Concepts for enhanced location information

• US 10,191,918 B1
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Siris, Marc David, Schenken, Christopher T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gortayo, Dangelino N
• Application Number:
  US14/180,794
• Time in Patent Office: 1,810 Days
• Field of Search: 707724, 707710, 707723, 707737, 707769, 707918, 701426, 701438
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2228 Indexing structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2468 Fuzzy queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/444 Spatial browsing, e.g. 2D maps, 3D or virtual spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for standardizing addresses and providing information associated with geographic areas/points of interest. For example, location data can be collected for serviceable points. From the collected location data, addresses can be standardized, location-based searches can be performed, correct locations of serviceable points can be confirmed, and geographic representations can be generated.

Claims

1. A computerized method for performing a location-based search, the computerized method comprising:

receiving, by a mobile device associated with a user, an indication of a geographic area from the user;

receiving, by the mobile device, input from the user, identifying (a) a distance parameter and (b) a search criteria for the geographic area for a point of interest having a reference location information;

providing, by the mobile device, (a) the distance parameter and (b) the search criteria for a search to be performed based on the geographic area and the search criteria to a network device, wherein the network device is in communication with one or more vehicles that send and receive data, wherein data sent from the one or more vehicles is processed by a mapping computing entity of the network device to provide to the mobile device, results for the (a) distance parameter and (b) the search criteria for the geographic area for the point of interest having the reference location information;

receiving from the mapping computing entity and displaying, by the mobile device, results for the (a) distance parameter and (b) the search criteria comprising information about the point of interest, wherein the results are provided based on the data sent from the one or more vehicles;

responsive to receiving the results for the (a) distance parameter and (b) the search criteria, monitoring, by the mobile device, the location of the mobile device to determine when the mobile device is within a zone of confidence associated with the point of interest within the distance parameter;

responsive to determining that the mobile device is within the zone of confidence, determining that the mobile device is proximate to the point of interest, and dynamically generating an interface, presented to a display of the mobile device, the interface comprising visible indicia indicating a request for confirmation from the user of the mobile device that the user has arrived at the point of interest and that the reference location information for the point of interest is accurate;

receiving a response from the user, by the mobile device, via the interface; and

transmitting, by the mobile device, the response from the user to the network device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, responsive to receiving the response to the request for confirmation originating from the mobile device, storing the response in association with a record for the point of interest.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing location data in association with a record for the point of interest.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the zone of confidence comprises a predetermined threshold within the location of the point of interest.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to update location information associated with a location of the point of interest in response to detecting a number of negative responses to the request for confirmation exceeding a predefined threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an indication of a selection, via the interface, of a response pertaining to confirmation regarding whether the mobile device is actually at the correct location of the point of interest.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, via the mobile device to the network device, one or more responses indicating that the user of the mobile device is at an incorrect location of the point of interest to enable the network device to determine whether a number of the responses exceeds a predetermined threshold denoting that the stored location of the point of interest is to be updated.

8. A mobile device comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including program code, the at least one memory and the program code configured to, with the processor, cause the mobile device to perform a location-based search by at least:

receive input identifying (a) a distance parameter and (b) search criteria for a point of interest having reference location information in a geographic area;

provide (a) the distance parameter and (b) the search criteria for a search to be performed based on the geographic area and the search criteria to a network device, wherein the network device is in communication with one or more vehicles that send and receive data, wherein data sent from the one or more vehicles is processed by a mapping computing entity of the network device to provide to the mobile device, results for the (a) distance parameter and (b) the search criteria for the geographic area for the point of interest having the reference location information;

receive from the mapping computing entity and display results for the (a) distance parameter and (b) the search criteria comprising information about the point of interest, wherein the results are provided based on the data sent from the one or more vehicles;

responsive to receiving the results for the (a) distance parameter and (b) the search criteria, monitor the location of the mobile device to determine when the mobile device is within a zone of confidence associated with the point of interest within the distance parameter;

responsive to determining that the mobile device is within the zone of confidence, determine that the mobile device is proximate to the point of interest, and dynamically generate an interface, presented to a display of the mobile device, the interface comprising visible indicia indicating a request for confirmation from a user of the mobile device that the user has arrived at the point of interest and that the reference location information for the point of interest is accurate; and

receive a response from the user via the interface.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein responsive to receiving a response to the request for confirmation, transmit the response from the user to the network device.

10. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the mobile device to store location data in association with a record for the point of interest.

11. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein:

the zone of confidence comprises a predetermined threshold within the location of the point of interest.

12. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the memory device to:

receive a request to update location information associated with a location of the point of interest in response to detecting a number of negative responses to the request for confirmation exceeding a predefined threshold.

13. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the memory device to:

detect an indication of a selection, via the interface, of a response pertaining to confirmation regarding whether the mobile device is actually at the correct location of the point of interest.

14. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the mobile device to:

provide, to the network device, one or more responses indicating that the user of the mobile device is at an incorrect location of the point of interest to enable the network device to determine whether a number of the responses exceeds a predetermined threshold denoting that the stored location of the point of interest is to be updated.

15. A computer program product for performing a location-based search, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein for execution by a mobile device, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to, after identifying a geographic area, receive input identifying (a) a distance parameter and (b) search criteria for the geographic area for a point of interest having reference location information;

an executable portion configured to provide (a) the distance parameter and (b) the search criteria for a search to be performed based on the geographic area and the search criteria to a network device, wherein the network device is in communication with one or more vehicles that send and receive data, wherein data sent from the one or more vehicles is processed by a mapping computing entity of the network device to provide to the mobile device, results for the (a) distance parameter and (b) the search criteria for the geographic area for the point of interest having the reference location information;

an executable portion configured to receive and cause display of results of the search comprising information about the point of interest based at least in part on (a) the distance parameter and (b) the search criteria comprising information about the point of interest, wherein the results are provided based on the data sent from the one or more vehicles;

an executable portion configured to, responsive to providing the results of the search to the mobile device, monitor the location of the mobile device to determine when the mobile device is within a zone of confidence associated with the point of interest within the distance parameter;

an executable portion configured to, responsive to determining that the mobile device is within the zone of confidence proximate the point of interest, and dynamically generate an interface, presented to a display of the mobile device, the interface comprising visible indicia indicating a request for confirmation from a user of the mobile device that the mobile device that the user has arrived at the point of interest and that the reference location information for the point of interest is accurate.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising an executable portion configured to, responsive to receiving a response to the request for confirmation originating from the mobile device, transmit the response from the user to the network device.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to store location data in association with a record for the point of interest.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein:

the zone of confidence comprises a predetermined threshold within the location of the point of interest.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

an executable portion configured to cause receipt of a request to update location information associated with a location of the point of interest in response to detecting a number of negative responses to the request for confirmation exceeding a predefined threshold.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

an executable portion configured to detect an indication of a selection, via the interface, of a response pertaining to confirmation regarding whether the mobile device is actually at the correct location of the point of interest.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

program code instructions configured to provide, via the mobile device to the network device, one or more responses indicating that the user of the mobile device is at an incorrect location of the point of interest to enable the network device to determine whether a number of the responses exceeds a predetermined threshold denoting that the stored location of the point of interest is to be updated.