Method and an Apparatus for Searching or Comparing Sites Using Routes or Route Lengths Between Sites and Places Within a Transportation System

Abstract

Embodiments relate to searching or comparing sites. One embodiment is a real estate search-or-compare method based on commute durations. The method efficiently processes public transportation and real estate property data to compute the durations of travel between the real estate properties and the vehicle stops. These durations are stored. A request framework is introduced that allows to express a wide range of search-or-compare requests. During request processing, the method identifies parts of the commute paths that depend on any real estate property. Because durations for these parts were precomputed and stored, the method can determine commute durations to every real estate property in a scalable manner. As a result, the method rapidly responds to requests within the real estate market of one of the largest metropolitan areas in existence today. Other embodiments include: searching or comparing based on a monetary cost, transportation using private cars, and sites other than real estate properties. A computer system and a computer service also embody the method.

1 . A method for searching or comparing at least one site using at least two descriptions of travel between the at least one site and at least one place within a transportation system, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving a request comprising the at least one place;   (b) computing the at least two descriptions of travel; and   (c) responding to the request with information obtained using the at least two descriptions of travel;   
       the method characterized by:
 (d) determining a derived description of travel using the at least two descriptions of travel between:
 i. a plurality of different places included in the at least one places, and a site included in the at least one site but not included in the plurality of different places, or 
 ii. a plurality of different sites included in the at least one site, and a place included in the at least one place but not included in the plurality of different sites, 
 wherein the information includes the derived description of travel. 
 
 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of the derived description of travel comprises:
 (a) calculating a minimum across a plurality of lengths of travel included in the at least two descriptions of travel;   (b) calculating a weighted sum of a plurality of lengths of travel included in the at least two descriptions of travel, using numeric weights further included in the request; or   (c) calculating a difference between a first length of travel having an endpoint that is a first site and a second length of travel having an endpoint that is a second site, wherein the two sites are included in the plurality of different sites, and
 wherein one of the two sites is further included in the request. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a site included in the at least one site is:
 (a) a real estate property,   (b) a work location,   (c) a school,   (d) a shop, or   (e) a restaurant.