Query Disambiguation via Geolocation Constraints
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Ambiguous search queries in e-commerce systems often result in responses from multiple unrelated categories of products or services, making it difficult for users to receive relevant results without disambiguation.
Innovation Solution
A disambiguation app that uses geolocation data to match search queries with relevant categories of items by constraining search results based on the user's geographical location, ensuring that responses are related to the user's context.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If search queries are processed without disambiguation, then the search system is simple and fast, but the search results are irrelevant and inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces location data as an intermediary element that mediates between the search query and the search results. By incorporating geographic location information as an additional constraint dimension, the system can disambiguate queries without fundamentally redesigning the search architecture, thus improving accuracy while maintaining relative simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The search system is segmented into multiple filtering stages: initial broad search based on query terms, followed by subsequent filtering based on location data. This segmentation allows the system to process queries efficiently in stages, applying location constraints only after retrieving candidate results, thereby maintaining speed while improving precision.
2Reliability
If search results are constrained by location data, then search result relevance is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The location data infrastructure is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as a filter for search results, provides context for query disambiguation, and can be used for personalized recommendations. By making the location system multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Measurement precision
If location-based disambiguation is applied, then search accuracy improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-processing location data and pre-calculating distance metrics before actual search queries are received. Location constraints are prepared in advance and stored in optimized data structures, allowing rapid application during query processing. This preliminary preparation significantly reduces the time required to apply location-based filtering when queries are executed.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for optimizing querying of distributed systems. A system, including a plurality of subsystems each associated with one or more categories, can receive a query from a client device. The system can determine the categories associated with the query. The system can also identify a postal address associated with the query, such as by receiving the location of the client device and mapping the location to a postal address. The system can determine a category unrelated to the postal address and constrain (e.g., sort or filter) the query (and/or query results) based on the remaining categories. In addition, or alternatively, the system can constrain the query (and/or query results) to categories associated with the postal address. The system can also constrain the query (and/or query results) based on time or date, weather information, user profile information, ambient light information, motion information, etc.