PROVISION OF LOCATION INFORMATION WITH SEARCH QUERIES FROM LOCATION UNAWARE DEVICES TO INCREASE USER INTERACTION PERFORMANCE

摘要

The geographic location obtained by a location-aware computing device can be shared with a location-unaware computing device such that user interaction with a search engine through the location-unaware computing device can still include, when appropriate, a geographic location associated with the user, thereby increasing the relevance and aptness of the search results presented to the user and, accordingly, increasing user interaction performance with the search engine. Short range communicational connections can be used to share location information prior to being utilized in conjunction with searches. Location information can be provided, from a location-aware computing device, to a centralized, networked computing device, and associated thereon with a user identifier, thereby enabling associated location information to be utilized in conjunction with that user's searches. Location information can also be associated with an entity to improve the identification of such an entity as being responsive to other users' search queries.

主权项

1. A computing device comprising:
one or more processing units; a network interface; and one or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the computing device to:
obtain, through the network interface, from a location-aware computing device, location information indicative of a geographic location of the location-aware computing device;store the obtained location information;detect a user search query, from a location-unaware computing device differing from the location-aware computing device from which the location information was received, the user search query implicitly specifying a locational aspect; andutilize the stored location information for the user search query.