Information search and retrieval with geographical coordinates
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for retrieving information using a system having an index of geographical coordinates for a plurality of objects, the method comprising:
- receiving a request including a reference;
determining a set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference;
identifying any objects associated with the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference using the index of geographical coordinates; and
retrieving the identified object(s);
including accessing at least one document, stored on a platform located remotely with respect to the index, containing information corresponding to the reference based on a relationship between a set of geographical coordinates for the document reflected in the index and the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An information search and retrieval process using geographical coordinates. An index of coordinates is built for a plurality of text based references, resources or sites, each having a set of said coordinates. A user inquiry is accepted containing a text reference. The text reference specified in the user inquiry is converted to a set of coordinates. A search is thereafter conducted against the index of coordinates based on the converted coordinates of the user inquiry reference. All information retrieved from the search is returned in a text based format.
191 Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A method for retrieving information using a system having an index of geographical coordinates for a plurality of objects, the method comprising:
-
receiving a request including a reference;
determining a set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference;
identifying any objects associated with the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference using the index of geographical coordinates; and
retrieving the identified object(s);
including accessing at least one document, stored on a platform located remotely with respect to the index, containing information corresponding to the reference based on a relationship between a set of geographical coordinates for the document reflected in the index and the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference.- View Dependent Claims (3)
using a proximity measurement with respect to the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference to identify the document.
-
-
2. A method for retrieving information using a system having an index of geographical coordinates for a plurality of objects, the method comprising:
-
receiving a request including a reference;
determining a set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference;
identifying any objects associated with the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference using the index of geographical coordinates; and
retrieving the identified object(s);
wherein the retrieving step includes a substep of locating at least one document containing information corresponding to the reference based on a relationship between a set of geographical coordinates for the document reflected in the index and the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference; and
wherein the locating substep includes using a proximity measurement with respect to the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference to identify the document.
-
-
4. A method for retrieving information using a system having an index of geographical coordinates for a plurality of objects, the method comprising:
-
receiving a request including a reference;
determining a set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference;
identifying any objects associated with the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference using the index of geographical coordinates; and
retrieving the identified obiect(s);
wherein the retrieving step includes determining a geometric shape encompassing a plurality of sets of graphical coordinates corresponding to the reference, and accessing the object(s) predetermined by the index to have information corresponding to geographical coordinates defined by the geometric shape.
-
-
5. A method for generating an index comprising the steps, performed by a processor, of:
-
receiving information reflecting an object;
determining, based on the information, whether the object corresponds to at least one location defined by geographical coordinates; and
modifying the index to reflect a relationship between the geographical coordinates and the object. - View Dependent Claims (6)
adding an entry to the index identifying a storage location for the object such that the index may be used to locate the object in response to a query for information corresponding to the location.
-
-
7. A method for generating an index comprising the steps, performed by a processor, of:
-
receiving an object;
determining whether the object corresponds to at least one location defined by geographical coordinates; and
modifying the index to reflect a relationship between the geographical coordinates and the object. - View Dependent Claims (8)
adding an entry to the index identifying a storage location for the object such that the index may be used to locate the object in response to a query for information corresponding to the location.
-
-
9. A method for retrieving information using a system having an index of geographical coordinates for a plurality of objects, the method comprising:
-
receiving a request including at least two references;
determining a set of geographical coordinates corresponding to each of the references;
determining a geometric shape encompassing a plurality of sets of geographical coordinates based on the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to each of the references; and
identifying any objects from the index determined to have information corresponding to geographical coordinates defined by the geometric shape.
-
-
10. A computer for retrieving information using a system having an index of geographical coordinates for a plurality of objects, the computer comprising:
-
a memory having program instructions; and
a processor, responsive to the programming instructions, configured to;
receive a request including a reference;
determine a set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference; and
access the index of geographical coordinates to identify any objects associated with the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
locating at least one document containing information corresponding to the reference based on a relationship between a set of geographical coordinates for the document reflected in the index and the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference. -
13. The computer of claim 11, wherein the retrieve operation includes
accessing at least one document, stored on a platform located remotely with respect to the index, containing information corresponding to the reference based on a relationship between a set of geographical coordinates for the document reflected in the index and the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference. -
14. The computer of claim 12, wherein the locating operation includes
using a proximity measurement with respect to the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference to identify the document. -
15. The computer of claim 13, wherein the accessing at least one document operation includes
using a proximity measurement with respect to the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference to identify the document. -
16. The computer of claim 11, wherein the retrieving operation includes
determining a geometric shape encompassing a plurality of sets of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference; - and
accessing the object(s) predetermined by the index to have information corresponding to geographical coordinates defined by the geometric shape.
- and
-
-
17. A computer for generating an index, comprising:
-
a memory having program instructions; and
a processor, responsive to the program instructions, configured to;
receive information reflecting an object;
determine, based on the information, whether the object corresponds to at least one location defined by geographical coordinates; and
modifying the index to reflect a relationship between the geographical coordinates and the object. - View Dependent Claims (18)
adding an entry to the index identifying a storage location for the object such that the index may be used to locate the object in response to a query for information corresponding to the location.
-
-
19. A computer for generating an index, comprising:
-
a memory having program instructions;
a processor, responsive to the program instructions, configured to;
receive an object;
determine whether the object corresponds to at least one location defined by geographical coordinates; and
modify the index to reflect a relationship between the geographical coordinates and the object. - View Dependent Claims (20)
adding an entry to the index identifying a storage location for the object such that the index may be used to locate the object in response to a query for information corresponding to the location.
-
-
21. A computer for retrieving information using a system having an index geographical coordinates for a plurality of objects, the computer comprising:
-
a memory having program instructions; and
a processor, responsive to the program instructions, configured to;
receive a request including at least two references;
determine a set of geographical coordinates corresponding to of the references;
determine a geometric shape encompassing a plurality of sets of geographical coordinates based on the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to each of the references; and
identify any objects from the index determined to have information corresponding to geographical coordinates defined by the geometric shape.
-
-
22. An apparatus for retrieving information using an index of geographical coordinates for a plurality of objects, the apparatus comprising:
-
a receiver configured to receive a request including a reference;
a defining component configured to determine a set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference; and
a first accessing component configured to access the index of geographical coordinates to identify any objects associated with the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
a retrieving component configured to retrieve the identified object(s). -
24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the retrieving component further includes
a locating component configured to locate at least one document containing information corresponding to the reference based on a relationship between a set of geographical coordinates for the document reflected in the index and the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference. -
25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the retrieving component further includes
a second accessing component configured to access at least one document, stored on a platform located remotely with respect to the index, containing information corresponding to the reference based on a relationship between a set of geographical coordinates for the document reflected in the index and the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference. -
26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the locating component further includes
a processing component configured to use a proximity measurement with respect to the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference to identify the document. -
27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the second accessing component further includes
a processing component configured to use a proximity measurement with respect to the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference to identify the document. -
28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the retrieving component further includes
a determining component configured to determine a geometric shape encompassing a plurality of sets of geographical coordinates corresponding to the reference; - and
a second accessing component configured to access the object(s) predetermined by the index to have information corresponding to geographical coordinates defined by the geometric shape.
- and
-
-
29. An apparatus for generating an index, the apparatus comprising:
-
a receiver configured to receive information reflecting an object;
a determining component configured to determine, based on the information, whether the object corresponds to at least one location defined by geographical coordinates; and
a modifying component configured to modify the index to reflect a relationship between the geographical coordinates and the object. - View Dependent Claims (30)
an adder configured to add an entry to the index identifying a storage location for the object such that the index may be used to locate the object in response to a query for information corresponding to the location.
-
-
31. An apparatus for generating an index, the apparatus comprising:
-
a receiver configured to receive an object;
a determining component configured to determine whether the object corresponds to at least one location defined by geographical coordinates; and
a modifying component configured to modify the index to reflect a relationship between the geographical coordinates and the object. - View Dependent Claims (32)
an adder configured to add an entry to the index identifying a storage location for the object such that the index may be used to locate the object in response to a query for information corresponding to the location.
-
-
33. An apparatus for retrieving information using an index of geographical coordinates for a plurality of objects, the apparatus comprising:
-
a receiver configured to receive a request including at least two references;
a first determining component configured to determine a set of geographical coordinates corresponding to each of the references;
a second determining component configured to determine a geometric shape encompassing a plurality of sets of geographical coordinates based on the set of geographical coordinates corresponding to each of the references; and
an identifying component configured to identify any objects from the index determined to have information corresponding to geographical coordinates defined by the geometric shape.
-
Specification