Biasing of search result clustering to ensure more effective point of interest (poi) targeting

Abstract

Directory service results responsive to a request for a desired good or service provider may be provided based on one or more user-selected locations. The user may seek a desired good or service provider that is proximate to a location from which the user may begin traveling to the point of interest, referred to as a source location, and satisfies a beneficial objective held by the user. The beneficial objective may relate to, for example, a directional travel preference, avoiding rush hour traffic or proximity to a specific location or another type of good or service provider that differs from the user's desired good or service provider that is the subject of the user's request. A sequence of geometrical representations, such as, for example, Delauney Triangles, may be generated to provide directory service results that satisfy the user's request.

1 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A computer-implemented method comprising the following operations performed by at least one processor:
 identifying a first location that matches a first type of good or service provider and a second location that matches the first type of good or service provider;   identifying a third location that matches a second type of good or service provider and a fourth location that matches the second type of good or service provider;   identifying a source location of a user;   associating the third location with the first location when an aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the third location is less than an aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the fourth location;   associating the fourth location with the second location when an aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the fourth location is less than an aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the third location;   determining whether the aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the associated third location is less than the aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the associated fourth location; and   identifying, to the user, the first location or the second location of the first type of good or service provider based on the determination.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 ranking the first location higher than a second location in response to determining that the aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the associated third location is less than the aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the associated fourth location.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 ranking the first location lower than a second location in response to determining that the aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the associated third location is not less than the aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the associated fourth location.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 ranking the first location higher than a second location despite the second location being located closer to the source location than the first location in response to determining that the aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the associated third location is less than the aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the associated fourth location.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein associating the third location with the first location comprises determining that the first location, the third location, and the source location are vertices of a Delauney Triangle. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 computing the aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the associated third location comprises based on a perimeter of the Delauney Triangle.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein associating the fourth location with the second location comprises determining that the second location, the fourth location, and the source location are vertices of a Delauney Triangle. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 computing the aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the associated fourth location comprises based on a perimeter of the Delauney Triangle.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 in response to determining that the aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the associated third location is not less than the aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the associated fourth location:
 ranking the second location higher than the first location; and 
 causing the second location to be displayed, on a display device, in a manner that distinguishes the second location from the first location. 
   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 causing the first location to be displayed, on a display device, without causing the second location to be displayed on the display device.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising:
 causing the second location to be displayed, on a display device, without causing the first location to be displayed on the display device. 
 
     
     
         43 . A computer readable storage device storing a computer program, which when executed on at least one processor causes the at least one processor to perform a method comprising the following operations:
 identifying a first location that matches a first type of good or service provider and a second location that matches the first type of good or service provider;   identifying a third location that matches a second type of good or service provider and a fourth location that matches the second type of good or service provider;   identifying a source location of a user;   associating the third location with the first location when an aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the third location is less than an aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the fourth location;   associating the fourth location with the second location when an aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the fourth location is less than an aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the thirds location;   determining whether the aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the associated third location is less than the aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the associated fourth location; and   identifying, to the user, the first location or the second location of the first type of good or service provider based on the determination.   
     
     
         44 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 43 , wherein the operations performed by the at least one processor further comprises:
 ranking the first location higher than a second location in response to determining that the aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the associated third location is less than the aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the associated fourth location.   
     
     
         45 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 43 , wherein the operations performed by the at least one processor further comprises:
 ranking the first location lower than a second location in response to determining that the aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the associated third location is not less than the aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the associated fourth location.   
     
     
         46 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 43 , wherein the operations performed by the at least one processor further comprises:
 ranking the first location higher than a second location despite the second location being located closer to the source location than the first location in response to determining that the aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the associated third location is less than the aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the associated fourth location.   
     
     
         47 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 43 , wherein the operations performed by the at least one processor further comprises:
 associating the third location with the first location based on a determination that the first location, the third location, and the source location are vertices of a Delauney Triangle.   
     
     
         48 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 47 , wherein the operations performed by the at least one processor further comprises:
 computing the aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the associated third location comprises based on a perimeter of the Delauney Triangle.   
     
     
         49 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 43 , wherein the operations performed by the at least one processor further comprises:
 associating the fourth location with the second location based on a determination that the second location, the fourth location, and the source location are vertices of a Delauney Triangle.   
     
     
         50 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 49 , wherein the operations performed by the at least one processor further comprises:
 computing the aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the associated fourth location comprises based on a perimeter of the Delauney Triangle.   
     
     
         51 . A computer-implemented system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   a computer readable storage device storing instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:
 identify a first location that matches a first type of good or service provider and a second location that matches the first type of good or service provider; 
 identify a third location that matches a second type of good or service provider and a fourth location that matches the second type of good or service provider; 
 identify a source location of a user; 
 associate the third location with the first location when an aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the third location is less than an aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the fourth location; 
 associate the fourth location with the second location when an aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the fourth location is less than an aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the thirds location; 
 determine whether the aggregated distance between the source location, the first location, and the associated third location is less than the aggregated distance between the source location, the second location, and the associated fourth location; and 
 identify, to the user, the first location or the second location of the first type of good or service provider based on the determination.