On-device directory search

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9934523-B1
Application number	US-201313786403-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 5, 2013
Priority date	Mar 5, 2013
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for performing searches using an on-device directory. One of the methods includes providing, by a user device, a location of the user device to a server. Delta information is received that identifies merchants to be added to an on-device directory of the user device, wherein the merchants to be added are located in a geographic region that includes the location of the user device. An on-device directory on the user device is updated using the received information identifying merchants. A search query for merchants located in the geographic region is received. Information is obtained from the on device directory identifying one or more merchants that satisfy the query, and the information identifying the one or more merchants is provided in response to the query.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, by a user device and from a server, a first on-device directory of merchants that are in a geographical location corresponding to a first location of the user device;
providing, by the user device, via a network, a second location of the user device to the server, the second location being different than the first location of the user device;
receiving, by the user device and from the server, via the network, delta information identifying a difference between merchants included in the first on-device directory of the user device and merchants associated with the second location of the user device;
updating, by the user device, the first on-device directory on the user device using the delta information to yield a second on-device directory of merchants on the user device;
receiving, by the user device, a search query on the merchants associated with the second location;
obtaining, by the user device, and without communicating with the server, information from the second on-device directory identifying one or more merchants that satisfy the search query; and
providing, by the user device, the information identifying the one or more merchants in response to the search query.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the delta information further identifies merchants to be removed from the first on-device directory of the user device that are not associated with the second location of the user device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the delta information identifies all merchants associated with the second location of the user device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the delta information identifying the merchants to be added to the first on-device directory of the user device that are associated with the second location of the user device but are not in the geographical location corresponding to the first location of the user device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the user device, that the user device has transitioned to the second location that is geographically different from the first location, wherein providing, by the user device, the second location of the user device to the server is based, at least in part, on determining that the user device has transitioned to the second location.

6. A system comprising:
one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by a user device and from a server, a first on-device directory of merchants that are in a geographical location corresponding to a first location of the user device;
providing, by the user device, a second location of the user device to the server, the second location being different than the first location of the user device;
receiving, by the user device and from the server, delta information identifying a difference between merchants included in the first on-device directory of the user device and merchants associated with the second location of the user device;
updating, by the user device, the first on-device directory on the user device using the delta information to yield a second on-device directory of merchants on the user device;
receiving, by the user device, a search query on the merchants associated with the second location;
obtaining, by the user device, and without communicating with the server, information from the second on-device directory identifying one or more merchants that satisfy the search query; and
providing, by the user device, the information identifying the one or more merchants in response to the search query.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the delta information further identifies merchants to be removed from the first on-device directory of the user device that are not associated with the second location of the user device.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the delta information identifies all merchants associated with the second location of the user device.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the delta information identifying the merchants to be added to the first on-device directory of the user device that are associated with the second location of the user device but are not in the geographical location corresponding to the first location of the user device.

10. The system of claim 6 , the operations further comprising:
determining, by the user device, that the user device has transitioned to the second location that is geographically different from the first location, wherein providing, by the user device, the second location of the user device to the server is based, at least in part, on determining that the user device has transitioned to the second location.

11. One or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by one or more processors, to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from a server, a first on-device directory of merchants that are in a geographical location corresponding to a first location of a user device;
providing a second location of the user device to the server, the second location being different than the first location of the user device;
receiving, from the server delta information identifying a difference between merchants included in the first on-device directory of the user device and merchants associated with the second location of the user device;
updating the first on-device directory on the user device using the delta information to yield a second on-device directory of merchants on the user device;
receiving a search query on the merchants associated with the second location;
obtaining, without communicating with the server, information from the second on-device directory identifying one or more merchants that satisfy the search query; and
providing the information identifying the one or more merchants in response to the search query.

12. The one or more storage devices of claim 11 , wherein the delta information further identifies merchants to be removed from the first on-device directory of the user device that are not associated with the second location of the user device.

13. The one or more storage devices of claim 11 , wherein the delta information identifies all merchants associated with the second location of the user device.

14. The one or more storage devices of claim 11 , wherein the delta information identifying the merchants to be added to the first on-device directory of the user device that are associated with the second location of the user device but are not in the geographical location corresponding to the first location of the user device.

15. The one or more storage devices of claim 11 , the operations further comprising:
determining, by the user device, that the user device has transitioned to the second location that is geographically different from the first location, wherein providing, by the user device, the second location of the user device to the server is based, at least in part, on determining that the user device has transitioned to the second location.

16. A device comprising:
an on-device directory;
one or more processors; and
one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more processors, to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising
providing a new location of the user device to a server, the new location being d

Assignees

• Square Inc

Inventors

• Brock Zachary

Classifications

• G06Q30/0639

  Locating goods or services, e.g. based on physical position of the goods or services within a shopping facility · CPC title

• G06Q30/0601 Primary

  Electronic shopping [e-shopping] · CPC title

• G06Q30/0625

  by formulating product or service queries, e.g. using keywords or predefined options · CPC title