System and Method of Overlaying and Integrating Data with Geographic Mapping Applications

• US 20080059889A1
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cheryl Parker, Yosri Diab
• Original Assignee: Cheryl Parker, Yosri Diab
• Inventors: Parker, Cheryl, Diab, Yosri
• Granted Patent: US 7,925,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/748
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

The present invention embodiments include a geographic overlay system including an information system, a mapping system interface to communicate with a mapping system and a database system including National Census geographic boundaries and data files. The geographic overlay system utilizes a client/server model that streams geographic data from a server system to dynamically render vector-based map layers inside a client browser. The geographic overlay system employs a Nationwide database of Census geographies that may be rendered as interactive point, line or polygon objects over a National base map provided by the mapping system. A database builder interface enables users to build the database and server pages. The present invention embodiments overlay translucent, interactive dynamically generated vector-based polygonal Census boundary map layers over geographical maps from the mapping system. The overlaying vector map layers perform thematic analysis, enable information retrieval, display mouse-over tool-tips and query a dynamic block-level National spatial-relational database.

Claims

1. A system for integrating information with a geographic map comprising:

a server computer system including;

a database system to store coordinate and attribute information associated with map objects for a geographic map provided by a mapping system, wherein said coordinate information associates said map objects and attribute information with corresponding areas of said geographic map; and

an information system to access said database system and retrieve said coordinate and attribute information of map objects in accordance with information requests; and

at least one client computer system in communication with said server computer system via a network and including;

a mapping system interface to communicate with said mapping system over said network and facilitate retrieval and manipulation of said geographic map; and

a user interface to transmit said information requests to said information system in response to user actions, and to display said geographic map and render and overlay on said geographic map said map objects and corresponding attribute information received from said information system in response to said information requests, wherein each map object overlays and corresponds to an area on said geographic map and is rendered within said client computer system based on said retrieved coordinate information for that map object.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said rendered map objects are vector-based and a geometry of at least one rendered map object includes a polygon.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said database system includes National Census information defining geographic areas for said map objects based on Census data and including attribute information for said defined geographic areas in the form of Census information.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said database system includes local area information defining geographic boundaries for said map objects within a specific local area and including attribute information for said defined geographic boundaries including information pertaining to said specific local area.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said server computer system further includes:

a database builder to receive overlay specifications and user preferences and to generate said coordinate and attribute information for said database system and modules to process said information requests for said information system in accordance with said specifications and preferences.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said user interface produces and transmits said information requests to said information system in response to user manipulation of said geographic map, wherein said produced information requests enable retrieval of said map objects corresponding to geographic areas within said manipulated geographic map.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said user manipulation of said geographic map includes at least one of re-centering, panning and zooming.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said user interface produces and transmits said information requests to said information system in response to user selection of a map object on said geographic map, wherein said produced information requests enable retrieval of said attribute information for said selected map object.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said database system includes attribute information for said geographic areas in the form of business information and statistics for a plurality of predetermined time intervals, and said user interface enables user selection of a geographic area and generation of at least one of reports, charts and graphs with said business information and statistics within a desired time interval for said selected geographic area.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said database system includes attribute information arranged in accordance with a plurality of predetermined time intervals, and said user interface enables user entry of parameters for retrieval of said arranged attribute information from said database system in accordance with said parameters, and wherein said user interface overlays and arranges said retrieved attribute information on said geographic map based on said predetermined time intervals and enables user selection of a predetermined time interval to display attribute information associated with that selected predetermined time interval.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein display of said retrieved attribute information is color coded based on said predetermined time intervals.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said user interface enables said user to define a new map object and indicate a corresponding area on said geographic map.

13. A computer-implemented method of integrating information with a geographic map from a mapping system comprising:

(a) storing coordinate and attribute information associated with map objects for said geographic map provided by said mapping system in a database system, wherein said coordinate information associates said map objects and attribute information with corresponding areas of said geographic map;

(b) communicating with said mapping system over a network from a client computer system and facilitating retrieval and manipulation of said geographic map;

(c) transmitting information requests from said client computer system to a server computer system to access said database system in response to user actions pertaining to said geographic map;

(d) accessing said database system from said server computer system and retrieving said coordinate and attribute information of map objects in accordance with said information requests;

(e) displaying said geographic map on said client computer system and rendering and overlaying on said geographic map said map objects and corresponding attribute information received from said database system in response to said information requests, wherein each map object overlays and corresponds to an area on said geographic map and is rendered within said client computer system based on said retrieved coordinate information for that map object.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein step (e) further includes:

(e.1) rendering at least one vector-based map object with a polygonal geometry.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said database system includes National Census information defining geographic areas for said map objects based on Census data and including attribute information for said defined geographic areas in the form of Census information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said database system includes local area information defining geographic boundaries for said map objects within a specific local area and including attribute information for said defined geographic boundaries including information pertaining to said specific local area.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) receiving overlay specifications and user preferences and generating said coordinate and attribute information for said database system in accordance with said specifications and preferences.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.1) producing and transmitting said information requests in response to user manipulation of said geographic map, wherein said produced information requests enable retrieval of said map objects corresponding to geographic areas within said manipulated geographic map.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said user manipulation of said geographic map includes at least one of re-centering, panning and zooming.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.1) producing and transmitting said information requests in response to user selection of a map object on said geographic map, wherein said produced information requests enable retrieval of said attribute information for said selected map object.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein said database system includes attribute information for said geographic areas in the form of business information and statistics for a plurality of predetermined time intervals, and step (e) further includes:

(e.1) enabling user selection of a geographic area and generation of at least one of reports, charts and graphs with said business information and statistics within a desired time interval for said selected geographic area.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein said database system includes attribute information arranged in accordance with a plurality of predetermined time intervals, and step (e) further includes:

(e.1) enabling user entry of parameters for retrieval of said arranged attribute information from said database system in accordance with said parameters;

(e.2) overlaying and arranging said retrieved attribute information on said geographic map based on said predetermined time intervals; and

(e.3) enabling user selection of a predetermined time interval to display attribute information associated with that selected predetermined time interval.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein step (e.3) further includes:

(e.3.1) color coding display of said retrieved attribute information based on said predetermined time intervals.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein step (e) further includes:

(e.1) enabling said user to define a new map object and indicate a corresponding area on said geographic map.

25. A system for integrating information with a geographic map from a mapping system comprising:

a server computer system coupled to a network for communication with at least one client computer system, wherein said server computer system includes;

a database system to store coordinate and attribute information associated with map objects for said geographic map provided by said mapping system, wherein said coordinate information associates said map objects and attribute information with corresponding areas of said geographic map; and

an information system to access said database system and retrieve said coordinate and attribute information of map objects in accordance with information requests, wherein said information system includes;

a mapping system interface to enable a corresponding client computer system to communicate with said mapping system over said network and facilitate retrieval and manipulation of said geographic map; and

a user interface to enable said corresponding client computer system to transmit said information requests to said information system in response to user actions, and to enable said corresponding client computer system to display said geographic map and render and overlay on said geographic map said map objects and corresponding attribute information received from said information system in response to said information requests, wherein each map object overlays and corresponds to an area on said geographic map and is rendered within said corresponding client computer system based on said retrieved coordinate information for that map object.