METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING CROWD-SOURCED GEOCODING

• US 20150142822A1
• Filed: 08/10/2012
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Xue, Wenwei, Yang, Hao
• Application Number:
  US14/411,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20150142822A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/743
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

An approach is provided for providing crowd-sourced location geocoding. A geocoding platform determines one or more location strings associated with at least one event, wherein the at least one event is associated with one or more users. The geocoding platform further causes, at least in part, a geocoding of the one or more location strings to determine location information associated with the at least one event based, at least in part, on one or more inputs, contextual information, a combination thereof associated with the one or more users.

Claims

1-53. -53. (canceled)

54. A method comprising facilitating a processing of and/or processing (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal, the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal based, at least in part, on the following:

one or more location strings associated with at least one event, wherein the at least one event is associated with one or more users; and

a geocoding of the one or more location strings to determine location information associated with the at least one event based, at least in part, on one or more inputs, contextual information, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more users.

55. A method of claim 54, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

one or more current locations associated with the one or more users based, at least in part, on the contextual information,

wherein the geocoding of the one or more location strings is based, at least in part, on the one or more current locations.

56. A method of claim 54, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

one or more location trajectories associated with the one or more users based, at least in part, on the contextual information,

wherein the geocoding of the one or more location strings is based, at least in part, on the one or more location trajectories.

57. A method of claim 56, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

a processing of the one or more location trajectories to determine an overlap between at least two of the one or more location trajectories,

wherein the geocoding of the one or more location strings is based, at least in part, on the overlap.

58. A method of claim 56, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

timing information associated with the at least one event, the one or more location strings, or a combination thereof; and

at least one determination of the one or more location trajectories based, at least in part, on the timing information.

59. A method of claim 58, wherein the timing information comprises a start time, or an end time, or a length of time, or a combination thereof, and the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of the one or more location trajectories based, at least in part, on a predetermined period of time before the start time or at least one determination of the one or more location trajectories based, at least in part, between the start time and the end time, during the length of time from the start time, or a combination thereof.

60. A method of claim 54, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

timing information associated with the at least one event, the one or more location strings, or a combination thereof;

contextual information associated with the one or more users based, at least in part, on the timing information; and

wherein the geocoding of the one or more location strings is based, at least in part, on the contextual information associated with the timing information.

61. A method of claim 54, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

one or more votes as the one or more user inputs associated with the one or more users that are based, at least in part, on the location information,

wherein the geocoding of the one or more location strings is based, at least in part, on the one or more votes.

62. A method of claim 54, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

a geocoding history associated with the location information based, at least in part, on the one or more inputs, the contextual information, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more users; and

a presentation of a rendering of the geocoding history at one or more devices associated with the one or more users.

63. A method of claim 54, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

one or more weights associated with the one or more users; and

a processing of one or more inputs associated with the one or more users based, at least in part, on the one or more weights.

64. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

determine one or more location strings associated with at least one event, wherein the at least one event is associated with one or more users; and

cause, at least in part, a geocoding of the one or more location strings to determine location information associated with the at least one event based, at least in part, on one or more inputs, contextual information, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more users.

65. An apparatus of claim 64, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine one or more current locations associated with the one or more users based, at least in part, on the contextual information,

wherein the geocoding of the one or more location strings is based, at least in part, on the one or more current locations.

66. An apparatus according to any of claim 64, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine one or more current locations associated with the one or more users based, at least in part, on the contextual information,

wherein the geocoding of the one or more location strings is based, at least in part, on the one or more location trajectories.

67. An apparatus of claim 66, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

process and/or facilitate a processing of the one or more location trajectories to determine an overlap between at least two of the one or more location trajectories,

wherein the geocoding of the one or more location strings is based, at least in part, on the overlap.

68. An apparatus of claim 66, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine timing information associated with the at least one event, the one or more location strings, or a combination thereof; and

determine the one or more location trajectories based, at least in part, on the timing information.

69. An apparatus of claim 68, wherein the timing information comprises wherein the timing information comprises a start time, or an end time, or a length of time associated with the at least one event, and the apparatus is further caused to:

determine the one or more location trajectories based, at least in part, on a predetermined period of time before the start time or determine the one or more location trajectories based, at least in part, between the start time and the end time, during the length of time from the start time, or a combination thereof.

70. An apparatus of claim 64, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine timing information associated with the at least one event, the one or more location strings, or a combination thereof;

determine contextual information associated with the one or more users based, at least in part, on the timing information; and

wherein the geocoding of the one or more location strings is based, at least in part, on the contextual information associated with the timing information.

71. An apparatus of claim 64, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine one or more votes as the one or more user inputs associated with the one or more users that are based, at least in part, on the location information,

wherein the geocoding of the one or more location strings is based, at least in part, on the one or more votes.

72. An apparatus of claim 64, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine a geocoding history associated with the location information based, at least in part, on the one or more inputs, the contextual information, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more users; and

cause, at least in part, a presentation of a rendering of the geocoding history at one or more devices associated with the one or more users.

73. An apparatus of claim 64, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine one or more weights associated with the one or more users; and

process and/or facilitate a processing of one or more inputs associated with the one or more users based, at least in part, on the one or more weights.