Granted Patent B2

US 12,579,207 · App. 18/678,922 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Inventors: Tak Keung Cheng (Los Altos, CA); James R. von Behren (Berkeley, CA)

Assignee: GOOGLE LLC

G06F16/9537G06F16/951G06F16/9538H04W4/021H04W4/21

Abstract

Claims (63)

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a computing system, an indication of a geographical location of a computing device;

selecting, by the computing system based on the indication of the geographical location of the computing device, a first search area that corresponds to the geographical location, the first search area selected from among a collection of search areas that correspond to the geographical location, based on scores for search areas in the collection of search areas;

determining, by the computing system, a first search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the first search area;

providing, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device in response to determining the first search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the first search area, first information to cause the computing device to present, together in a user interface:

(i) content that represents the first search result, and

(ii) text that describes the first search area;

receiving, by the computing system, an indication that user input at the computing device changed the first search area to a second search area in the collection of search areas;

determining, by the computing system, a second search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the second search area; and

providing, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device in response to receiving the indication that the user input changed the first search area to the second search area, second information to cause the computing device to present, together in the user interface:

(iii) content that represents the second search result, and

(iv) different text that describes the second search area, wherein the second information is different from the first information.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the indication of the geographical location of the computing device is an estimate of the geographical location of the computing device.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the estimate of the geographical location of the computing device is based on an internet access point location determination.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein at least one search area in the collection of search areas is completely geographically nested within at least another search area within the collection of search areas.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first search result includes submitting a query to a search engine system and receiving the first search result from the search engine system.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:

the indication of the geographical location includes geographical coordinates;

determining the first search result includes providing a query to a search engine system; and

the query does not include the geographical coordinates.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:

each of the search areas in the collection of search areas is assigned a different descriptive phrase of one or more human-understandable language words; and

determining the first search result includes providing, to a search engine system, the descriptive phrase of one or more human-understandable language words that is assigned to the first search area, and receiving, in response from the search engine system, the first search result.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the first search area that corresponds to the geographical location is further based on a speed at which a user is traveling or a direction in which the user is traveling.

9 . One or more computer-readable devices including instructions that, when executed by one or more programmable processors, cause the performance of actions that include:

receiving, by a computing system, an indication of a geographical location of a computing device;

selecting, by the computing system based on the indication of the geographical location of the computing device, a first search area that corresponds to the geographical location, the first search area selected from among a collection of search areas that correspond to the geographical location, based on scores for search areas in the collection of search areas;

determining, by the computing system, a first search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the first search area;

providing, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device in response to determining the first search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the first search area, first information to cause the computing device to present, together in a user interface:

(i) content that represents the first search result, and

(ii) text that describes the first search area;

receiving, by the computing system, an indication that user input at the computing device changed the first search area to a second search area in the collection of search areas;

determining, by the computing system, a second search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the second search area; and

providing, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device in response to receiving the indication that the user input changed the first search area to the second search area, second information to cause the computing device to present, together in the user interface:

(iii) content that represents the second search result, and

(iv) different text that describes the second search area, wherein the second information is different from the first information.

10 . The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 9 , wherein the indication of the geographical location of the computing device is an estimate of the geographical location of the computing device.

11 . The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 10 , wherein the estimate of the geographical location of the computing device is based on an internet access point location determination.

12 . The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 9 , wherein at least one search area in the collection of search areas is completely geographically nested within at least another search area within the collection of search areas.

13 . The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 9 , wherein determining the first search result includes submitting a query to a search engine system and receiving the first search result from the search engine system.

14 . A system comprising:

a processor, a computer-readable memory, one or more computer-readable storage media, and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, the program instructions executable to:

select, by the computing system based on an indication of a geographical location of a computing device, a first search area that corresponds to the geographical location, the first search area selected from among a collection of search areas that correspond to the geographical location, based on scores for search areas in the collection of search areas;

determine, by the computing system, a first search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the first search area;

provide, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device in response to determining the first search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the first search area, first information to cause the computing device to present, together in a user interface:

(i) content that represents the first search result, and

(ii) text that describes the first search area;

receive, by the computing system, an indication that user input at the computing device changed the first search area to a second search area in the collection of search areas;

determine, by the computing system, a second search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the second search area;

provide, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device in response to receiving the indication that the user input changed the first search area to the second search area, second information to cause the computing device to present, together in the user interface:

(iii) content that represents the second search result, and

(iv) different text that describes the second search area, wherein the second information is different from the first information.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the indication of the geographical location of the computing device is an estimate of the geographical location of the computing device.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the estimate of the geographical location of the computing device is based on an internet access point location determination.

17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein at least one search area in the collection of search areas is completely geographically nested within at least another search area within the collection of search areas.

18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein determining the first search result includes submitting a query to a search engine system and receiving the first search result from the search engine system.

19 . The system of claim 14 , wherein:

the indication of the geographical location includes geographical coordinates;

determining the first search result includes providing a query to a search engine system; and

the query does not include the geographical coordinates.

20 . The system of claim 15 , wherein:

each of the search areas in the collection of search areas is assigned a different descriptive phrase of one or more human-understandable language words; and

determining the first search result includes providing, to a search engine system, the descriptive phrase of one or more human-understandable language words that is assigned to the first search area, and receiving, in response from the search engine system, the first search result.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (7)

References Cited (144)