CN101606139A - Be used for Internet search and the location toolbar of communicating by letter - Google Patents

Abstract

A kind of information with the user geographic position of discerning estimation is called the utility of network service (209), described utility comprises: engine (202) is estimated in the geographic position, be used for the geographic position that estimation regularly has the user of the first precalculated position information format, with website articles database (204), be stored in the electronically readable medium, the network address of each clauses and subclauses specified network service, and when the positional information that receives as the network service parameter the corresponding form (205) of recognition network service expectation.This utility also comprises the logic (201) that detects the network Service Activation, is used for the desired format of accessing database with the network service of identification activation, and is used to call conversion logic (206).Conversion logic is converted to the positional information of first predetermined format positional information of the form coding of discerning with the network service that activates.Described utility comprises the logic (208) with the positional information delivery network service activity of format transformation.

Description

Be used for Internet search and the location toolbar of communicating by letter

The application is according to 35U.S.C § 119 (e), the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.60/738 that the name of submitting on October 23rd, 2005 is called " Online Location Toolbar For HTML Brower " is enjoyed in requirement, submitted on August 4th, 853 and 2006 name is called " WLANPositioning System User Location Pulling Mode For Use InClient-Server Systems; " U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.60/821,479 right of priority comprises it in this application by reference in full.

Technical field

The present invention relates in general to location-based service and location-based Internet search, more particularly, relates to the method and system that the calculating location that utilizes equipment comes optimization information search and online communication.

Background technology

Microsoft?LocateMe：

The LocateMe that is published in May, 2005 has the function of virtual earth product (renaming Microsoft Live Local now as).LocateMe download client application program is to the WindowsXP machine that uses 802.11 adapters, with near the wireless signal scanning.These signals send to virtual earth server by the Internet then.Virtual earth server comprises Microsoft and drives the driving attack data set of attacking the permission of (wardriving) group from community.If in the access point scope of user in database, LocateMe calculates user's position and draw this position on virtual earth map so.

Placelab?google?maps?mashup：

The preceding researchist of Intel Placelab group is integrated into the Placelab location technology on the Java Applet that can move in the computing machine explorer.This applet is made great efforts scan for wireless signals and itself and the driving attack database of being safeguarded by Wigle.net is compared.

Open Mobile Alliance-secure user plane location (SUPL) standard:

The SUPL standard is just adopted as the mechanism of striding wireless network sharing position information by wireless service provider.For the delivering position service, this standard is specified the system and the service that should be present in by in the foundation structure of operator's management.More information can obtain on http://www.openmobilealliance.org/release_program/supl_v1_0.htm.

The invention provides and be used for carrying out Internet search and utility of communicating by letter and method according to the user geographic position of estimating.

According to another aspect of the present invention, utility calls the network service with the information in the user geographic position of identification estimation.Described utility comprises and is used for regularly estimating that the geographic position with user geographic position of the first precalculated position information format estimates engine, with the website articles database that is stored in the electronically readable medium, the network address of each clauses and subclauses specified network service and the corresponding form of network service expectation when being identified in reception as the positional information of network service parameter.Described utility also comprises the logic that detects the network Service Activation, is used to visit the form of the network service expectation that described database activates with identification and is used to call conversion logic.Conversion logic is converted to the positional information of first predetermined format positional information of the form coding of discerning with the network service that activates.Described utility comprises the positional information delivery network Service Activation with format transformation.

According to a further aspect in the invention, browse behavior, call the logic that is used to detect the network Service Activation in response to user network.

According to a further aspect in the invention, in response to the program code that is included in the website, call the logic that is used to detect the network Service Activation.

According to a further aspect in the invention, the message that engine receives according to the Wi-Fi access point in user's the Wi-Fi equipment of enabling scope, the geographical location information of estimating user are estimated in the geographic position.

According to a further aspect in the invention, the positional information of encoding with the form of identification comprises at least one in latitude, longitude, street address, city, state, county, postcode, census tracts, area, country and the time zone.

Description of drawings

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 has described system outline;

Fig. 2 has described the location map process;

Fig. 3 has described the position and has pushed away (push) process flow diagram; And

Fig. 4 has described the position and has drawn (pull) process flow diagram.

Embodiment

The embodiments of the invention of Miao Shuing provide computed user locations then integrated system and utility to be carried out in this position and user's internet browsing and online communication experience in this manual.An embodiment is called as location toolbar.

Because wireless device is ripe on ability, and wireless system become more universal, and movability just constantly becomes a reality concerning computing system.This new movability has presented brand-new application and service set, not only can provide mobile freedom, also can utilize mobile subscriber's dynamic perfromance.Wherein a kind of known physical location of applications exploiting equipment, and whole information search and the communication experiences around this position customized.

The example of the new purposes of these of mobile device is to search user's current location neighbouring shop, commodity and people.Near business travelers is sought possibly cafe.They may stop stranger and inquiry from the direction in their nearest shop, perhaps may phone the telephone operator and ask for help.But new location technology has been arranged, and the individual just can utilize their notebook computer or phone to come for example to search for apace all interior cafes of half mile range, obtains then from the direction of the complications of their current location.Other location-based services comprise friend's finger, emergency response and fictitious tour guide.

One of them reason that these services delay to enable is, the position of mobile device is all unknown nor obtain easily as of late.In recent years, handset makers has begun the GPS chip is joined in their equipment so that this automatic station-keeping ability to be provided.But this does not comprise hundreds of millions of other mobile devices as notebook computer and personal digital assistant.Except this hardware problem, also lack the industry standard of sharing position information.

Yet telecommunications provider has developed some standards that are used to stride their network sharing position information, and these standards do not comprise system or any content sites outside any their network.Therefore, even equipment has automatic station-keeping ability, also seldom there are application and website to prepare to be used for seamlessly receiving this information.Each website or telecommunication media (location channel) are all described the position by different way.Number of site requires the user that postcode is provided, and other websites then require complete street address.Concerning seamless automatic station-keeping system, it need possess the ability that positional information is provided with all these forms.

Location toolbar embodiment of the present invention by directly being integrated into (for example explorer and email client) in the common user applications, has solved all these problems.Location toolbar has been expanded the function of explorer by adding automatic location and user's current location being translated as any form of website acceptable.Therefore, location toolbar has been simplified definite location of user equipment and has then been customized all Internet searches and the process of communicating by letter according to this position.Location toolbar utilizes the Wi-Fi positioning system to determine the position of equipment, and with this location map to the local search network inquiry or as the online communication of Email.

Embodiments of the invention are based upon disclosed technology in the application of early stage submission, on the basis of system and method, include but not limited to be entitled as the U.S. Patent application No.11/261 of " Location Beacon Database ", 848, the U.S. Patent application No.11/261 that is entitled as " Server for Updating Location BeaconDatabase ", 898, the U.S. Patent application No.11/261 that is entitled as " Method and Systemfor Building a location Beacon Database ", 987 and the U.S. Patent application No.11/261 that is entitled as " Location-Based Services that ChooseLocation Algorithms Based on Number of Detected Access PointsWithin Range of User Device ", 988, all above applications are all submitted on October 28th, 2005, and the content of all applications is incorporated herein by reference.The ad hoc approach of collecting high-quality position data at the Wi-Fi access point has been instructed in these applications, make this data can be used for location-based service determining to utilize the geographic position of enabling Wi-Fi equipment of these services, and instructed and used this position data to come the technology of estimating system user's position.Yet, disclosed system and method in the patented claim that technology of the present invention is not limited to incorporate into.Thereby, though may be helpful with reference to these systems and application, these systems and application are not to understand current embodiment or invent necessary.

Fig. 1 has described the system schematic that shows some example structure.Location toolbar (109) is a software application of going up operation at mobile device (102), is installed in the explorer as Firefox, Mozilla or Internet Exporler (106) as add-on application.All main flow browsers all provide the mechanism of installing by this way from the opposing party software developer's additional function.Mobile device (102) generally includes radio device (104), is configured to utilize IEEE802.11 (Wi-Fi) standard to communicate.

In the situation of an example, the user is chosen in web content site (101) and goes up search about near the store information their current location.The user selects to start the positioning function of the toolbar (109) of this process.Positioning function can comprise, for example, and the item in toolbar button or the drop-down menu.Toolbar (109) calls the locating interface of WPS (Wi-Fi positioning system) client (103), and the position of requesting service.

WPS client (103) is communicated by letter with 802.11 wireless devices (104), and requires the wireless device scans wireless signal.Wireless device (104) sends active probe request near the access point all (105).Each in scope and the access point (105) that receives probe requests thereby with the probe response that comprises APN and unique identifier (MAC Address) request is responded.WPS client (103) is collected these responses, and creates position enquiring by the Internet to WPS server (110).

The exact position that WPS server (110) calculates mobile device (102) according to the reading of these observations, and definite latitude and longitude on definite position coordinates.Other positioning systems, as GPS, cell tower triangle location or even television tower triangle location, can be used for determining the position.The latitude and the longitude of WPS server (110) output are sent to the geocoder (111) that is used for street address location map coordinate position.

Oppositely geocoding is latitude and longitude to be calculated the process of nearest actual street address as input.Geocoder (111) is utilized street map data (113), as the TIGER database of U.S. government, comes the nearest actual address of coordinates computed lat/lon position.In certain embodiments, geocoder (111) is carried out phase-reversal coding and is calculated according to the latitude and the longitude that receive from WPS server (110), and returns street address and make WPS server (110) to finish whole location dictionary to ad-hoc location.WPS server (110) sends it back WPS client (103) with the whole location dictionary of the current location of equipment (102) then.Location dictionary comprises the expression of many current locations, comprises elements such as street address as this accurate location, city, state, postcode.The example of location dictionary is as shown in table 1.

The example of location dictionary
	Element=value
Street=Highland avenue
	City=Boston
State=Massachusetts
	Postcode=02456
Latitude=42.56933
	Longitude=-71.348820

Table 1

Location dictionary is passed to the location mapper (108) of location toolbar (109) by WPS server (103).The channel database (112) of location mapper (108) access location content and the channel of the current support of toolbar.Channel database (112) inform which element of location mapper (108) be requested the request of carrying out function and as how appropriate grammar and form come content construction request or communication information, to finish processing.

For example, some websites comprise customer location in the URL of content request, and the form of postcode is adopted in this position.When toolbar (109) was installed on the mobile device (102), one group of default position channel can be included in the channel database (112), and other channels can be downloaded from the line channel storehouse on the Internet and install.These new channels are seamlessly added in the channel database (112), and can use the user.Location mapper (108) is converted to suitable message format with current location, and it is returned to browser (106).Request is handled by browser (106), and browser sends http to web content site (101) and calls, and then web content site responds with the position certain content.

Fig. 2 has described aforesaid location dictionary and location mapper in more detailed mode.Location mapper (206) is as the global translator of positional information.Location toolbar (201) receives local content requests from user or website.Toolbar (201) calls the WPS system (202) (as mentioned above) of the location dictionary of returning all each position elements (207) that comprise ad-hoc location.Positional information can be expressed in many ways, because there is not general standard in the internet content search.

In the technological orientation field of global information system (GIS), usually the position is described with the latitude of the spherical coordinate system component of the position that is used to shine upon tellurian each position and the form of longitude.But, even also exist several modes to represent suitable latitude and longitude station.In some cases, the position is through being often expressed as street address, and under other situations, census tracts is used to collect the data as census of population and census record.The local content sites of on the Internet each requires to submit the position to different potentially forms.Some only need postcode, and other then need lat/lon.

Location toolbar needs to use all language and form, but the user is hidden these complicacy.Location dictionary (203) is the complete expression of current location, not only comprise latitude and longitude, also comprise additional address information, for example, street address, city, state/province, county, census tracts, postcode, country and time zone, and the information of other relevant positions.Location toolbar (201) can determine that then the where element (207) in the location dictionary (203) is that to carry out local content requests necessary.

When location toolbar (201) obtained location dictionary (203), toolbar (201) is the channel database of the content channel of search subscriber request (204) (for example, weather.com or google map) also.Each channel has describes the how specific channel format (205) of desired locations information of website or communication channel.This form can be URL, address (form post), XML pattern forms such as (XML schema).In case when toolbar (201) had its two parts that need, it called the mapper (206) of block position dictionary (203) and channel format (205) so, replaces location variable with their position elements (207) (for example, postcode=02494) separately.Along with the structure of content requests, toolbar (201) is passed to turn-off request and is then handled this request and the browser (208) of getting in touch is inquired about in website (209) and ad-hoc location.

For example, the network user may wish near all cafes their current location are positioned. Local).Local toolbar (201) is to WPS system (202) request customer location, and the location dictionary (203) of reception current location.The example of local dictionary (203) is provided in the table 2.

The example of location dictionary
	Element=value
Number=332
	Street=Congress St
City=Boston
	State=Massachusetts
Postcode=02456
	Latitude=42.56933
Longitude=-71.377777

Table 2

Position element (207), position media and the form of Local channel searching.

Table 3 provides the position element of request and the example of location channels form (205).

? The Local channel searching
	? Element
?<search?text>，<housenum>，<street>，<city>，<state>，<zip>
	? Form
?http://local.yahoo.com/search？search＝<search?text>?&?address＝<housenum>，<street>?&?city＝<city>?&?state＝<state>?&?zip＝<zip>

Table 3

Location mapper (206) is with the variable name in the actual value replacement channel format (205) of location dictionary (203). The suitable http request that Local requires is to search for cafe in certain scope of ad-hoc location.Table 4 provides the example of formatted request.

Last HTTP request
	http://local.yahoo.com/search？search＝coffee％shops&?address＝332％congress％st?&?city＝boston?&?state＝ma&?zip＝02456

Table 4

After Local (content site (209)) transmitted, content was got back to browser and the user is shown.

This process asks to carry out to each user.Location channels can be relevant with online content or communication.Location toolbar is designed to have extensibility, makes the user can add any type of new channel at any time.The example of content channel comprises local news, weather, shop and sales promotion, community network, travelling and direction, incident, culture, tourism and based on the local search channel of key word.Embodiments of the invention are included in the Email that sends to another person, in sending to another cellphone subscriber's text message, or comprise positional information in the record on position shared network (LSN) with form.In addition, embodiment can form position requests, for example HTTP RUL GET, HTTP FORM POST, Email and XML with various structures.

Embodiments of the invention can be with two kinds of schematic operation mode, location push model and location pull model.Fig. 3 has described location push model flow diagram.In location push model, the toolbar (302) of user (301) by utilizing them initiated position requests or communication, and request spreads out of their current location on the network or by Email/SMS/ instant message device and passes to another user.An example that pushes away request is near the user in the Mexico restaurant of the having a dinner search.

The user in location toolbar (302) they the collection channel searching (for example, CitySearch.com) in inputted search keyword (" Mexico restaurant ").The current location of requesting service near the WPS location client (303) of location toolbar (302) access point (304) scanning all.All access points (304) response in the equipment scope.Access point (304) set is packed by WPS server client (303) and is sent to latitude and the longitude of WPS server (305) with computing equipment.After finishing this calculating, WPS server (305) uses geocoder (306) to finish and is sent back down to WPS client (303) and toolbar (302) location dictionary.Toolbar use location mapper (307) makes up that CitySeach expects and sends it to (for example) necessary HTTP POST request that browser (308) is handled.When this request was sent to CitySearch content site (309), website was handled customer location and near the Mexico restaurant all in its catalogue is sent back to browser.

Fig. 4 has described location pull model flow diagram.In location pull model, content site (409) itself starts mutual and comprises that script and the toolbar (402) write carry out alternately.The U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.60/821 that incorporates into as mentioned, 479 is described, and content site (409) can comprise script in the HTML code of utilizing the inquiry of toolbar enable position.When user capture particular network website, browser (408) download location script is also handled them.If location toolbar (402) has been installed, browser (408) will utilize location toolbar (402) to use the script startup position enquiring.Location toolbar (402) is from scanning near the current location of WPS location client (403) requesting service of access point (404) all.All access points (404) response in the equipment scope.Access point (404) set is returned to WPS client (403), and then is sent to WPS server (405) with computing equipment latitude and longitude.After finishing this calculating, WPS server (405) uses geocoder (406) to finish the location dictionary that then will be sent back to WPS client (403) and toolbar (402).

Then, mapper (407) utilizes the location message of location dictionary content construction website (409) request in its script.Browser (408) sends the position element with specific format to content site (409) and handles.

For example, toolbar user capture starbucks.com searches nearest Starbucks stores.The user imports www.starbucks.com in their browser, browser is asked.The server of starbucks.com turns back to browser to present Startbuck's homepage with HTML code.Position Javascript code among the HTML tells browser to obtain user's position, and makes it have the form of street address and postcode.As mentioned above, browser use location toolbar is to obtain the position and to make the position element have suitable form, and then browser is sent back to the Starbucks.com server with these.The server receiving position information also customizes the specific and regional specific sales promotion of map and shop to be included in nearest shop to homepage.

Except local content of seamless access and localized communications were provided, toolbar was also played the part of the platform of local advertising.Web content site not only can utilize user's position to show relevant local content, can also show local advertising.In addition, toolbar itself also can be used for advertisement.The shop can originally be put local advertising on one's body at toolbar.These advertisements can aim at the user according to user's current location.For example, when toolbar detects the user near a tame Startbuck time, toolbar can be configured on subscriber equipment post message as " feel tired out? from your 300 feet places one tame Startbuck is just arranged." in another embodiment, the button on the toolbar can change along with the proximity in customer location and user and particular retail shop.

As will realizing, the present invention can be other with different embodiment, its many places details can be made amendment in every respect, and can not deviate from the scope of the present invention of the qualification in the claims of the present invention.For example, as mentioned above, geocoder and map datum are present on the mobile device, and the WPS client can design to carry out the WPS server capability.In such embodiments, mobile device does not need to ask to generate the location dictionary of user's current location beyond mobile device.Therefore, accompanying drawing and description are actually schematically, and nonrestrictive, the application's scope is represented by claim.

Claims (5)

1. the information with the user geographic position of identification estimation is called the utility of network service, comprising:

Engine is estimated in the geographic position, is used for the geographic position that estimation regularly has the described user of the first precalculated position information format;

The website articles database is stored in the electronically readable medium, the network address of each clauses and subclauses specified network service, and the corresponding form of network service expectation when being identified in reception as the positional information of network service parameter;

Be used to detect the logic of network Service Activation, be used to visit the described desired format that described database is served with the network of discerning described activation, and be used to call conversion logic;

Conversion logic, the positional information that is used for having described first predetermined format are converted to the positional information with the form coding of the described identification of the network service of described activation; And

Issue the logic of described network Service Activation with the described positional information of described format transformation.

2. according to the utility of claim 1, wherein

Browse behavior in response to user network, call the described logic that is used to detect the network Service Activation.

3. according to the utility of claim 1, wherein

In response to the program code that is included in the website, call the described logic that is used to detect the network Service Activation.

4. according to the utility of claim 1, wherein

The message of engine according to the reception of the Wi-Fi access point in described user's the Wi-Fi equipment of enabling scope is estimated in described geographic position, estimates described user's described geographic position.

5. according to the utility of claim 1, wherein

Comprise in latitude, longitude, street address, city, state, province, county, postcode, census tracts, area, country and the time zone at least one with the described positional information of the form of described identification coding.

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