Method for identifying the geographic region of a geographic area which contains a geographic zone
First Claim
1. In a coordinate system having a plurality of points, each point defined by an x-coordinate and a y-coordinate, a method for identifying which of a plurality of non-overlapping regions of an area contains a zone, the zone being defined by a plurality of zone boundary points, comprising the steps of:
- A. selecting one of the plurality of zone boundary points as a selected zone boundary point;
B. selecting one of the plurality of regions as a selected region, the selected region being defined by a plurality of region boundary points;
C. determining whether the selected zone boundary point is located within the selected region by;
(1) determining whether a straight line drawn through the selected zone boundary point intersects the selected region at a first boundary point and a second boundary point;
(2) if the straight line intersects the selected region at the first boundary point and the second boundary point, then determining whether the selected zone boundary point is located between the first boundary point and the second boundary point; and
(3) if the selected zone boundary point is located between the first boundary point and the second boundary point, then determining that the selected zone boundary point is located within the selected region; and
D. repeating step C with another one of the plurality of zone boundary points as the selected zone boundary point.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Identifying the geographic region of a geographic area which contains a geographic zone. To identify the geographic region which contains a geographic zone, one of the plurality of geographic regions in a geographic area is selected as a selected region. A determination is made as to whether the geographic zone is located within the selected region by determining whether the zone boundary points of the geographic zone are located within the selected region. If a predetermined percentage of the zone boundary points of the geographic zone are located within the selected region, then the geographic zone is located within the selected region and the geographic region is identified. To determine whether a zone boundary point is located within the selected region, a determination is made as to whether a line of predetermined slope drawn through the zone boundary point intersects the region boundary of the selected region. If the line intersects the selected region, then a determination is made as to whether the zone boundary point is located within the selected region.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. In a coordinate system having a plurality of points, each point defined by an x-coordinate and a y-coordinate, a method for identifying which of a plurality of non-overlapping regions of an area contains a zone, the zone being defined by a plurality of zone boundary points, comprising the steps of:
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A. selecting one of the plurality of zone boundary points as a selected zone boundary point; B. selecting one of the plurality of regions as a selected region, the selected region being defined by a plurality of region boundary points; C. determining whether the selected zone boundary point is located within the selected region by; (1) determining whether a straight line drawn through the selected zone boundary point intersects the selected region at a first boundary point and a second boundary point; (2) if the straight line intersects the selected region at the first boundary point and the second boundary point, then determining whether the selected zone boundary point is located between the first boundary point and the second boundary point; and (3) if the selected zone boundary point is located between the first boundary point and the second boundary point, then determining that the selected zone boundary point is located within the selected region; and D. repeating step C with another one of the plurality of zone boundary points as the selected zone boundary point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In a coordinate system having a plurality of points, each point defined by an x-coordinate and a y-coordinate, a method for identifying which of a plurality of non-overlapping regions of an area contains a zone, the zone being defined by a plurality of zone boundary points, comprising the steps of:
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A. selecting one of the plurality of zone boundary points as a selected zone boundary point; B. selecting one of the plurality of regions as a selected region, the selected region being defined by a plurality of region boundary points; C. determining whether the selected zone boundary point is located within the selected region by; (1) determining whether a straight line drawn through the selected zone boundary point intersects the selected region only at the selected zone boundary point; and (2) if the straight line intersects the selected region only at the selected zone boundary point, then determining that the selected zone boundary point is located within the selected region; and D. determining whether a second selected zone boundary point is located within the selected region. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. In a geographic area divided into a plurality of non-overlapping geographic regions, each of the geographic regions being defined by a region boundary of a plurality of region boundary points, and a plurality of non-overlapping geographic zones, each of the geographic zones being defined by a zone boundary of a plurality of zone boundary points, a method for identifying the geographic region which contains a geographic zone, comprising the steps of:
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A. estimating the geographic zone with an estimated zone; B. selecting one of the plurality of non-overlapping geographic regions as a selected region; C. estimating the selected region with a selected estimated region; D. making a first determination as to whether the estimated zone is located within the selected estimated region; E. if the estimated zone is located within the selected estimated region, selecting one of the plurality of zone boundary points of the geographic zone as a selected zone boundary point; F. making a second determination as to whether the selected zone boundary point is located within the selected region; G. if the second determination in step F is that the selected zone boundary point is located within the selected region, then repeating step F with another one of the plurality of zone boundary points as the selected zone boundary point; and H. if at least a predetermined percentage of the plurality of zone boundary points is located within the selected region, then identifying the selected region. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification