Method and System for Exchanging Location Content Data in Different Data Formats

• US 20100198907A1
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navteq North America LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Samsalovic, Vojislav
• Granted Patent: US 8,554,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3889 Transmission of selected map data, e.g. depending on route
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures

Abstract

A method and system for exchanging location content data in different data formats is disclosed. A third-party system makes a request to retrieve, add, modify, or delete location content. The request is made in a first data format. A data exchange system receives the request, converts the request to a second data format supported by a location reference system, and sends the request to the location reference system. The location reference system prepares a response to the request and sends the response to the data exchange system. The data exchange system converts the response to the first data format and sends the response to the third-party system.

Claims

1. A method for exchanging location content data between a location reference system and a third-party system, comprising:

receiving a request from a third-party system that includes a location code associated with location content;

determining a data format of the request;

transforming the request to a data format used by a location reference system;

providing the transformed request to the location reference system;

receiving a response from the location reference system that includes the location code;

transforming the response into the data format of the request; and

sending the transformed response to the third-party system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is to retrieve location content stored in the location reference system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is to add, modify, or delete location content stored in the location reference system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data format of the request is selected from the group consisting of Geography Markup Language (GML) format, GPS Exchange Format (GPX), Landmarks Exchange Format (LMX), Keyhole Markup Language (KML), whereonearthID, Traffic Message Channel (TMC), AGORA-C, and a map vendor format.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming the request includes transforming the data in substantially real time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming the request includes transforming the data in a batch process.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming the request includes invoking a data handler based on the determined data format of the request.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the response further includes requested location content data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the response further includes an acknowledgement that the location reference system added, modified, or deleted location content associated with the location code.

10. A system for exchanging location content data between a location reference system and a third-party system, comprising:

an input data transformer that is operable to receive a message having a first data format from a third party, to transform the message into a second data format, and to send the message in the second data format to a location reference system, wherein the message includes a location code and information related to a geographic location associated with the location code; and

an output data transformer that is operable to receive a response from the location reference system in the second data format, to transform the response into the first data format, and to send the response in the first data format to the third party, wherein the response includes the location code and information related to the geographic location associated with the location code.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the input data transformer includes a format validator operable to determine whether the input data transformer supports the first data format.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the input data transformer includes a process selector operable to select whether to transform the message into the second data format in a substantially real-time mode or a batch mode.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the input data transformer includes a format handler selector that is operable to select a data handler to transform the message into the second data format.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the data handler is selected from the group consisting of a text handler, an image handler, an audio handler, a video handler, and a binary handler.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the input data transformer includes an adapter operable to send the message in the second data format to the location reference system.

16. A method of providing access to a location content management system, comprising:

providing a location referencing system that assigns location codes associated with a geographic location and stores location content data associated with the location codes; and

providing a data exchange system that allows third parties to retrieve, add, modify, or delete location content data stored in the location referencing system using a data format that is different than the data format used by the location referencing system.

17. A method that enables a user to set up and manage their data transformation procedures during runtime of a location content management system via a plug-in engine, comprising:

receiving a registration request from a user, wherein the request includes a data transformation procedure for transforming data having a first data format into a second data format; and

providing the data transformation procedure to an input data transformer and an output data transformer in a data exchange system for use in converting the data from the first data format to a second data format.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the registration request further includes error handling procedures.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing the error handling procedures to an error handler in the data exchange system.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein registration request further includes an indication regarding whether to share the data transformation procedure with other users of the data exchange system.