Apparatus, system, and method for creating an electronic description of a geographic site
First Claim
1. An apparatus for creating an electronic description of a geographic site, the apparatus comprising:
- an electronic drafting program configured to import an image file, the image file comprising a plurality of image elements, and to electronically trace at least one of the image elements, creating a tracing element;
a digitization module configured to associate definition data with the image element, the definition data at least partially descriptive of the image element; and
a capture module configured to store the tracing element and the definition data in a capture file, the capture module within one of the electronic drafting program and the digitization module.
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Abstract
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for creating an electronic description of a geographic site. The apparatus, system, and method beneficially facilitate rapid capture, digitization, and creation of the electronic descriptions, which are advantageously smaller in storage size and widely distributed among users. The apparatus for creating an electronic description of a geographic site includes an electronic drafting program, a digitization module, and a capture module. The electronic drafting program is configured to import an image file, the image file comprising a plurality of image elements, and to electronically trace at least one of the image elements, which creates a tracing element. The digitization module is configured to associate definition data with the image element. The definition data is descriptive of the image element. Subsequently, the capture module stores at least the tracing element and corresponding definition data in a capture file. The capture file may be converted to a user file, including a compressed user file, and distributed to a user, such as via a wireless network.
68 Citations
30 Claims
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1. An apparatus for creating an electronic description of a geographic site, the apparatus comprising:
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an electronic drafting program configured to import an image file, the image file comprising a plurality of image elements, and to electronically trace at least one of the image elements, creating a tracing element;
a digitization module configured to associate definition data with the image element, the definition data at least partially descriptive of the image element; and
a capture module configured to store the tracing element and the definition data in a capture file, the capture module within one of the electronic drafting program and the digitization module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for communicating an electronic description of a geographic site, the system comprising:
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a wireless communication network;
a distribution server configured to store one or more user files; and
a user interface apparatus configured to communicate with the distribution server via the wireless communication network and to receive the one or more compressed user files, the compressed user files corresponding to the user files on the distribution server and descriptive of a geographic site. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable code configured to carry out a method for creating an electronic description of a geographic site, the method comprising:
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importing an image file, the image file having a plurality of image elements;
electronically tracing at least one of the image elements, creating a tracing element;
associating definition data with the image element, the definition data at least partially descriptive of the image element; and
storing the tracing element and the definition data in a capture file. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for communicating an electronic description of a geographic site, the process comprising:
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importing an image file, the image file having a plurality of image elements;
accessing a plurality of definition data, the definition data at least partially descriptive of the image elements in the image file;
identifying the plurality of image elements and categorizing each of the plurality of image elements as one of a primary image element, a secondary image element, or a tertiary image element;
identifying a key reference element, the key reference element selected from one of the primary image elements;
electronically tracing each of the primary image elements to create a corresponding primary tracing element;
electronically tracing each of the secondary image elements to create a corresponding secondary tracing element;
associating a portion of the definition data with at least one of the tracing elements;
storing the tracing elements and associated definition data in a capture file;
accessing a capture file, the capture file comprising a key reference element and at least one primary tracing element;
identifying the key reference element, the key reference element having a key reference offset from a known capture file reference;
identifying the primary tracing element;
calculating an element offset, the element offset relative from the primary tracing element to the key reference element;
associating the element offset with the primary tracing element;
parsing the primary tracing element and discarding a non-critical data point;
wherein discarding comprises identifying a best fit curve to approximate the tracing image and discarding a data element that is not required to describe the best fit curve;
storing the key reference element, the parsed primary tracing element, and the element offset in a user file;
compressing the user file to create a compressed user file;
distributing a compressed user file to a user, the compressed user file from a distribution server to a user interface apparatus via a wireless communication channel;
distributing a user update file to the user at a point of sale via a wireless communication channel;
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Specification