System and method for geocoding diverse address formats
First Claim
1. A method for providing geographical information to a plurality of users, the plurality of users employing a plurality of formats, the method comprising:
- encoding geographical data to generate default data in a parent class;
overriding at least a portion of the default data via a sub-class so that access via the sub-class accesses customized data rather than the overridden default data;
determining, in response to a user request specifying a country code, a class for processing geographical data corresponding to the country code;
processing the user request via a parser to generate a parsed object; and
matching the parsed object to generate a set of ordered matches corresponding to the parsed object for responding to the user request.
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Abstract
A method and system for providing geocodes in response to complete or partial address information is disclosed. The disclosure teaches embodiments that are naturally upgraded to integrate changing spatial information due to addition of countries, better data, political changes, and other similar changes in geographical data. A single geocoding engine is capable of handling the various address formats in use in different countries and jurisdictions. The disclosed embodiments are error tolerant and capable of overcoming many errors due to spelling, variety of languages and formats used to provide and address. The diversity in addresses due to, for instance country-specific formats such as postal-codes are naturally integrated into existing database of geocoding information. Preferably, the embodiments are based on JAVA to allow platform independence and use XML based communication to use networks without requiring excessive resources while providing fast services.
62 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for providing geographical information to a plurality of users, the plurality of users employing a plurality of formats, the method comprising:
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encoding geographical data to generate default data in a parent class;
overriding at least a portion of the default data via a sub-class so that access via the sub-class accesses customized data rather than the overridden default data;
determining, in response to a user request specifying a country code, a class for processing geographical data corresponding to the country code;
processing the user request via a parser to generate a parsed object; and
matching the parsed object to generate a set of ordered matches corresponding to the parsed object for responding to the user request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A geocoding engine for providing geocodes in response to receiving address information from a remote user, the geocoding engine comprising:
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a module for detecting a country code designation in a request to provide a geocode a module for invoking a parser corresponding to the country code from the received request to provide a parsed input address;
a module for detecting a postal-code corresponding to the country code in the received request;
a module for detecting a world city name in the received request;
a module for obtaining a candidate list corresponding to at least one member of the set consisting of the postal-code, the parsed input address, and the world city name;
a module for invoking a matcher module for evaluating the candidate list by matching it to the input address; and
a module for invoking an interpolator corresponding to the country code for generating a geocode corresponding to a selected candidate.
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6. A system for providing spatial information to a plurality of users, the plurality of users employing a plurality of formats, the system comprising:
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a generic Matcher module for identifying at least one geocode corresponding to a query;
a generic interpolator module for determining at least one geocode datum in a database in response to receiving an input address;
at least one servlet implemented on a local server for managing local requests by preprocessing and forwarding an input received from a client to the geocode engine and receiving a response from the geocoding engine and forwarding the response to the client;
a geocode engine for coordinating at least one Interpolator, at least one Matcher module, and at least one database containing geocode data by determining whether customized data is available in preference to default data in response to the input received from the at least one servlet; and
a parser coupled to the geocode engine for parsing a user request. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer readable media containing computer executable instructions for performing the steps of a method for providing geographical information to a plurality of users, the plurality of users employing a plurality of formats, the method comprising the steps of:
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encoding geographical data to generate default data in a parent class;
adding customized data to the default data via an overriding sub-class so that access via the sub-class accesses customized data rather than the default data accessed via the parent class;
determining, in response to a user request specifying a country code, a class for processing geographical data corresponding to the country code;
processing the user request via a parser to generate a parsed object; and
matching the parsed object to generate a set of ordered matches corresponding to the parsed object for responding to the user request. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A geocoding message encoded in XML comprising at least one of the members of the set of elements consisting of RequestEnvelope, ResponseEnvelope, USA_GeocodeRequest, USA_ParsedAddress, USA_StreetAddressData, AddressNumber, PreDirectional, PostDirectional, StreetBase, PreThoroughfareType, PostThoroughfareType, USA_GeocodeConstraints, AddressConstraints, AddressCloseMatchConstraints, MustMatchHouseNumber, MustMatchStreet, MustMatchZipCode, MustMatchCity, MustMatchInput, SearchRadiusExtension, DistanceFromCorner, DistanceFromStreet, ZipConstraints, GeographicAreaConstraints, GeographicAreaCloseMatchConstraints, MustMatchUrbanization, MustMatchCounty, MustMatchState, PointOfInterestConstraints, CASSConstraints, USA_ResponseConstraints, MaxCandidates, SuccessResponse, FaultResponse, USA_GeocodeResponse, USA_GeocodeLocationList, USA_GeocodeLocation, USA_GeocodeFaultResponse, FaultMessage and FaultCode.
- 21. A geocoding message encoded in XML comprising at least one of the members of the group consisting of Package information, Generic address components, Response Constraints, Matching constraints, Matching quality information, and Country specific address components.
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28. A method of providing geocoding information to a remote client, the method comprising receiving a request for geocoding informtion encoded in XML comprising at least one of the members of the group consisting of Package information, Generic address components, Response Constraints, Matching constraints, Matching quality information, and Country specific address component;
- and providing a response to the request in a response XML encoded message, the response XML message comprising at least one of the members of the group consisting of Package information, Generic address components, Response Constraints, Matching constraints, Matching quality information, and Country specific address component.
- View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
Specification