eBay Inc.
Category-constrained querying using postal addresses

Abstract:

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.