System and method for performing flood zone certicifications
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of evaluating a characteristic or trait present at and in the vicinity of a geographic location from maps that depict the characteristic or trait being evaluated and other related data and that have been georeferenced, which comprises:
- (a) computing a bounding box around each inset of the maps;
(b) defining a virtual regular or irregular rectangular geographic grid system covering the total area covered by the maps;
(c) for each grid rectangle that intersects an inset bounding box, tracing the inset enclosed by the bounding box to determine if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset;
(d) if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset, adding the identity of the inset to a list associated with the grid rectangle;
(e) geocoding the location of the geographic location; and
(f) examining the insets contained in the list associated with the one grid rectangle containing the geocoded location and, using the data thereon, performing the evaluation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
After FEMA flood maps are scanned and converted to raster maps on a computer system, they are georeferenced. The georeferenced raster maps are stored on the system. Map inset polygons are surrounded by a virtual bounding box and a determination is made whether each grid rectangle intersects any bounding box. For each such intersection, the relevant inset polygon is traced to determine if it actually intersects the grid rectangle. If there is such intersection, the inset polygon is added to a list attached to the grid rectangle. At the end of the process, the list for each grid rectangle identifies each inset polygon intersected thereby. When an address of a property subject to a flood zone determination is entered into the system and geocoded, the grid rectangle containing the address is immediately called up. If only one inset polygon is on the list, it is used to make the flood determination. If more than one inset polygon is on the list, the various polygons are examined to determine which one is appropriate for making the flood determination, which is then made.
85 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of evaluating a characteristic or trait present at and in the vicinity of a geographic location from maps that depict the characteristic or trait being evaluated and other related data and that have been georeferenced, which comprises:
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(a) computing a bounding box around each inset of the maps;
(b) defining a virtual regular or irregular rectangular geographic grid system covering the total area covered by the maps;
(c) for each grid rectangle that intersects an inset bounding box, tracing the inset enclosed by the bounding box to determine if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset;
(d) if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset, adding the identity of the inset to a list associated with the grid rectangle;
(e) geocoding the location of the geographic location; and
(f) examining the insets contained in the list associated with the one grid rectangle containing the geocoded location and, using the data thereon, performing the evaluation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A computer-implemented method of performing trait evaluations for real property using flood maps, comprising:
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(a) obtaining a raster image of each flood map;
(b) constructing polygons enclosing each inset of the flood maps;
(c) georeferencing the flood maps by the use of another georeferenced map that depicts the same geographic area as the flood maps;
(d) constructing a bounding box around each inset polygon;
(e) defining a virtual rectangular geographic grid system;
(f) for each grid rectangle that intersects an inset bounding box, tracing the inset enclosed by the bounding box to determine if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset;
(g) if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset, adding the identity of the inset to a list associated with the grid rectangle;
(h) geocoding the location of the geographic location; and
(i) examining the insets contained in the list associated with the one grid rectangle containing the geocoded location and, using the data thereon, performing the evaluation. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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8. A computer system for evaluating a characteristic of a geographic location from maps that depict the characteristic being evaluated and other related data, the maps having been georeferenced, which comprises:
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(a) first facilities for automatically computing a bounding box around each inset of the maps;
(b) second facilities for determining each grid rectangle that intersects a bounding box and for tracing the inset enclosed by the bounding box to determine if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset;
(c) third facilities for adding the identities of insets that overlap any given grid rectangle to a list associated with the given grid rectangle;
(d) fourth facilities for geocoding the location of the geographic area; and
(e) fifth facilities for examining the insets contained on the list associated with the grid rectangles containing the geocoded location and those grid rectangles proximate there, and, using the data thereon, for performing the evaluation. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer system for performing flood zone certifications for real property using flood maps, comprising:
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(a) a scanner for forming a raster image of each flood map;
(b) a pointing device for constructing polygons enclosing each inset of the flood maps;
(c) first facilities for georeferencing the flood maps by the use of a georeferenced map that depicts the same geographic area as the flood maps;
(d) second facilities for computing a bounding box around each polygon;
(e) third facilities for determining each grid rectangle that intersects a bounding box of an inset, and, if it does, for tracing the inset polygon enclosed by the bounding box to determine if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset polygon;
(f) fourth facilities for adding the identities for insets that overlap any given grid rectangle to a list associated with the given grid rectangle;
(g) fifth facilities for geocoding the address or obtaining geographic coordinates of the property; and
(h) sixth facilities for examining the list of inset polygons contained on the list associated with the grid rectangle containing the geocoded address; and
(ii) if there is only one polygon on the list, for using the data on its flood map to complete the flood zone certification, and (ii) if there is more than one polygon on the list, for inspecting the polygons to determine which polygon-containing flood map is appropriate and for using the data on that one flood map to complete the flood zone certification. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A computer-implemented method of preparing maps that depict a characteristic or trait at and near a geographic location so as to be usable for evaluating the characteristic or trait at the location, the maps having been georeferenced, which method comprises:
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(a) constructing a virtual bounding box around each inset of the maps;
(b) defining a virtual grid of rectangles corresponding to the total area covered by the maps;
(c) for each grid rectangle that intersects a bounding box, tracing the inset enclosed by the bounding box to determine if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset; and
(d) if there is intersection of a grid rectangle and an inset, adding the identity of the inset to a list associated with the grid rectangle, so that thereafter, when the location is geocoded and the list of insets associated with the grid rectangle containing the geocoded location is examined, data on such insets permits the evaluation to be effected.
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16. A computer-readable medium containing instructions executable by a computer to prepare maps that depict a characteristic or trait at and near a geographic location so as to be usable for evaluating the characteristic or trait at the location, the maps having been georeferenced, the method comprising:
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(a) constructing a virtual bounding box around each inset of the maps;
(b) defining a virtual grid of identical rectangles corresponding to the total area covered by the maps;
(c) for each grid rectangle that intersects a bounding box, tracing the inset enclosed by the bounding box to determine if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset; and
(d) if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset, adding the identity of the inset to a list associated with the grid rectangle, so that thereafter, when the location is geocoded and the list of insets associated with the grid rectangle containing the geocoded location is examined, data on such insets permits the evaluation to be effected. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A computer-readable medium containing instructions executable by a computer to evaluate a characteristic or trait present at and in the vicinity of a geographic location from maps that depict the characteristic or trait being evaluated and other related data that have been georeferenced, the method comprising:
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(a) constructing a virtual bounding box around each inset of the maps;
(b) defining a virtual rectangular geographic grid system covering the total area covered by the maps;
(c) for each grid rectangle that intersects an inset bounding box, tracing the inset enclosed by the bounding box to determine if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset;
(d) if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset, adding the identity of the inset to a list associated with the grid rectangle;
(e) geocoding the location of the geographic location; and
(f) examining the insets contained in the list associated with the one grid rectangle containing the geocoded location and, using the data thereon, performing the evaluation. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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19. A computer-readable medium containing instructions executable by a computer to perform trait evaluations for real property using flood maps, the method comprising:
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(a) obtaining a raster image of each flood map;
(b) constructing polygons enclosing each inset of the flood maps;
(c) georeferencing the flood maps by the use of another georeferenced map that depicts the same geographic area as the flood maps;
(d) constructing a bounding box around each inset polygon;
(e) defining a virtual rectangular geographic grid system;
(f) for each grid rectangle that intersects an inset bounding box, tracing the inset enclosed by the bounding box to determine if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset;
(g) if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset, adding the identity of the inset to a list associated with the grid rectangle;
(h) geocoding the location of the geographic location; and
(i) examining the insets contained in the list associated with the one grid rectangle containing the geocoded location, and, using the data thereon, performing the evaluation. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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29. A method of associating an attachment with a flood map using a data processing apparatus, the method comprising:
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identifying a flood map;
creating an attachment; and
associating the attachment with the flood map, wherein the attachment is available when the flood map is retrieved from a memory. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A data processing apparatus for annotating a flood map, the data processing apparatus comprising:
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means for identifying a flood map;
means for creating or identifying an annotation; and
means for associating the annotation with a location on a flood map, wherein the annotation can be made available at any future time when the flood map is retrieved from a memory. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A data processing apparatus for associating an attachment with a flood map, the data processing apparatus comprising:
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means for identifying a flood map;
means for identifying an attachment; and
means for associating the attachment with the flood map, wherein the attachment can be made available at any future time when the flood map is retrieved from a memory. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. A data processing apparatus for associating an attachment with a flood map, the data processing apparatus comprising:
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means for identifying a flood map;
means for creating an attachment; and
means for associating the attachment with a property location or a geographic region.
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40. A computer-implemented method of evaluating a characteristic or trait present at and in the vicinity of a geographic location from maps that depict the characteristic or trait being evaluated and other related data and that have been georeferenced, which comprises:
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(a) defining a virtual regular or irregular rectangular geographic grid system covering the total area covered by the maps;
(b) for each grid rectangle that intersects an inset bounding box, tracing the inset enclosed by the bounding box to determine if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset;
(c) if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset, adding the identity of the inset to a list associated with the grid rectangle;
(d) geocoding the location of the geographic location; and
(e) examining the insets contained in the list associated with the one grid rectangle containing the geocoded location and, using the data thereon, performing the evaluation. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
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Specification