Geographic-based information technology management system

• US 6,216,130 B1
• Filed: 04/21/1999
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ingeo Acquisitions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ingeo Acquisitions Incorporated
• Inventors: Hougaard, Todd R., Royer, Burk, Schimmelpfenning, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOULES, JACK M
• Application Number:
  US09/295,897
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104, 707/10, 701/208
• US Class Current: 707/805
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/919 Geographic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing geographic and other data structures. Using an administrator application, an administrator identifies geographic data structures deemed to be of interest to an organization and compiles associated reference information. The reference information includes retrieval addresses and display information specifying the display format of the data structures. The administrator can establish relationships between the referenced geographic data structures, tabular data, or other data, which define the manner in which multiple data structures are to be displayed. These relationships can be expressed in geographic themes that specify an application and associated geographic and tabular data structures that can be displayed by the application. A user application allows the user to select geographic information of interest. The user application receives the address information and display information from the administrator application and establishes communication with the remote sources to retrieve the relevant geographic data structures. Using the display information, the user application displays the retrieved data structures. Users can view and, if permitted by user access credentials defined by the administrator, edit the displayed data. Multiple users in an organization can retrieve the geographic information, which is organized and referenced on an organization-wide basis.

Claims

1. In an administrator system capable of accessing disorganized data structures located at remote data sources, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a first geographic data structure, a first tabular data structure, an another data structure, and a plurality of application programs associated with the data structures;

compiling, at the administrator system, reference information specifying one or more properties for each of the data structures, the reference information comprising;

address information specifying a plurality of data sources from which a user system can retrieve the data structures;

display information specifying a format by which the user system can display a representation of at least a portion of the data structures; and

application information specifying at least one computer-executable instruction associated with at least one application program stored at a remote application data source, the user system being capable of executing the computer-executable instruction to display a representation of each of the data structures retrieved from the data sources;

compiling, at the administrator system, relationship information specifying a relationship between at least two of the data structures such that the user system accesses the relationship information at the administrator system and subsequently accesses the data structures at the plurality of data sources defined by the relationship information and displays the data structures, in the format specified by the display information, using the application program retrieved from the remote application data source.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

identifying a second geographic data structure;

compiling, at the administrator system, address information specifying a second data source from which the user system can retrieve the second geographic data structure; and

compiling, at the administrator system, display information specifying a second format by which the user system can display a representation of at least a portion of the second geographic data structure.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the first data source is different from the second data source.

4. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the first format is different from the second format.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

identifying a tabular data structure; and

compiling, at the administrator system, reference information relating to the tabular data structure, including address information specifying a tabular data source from which the user system can retrieve the tabular data structure.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of defining a geographic data view at the administrator system, wherein the geographic data view specifies a relationship between the first geographic data structure and another data structure.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, further comprising the step of transmitting the geographic data view from the administrator system to a user application at the user system.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the user system and the administrator system are embodied in a single computer.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the user system is embodied in a client computer and the administrator system is embodied in a server computer.

10. In a user system capable of retrieving geographic data from a plurality of remote data sources, a method for accessing selected geographic data structures from one or more of the remote data sources in preparation for representing at least a portion of the selected geographic data structures on a display screen, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a computer-readable medium at an administrator system;

address information specifying a plurality of data sources associated with a plurality of geographic data structure;

display information specifying a first format by which the user system can display a representation of at least a portion of the plurality of geographic data structure;

application information specifying a plurality of application programs stored at a plurality of remote application data sources by which the user system can display a representation of at least a portion of the plurality of geographic data structures retrieved from the plurality of data sources; and

relationship information specifying a relationship between at least two of the data structures;

establishing communication between the user system and the plurality of data sources upon the user system retrieving the relationship information from the administrator system;

receiving, in compliance with the relationship information, the plurality of geographic data structures from the plurality of data sources; and

displaying the representation of at least the portion of the plurality of geographic data structures using the first format and at least one of the application programs received from the plurality of remote application data source.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the computer-readable medium is located at a remote site with respect to the user system.

12. A method as defined in claim 11, further comprising, prior to the step of receiving the address information and the display information, the step of transmitting a request to an administrator system for the address information and the display information.

13. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, from the computer-readable medium;

address information specifying a second data source associated with a second geographic data structure; and

display information specifying a second format by which the user system can display a representation of at least a portion of the second geographic data structure;

receiving the second geographic data structure from the second data source; and

displaying the representation of at least the portion of the first geographic data structure using the first format.

14. A method as defined in claim 13, further comprising, prior to the step of receiving the second geographic data structure, the step of establishing communication with the second data source, the first data source being different from the second data source.

15. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the first format is different from the second format.

16. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, from the computer-readable medium, address information specifying a tabular data source from which the user system can retrieve a tabular data structure;

establishing communication with the tabular data source;

receiving the tabular data structure from the tabular data source; and

displaying tabular data included in the tabular data structure.

17. A method as defined in claim 16, further comprising the step of associating the tabular data structure with the geographic data structure such that selection of an entry in the tabular data structure modifies the representation of at least the portion of the geographic data structure.

18. In a system including an administrator system and a user system capable of communicating with the administrator system, a method for displaying geographic data received from multiple remote data sources, comprising the steps of:

storing, at the administrator system, reference information for each of a plurality of geographic data structures distributed at mulitple remote data sources, the reference information including;

address information specifying a remote data source from which the user system can retrieve each of the plurality of geographic data structures;

display information specifying a format by which the user system can display a representation of each of the plurality of geographic data structures; and

application information specifying a plurality of computer-executable instructions associated with a plurality of application programs stored at a plurality of remote application data sources by which the user system can display a representation of each of the plurality of geographic data structures retrieved from the multiple remote data sources;

storing, at the administrator system, relationship information specifying a relationship between at least two related geographic data structures;

transmitting the reference information and relationship information from the administrator system to the user system;

establishing communication between the user system and each remote data source specified by the address information;

receiving at least one of the plurality of geographic data structures from the each remote data source and receiving at least one computer-executable instruction associated with each application program from a remote application data source; and

displaying a representation of said one of the plurality of geographic data structures using a first format specified by the display information and at least one of the application programs specified by the application information.

19. A method as defined in claim 18, further comprising the step of compiling the address information and the display information at the administrator system.

20. A method as defined in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

establishing communication between the user system and a second remote data source specified by the address information, the second remote data source being different from the first remote data source; and

receiving another of the plurality of geographic data structures from the second remote data source; and

displaying a representation of said other of the plurality of geographic data structures.

21. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein a second format, different from the first format, is used to display the representation of said other of the plurality of geographic data structures.

22. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein the reference information is further associated with a tabular data structure, and wherein the address information specifies a tabular data source from which the user system can retrieve the tabular data source.

23. A method as defined in claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

storing application address information specifying the remote application data source from which the user system can retrieve computer-executable instructions associated with the application program, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the user system, being capable of displaying the representation and capable of displaying tabular data of the tabular data structure;

transmitting the application address information from the administrator system to the user system;

establishing communication between the user system and the remote application data source; and

receiving the computer-executable instructions from the application data source.

24. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein the step of displaying the representation comprises the step of executing, by the user system, the computer-executable instructions.

25. In an administrator system capable of accessing geographic data structures located at remote data sources, a method for referencing the geographic data structures so that the geographic data structures are accessible by a user system, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying;

a first geographic data structure located at a first remote data source, the data of the first geographic data structure being formatted according to a first data convention that may be displayed by a user system using a first application program located at a first application data source; and

a second geographic data structure at a second remote data source different from the first remote data source, the data of the second geographic data structure being formatted according to a second data convention different from the first data convention and that may be displayed by a user system using a second application program located at a second application data source; and

compiling, at the administrator system, reference information relating to the first remote data source, the second data source, the first application data source and the second application data source, the reference information being sufficient to enable the user system, when the user system receives the reference information from the administrator system, to retrieve and display the first geographic data using the first application program and to retrieve and display the second geographic data using the second application program without further assistance from a user.

26. A method as defined in claim 25, wherein the reference information is further sufficient to enable the user system, when the user system receives the reference information, to display the first geographic data and the second geographic data without further assistance from the user.

27. A method as defined in claim 25, further comprising the step of defining a geographic data view at the administrator system, wherein the geographic data view specifies a relationship between the first geographic data structure and the second geographic data structure.

28. A computer program product for implementing a method of referencing geographic data structures located at remote data sources so that the geographic data structures are accessible by a user system, wherein the method is implemented in an administrator system, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of;

compiling address information specifying a first data source from which the user system can retrieve a first geographic data structure;

compiling display information specifying a first format by which the user system can display a representation of at least a portion of the first geographic data structure;

compiling application information specifying a first application program data source from which the user system can retrieve computer-executable instructions associated with the first application program that is configured to display the representation of at least a portion of first geographic data structure in the format specified by the display information; and

initiating transmission of the address information, the display information, and the application information to the user system that is capable of retrieving the geographic data structures from the first data source.

29. A computer program product as defined in clam 28, wherein the computer-readable medium further has computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

compiling address information specifying a second data source from which the user system can retrieve a second geographic data structure; and

compiling display information specifying a second format by which the user system can display a representation of at least a portion of the second geographic data structure.

30. A computer program product as defined in claim 29, wherein the first data source is different from the second data source.

31. A computer program product as defined in claim 29, wherein the first format is different from the second format.

32. A computer program product as defined in claim 31, wherein the computer-readable medium further has computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of compiling address information specifying a tabular data source from which the user system can retrieve a tabular data structure.

33. In an administrator system capable of accessing geographic data structures stored at remote data sources, the geographic data structures representing data relating to the activities of a government agency, a method for providing at least one user located at a government agency access to the geographic data structures located at the remote data sources, the method comprising:

an act of identifying a first geographic data structure, a first tabular data structure, an another data structure, and a plurality of application programs associated with the data structures, each of the data structures providing a government agency with data relating to the activities of the government agency;

an act of compiling, at the administrator system, reference information specifying one or more properties for each of the data structures, the reference information comprising;

address information specifying a plurality of data sources from which a user system can retrieve the data structures;

display information specifying a format by which the user system can display a representation of at least a portion of the data structures to the at least one user located at the government agency; and

application information specifying at least one computer-executable instruction associated with at least one application program stored at a remote application data source, the user system being capable of executing the computer-executable instruction to display to the at least one user located at the government agency a representation of each of the data structures retrieved from the data sources; and

an act of compiling, at the administrator system, relationship information specifying a relationship between at least two of the data structures so that the user system can access the data structures at the plurality of data sources and display the data structures to the at least one user located at the government agency, in the format specified by the display information, using the application program retrieved from the remote application data source.

34. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein the government agency comprises a public utility.

35. A method as recited in claim 34, wherein the first geographic data structure comprises data selected from the group consisting of (i) an encoded map of at least one street, (ii) at least one municipal boundary, (iii) a representation of the infrastructure of the public utility, and (iv) at least one feature of a portion of a geographic region of the public utility.

36. A method as recited in claim 34, wherein the first tabular data structure comprises data selected from the group consisting of (i) a list of customers of the public utility and (ii) a list of customer'"'"'s addresses for the public utility.

37. A method as recited in claim 33, further comprising an act of displaying the first geographic data, the first tabular data structure, and the another data structure simultaneously to the at least one user located at the government agency.

38. A method as recited in claim 33, further comprising an act of defining at least one project, the at least one project comprising a plurality of reference information.

39. A method as recited in claim 38, wherein the at least one project comprises a plurality of views and a plurality of themes.

40. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein the plurality of views incorporates the plurality of themes.

41. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein each of the plurality of themes comprises at least one of (i) a geographic data structure, (ii) a tabular data structure, (iii) an another data structure, and (iv) an application program.

42. A computer product for implementing a method for creating, at an administrator system, reference information associating a plurality of geographic data structures representing data relating to the activities of a government agency, the plurality of geographic data structures accessible directly by at least one user of a user system, the computer product comprising:

a computer readable medium carrying computer-executable instructions for implementing the method where the computer-executable instructions comprise;

a step for identifying a plurality of geographic data structures and a plurality of application programs associated with the plurality of geographic data structures, the plurality of geographic data structures representing data relating to the activities of the government agency;

a step for compiling address information specifying at least one data source from which the user system can directly retrieve at least one of the plurality of geographic data structures and at least one of the plurality of application programs;

a step for compiling display information specifying a first format by which the user system can display a representation of at least a portion of the plurality of geographic data structures relating to the activities of the government agency;

a step for compiling application information specifying a first application data source for at least one of the plurality of application programs, the first application data source storing at least one computer-executable instruction for at least one of the plurality of application programs; and

a step for displaying the representation of the at least a portion of the plurality of geographic data structures to at least one user using at least one of the computer-executable instructions, the display of the at least a portion of the plurality of geographic data structures being defined by the display information and the plurality of geographic data structures and the computer-executable instructions directly retrieved from the data sources.

43. A computer product for implementing a method for creating, at an administrator system, reference information associating a plurality of geographic data structures representing data concerning the activities of a government agency, the plurality of geographic data structures accessible directly by at least one user of a user system, the computer product comprising:

a computer readable medium carrying computer-executable instructions for implementing the method where the computer-executable instructions comprise;

program code means for identifying a plurality of geographic data structures and a plurality of application programs associated with the plurality of geographic data structures, the plurality of geographic data structures representing data concerning the activities of the government agency;

program code means for compiling address information specifying at least one data source from which the user system can directly retrieve at least one of the plurality of geographic data structures and at least one of the plurality of application programs;

program code means for compiling display information specifying a first format by which the user system can display a representation of at least a portion of the plurality of geographic data structures relating to the activities of the government agency; and

program code means for compiling application information specifying a first application data source from which the user system can directly retrieve computer-executable instructions associated with at least one of the plurality of application programs, so that the user system can display the representation of at least a portion of the plurality of geographic data structures in the format specified by the display information using at least one of the plurality of application programs.