Systems and methods for location-based real estate service

• US 20040220906A1
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ent Services Development Corporation LP (DXC Technology Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Samadani, Ramin, Gargi, Ullas, Lin, Qian
• Granted Patent: US 8,051,089 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system and method for searching real estate properties, a system and method for estimating the size of an area, and a system and method for associating an image with information relevant to the image is disclosed. A system for searching real estate properties comprises a data storage unit configured to store map information, additional relevant georeferenced information and information about real estate properties, including information identifying the locations of the real estate properties; and a display unit configured to receive a search request from a user, communicate with the data storage unit, and provide search results to the user, including a map showing locations of real estate properties, in response to the search request, the display unit being further configured to displaying a user interface with which the user may associate information, personal to the user, with a particular real estate property.

Claims

1. A system for searching real estate properties, the system comprising:

a data storage unit configured to store map information and information about real estate properties, including information identifying the locations of the real estate properties; and

a display unit configured to receive a search request from a user, communicate with the data storage unit, and provide search results to the user, including a map showing locations of real estate properties, in response to the search request, the display unit being further configured to display a user interface with which the user may associate information, personal to the user, with a particular real estate property.

2. A system for searching real estate properties in accordance with claim 1 wherein, using the display unit, the user may associate multimedia information with a particular real estate property for which a location is shown on the map.

3. A system for searching real estate properties in accordance with claim 2 and further comprising a data capture unit configured to generate the multimedia information, the data capture unit including a camera and a GPS unit, wherein, using the display unit, the multimedia information from the camera and GPS information from the GPS unit are selectively communicated to the data storage unit.

4. A system for searching real estate properties in accordance with claim 3 wherein, using the GPS information and the real estate location information, the data storage unit is configured to associate the communicated multimedia information with the real estate location information in the data storage unit, such that the multimedia information is associated in the data storage unit with the location at which the multimedia information was captured.

5. A system for searching real estate properties in accordance with claim 1 and further configured to provide a search filter interface on the display unit with which a user can cause search results to be filtered.

6. A system for searching real estate properties in accordance with claim 5 wherein the search filter interface includes a field for specifying at least one of number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, lot size, and price range.

7. A system for searching real estate properties in accordance with claim 1 wherein the map showing locations of real estate properties shows the locations on the map using one of icons and thumbnail photos of the properties at the respective locations.

8. A system for searching real estate properties in accordance with claim 7 wherein the display unit is configured to display a user interface feature with which a user can select whether locations shown on the map are shown as icons or thumbnails.

9. A system for searching real estate properties in accordance with claim 7 wherein the display unit is configured to, in response to the user selecting one of the icons and thumbnail photo, display information particular to the property associated with the selected icon.

10. A system for searching real estate properties in accordance with claim 1 wherein search results are shown, using the display unit, using multiple non-contiguous maps.

11. A system for searching real estate properties in accordance with claim 1 wherein the display unit is configured to display a user interface feature with which a user can select whether search results are shown using multiple non-contiguous maps or multiple pages each having a map.

12. A system for searching real estate properties in accordance with claim 1 wherein the display unit is configured to display user interface features with which a user can select overlays to be shown over the map.

13. A system for searching real estate properties In accordance with claim 1 wherein the display unit is configured to display tabs with which a user can select overlays to be shown over the map.

14. A system for searching real estate properties in accordance with claim 13 wherein the overlays include color coding.

15. A system for searching real estate properties in accordance with claim 13 wherein the overlays cause one of school zones and earthquake areas to be shown on the map.

16. A system in accordance with claim 7 wherein zooming in on a map, using the display unit, causes thumbnail pictures, but not the map, to be enlarged.

17. A method of searching real estate properties, the method comprising:

storing, in a database, map information and information about real estate properties, including information identifying the locations of the real estate properties; and

using a display unit, receiving a search request from a user, communicating with the database, and providing search results to the user, including a map showing locations of real estate properties, in response to the search request, and displaying, using the display unit, a user interface with which the user may associate information, personal to the user, with a particular real estate property.

18. A system for searching real estate properties, the system comprising:

means for defining a database for storing map information and information about real estate properties, including information identifying the locations of the real estate properties; and

means for receiving a search request from a user, communicating with the database, and providing search results to the user including a map showing locations of real estate properties, in response to the search request, and for defining a user interface with which the user may associate information, personal to the user, with a particular real estate property.

19. A system for estimating the size of an area, the area having a boundary, the system comprising:

a marker configured to be placed at a location proximate the boundary; and

an area measurement unit having a GPS unit configured to record GPS data over time, and a processor, and configured to be transported along the boundary, starting at the marker and following the boundary until returning to the marker, the processor being configured to calculate the size of the area using data collected by the GPS unit.

20. A method of estimating the size of an area, the area having a boundary, the method comprising:

placing a marker at a location proximate the boundary;

transporting an area measurement unit having a GPS unit and a processor, starting at the marker and following the boundary until returning to the marker; and

calculating the size of the area using the area measurement unit.

21. A method of estimating the size of an area in accordance with claim 20 wherein the GPS unit determines latitude and longitude of a plurality of points along the boundary and wherein the area measurement unit determines area by using a formula for determining area of a polygon.

22. A method of estimating the size of an area in accordance with claim 20 and further comprising, after returning to the marker, transporting the area measurement unit from the marker to the periphery, wherein the area measurement unit uses a correction factor based on the distance from the marker to the periphery, whereby a correction is made if the area measurement unit could not be transported exactly along the boundary due to a fence or wall.

23. A method of associating an image with geographical information relevant to the image, the method comprising:

providing a map encoded with machine readable indicia identifying locations on the map;

marking the map to indicate the location where the image was captured;

scanning the map; and

decoding the machine readable indicia and the marking to associate the image with the location where the image was captured.

24. A method of associating an image with geographical information relevant to the image, in accordance with claim 23, wherein the machine readable indicia indicate latitude and longitude of multiple locations on the map.

25. A method of associating an image with geographical information relevant to the image, in accordance with claim 23, wherein marking the map comprises marking the map by one of hand marking and machine readable indicia.

26. A method of associating an image with geographical information relevant to the image, in accordance with claim 23, and comprising marking a plurality of locations on the map using sequential numbers to indicate locations where each of a plurality of images were captured, and scanning the images in order, wherein the order in which the images are scanned is used to associate the images with the locations on the map marked with the sequential numbers.

27. A method of associating an image with geographical information relevant to the image, in accordance with claim 23, and further comprising indicating, using a computer, where in the computer a data file is located containing the image corresponding to the marking.

28. A method of associating an image with geographical information relevant to the image, in accordance with claim 23, wherein the image is a still image from a video recording.

29. A method of associating an image with geographical information relevant to the image, in accordance with claim 23, and further comprising generating a map incorporating the image at the location on the map where the marking was made.

30. A system for associating an image with geographical information relevant to the image, the system comprising:

a printer;

a computer coupled to the printer and configured to cause the printer to print a map encoded with machine readable indicia identifying locations on the map; and

a scanner coupled to the computer and configured to scan the map after the map is marked up to indicate the location where the image was captured, the computer being further configured to decode the marking using optical character recognition, to decode the machine readable indicia, and to associate the image with the location where the image was captured.

31. A method of associating an image with information relevant to the image, the method comprising:

providing a form with which a user can mark information as well as information identifying an image associated with the information;

scanning the form;

performing optical character recognition on the information; and

electronically associating the information with the image to which the information is relevant.