Entity display priority in a distributed geographic information system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11288292-B2
Application number	US-202016820105-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2020
Priority date	Oct 12, 2005
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

A system for ranking geospatial entities is described. In one embodiment, the system comprises an interface for receiving ranking data about a plurality of geospatial entities and an entity ranking module. The module uses a ranking mechanism to generate place ranks for the geospatial entities based on the ranking data. Ranked entity data generated by the entity ranking module is stored in a database. The entity ranking module may be configured to evaluate a plurality of diverse attributes to determine a total score for a geospatial entity. The entity ranking module may be configured to organize ranked entity data into placemark layers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method to provide personalized maps, the method comprising:
obtaining, by one or more computing devices, entity data that describes a plurality of geospatial entities, each geospatial entity having a geometry and located at a physical location;
receiving, by the one or more computing devices, an indication that one or more of the plurality of geospatial entities have been designated as one or more favorite geospatial entities for a user;
storing, by the one or more computing devices, user data that identifies the one or more favorite geospatial entities for the user;
receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a request for a map, the request associated with the user; and
providing, by the one or more computing devices, the map for display to the user, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of at least one of the one or more favorite geospatial entities.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the map indicates the physical locations of only geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities for the user.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the map indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities for the user and also indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have not been selected as favorite geospatial entities for the user.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
ranking, by the one or more computing devices, at least a first portion of the plurality of geospatial entities according to a ranking mechanism, wherein geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities for the user are ranked higher than geospatial entities that have not been designated as favorite geospatial entities for the user; and
selecting, by the one or more computing devices, at least a second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities for inclusion in the map according to the ranking, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of each of the second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the map indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities for the user and also indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have not been selected as favorite geospatial entities for the user.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities is a subset of the first portion of the plurality of geospatial entities.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
ranking, by the one or more computing devices, at least a first portion of the plurality of geospatial entities according to a ranking mechanism; and
selecting, by the one or more computing devices, at least a second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities for inclusion in the map according to the ranking, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of each of the second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities, and wherein geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities for the user are selected for the second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities regardless of their respective ranking.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the map indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities for the user and also geospatial entities that have not been selected as favorite geospatial entities for the user.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
ranking, by the one or more computing devices, at least a first portion of the plurality of geospatial entities into a plurality of layers, wherein the plurality of layers are respectively associated with a plurality of levels of detail, and wherein geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities for the user are ranked higher than geospatial entities that have not been designated as favorite geospatial entities for the user;
wherein providing, by the one or more computing devices, the map for display to the user comprises:
determining, by the one or more computing devices, a current level of detail associated with the request for the map; and
providing, by the one or more computing devices, the map for display to the user, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities included in the layer associated with the current level of detail.

10. A computer system for providing personalized maps, the system comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage media that store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computer system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
obtaining entity data that describes a plurality of geospatial entities, each geospatial entity having a geometry and located at a physical location;
receiving an indication that one or more of the plurality of geospatial entities have been designated as one or more favorite geospatial entities for a user;
storing user data that identifies the one or more favorite geospatial entities designated for the user;
receiving a request for a map, the request associated with the user; and
providing the map for display to the user, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of at least one of the one or more favorite geospatial entities.

11. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the map indicates the physical locations of only geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities for the user.

12. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the map indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities for the user and also indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have not been selected as favorite geospatial entities for the user.

13. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:
ranking at least a first portion of the plurality of geospatial entities according to a ranking mechanism, wherein geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities for the user are ranked higher than geospatial entities that have not been designated as favorite geospatial entities for the user; and
selecting at least a second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities for inclusion in the map according to the ranking, wherein the map indicates the physical locations of each of the second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities.

14. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the map indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have been designated as favorite geospatial entities for the user and also indicates the physical locations of geospatial entities that have not been selected as favorite geospatial entities for the user.

15. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities is a subset of the first portion of the plurality of geospatial entities.

16. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:
ranking at least a first portion of the plurality of geospatial entities according to a ranking mechanism; and
selecting at least a second portion of the plurality of geospatial entities for inclusion in the map accord

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Jones Michael T
• Mcclendon Brian
• Charaniya Amin
• Ashbridge Michael

Classifications

• G06Q30/0261

  based on user location · CPC title

• G06F16/24578

  using ranking · CPC title

• G06F16/288

  Entity relationship models · CPC title

• G06F16/29 Primary

  Geographical information databases · CPC title

• G06F16/248

  Presentation of query results · CPC title