plural regions.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the selecting is a random selection.

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein augmenting includes providing the one location extension for presentation in proximity to the content item when displayed on the user device.

12 . The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a bounding region includes:

identifying a first bounding region;

determining that no location extensions for the content item are included in the first bounding region;

identifying, based on determining that no location extensions for the content item are included in the first bounding region, a second larger bounding region;

determining when one of the one or more location extensions is included in the second larger bounding region; and

augmenting the content item with the one location extension.

13 . A computer program product embodied in a non-transitive computer-readable medium including instructions, that when executed, cause one or more processors to:

receive a request for content from a user device;

identify a content item for delivery to the user device responsive to the request;

determine a location of the user device;

determine a threshold distance that a user is likely willing to travel when visiting a physical location associated with the content item or content sponsor;

identify a bounding region associated with the location of the user device;

identify one or more location extensions that are associated with the content item;

determine when one of the one or more location extensions is included in the bounding region and when a distance between the location extension and a current location of the user is less than the determined threshold distance; and

augment, based on the determining when the distance is less than the determined threshold distance, the content item with the one location extension.

14 . The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the request for content is associated with a search query, a map request or page request.

15 . The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the user device is a mobile device and location information for the user is provided as part of the request.

16 . The computer program product of claim 13 wherein determining the threshold distance includes evaluating requests from plural users and determining the threshold distance as a mathematical function derived from the evaluating.

17 . The computer program product of claim 16 wherein evaluating includes evaluating driving direction requests received from users that terminate at a location associated with the one location extension.

18 . The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the mathematical function is a numeric average and wherein the threshold distance represents an average distance a user would drive to visit the location.

19 . The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the threshold distance is determined based on a characterization associated with a sponsor of the content item.

20 . A computer-implemented system comprising:

a content item engine for selecting one or more content items that are stored in a repository and that are responsive to one or more search queries or received requests;

a location identifier engine for identifying one or more location identifiers indicative of a location for a particular user device that submits a search query;

a distance threshold engine for determining a distance threshold associated with an entity or category of entities for the selected content items; and

a location extension engine for using the received content items, the received distance threshold and the received location identifiers to generate one or more augmented content items.