Virtual street addressing radius

• US 7,428,525 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1999
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tomtom North America Incorporated (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: Tele Atlas North America (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Grasteit, Christopher T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert; Ella
• Application Number:
  US09/439,550
• Time in Patent Office: 3,238 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707 4- 7, 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/1, 709/217, 709/207, 701207-208, 705/10, 705/62, 702/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence

Abstract

A single geocoded data layer is created by converting centroid related data to a line by adding or subtracting a distance at a predetermined direction from the centroid to derive an endpoint from the centroid defining the line (taking the form of a radial extending from the centroid). The source of the centroid related data is utilized to determine the direction of the line. The single geocoded data layer allows for one pass searching of geocoded data, and provides a display with more information than a simple match to a point or centroid. The radial display may take any form. Unconfirmed locations in the database may be related only to a centroid, and a display program automatically calculates a radial for display in conjunction with the centroid. The display may be the form of a radial, a radial with notches (representing additional matches), colors, or other shapes, etc.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for virtual street addressing using a database, comprising:

identifying in a computer a centroid from the database based on a user input search request;

defining a plurality of radials extending from said centroid;

associating at least one data item having an addressable location in the database with each of said plurality of radials as determined from the user input search request; and

displaying the centroid, the radials and the data items on a map grid.

2. A computer-implemented method for virtual street addressing using a database, comprising:

identifying in a computer a centroid from the database based on a user input search request;

defining a plurality of radials extending from said centroid;

associating at least one data item having an addressable location in the database with each of said plurality of radials as determined from the user input search request;

locating positions on a respective radial, each said position corresponding to one of the addressable locations;

generating a marker for each located position of the respective radial; and

displaying the centroid, the radials, and the markers on a map grid.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, wherein said marker is any of a point, notch, and icon representation of the associated data item.

4. A computer-implemented method for virtual street addressing, comprising:

identifying in a computer a centroid based on a user input search request, wherein said identifying a centroid includes;

identifying said centroid in a database;

defining a plurality of radials extending from said centroid;

associating at least one data item having an addressable location with each of said plurality of radials as determined from the user input search request; and

storing said plurality of radials in the database.

5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 4, wherein said database is a geocoded database of mapping information, and said at least one data item is a location within an area associated with said centroid.

6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 4, wherein said database is a database of satellite information, said centroid represents a position on a globe, and said at least one data item identifies satellites orbiting above an approximate position of said centroid that can transmit information to a receiver located near the centroid.

7. The computer-implemented method according to claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of radials identifies at least one feature of at least one of said satellites.

8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 4, further comprising:

matching outside data to information associated with said at least one data item; and

displaying each radial having associated information that matches said outside data.

9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 8, wherein said outside data is location information of data stored in said database.

10. A computer-implemented method for virtual street addressing, comprising:

identifying in a computer, a centroid based on a user input search request;

defining a plurality of radials extending from said centroid, wherein the computer defines the plurality of radials by the steps comprising;

assigning a direction to each respective radial;

associating at least one data item having an addressable location with each of said plurality of radials as determined from the user input search request;

calculating an endpoint for each respective radial; and

defining each respective radial from said centroid to said endpoint of the respective radial.

11. The computer-implemented method according to claim 10, wherein said determining a direction of said radial comprises:

assigning a direction to each respective radial based on at least one of information and features of the data item associated with the respective radial.

12. The computer-implemented method according to claim 11, wherein said information and features is at least one of a margin of error with which said centroid identifies a location corresponding to said data item.

13. A computer-implemented method for virtual street addressing, comprising:

identifying in a computer centroids, the centroids provided in given areas of a map accessed by the computer;

defining a plurality of radials extending from each said centroid; and

associating at least one data item having an addressable location on the map with each of said plurality of radials, wherein each said at least one data item is a location within one of the given areas associated with said centroid; and

displaying the centroid, the plurality of radials, and the at least one data item on the map.

14. The computer-implemented method according to claim 13, wherein each of the at least one radials identifies a location within one of the given areas of said centroid, and a proximity of said location to said centroid.