# US 12,001,492 B2 · Location-based searching using a search area that corresponds to a geographical location of a computing device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,001,492 B2 - Document ID: US12001492B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/862,226 - Filed: 2022-07-11 - Published: 2022-10-27 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2009-12-04 - Assignees: Google Inc. - Applicants: Google LLC - Inventors: Tak Keung Cheng; James R. von Behren - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12001492B2 ## CPC - G06F 16/9537: Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries - G06F 16/951: Indexing; Web crawling techniques - G06F 16/9538: Presentation of query results - H04W 4/021: Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences - H04W 4/21: for social networking applications - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and programs for providing location-based information. A geographical location of a mobile computing device is received at a server system. A request for content is received at the server system and from the mobile computing device. A search area that corresponds to the geographical location is selected by the sever system. The search area is selected from among a collection of search areas that correspond to the geographical location. At least one of the search areas in the collection is geographically nested within at least one other of the search areas. A search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the selected search area is determined by the server system. Content that represents the determined search result is provided by the server system and for receipt by the mobile computing device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving, by a computing system, an indication of a geographical location of a computing device; selecting, by the computing system based on the indication of the geographical location of the computing device, a first search area that corresponds to the geographical location, the first search area selected from among a collection of search areas that correspond to the geographical location, based on scores for search areas in the collection of search areas; determining, by the computing system, a first search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the first search area; providing, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device in response to determining the first search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the first search area, first information to cause the computing device to present: (i) content that represents the first search result, and (ii) an indication of the first search area; receiving, by the computing system, an indication that user input at the computing device changed the first search area to a second search area in the collection of search areas, the user input being associated with a selectable user interface element that is separate from a search query input field; determining, by the computing system, a second search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the second search area; providing, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device in response to receiving the indication that the user input associated with the selectable user interface element changed the first search area to the second search area, second information to cause the computing device to present: (iii) content that represents the second search result, and (iv) an indication of the second search area, the second search area having been selected using the selectable user interface element, wherein the second information is different from the first information; and modifying, by the computing system in response to having received the indication that user input changed the first search area to the second search area, a search area score so that the second search area is more-relevantly scored with respect to the first search area than before the modifying of the search area score. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one search area in the collection of search areas is completely geographically nested within at least another search area within the collection of search areas. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the first search result includes submitting a query to a search engine system and receiving the first search result from the search engine system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein: the indication of the geographical location includes geographical coordinates; determining the first search result includes providing a query to a search engine system; and the query does not include the geographical coordinates. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein: each of the search areas in the collection of search areas is assigned a different descriptive phrase of one or more human-understandable language words; and determining the first search result includes providing, to a search engine system, the descriptive phrase of one or more human-understandable language words that is assigned to the first search area, and receiving, in response from the search engine system, the first search result. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting the first search area that corresponds to the geographical location is further based on a speed at which a user is traveling or a direction in which the user is traveling. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the first search area comprises a text user interface element that includes at least one descriptive word associated with the first search area. ### Claim 8 One or more computer-readable devices including instructions that, when executed by one or more programmable processors, cause the performance of actions that include: receiving, by a computing system, an indication of a geographical location of a computing device; selecting, by the computing system based on the indication of the geographical location of the computing device, a first search area that corresponds to the geographical location, the first search area selected from among a collection of search areas that correspond to the geographical location, based on scores for search areas in the collection of search areas; determining, by the computing system, a first search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the first search area; providing, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device in response to determining the first search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the first search area, first information to cause the computing device to present: (i) content that represents the first search result, and (ii) an indication of the first search area; receiving, by the computing system, an indication that user input at the computing device changed the first search area to a second search area in the collection of search areas, the user input being associated with a selectable user interface element that is separate from a search query input field; determining, by the computing system, a second search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the second search area; providing, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device in response to receiving the indication that the user input associated with the selectable user interface element changed the first search area to the second search area, second information to cause the computing device to present: (iii) content that represents the second search result, and (iv) an indication of the second search area, the second search area having been selected using the selectable user interface element, wherein the second information is different from the first information; and modifying, by the computing system in response to having received the indication that user input changed the first search area to the second search area, a search area score so that the second search area is more-relevantly scored with respect to the first search area than before the modifying of the search area score. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 8, wherein at least one search area in the collection of search areas is completely geographically nested within at least another search area within the collection of search areas. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 8, wherein determining the first search result includes submitting a query to a search engine system and receiving the first search result from the search engine system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 8, wherein: the indication of the geographical location includes geographical coordinates; determining the first search result includes providing a query to a search engine system; and the query does not include the geographical coordinates. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 8, wherein: each of the search areas in the collection of search areas is assigned a different descriptive phrase of one or more human-understandable language words; and determining the first search result includes providing, to a search engine system, the descriptive phrase of one or more human-understandable language words that is assigned to the first search area, and receiving, in response from the search engine system, the first search result. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 8, wherein selecting the first search area that corresponds to the geographical location is further based on a speed at which a user is traveling or a direction in which the user is traveling. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 8, wherein the indication of the first search area comprises a text user interface element that includes at least one descriptive word associated with the first search area. ### Claim 15 A computing system comprising: a processor, a computer-readable memory, one or more computer-readable storage media, and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, the program instructions executable to: select, by the computing system based on an indication of a geographical location of a computing device, a first search area that corresponds to the geographical location, the first search area selected from among a collection of search areas that correspond to the geographical location, based on scores for search areas in the collection of search areas; determine, by the computing system, a first search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the first search area; provide, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device in response to determining the first search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the first search area, first information to cause the computing device to present: (i) content that represents the first search result, and (ii) an indication of the first search area; receive, by the computing system, an indication that user input at the computing device changed the first search area to a second search area in the collection of search areas, the user input being associated with a selectable user interface element that is separate from a search query input field; determine, by the computing system, a second search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the second search area; provide, by the computing system and for receipt by the computing device in response to receiving the indication that the user input associated with the selectable user interface element changed the first search area to the second search area, second information to cause the computing device to present: (iii) content that represents the second search result, and (iv) an indication of the second search area, the second search area having been selected using the selectable user interface element, wherein the second information is different from the first information; and modify, by the computing system in response to having received the indication that user input changed the first search area to the second search area, a search area score so that the second search area is more-relevantly scored with respect to the first search area than before the modifying of the search area score. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein at least one search area in the collection of search areas is completely geographically nested within at least another search area within the collection of search areas. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein determining the first search result includes submitting a query to a search engine system and receiving the first search result from the search engine system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein: the indication of the geographical location includes geographical coordinates; determining the first search result includes providing a query to a search engine system; and the query does not include the geographical coordinates. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein: each of the search areas in the collection of search areas is assigned a different descriptive phrase of one or more human-understandable language words; and determining the first search result includes providing, to a search engine system, the descriptive phrase of one or more human-understandable language words that is assigned to the first search area, and receiving, in response from the search engine system, the first search result. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein selecting the first search area that corresponds to the geographical location is further based on a speed at which a user is traveling or a direction in which the user is traveling.