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US 9,852,156 B2Granted
Hybrid use of location sensor data and visual query to return local listings for visual query
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsDavid Petrou, John Flynn, Hartwig Adam, Hartmut Neven
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A visual query is received from a client system, along with location information for the client system, and processed by a server system. The server system sends the visual query and the location information to a visual query search system, and receives from the visual query search system enhanced location information based on the visual query and the location information. The server system then sends a search query, including the enhanced location information, to a location-based search system. The search system receives and provides to the client one or more search results to the client system.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method of processing a visual query comprising:
- at a server system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors:
- obtaining a visual query from a client system, the visual query including an image that depicts an object;
- obtaining location information from the client system, the location information specifying a location of the client system and meeting a first level of accuracy based on the location information specifying the location of the client system within a first predefined distance of an actual location of the client system;
- determining, based on the visual query and the location of the client system, enhanced location information that specifies the location of the client system at a second level of accuracy that more accurately specifies the location of the client system than the first level of accuracy based on the enhanced location information specifying the location of the client system within a second predefined distance of the actual location of the client system that is less than the first predefined distance, the determining the enhanced location comprising:
- comparing the visual query with a plurality of images of objects located within a predefined range of the location of the client system;
- identifying, from the plurality of images and based on the comparison, a matching image that depicts the object depicted in the image;
- obtaining, from stored location information for the matching image, a location of the object depicted in the matching image;
- and
- determining the enhanced location of the client system using the stored location information for the matching image, the stored location information specifying a location of the object depicted in the matching image;
- obtaining one or more search results in accordance with the enhanced location information;
- and
- sending at least one of the search results to the client system.
9 more elements
A server system, for processing a visual query, comprising:
- one or more central processing units for executing programs;
- memory storing one or more programs be executed by the one or more central processing units;
- the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
- obtaining a visual query from a client system, the visual query including an image that depicts an object;
- obtaining location information from the client system, the location information specifying a location of the client system and meeting a first level of accuracy based on the location information specifying the location of the client system within a first predefined distance of an actual location of the client system;
- determining, based on the visual query and the location of the client system, enhanced location information that specifies the location of the client system at a second level of accuracy that more accurately specifies the location of the client system than the first level of accuracy based on the enhanced location information specifying the location of the client system within a second predefined distance of the actual location of the client system that is less than the first predefined distance, the determining the enhanced location comprising:
- comparing the visual query with a plurality of images of objects located within a predefined range of the location of the client system;
- identifying, from the plurality of images and based on the comparison, a matching image that depicts the object depicted in the image;
- obtaining, from stored location information for the matching image, a location of the object depicted in the matching image;
- and
- determining the enhanced location of the client system using the stored location information for the matching image, the stored location information specifying a location of the object depicted in the matching image;
- obtaining one or more search results in accordance with the enhanced location information;
- and
- sending at least one of the search results to the client system.
11 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
- obtaining a visual query from a client system, the visual query including an image that depicts an object;
- obtaining location information from the client system, the location information specifying a location of the client system and meeting a first level of accuracy based on the location information specifying the location of the client system within a first predefined distance of an actual location of the client system;
- determining, based on the visual query and the location of the client system, enhanced location information that specifies the location of the client system at a second level of accuracy that more accurately specifies the location of the client system than the first level of accuracy based on the enhanced location information specifying the location of the client system within a second predefined distance of the actual location of the client system that is less than the first predefined distance, the determining the enhanced location comprising:
- comparing the visual query with a plurality of images of objects located within a predefined range of the location of the client system;
- identifying, from the plurality of images and based on the comparison, a matching image that depicts the object depicted in the image;
- obtaining, from stored location information for the matching image, a location of the object depicted in the matching image;
- and
- determining the enhanced location of the client system using the stored location information for the matching image, the stored location information specifying a location of the object depicted in the matching image;
- obtaining one or more search results in accordance with the enhanced location information;
- and
- sending at least one of the search results to the client system.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.