SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A GUIDED USER INTERFACE TO PROCESS WAYMARK RECORDS

• US 20090313272A1
• Filed: 06/11/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groundspeak, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Groundspeak, Inc.
• Inventors: Alvord, Elias C., Boots, Sean E., Irish, Jeremy A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,364,721 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

A system and method for providing a guided user interface to process waymark records is provided. Categories of published waymark records are maintained in a database. Each category is associated with at least one variable and one or more attributes, which each specify a type of metadata for the variables. The variables and attributes are presented for one of the categories in response to a request from a user. A user interface is applied to process input metadata for a physical object that is received from the user via the user interface. A consistency of the input metadata with the variables and attributes associated with the category is determined. The consistent input metadata is complied as a waymark record for the physical object. The waymark record is published and displayed on a map.

Claims

1. A system for providing a guided user interface to process waymark records, comprising:

a database to maintain categories of published waymark records, wherein each category is associated with at least one variable and one or more attributes, which each specify a type of metadata for the variables;

a display to present the variables and attributes for one of the categories in response to a request from a user; and

a processor to apply a user interface to process input metadata for a physical object that is received from the user via the user interface by determining a consistency of the input metadata with the variables and attributes associated with the category and to compile the consistent input metadata as a waymark record for the physical object,

wherein the waymark record is published and displayed on a map.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the input metadata includes at least one of text, images, and sound.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the variables for each published waymark record comprises a spatial data variable and the input metadata for the spatial data variable comprises geolocational data defining a location of the physical object associated with that published waymark record.

4. A system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a search module to enable searching of the database for one or more published waymark records based on the geolocational data.

5. A system according to claim 1, comprising:

a submission module to submit the waymark record for review by an authorized user prior to publication.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an access module to access one of the published waymark records from the database upon a request from another user;

the display further to display the accessed waymark record;

a log module to log additional metadata from the other user that is associated with the input metadata; and

the database to store the additional metadata with the accessed waymark record.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a notification module to notify the user when the input metadata is not consistent with the variables and attributes for that category.

8. A method for providing a guided user interface to process waymark records, comprising:

maintaining categories of published waymark records, wherein each category is associated with at least one variable and one or more attributes, which each specify a type of metadata for the variables;

presenting the variables and attributes for one of the categories in response to a request from a user; and

applying a user interface to process input metadata for a physical object that is received from the user via the user interface by determining a consistency of the input metadata with the variables and attributes associated with the category and compiling the consistent input metadata as a waymark record for the physical object,

wherein the waymark record is published and displayed on a map.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the input metadata includes at least one of text, images, and sound.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one of the variables for each published waymark record comprises a spatial data variable and the input metadata for the spatial data variable comprises geolocational data defining a location of the physical object associated with the waymark record.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

enabling searching of the database for at least one published waymark record based on the geolocational data.

12. A method according to claim 8, comprising:

submitting the waymark record for review by an authorized user prior to publication.

13. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

accessing one of the published waymark records from the database upon a request from another user;

displaying the accessed waymark record;

logging additional metadata from the other user that is associated with the input metadata; and

storing the additional metadata with the accessed waymark record.

14. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

notifying the user when the input metadata is not consistent with the variables and attributes for that category.

15. A system for managing a category, comprising:

a database maintaining waymark records that are each associated with a category, each waymark record comprising metadata associated with at least one variable and one or more attributes specifying a type of the metadata for each variable;

an authorization module to provide access to the database, comprising;

an identification module to identify a user having access to the database based on a list of authorized users; and

a request receipt module to receive a request from the user to present one such category and the associated waymark records;

a processor to process at least one waymark record from the requested category, comprising;

an input receipt module to receive input metadata from the user consistent with the variables and the attributes for that waymark record; and

replacing at least a portion of the metadata with the input metadata,

wherein the processed waymark record is displayed on a map.

16. A method according to claim 15 comprising:

an access module to access a log associated with one of the waymark records, wherein the log comprises log metadata; and

a replacement module to replace a portion of the log metadata with additional log metadata.

17. A method according to claim 15, comprising:

a notification module to notify the user when a log associated with one of the waymark records is not consistent with the variables and the attributes.

18. A method for managing a category, comprising:

maintaining a database comprising waymark records that are each associated with a category, each waymark record comprising metadata associated with at least one variable and one or more attributes specifying a type of the metadata for each variable;

providing access to the database, comprising;

identifying a user having access to the database based on a list of authorized users; and

receiving a request from the user to present one such category and the associated waymark records; and

processing at least one waymark record from the requested category, comprising;

receiving input metadata from the user consistent with the variables and the attributes for that waymark record; and

replacing at least a portion of the metadata with the input metadata,

wherein the processed waymark record is displayed on a map.

19. A method according to claim 18, comprising:

accessing a log associated with one of the waymark records, wherein the log comprises log metadata; and

replacing a portion of the log metadata with additional log metadata.

20. A method according to claim 18, comprising:

notifying the user when a log associated with one of the waymark records is not consistent with the variables and the attributes.