Location-based serach and map display

Abstract

A user interface for searching records in a database is provided. Each record contains information regarding one or more categories. The user interface receives search criteria of one or more categories and provides search results comprising exact and/or non-exact matching records. A non-exact matching record has a relevance value representing the relevance of the record to the search query, the non-exact matching records being displayed in an ordering based on the relevance values. The user interface provides slider tools for receiving changes in a weight value or search criterion of an associated category. A new ordering of the non-exact matching records is displayed in real-time based on the new received weight values or search criterion. The user interface may also provide a mapping tool, a search-result selection function, and/or one or more drill down tools. The user interface may provide any tool or function alone or in any combination.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for receiving a location-based search query and displaying results on a map, comprising:
 displaying, on a user interface of a computer, a plurality of search criteria fields for a plurality of categories, wherein each search criteria field corresponds to one of the categories and at least one search criteria field comprises a physical location category;   receiving, through the user interface, a location-based search query for a location area comprising a plurality of search criteria values for the categories;   searching, in response to the location-based search query, a database, stored in computer storage, comprising a plurality of records that comprise information regarding the categories to identify at least one exact matching record that comprises information that exactly matches all search criteria values of the received search query and to identify at least one non-exact matching record that comprises information that does not exactly matches all search criteria values of the received search query;   calculating a relevance value for the non-exact matches based, in part, on a plurality of weight values, corresponding to the categories, wherein the weight values designate an importance of a category to the user relative to other categories;   selecting, based on the relevance value, a number of non-exact matching records to display in response to the search query; and   displaying, in response to the location-based search query, a map of the location area that displays, by physical location on the map, one or more first symbols that represent one or more exact matching records and one or more second symbols that represent the number of non-exact matching records selected for display.   
     
     
         2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving the weights values for the categories through a plurality of weight slider tools, one associated with each category.   
     
     
         3 . The method as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein receiving the weight values, through a plurality of weight slider tools, comprises:
 receiving the weights values through a weight adjuster element on the weight slider tools, wherein the user may change the weight value of an associated category by selecting and dragging the weight adjuster element to decrease or increase the weight value.   
     
     
         4 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , receiving, through the user interface, a location-based search query comprises:
 receiving the location-based search query through a plurality of criteria slider tools.   
     
     
         5 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, through the user interface, a new weight value for at least one category; and   displaying, on the map, at least one new non-exact matching record based on the new weight value.   
     
     
         6 . The method as set forth in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 dynamically displaying in the map, and in real-time, at least one additional second symbol that corresponds to a new non-exact match as new weight values are received from one or more categories.   
     
     
         7 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 increasing the relevance value of a non-exact matching record if the weight value of an associated category increases and if the record contains information that matches the search criterion specified for the associated category;   decreasing the relevance value of a non-exact matching record if the weight value of an associated category increases and if the record contains information that does not match the search criterion specified for the associated category;   decreasing the relevance value of a non-exact matching record if the weight value of an associated category decreases and if the record contains information that matches the search criterion specified for the associated category; and   increasing the relevance value of a non-exact matching record if the weight value of an associated category decreases and if the record contains information that does not match the search criterion specified for the associated category.   
     
     
         8 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying a user-selectable drill down tool for an associated search criterion of an associated category;   displaying text to indicate a number of records that comprise information that exactly matches the associated search criterion and all received search criteria;   receiving selection of the user-selectable drill down tool; and   displaying one or more second symbols corresponding to non-exact matching records based on the associated search criterion and all received search criteria.   
     
     
         9 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a user selection of a non-exact matching record;   generating a new search query that comprises information of the selected non-exact matching record; and   displaying the second symbol on the map for one or more non-exact matching records based on the new search query.   
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented search and retrieval system, comprising at least one processor and memory, comprising:
 user interface for:
 displaying, on a user interface of a computer, a plurality of search criteria fields for a plurality of categories, wherein each search criteria field corresponds to one of the categories and at least one search criteria field comprises a physical location category; 
 receiving, through the user interface, a location-based search query for a location area comprising a plurality of search criteria values for the categories; 
   processor unit for:
 searching, in response to the location-based search query, a database, stored in computer storage, comprising a plurality of records that comprise information regarding the categories to identify at least one exact matching record that comprises information that exactly matches all search criteria values of the received search query and to identify at least one non-exact matching record that comprises information that does not exactly matches all search criteria values of the received search query; 
 calculating a relevance value for the non-exact matches based, in part, on a plurality of weight values, corresponding to the categories, wherein the weight values designate an importance of a category to the user relative to other categories; 
 selecting, based on the relevance value, a number of non-exact matching records to display in response to the search query; and 
   the user interface further for:
 displaying, in response to the location-based search query, a map of the location area that displays, by physical location on the map, one or more first symbols that represent one or more exact matching records and one or more second symbols that represent the number of non-exact matching records selected. 
   
     
     
         11 . The search and retrieval system as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the user interface further for:
 receiving the weights values for the categories through a plurality of weight slider tools, one associated with each category.   
     
     
         12 . The search and retrieval system as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the user interface for receiving, through a plurality of weight slider tools, the weight values comprises:
 receiving the weights values through a weight adjuster element on the weight slider tools, wherein the user may change the weight value of an associated category by selecting and dragging the weight adjuster element to decrease or increase the weight value.   
     
     
         13 . The search and retrieval system as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the user interface for receiving a search query comprises:
 receiving the search query through a plurality of criteria slider tools.   
     
     
         14 . The search and retrieval system as set forth in  claim 10 , the user interface further for:
 receiving a new weight value for at least one category; and   displaying at least one new second symbol corresponding to the non-exact matching records based on the new weight value.   
     
     
         15 . The search and retrieval system as set forth in  claim 14 , the user interface further for:
 displaying dynamically, and in real-time, at least one new second symbol corresponding to new non-exact matches as new weight values are received from one or more categories.   
     
     
         16 . The search and retrieval system as set forth in  claim 10 , the processor unit further for:
 increasing the relevance value of a non-exact matching record if the weight value of an associated category increases and if the record contains information that matches the search criterion specified for the associated category;   decreasing the relevance value of a non-exact matching record if the weight value of an associated category increases and if the record contains information that does not match the search criterion specified for the associated category;   decreasing the relevance value of a non-exact matching record if the weight value of an associated category decreases and if the record contains information that matches the search criterion specified for the associated category; and   increasing the relevance value of a non-exact matching record if the weight value of an associated category decreases and if the record contains information that does not match the search criterion specified for the associated category.   
     
     
         17 . The search and retrieval system as set forth in  claim 10 , the user interface further for:
 displaying a user-selectable drill down tool for an associated search criterion of an associated category;   displaying text to indicate a number of records that comprise information that exactly matches the associated search criterion and all received search criteria;   receiving selection of the user-selectable drill down tool; and   displaying at least one new second symbol corresponding to at least one new non-exact matching records based on the associated search criterion and all received search criteria.   
     
     
         18 . The search and retrieval system as set forth in  claim 10 , the user interface further for:
 receiving a user selection of a non-exact matching record;   generating a new search query that comprises information of the selected non-exact matching record; and   displaying at least one new second symbol corresponding to at least one new non-exact matching record based on the new search query.