Surface ownership data management system

• US 20060026084A1
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phillips 66 Company
• Original Assignee: Conocophillips Company (ConocoPhillips)
• Inventors: Williams, Danny L., Cowart, Alan B., Bonham, Joe R., Bute, Jeffrey W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,707,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program forgathering and managing ownership data for properties in a geographic area on which an asset, such as a pipeline is located. The method includes the steps of: (a) gathering and storing in computer memory the ownership data; (b) obtaining a graphical representation of the asset; (c) linking the ownership data with the graphical representation of the asset; (d) displaying the graphical representation of the asset on a computer monitor; (e) permitting a user to select a portion of the graphical representation of the asset; and (f) in response to step (e), retrieving from the memory and displaying the ownership data associated with the selected portion of the graphical representation of the asset.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing ownership data for properties in a geographic area on which an asset is located, said method comprising:

(a) gathering and storing in computer memory the ownership data;

(b) obtaining a graphical representation of the asset;

(c) linking the ownership data with the graphical representation of the asset;

(d) displaying the graphical representation of the asset on a computer monitor;

(e) permitting a user to select a portion of the graphical representation of the asset; and

(f) in response to step (e), retrieving from the memory and displaying the ownership data associated with the selected portion of the graphical representation of the asset.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ownership data includes textual ownership data and spatial ownership data.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the textual ownership data includes owner names, addresses and legal descriptions of the properties in the geographic area.

4. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the spatial ownership data includes geographic boundary outlines for each of the properties in the geographic area.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4, further including the steps of converting the spatial ownership data to shape files and storing the shape files in the computer memory.

6. The method as set forth in claim 3, further including the step of incorporating the textual ownership data into a database program.

7. The method as set forth in claim 2, further including the step of linking the spatial ownership data and the textual ownership data so that both may be retrieved substantially simultaneously from the computer memory.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein step (d) further includes the step of superimposing the graphical representation of the asset over a graphical representation of the geographic area on which the asset is located.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the graphical representation of the asset and the graphical representation of the geographic area on which the asset is located are obtained by aerial photography.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the graphical representation of the asset is obtained by operational data related to the asset.

11. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the graphical representation of the geographic area on which the asset is located is obtained by land grid data.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the asset is a pipeline passing through the geographic area.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, further including the steps of permitting a user to select two points along the graphical representation of the pipeline, and in response thereto, retrieving from the computer memory and displaying in succession the ownership data for the properties located between the two points.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, further including the step of generating a notice to be sent to all owners of the properties located between the two points.

15. The method as set forth in claim 1, further including the step of periodically obtaining current ownership data and storing it in the computer memory.

16. A computer-implemented method for managing ownership data for properties in a geographic area on which an asset is located, said method comprising:

(a) gathering and storing in computer memory textual ownership data;

(b) gathering and storing in computer memory spatial ownership data;

(c) linking the textual ownership data and the spatial ownership data;

(d) obtaining a graphical representation of the asset;

(e) obtaining a graphical representation of the geographic area on which the asset is located;

(f) superimposing the graphical representation of the asset over the graphical representation of the geographic area to create a map of the asset;

(g) linking the textual and spatial ownership data with the map of the asset;

(h) displaying the map of the asset on a computer monitor;

(i) permitting a user to select a portion of the map of the asset; and

(j) in response to step (i), retrieving from the memory and displaying the textual and spatial surface ownership data associated with the selected portion of the map of the asset.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the textual ownership data includes owner names, addresses, and legal descriptions of the properties in the geographic area.

18. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the spatial ownership data includes geographic boundary outlines for each of the properties in the geographic area.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18, further including the steps of converting the spatial ownership data to shape files and storing the shape files in the computer memory.

20. The method as set forth in claim 16, further including the step of incorporating the textual ownership data into a database program.

21. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the graphical representation of the asset and the graphical representation of the geographic area on which the asset is located are obtained by aerial photography.

22. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the graphical representation of the asset is obtained by operational data related to the asset.

23. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the graphical representation of the geographic area on which the asset is located is obtained by land grid data.

24. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the asset is a pipeline passing through the geographic area.

25. The method as set forth in claim 24, further including the steps of permitting a user to select two points along the graphical representation of the pipeline, and in response thereto, retrieving from the computer memory and displaying in succession the ownership data for the properties located between the two points.

26. The method as set forth in claim 25, further including the step of generating a notice to be sent to all owners of the properties located between the two points.

27. A computer program for directing operation of a computer for managing ownership data for properties in a geographic area on which an asset is located, said computer program comprising:

a code segment for receiving and storing in computer memory the ownership data;

a code segment for receiving and storing a graphical representation of the asset;

a code segment for linking the ownership data in the memory with the graphical representation of the asset;

a code segment for displaying the graphical representation of the asset on a computer monitor;

a code segment for monitoring selection of a portion of the graphical representation of the asset by a user; and

a code segment for retrieving from the memory and displaying the surface ownership data associated with the selected portion of the graphical representation of the asset.

28. The computer program as set forth in claim 27, wherein the ownership data includes textual ownership data and spatial ownership data.

29. The computer program as set forth in claim 28, wherein the textual ownership data includes owner names, addresses, and legal descriptions of the properties in the geographic area.

30. The computer program as set forth in claim 28, wherein the spatial ownership data includes geographic boundary outlines for each of the properties in the geographic area.

31. The computer program as set forth in claim 28, further including a code segment for converting the spatial ownership data to shape files and storing the shape files in the computer memory.

32. The computer program as set forth in claim 28, further including a code segment for incorporating the textual ownership data into a database program.

33. The computer program as set forth in claim 28, further including a code segment for linking the spatial and textual ownership data so that both may be retrieved substantially simultaneously from the computer memory.

34. The computer program as set forth in claim 27, further including a code segment for superimposing the graphical representation of the asset over a graphical representation of the geographic area on which the asset is located.

35. The computer program as set forth in claim 27, wherein the asset is a pipeline passing through the geographic area.

36. The computer program as set forth in claim 35, further including a code segment for monitoring selection by a user of two points along the graphical representation of the pipeline and a code segment for retrieving from the computer memory and displaying in succession the ownership data for the properties located between the two points.

37. The computer program as set forth in claim 36, further including a code segment for generating a notice to be sent to all owners of the properties located between the two points.

38. A computer-implemented method for managing ownership data for properties in a geographic area on which an asset is located, said method comprising:

(a) gathering at least one aerial photograph of the geographic area;

(b) gathering spatial ownership data concerning the asset located in the geographic area;

(c) gathering textual ownership data concerning the asset and/or the properties in the geographic area; and

(d) simultaneously displaying at least a portion of the aerial photograph, the spatial ownership data, and the textual ownership data on a computer monitor.

39. The method as set forth in claim 38, wherein the textual ownership data includes information relating to ownership of the properties in the geographic area.

40. The method as set forth in claim 38, further including the step of superimposing the spatial ownership data and the aerial photograph.

41. The method as set forth in claim 40, further including the step of displaying the superimposed spatial data and aerial photograph on the a section of the computer monitor.

42. The method as set forth in claim 41, further including the step of displaying the textual ownership data on a second section of the computer monitor.

43. The method as set forth in claim 42, further including the step of automatically displaying the textual ownership data for a particular property in the second section of the computer monitor by selecting a location of the particular property from the first section of the computer monitor.

44. A computer-implemented method for gathering ownership data for properties in a geographic area on which an asset is located, said method comprising:

(a) gathering and storing the ownership data in a master database;

(b) downloading a portion of the ownership data from the master database to a portable computer;

(c) using the portable computer to update the portion of the ownership data by obtaining more recent ownership data from owners of the properties or a governmental agency which maintains the ownership data;

(d) synchronizing the updated ownership data in the portable computer with the ownership data stored in the master database so that the ownership data stored in the master database reflects the updated ownership data.

45. The method as set forth in claim 44, wherein the ownership data includes textual ownership data and spatial ownership data.

46. The method as set forth in claim 45, wherein the textual ownership data includes owner names, addresses and legal descriptions of the properties in the geographic area.

47. The method as set forth in claim 45, wherein the spatial ownership data includes geographic boundary outlines for each of the properties in the geographic area.