Location-Based Searching

Abstract

A method includes receiving a search query froth a user device and identifying a plurality of function records included in a data store based on the received search query. Each of the function records includes an access mechanism specifying a state of an application, state information describing the state of the application, and location data including a coordinate and a perimeter. The coordinate defines the location of a place corresponding to the state information and the perimeter defines a geographic area surrounding the coordinate. The method also includes determining a search location and a score for the function record based on where the determined search location is located relative to the geographic area defined by the location data for each of the identified function records. The method also includes selecting access mechanisms from the function records based on the scores and transmitting the selected access mechanisms to the user device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a computing device, a search query from a user device;   identifying, by the computing device, a plurality of function records included in a data store based on the received search query, each of the function records comprising:
 an access mechanism specifying a state of an application; 
 state information corresponding to the state of the application specified by the access mechanism; and 
 location data including a coordinate and a perimeter, wherein the coordinate defines the location of a place corresponding to the state information and the perimeter defines a geographic area surrounding the coordinate; 
   determining, by the computing device, a search location;   for each of the identified function records, determining a score tier the function record based on where the determined search location is located relative to the geographic area defined by the location data of the function record;   selecting, by the computing device, access mechanisms from the function records based on the scores associated with the function records; and   transmitting the selected access mechanisms from the computing device to the user device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the score indicates a relevance of the function record to the search query and the search location. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the score for the function record comprises determining the score based on whether the search location is located within the geographic area defined by the perimeter. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein determining the score for the function record comprises:
 determining a first score when the search location is located within the geographic area defined by the perimeter; and   determining a second score that is different than the first score when the search location is located outside of the geographic area defined by the perimeter.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein, when the search location is located within the perimeter, determining the score for the function record based on where the search location is located relative to the coordinate. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein, when the search location is located outside of the perimeter, determining the score for the function record based on the distance of the search location from the perimeter. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the computing device, the perimeter for at least one of the function records based on the population of the area surrounding the coordinate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the computing device, the perimeter for at least one of the function records based on the population density of the area surrounding the coordinate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the computing device, the perimeter for at least one of the function records based on the proximity of the coordinate to transportation infrastructure. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the computing device, the perimeter for at least one of the function records based on the popularity of the place defined by the state information. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, for at least one of the plurality of function records, the perimeter is a circular perimeter defining a circular geographic area surrounding the coordinate, and wherein the coordinate defines a center point of the circular perimeter. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the location data includes a radius value around the coordinate that defines the circular perimeter, and wherein the method further comprises generating the radius value based on the population of the geographic area surrounding the coordinate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, for at least one of the plurality of function records, the perimeter is a polygon perimeter defining a geographic area surrounding the coordinate, and wherein the coordinate defines a center point of the polygon perimeter. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, for each of the plurality of function records:
 determining, by the computing device, whether the search location is located within the geographic area defined by the location data of the function record; and   filtering out, by the computing device, the function record if the determined search location is located outside of the geographic area defined by the location data of the function record, wherein determining the score for the function record comprises determining the score for the function record based on where the determined search location is located within the geographic area defined by the location data of the function record.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, at the computing device, data from the user device indicating the geo-location of the user device, wherein determining the search location comprises determining the search location based on at least one of a location specified in the search query and the data from the user device indicating the geo-location of the user device. 
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 a non-transitory data store that includes function records, each of the function records comprising:
 an access mechanism specifying a state of an application; 
 state information corresponding to the state of the application specified by the access mechanism; and 
 location data including a coordinate and a perimeter, wherein the coordinate defines the location of a place corresponding to the state information and the perimeter defines a geographic area surrounding the coordinate; and 
   one or more computing devices in communication with the non-transitory data store and configured to:
 receive a search query from a user device; 
 identify a plurality of function records included in the data store based on the received search query; 
 determine a search location; 
 for each of the identified function records, determine a score for the function record based on where the determined search location is located relative to the geographic area defined by the location data of the function record; 
 select access mechanisms from the function records based on the scores associated with the function records; and 
 transmit the selected access mechanisms to the user device. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to generate the perimeter for at least one of the function records based on the population of the area surrounding the coordinate. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to generate the perimeter for at least one of the function records based on the population density of the area surrounding the coordinate. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein, for at least one of the plurality of function records, the perimeter is a circular perimeter defining a circular geographic area surrounding the coordinate, and wherein the coordinate defines a center point of the circular perimeter. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the location data includes a radius value around the coordinate that defines the circular perimeter, and wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to generate the radius value based on the population of the geographic area surrounding the coordinate. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein, for each of the plurality of function records, the one or more computing devices are configured to:
 determine whether the search location is located within the geographic area defined by the location data of the function record; and   filter out the function record if the determined search location is located outside of the geographic area defined by the location data of the function record, wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to determine the score for the function record based on where the determined search location is located within the geographic area defined by the location data of the function record.   
     
     
         22 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that cause one or more computing devices to:
 receive a search query from a user device;   identify a plurality of function records included in a data store based on the received search query, each of the function records including:
 an access mechanism specifying a state of an application; 
 state information corresponding to the state of the application specified by the access mechanism; and 
 location data including a coordinate and a perimeter, wherein the coordinate defines the location of a place corresponding to the state information and the perimeter defines a geographic area surrounding the coordinate; 
   determine a search location;   for each of the identified function records, determine a score for the function record based on where the determined search location is located relative to the geographic area defined by the location data of the function record;   select access mechanisms from the function records based on the scores associated with the function records; and   transmit the selected access mechanisms to the user device.