Location-based information retrieval

Abstract

A collection of data records may be augmented by, for each data record of a plurality of data records, parsing each data record to find an address, converting the address to a geographic location indicator, and associating the geographic location indicator with said data record. These data records may be searched by receiving an indication of a geographic area in order to obtain a set of records with geographic location indicators representing geographic locations within, or partly within, the geographic area.

1 . A method of searching data records comprising:
 receiving an indication of a geographic area;   searching a collection of data records, each data record having an associated geographic location indicator, to obtain a set of records with geographic location indicators representing geographic locations within, or partly within, said geographic area;   accessing a personal profile and searching said set of records, or a filtered set of said set of records, to obtain a subset of records which match criteria specified by said personal profile.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said receiving an indication of a geographic area comprises receiving an indication of a specific geographic location and receiving an indication of an area encompassing said specific geographic location. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said receiving an indication of an area encompassing said specific geographic location comprises receiving an indication of a radius from said specific geographic location. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each geographic indicator is a numeric indicator. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein each said numeric indicator comprises a pair of numeric co-ordinates. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising, prior to said accessing a personal profile, receiving a set of search criteria and searching said set of records to obtain said filtered set of records, said filtered set of records meeting said set of search criteria. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said set of search criteria comprises a specification of a keyword which is to be found in each record in said filtered set of records. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said personal profile specifies a first a set of keywords which are to be present in data records. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said personal profile specifies a second set of keywords which are to be absent in data records. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each record of said collection of records has associated point of interest data. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein some of said collection of data records is advertising records. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said set of search criteria comprise a specification of a parameter which is to be found in each record in said filtered set of records. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said personal profile specifies a first a set of parameters which are to be present in data records. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said personal profile specifies a second set of parameters which are to be absent in data records. 
     
     
         15 . A computer readable medium containing computer readable instructions which, when executed by a processor cause said processor to:
 prompt for an indication of a geographic area;   on receiving an indication of a geographic area, search a collection of data records, each data record having an associated geographic location indicator, to obtain a set of records with geographic location indicators representing geographic locations within said geographic area, and   access a personal profile and search said set of records, or a filtered set of said set of records, to obtain a subset of records which match criteria specified by said personal profile.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15  containing computer executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, further cause said processor to:
 prior to said accessing a personal profile, receive a set of search criteria and search said set of records to obtain said filtered set of records, said filtered set of records meeting said set of search criteria.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16  wherein said set of search criteria comprise a specification of a parameter which is to be found in each record in said filtered set of records. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15  wherein said search said set of records, or a filtered set of said set of records, to obtain a subset of records which match criteria specified by said personal profile is a search for records in which parameters of a first set of parameters in said personal profile are present. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 18  wherein said search said set of records, or a filtered set of said set of records, to obtain a subset of records which match criteria specified by said personal profile is a search for records in which parameters of a second set of parameters in said personal profile are absent.