Patent ID: 7853270

Claim:
A computer implemented method for geographically contextualizing data items, comprising: receiving a data item; determining whether the data item comprises a structured data item or an unstructured data item; parsing the data item into a plurality of components; determining, with a computer processor, a geographic component of the plurality of components, the geographic component having a geographic relevance, wherein the determining is performed using an algorithm if the data item comprises the unstructured data item, otherwise the determining is performed by comparing the plurality of components to a database comprising a plurality of structured data types; determining a first geographic region representative of the geographic component; retrieving a first plurality of results associated with the first geographic region and at least one of the plurality of components; identifying a second plurality of results associated with a second geographic region and at least one of the plurality of components, wherein the second geographic region is adjacent to, or overlapping, the first geographic region; and providing the first plurality of results and the second plurality of results.