System and method for geocoding diverse address formats

• US 20060041573A1
• Filed: 10/05/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Precisely Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Chuck Schwerin, Julia K. Miller
• Inventors: Schwerin, Chuck, Miller, Julia K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,685,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method and system for providing geocodes in response to complete or partial address information is disclosed. The disclosure teaches embodiments that are naturally upgraded to integrate changing spatial information due to addition of countries, better data, political changes, and other similar changes in geographical data. A single geocoding engine is capable of handling the various address formats in use in different countries and jurisdictions. The disclosed embodiments are error tolerant and capable of overcoming many errors due to spelling, variety of languages and formats used to provide and address. The diversity in addresses due to, for instance country-specific formats such as postal-codes are naturally integrated into existing database of geocoding information. Preferably, the embodiments are based on JAVA to allow platform independence and use XML based communication to use networks without requiring excessive resources while providing fast services.

Claims

1. A method for providing geographical information to a plurality of users, the plurality of users employing a plurality of formats, the method comprising:

encoding geographical data to generate default data in a parent class;

overriding at least a portion of the default data via a sub-class so that access via the sub-class accesses customized data rather than the overridden default data;

determining, in response to a user request specifying a country code, a class for processing geographical data corresponding to the country code;

processing the user request via a parser to generate a parsed object; and

matching the parsed object to generate a set of ordered matches corresponding to the parsed object for responding to the user request.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of selecting a parser corresponding to the country code.

3. The method of claim 1 further including the step of interpolating between known geographical points to generate geographical data corresponding to a selected match from the set of ordered matches for responding to the user request.

4. The method of claim 3 further including the step of interpolating to determine a geocode of a desired type from the selected match from the set of ordered matches for responding to the user request.

5. A geocoding engine for providing geocodes in response to receiving address information from a remote user, the geocoding engine comprising:

a module for detecting a country code designation in a request to provide a geocode a module for invoking a parser corresponding to the country code from the received request to provide a parsed input address;

a module for detecting a postal-code corresponding to the country code in the received request;

a module for detecting a world city name in the received request;

a module for obtaining a candidate list corresponding to at least one member of the set consisting of the postal-code, the parsed input address, and the world city name;

a module for invoking a matcher module for evaluating the candidate list by matching it to the input address; and

a module for invoking an interpolator corresponding to the country code for generating a geocode corresponding to a selected candidate.

6-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A computer readable media containing computer executable instructions for performing the steps of a method for providing geographical information to a plurality of users, the plurality of users employing a plurality of formats, the method comprising the steps of:

encoding geographical data to generate default data in a parent class;

adding customized data to the default data via an overriding sub-class so that access via the sub-class accesses customized data rather than the default data accessed via the parent class;

determining, in response to a user request specifying a country code, a class for processing geographical data corresponding to the country code;

processing the user request via a parser to generate a parsed object; and

matching the parsed object to generate a set of ordered matches corresponding to the parsed object for responding to the user request.

17. The computer readable media of claim 16 further including computer executable instructions for performing the step of selecting a parser corresponding to the country code.

18. The computer readable media of claim 16 further including computer executable instructions for performing the step of interpolating between known geographical points to generate geographical data corresponding to a selected match from the set of ordered matches for responding to the user request.

19. The computer readable media of claim 18 further including computer executable instructions for performing the step of interpolating to determine a geocode of a desired type from the selected match from the set of ordered matches for responding to the user request.

20. A geocoding message encoded in XML comprising at least one of the members of the set of elements consisting of RequestEnvelope, ResponseEnvelope, USA_GeocodeRequest, USA_ParsedAddress, USA_StreetAddressData, AddressNumber, PreDirectional, PostDirectional, StreetBase, PreThoroughfareType, PostThoroughfareType, USA_GeocodeConstraints, AddressConstraints, AddressCloseMatchConstraints, MustMatchHouseNumber, MustMatchStreet, MustMatchZipCode, MustMatchCity, MustMatchInput, SearchRadiusExtension, DistanceFromCorner, DistanceFromStreet, ZipConstraints, GeographicAreaConstraints, GeographicAreaCloseMatchConstraints, MustMatchUrbanization, MustMatchCounty, MustMatchState, PointOfInterestConstraints, CASSConstraints, USA_ResponseConstraints, MaxCandidates, SuccessResponse, FaultResponse, USA_GeocodeResponse, USA_GeocodeLocationList, USA_GeocodeLocation, USA_GeocodeFaultResponse, FaultMessage and FaultCode.

21. A geocoding message encoded in XML comprising at least one of the members of the group consisting of Package information, Generic address components, Response Constraints, Matching constraints, Matching quality information, and Country specific address components.

22. The geocoding message of claim 21 wherein the Package information includes at least one element from the group consisting of RequestEnvelope, ResponseEnvelope, GeocodeRequest, SuccessResponse, FaultResponse, ResponseCode, Message, GeocodeSummary, RequestResult, and GeocodeRequestType.

23. The geocoding message of claim 21 wherein the Generic address components includes at least one element from the group consisting of InputAddress, Address, AddressConstraints, AdditionalFields, AddressNumber, AreaName1, AreaName2, AreaName3, AreaName4, Country, GenericField1, GenericField2, GenericField3, GenericField4, MainAddress, placeName, postaddress, postCode1, postCode2, postDirectional, postThoroughfareType, preAddress, preDirectional, preThoroughfareType, unitType, unitValue, and Candidate, unitsOfMeasure.

24. The geocoding message of claim 21 wherein the Response contraints include at least one element from the group consisting of ReturnCloseMatchesOnly, IncludeRequest, IncludeParsedAddress, IncludeActualConstraints, MaxRanges, maxCandidates, offsetFromCorner, offsetFromStreet, and CoordinateReferenceSystem.

25. The geocoding message of claim 21 wherein the Matching constraints includes at least one element from the group consisting of FallbackToPostalCentroid, closeMatchesOnly, fallbackToGeographicCentroid, GeocodeConstraints, BaseConstraints, and AdditionalConstraints.

26. The geocoding message of claim 21 wherein the Matching quality information includes at least one element from the group consisting of addressNumberMatched, areaName2Matched, areaName1Matched, areaName3Matched, areaName4Matched, countryMatched, genericField1Matched, genericField2Matched, genericField3Matched, genericField4Matched, postCode1Matched, postCode2Matched, streetNameFieldsMatched, placeNameMatched, matchPrecision, TotalLocationsFound, TotalLocationsReturned, and TotalCloseMatchesFound.

27. The geocoding message of claim 21 wherein the Country specific address components includes at least one element from the group consisting of DEU_AddressData, Hnr, Postfach, Pirma, Str, PIzOrt, DEU_AddressGeographyData, PLZ, Ort, Country, MustMatchPlz, MustMatchHnr, MustMatchOrt, MustMatchStr, MustMatchInput, DEU_GeocodeFaultResponse, DEU_GeocodeLocationList, DEU_GeocodeLocation, DEU_GeocodeResponse, DEU_GeocodeLocationList, DEU_ParsedAddress, and DEU_GeocodeConstraints.

28. A method of providing geocoding information to a remote client, the method comprising receiving a request for geocoding informtion encoded in XML comprising at least one of the members of the group consisting of Package information, Generic address components, Response Constraints, Matching constraints, Matching quality information, and Country specific address component;

and providing a response to the request in a response XML encoded message, the response XML message comprising at least one of the members of the group consisting of Package information, Generic address components, Response Constraints, Matching constraints, Matching quality information, and Country specific address component.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the Package information includes at least one element from the group consisting of RequestEnvelope, ResponseEnvelope, GeocodeRequest, SuccessResponse, FaultResponse, ResponseCode, Message, GeocodeSummary, RequestResult, and GeocodeRequestType.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the Generic address components includes at least one element from the group consisting of Inputaddress, Address, AddressConstraints, AdditionalFields, AddressNumber, AreaName1, AreaName2, AreaName3, AreaName4, Country, GenericField1, GenericField2, GenericField3, GenericField4, MainAddress, placeName, postaddress, postCode1, postCode2, postDirectional, postThoroughfareType, preAddress, preDirectional, preThoroughfareType, unitType, unitValue, and Candidate, unitsOfMeasure.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein the Response contraints include at least one element from the group consisting of ReturnCloseMatchesOnly, IncludeRequest, IncludeParsedAddress, IncludeActualConstraints, MaxRanges, maxCandidates, offsetFromCorner, offsetFromStreet, and CoordinateReferenceSystem.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein the Matching constraints includes at least one element from the group consisting of FallbackToPostalCentroid, closeMatchesOnly, fallbackToGeographicCentroid, GeocodeConstraints, BaseConstraints, and AdditionalConstraints.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein the Matching quality information includes at least one element from the group consisting of addressNumberMatched, areaName2Matched, areaName1Matched, areaName3Matched, areaName4Matched, countryMatched, genericField1Matched, genericField2Matched, genericField3Matched, genericField4Matched, postCode1Matched, postCode2Matched,streetNameFieldsMatched, placeNameMatched, matchPrecision, TotalLocationsFound, TotalLocationsReturned, and TotalCloseMatchesFound.

34. The method of claim 28 wherein the Country specific address components includes at least one element from the group consisting of DEU_AddressData, Hnr, Postfach, Pirma, Str, PlzOrt, DEU_AddressGeographyData, PLZ, Ort, Country, MustMatchPlz, MustMatchHnr, MustMatchOrt, MustMatchStr, MustMatchInput, DEU_GeocodeFaultResponse, DEU_GeocodeLocationList, DEU_GeocodeLocation, DEU_GeocodeResponse, DEU_GeocodeLocationList, DEU_ParsedAddress, and DEU_GeocodeConstraints.