Geo-server interface

• US 20040088346A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Lutz, Michael, Pins, Markus, Hassler, Philipp
• Application Number:
  US10/285,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20040088346A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method obtains output geographic information from at least one of plural geo-servers having different communication formats. The method includes formatting input geographic information so that a format of the input geographic information is compatible with a communication format of a selected geo-server, transmitting the input geographic information to the selected geo-server, and receiving, from the selected geo-server, output geographic information that is based on the input geographic information.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining output geographic information from at least one of plural geo-servers having different communication formats, the method comprising:

formatting input geographic information so that a format of the input geographic information is compatible with a communication format of a selected geo-server;

transmitting the input geographic information to the selected geo-server; and

receiving, from the selected geo-server, output geographic information that is based on the input geographic information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

formatting the output geographic information so that a format of the output geographic information is compatible with a device that provided the input geographic information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the input geographic information comprises at least two locations and the output geographic information comprises a route between the two locations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the input geographic information comprises at least two locations and the output geographic information comprises geographic coordinates for the at least two locations.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the input geographic information comprises more than two locations and the output geographic information comprises routes between the more than two locations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the input geographic information includes extensible Markup Language (XML) code.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the method is performed on a computer; and

the method further comprises;

installing plural software modules on the computer, the plural software modules corresponding to the plural geo-servers, the selected geo-server comprising one of the plural geo-servers.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plural software modules comprise plug-ins, each of the plug-ins being designed to work with a corresponding one of the plural geo-servers.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the input geographic information is transmitted over a network and the output geographic information is received over the network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data indicative of the selected geo-server.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data comprises a selection indication received from a computer program.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the selected geo-server based on one or more predetermined factors.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more predetermined factors comprises a country associated with the input geographic information.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more predetermined factors comprises availability of information from the selected geo-server.

16. A machine-readable medium that stores executable instructions to obtain output geographic information from at least one of plural geo-servers having different communication formats, the instructions causing a machine to:

format input geographic information so that a format of the input geographic information is compatible with a communication format of a selected geo-server;

transmit the input geographic information to the selected geo-server; and

receive, from the selected geo-server, output geographic information that is based on the input geographic information.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions that cause the machine to:

format the output geographic information so that a format of the output geographic information is compatible with a device that provided the input geographic information.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the input geographic information comprises at least two locations and the output geographic information comprises a route between the two locations.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the input geographic information comprises at least two locations and the output geographic information comprises geographic coordinates for the at least two locations.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the input geographic information comprises more than two locations and the output geographic information comprises routes between the more than two locations.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the input geographic information includes extensible Markup Language (XML) code.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein:

the machine-readable medium is on a computer; and

the machine-readable medium further comprises instructions that cause the machine to;

install plural software modules on the computer, the plural software modules corresponding to the plural geo-servers, the selected geo-server comprising one of the plural geo-servers.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the plural software modules comprise plug-ins, each of the plug-ins being designed to work with a corresponding one of the plural geo-servers.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the input geographic information is transmitted over a network and the output geographic information is received over the network.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions that cause the machine to:

receive data indicative of the selected geo-server.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the data comprises a selection indication received from a computer program.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions that cause the machine to:

select the selected geo-server based on one or more predetermined factors.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the one or more predetermined factors comprises a country associated with the input geographic information.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the one or more predetermined factors comprises availability of information from the selected geo-server.

31. An apparatus for obtaining output geographic information from at least one of plural geo-servers having different communication formats, the apparatus comprising:

a memory which stores executable instructions; and

a processor that executes the instructions to;

format input geographic information so that a format of the input geographic information is compatible with a communication format of a selected geo-server;

transmit the input geographic information to the selected geo-server; and

receive, from the selected geo-server, output geographic information that is based on the input geographic information.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processor executes instructions to:

format the output geographic information so that a format of the output geographic information is compatible with a device that provided the input geographic information.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the input geographic information comprises at least two locations and the output geographic information comprises a route between the two locations.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the input geographic information comprises at least two locations and the output geographic information comprises geographic coordinates for the at least two locations.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the input geographic information comprises more than two locations and the output geographic information comprises routes between the more than two locations.

36. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the input geographic information includes extensible Markup Language (XML) code.

37. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein:

the apparatus comprises a computer; and

the processor executes instructions to;

install plural software modules on the computer, the plural software modules corresponding to the plural geo-servers, the selected geo-server comprising one of the plural geo-servers.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the plural software modules comprise plug-ins, each of the plug-ins being designed to work with a corresponding one of the plural geo-servers.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the input geographic information is transmitted over a network and the output geographic information is received over the network.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

41. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processor receives data indicative of the selected geo-server.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the data comprises a selection indication received from a computer program.

43. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processor selects the selected geo-server based on one or more predetermined factors.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the one or more predetermined factors comprises a country associated with the input geographic information.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the one or more predetermined factors comprises availability of information from the selected geo-server.