System and method for locating points of interest using a portable phone

• US 7,421,275 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Procepts Llc
• Original Assignee: Civix-Ddi LLC
• Inventors: Hancock, S. Lee, Dana, Peter H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torres; Marcos L
• Application Number:
  US10/423,318
• Time in Patent Office: 1,957 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-457, 342/357.06, 342/0.01, 342/357.1, 342/357.13, 701/200, 701/206, 701207-213, 701/300
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3878 Hierarchical structures, e.g. layering
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3881 Tile-based structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method and apparatus for defining grid and proprietary addresses of selected locations within a geographical area is described, characterized in that the grid addresses are defined in relation to a grid and can be easily converted to global coordinates defined in relation to a known global referencing system, and the proprietary addresses are unique to the geographical area.

Claims

1. A method for locating one or more first points of interest, the method comprising the steps of:

storing information relating to a plurality of second points of interest, the plurality of second points of interest including the one or more first points of interest;

associating with each of the plurality of second points of interest a universal locational address (ULA) that includes a district identifier and a grid reference defining a geographic location within the identified district;

associating with one or more of the plurality of second points of interest a proprietary locational address (PLA) that uniquely identifies a geographic location within a district;

receiving a request from a user for the one or more first points of interest, the request indicative of either (a) a ULA or (b) a PLA; and

selecting the one or more first points of interest based upon geographic proximity of each of the second points of interest to the location indicated by the request.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing to the user information about the one or more first points of interest.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the grid reference is hierarchical, the district identifier identifying a district within a mapped area, the district being hierarchically divided into cells and the hierarchical grid reference identifying one or more cells within the district.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each PLA has a name and a location reference, the name being unique to the district containing the geographic location identified by the location reference.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the name is formed of one or more abbreviations.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the PLAs are stored in a list at a central repository location that is accessible by the user.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein each district includes a reference point that has a known address within a global referencing system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the reference point identifies a location proximate to the center of the district.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the global referencing system is World Geodetic System.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein two or more districts overlap.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the reference point allows conversion of ULAs into addresses based upon the global referencing system.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the reference point allows conversion of addresses based upon the global referencing system into ULAs.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the reference point defines a relationship between each district.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein one or more districts are cities.

15. The method of claim 7, the step of selecting comprising:

converting the request into a first ULA;

determining a distance between the first ULA and each of the plurality of second points of interest within the same district; and

selecting the first points of interest based upon the determined distances.

16. A locational system for locating one or more first points of interest, comprising:

a storage repository for storing information relating to a plurality of second points of interest that include the first points of interest, each of the plurality of second points of interest being associated with a universal locational address (ULA) and at least one of the plurality of second points of interest being associated with a proprietary locational address (PLA);

a receiver capable of receiving a request for the one or more first points of interest from a user, the request indicative of either (a) a ULA or (b) a PLA;

a selector capable of selecting the one or more first points of interest based upon geographic proximity of each of the second points of interest to the location indicated by the request; and

a transmitter for providing the one or more first points of interest to the user;

wherein the PLA uniquely identifies a geographic location within a district, and the ULA is formed of a district identifier and a grid reference that defines a geographic location within the identified district.

17. The locational system of claim 16, wherein the grid reference is hierarchical, the district identifier identifying a district within a mapped area, the district being hierarchically divided into cells and the hierarchical grid reference identifying one or more cells within the district.

18. The locational system of claim 17, wherein each PLA has a name and a location reference, the name being unique to the district containing the location of the location reference.

19. The location system, of claim 18, wherein the PLAs are stored in a list at a central repository location that is accessible by the user.

20. The locational system of claim 18, wherein each district includes a reference point that has a known address within a global referencing system.

21. The locational system of claim 20, wherein the reference point identifies a location proximate to the center of the district.

22. The locational system of claim 20, wherein the global referencing system is World Geodetic System.

23. The locational system of claim 20, wherein two or more districts overlap.

24. The locational system of claim 20, wherein the reference point allows conversion of ULAs into addresses based upon the global referencing system.

25. The locational system of claim 20, wherein the reference point allows conversion of addresses based upon the global referencing system into ULAs.

26. The locational system of claim 20, wherein the reference point defines a relationship between each district.

27. The locational system of claim 20, wherein one or more districts are cities.

28. The locational system of claim 20, wherein the selector converts the locational address into a first ULA, determines a distance between the first ULA and each of the plurality of second points of interest within the same district, and selects the first points of interest based upon the determined distances.