System and method for dynamically retrieving data specific to a region of a layer

1. A system for retrieving data within a selected region of a layer, the system comprising:

an application server comprising at least one processor and at least one memory, the application server configured to:

receive data from a user device representing a user selected region of a selector tool corresponding to a layer and a search criterion, wherein the user selected region of the selector tool has a first scale and the layer has a second scale;

query a database in operative communication with the application server for at least one location within the layer related to the search criterion and the user selected region of the selector tool, the query including the data representing the user selected region and the search criterion;

receive, from the database, at least one data result corresponding to the at least one location within the user selected region and related to the search criterion;

provide the at least one data result to the user device;

receive updated data from the user device representing a user-initiated change of the second scale of the layer;

automatically change the first scale of the user selected region of the selector tool proportionally to the change of the second scale of the layer to define an updated region of the selector tool;

query the database for at least one updated location within the layer related to the search criterion and the updated region of the selector tool;

receive, from the database, the at least one updated data result corresponding to the at least one updated location; and

provide the at least one updated data result to the user device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the user-initiated change of the second scale of the layer further comprises a user-initiated zoom of the layer.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the application server is further configured to:

effect display of the layer on the user device in the second scale;

effect display of a boundary of the user selected region on the user device in the first scale; and

enable a user to change the second scale of the layer to an updated second scale;

effect display of the layer in the updated second scale; and

effect a persistent display of the boundary of the user selected region on the user device in response to effecting display of the layer in the updated second scale.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the user selected region further includes a center point associated with a first point on the layer and wherein the application server is further configured to:

receive updated data from the user device representing a user-initiated movement of the layer; and

automatically change the center point of the user selected region to be associated with an updated point on the layer in accordance with the user-initiated movement of the layer to define the updated region of the layer.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the application server is further configured to:

query a data source for advertising data related to the user selected region, the updated region, and the search criterion; and

provide the advertising data to the user device.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the application server is further configured to:

receive, from the database, at least a second data result corresponding to at least one location outside of the user selected region and relating to the search criterion; and

provide the second data result to the user device such that the second data result is distinguished from the at least one data result corresponding to the at least one location within the user selected region.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the user selected region comprises a polygonal region.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the user selected region includes a user selected path on the layer and a user selected range from the user selected path.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the layer comprises a map.

10. A method for providing locations within a selected region of a layer, the method comprising:

at an application server:

receiving data from a user device representing a user selected region of a selector tool corresponding to a layer and a search criterion, wherein the user selected region of the selector tool has a first scale and the layer has a second scale;

querying a database in operative communication with the application server for at least one location within the layer related to the search criterion and the user selected region of the selector tool, the query including the data representing the selected region and the search criterion;

receiving, from the database, at least one data result corresponding to the at least one location within the user selected region and related to the search criterion;

providing the at least one data result to the user device;

receiving updated data from the user device representing a user-initiated change of the second scale of the layer;

automatically changing the first scale of the user selected region of the selector tool proportionally to the change of the second scale of the layer to define an updated region of the selector tool;

querying the database for at least one updated location within the layer related to the search criterion and the updated region of the selector tool;

receiving, from the database, the at least one updated data result corresponding to the at least one updated location; and

providing the at least one updated data result to the user device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein receiving the updated data from the user device representing a user-initiated change of the second scale of the layer further comprises receiving a user-initiated zoom of the layer.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

effecting display of the layer on the user device in the second scale;

effecting display of a boundary of the user selected region on the user device in the first scale; and

enabling a user to change the second scale of the layer to an updated second scale;

effecting display of the layer in the updated second scale; and

effecting a persistent display of the boundary of the user selected region on the user device in response to effecting display of the layer in the updated second scale.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein receiving the data representing the user selected region of the layer further comprises receiving a center point associated with a first point on the layer, and wherein method further comprises:

receiving updated data from the user device representing a user-initiated movement of the layer; and

automatically changing the center point of the user selected region to be associated with an updated point on the layer in accordance with the user-initiated movement of the layer to define the updated region of the layer.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

querying a data source for advertising data related to the user selected region, the updated region, and the search criterion; and

providing the advertising data to the user device.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving, from the database, at least a second data result corresponding to at least one location outside of the user selected region and relating to the search criterion; and

providing the second data result to the user device such that the second data result is distinguished from the at least one data result corresponding to the at least one location within the user selected region.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein receiving the data representing the user selected region of the layer further comprises receiving data representing a polygonal region.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein receiving the data representing the user selected region of the layer further comprises receiving data representing a user selected path on the layer and a user selected range from the user selected path.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the layer comprises a map.

19. A user device comprising a processor and a display, the user device in communication with an application server, the user device configured to:

display a map on the display, the map having a first scale;

display a region boundary defining a selected region of a selector tool corresponding to the map, the selected region having a second scale;

receive, from a user, a search criterion;

transmit to the application server data representing the selected region defined by the selector tool and the search criterion to effect a query for a result location within the selected region defined by the selector tool related to the search criterion;

receive from the application server a query result comprising the result location within the selected region defined by the selector tool related to the search criterion;

display the result location on the map via the display;

receive, from the user, an instruction to change the scale of the map to an updated first scale;

display the map on the display in the updated first scale;

displaying the region boundary on the display in an unchanged manner such that the region boundary defines an updated region corresponding to the map in proportion to the change of the scale of the map in response to displaying the map in the updated first scale;

transmit to the application server updated data representing the updated region defined by the selector tool to effect an updated query for an updated result location within the updated region defined by the selector tool related to the search criterion;

receive from the application server an updated query result comprising the updated result location within the updated region defined by the selector tool related to the search criterion; and

display the updated result location on the map via the display.

20. The user device of claim 19 further configured to:

receive, from the user, a user selection of a polygonal area comprising the selected region of the selector tool corresponding to the map.