Address database and address retrieval system using the same
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
- providing a geographical address database associated with a postal addressing system, the geographical address database comprising a tree structure of nodes in which regional names, which constitute a geographical address, are stored in multiple levels of nodes, the multiple levels of nodes comprising;
a first level of nodes representing the regional names of first geographical areas,a second level of nodes representing the regional names of second geographical areas, wherein each of the first geographical areas is a sub-division of one of the second geographical areas according to the postal addressing system, anda third level of nodes representing the regional names of third geographical areas, wherein each of the third geographical areas is a sub-division of one of the first geographical areas according to the postal addressing system;
selecting one of the nodes in the first level based on a user input;
traversing the tree structure from the selected node in the first level to a selected node in the second level;
searching the third level for a child node of the selected node in the second level; and
retrieving and outputting the regional name represented by the child node of the selected node in the selected level,wherein the nodes in the first level are parent nodes of the nodes in the second level, and the nodes in the second level are parent nodes of the nodes in the third level,wherein a particular node in the second level stores a regional name indicating a geographical area that is larger than the geographical area indicated by the regional name stored by the parent node of the particular node in the first level,the geographical area indicated by the regional name stored in the particular node is larger than the geographical area indicated by the regional name stored in the child node of the particular node in the third level.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An address retrieval system includes: an address database having a tree structure in which regional names, which constitute an address, and which indicate the areas of each scale ranging from the large area down to the small area, are associated with nodes, wherein a child node has a regional name indicating an area that is larger than the area indicated by the regional name owned by its parent node; an input portion that inputs the regional names; a central processor that searches the address database for the child node having the regional name inputted by the input portion as its parent node; and an output portion that outputs the regional name corresponding to the child node retrieved by the central processor.
5 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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providing a geographical address database associated with a postal addressing system, the geographical address database comprising a tree structure of nodes in which regional names, which constitute a geographical address, are stored in multiple levels of nodes, the multiple levels of nodes comprising; a first level of nodes representing the regional names of first geographical areas, a second level of nodes representing the regional names of second geographical areas, wherein each of the first geographical areas is a sub-division of one of the second geographical areas according to the postal addressing system, and a third level of nodes representing the regional names of third geographical areas, wherein each of the third geographical areas is a sub-division of one of the first geographical areas according to the postal addressing system; selecting one of the nodes in the first level based on a user input; traversing the tree structure from the selected node in the first level to a selected node in the second level; searching the third level for a child node of the selected node in the second level; and retrieving and outputting the regional name represented by the child node of the selected node in the selected level, wherein the nodes in the first level are parent nodes of the nodes in the second level, and the nodes in the second level are parent nodes of the nodes in the third level, wherein a particular node in the second level stores a regional name indicating a geographical area that is larger than the geographical area indicated by the regional name stored by the parent node of the particular node in the first level, the geographical area indicated by the regional name stored in the particular node is larger than the geographical area indicated by the regional name stored in the child node of the particular node in the third level.
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2. A geographical address retrieval system comprising:
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a geographical address database associated with a postal addressing system, the geographical address database having a tree structure of nodes in which regional names, which constitute a geographical address, are stored in multiple levels of nodes, the multiple levels of nodes comprising; a first level of nodes representing the regional names of first geographical areas, a second level of nodes representing the regional names of second geographical areas, wherein each of the first geographical areas is a sub-division of one of the second geographical areas according to the postal addressing system, and a third level of nodes representing the regional names of third geographical areas, wherein each of the third geographical areas is a sub-division of one of the first geographical areas according to the postal addressing system, wherein the nodes in the first level are parent nodes of the nodes in the second level, and the nodes in the second level are parent nodes of the nodes in the third level, a particular node in the second level stores a regional name indicating a geographical area that is larger tan the geographical area indicated by the regional name stored by a parent node of the particular node in the first level, and the geographical area indicated by the regional name stored in the particular node is larger than the geographical area indicated by the regional name stored in the child node of the particular node in the third level; an input portion that inputs a regional name; a processor that searches the address database for a child node whose parent node has the regional name inputted by the input portion; and an output portion that outputs the regional name corresponding to the child node retrieved by the processor. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A geographical address database embodied on a computer-readable medium for causing a computer to output data associated with a particular geographical address to a user, the database comprising:
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nodes arranged in a hierarchical structure in which each node stores a name of a geographical region, such that the names of the geographical regions in the particular geographical address are stored in multiple levels of nodes within the hierarchical structure, wherein the levels of nodes in the database include; a first level of nodes representing the names of first geographical areas, a second level of nodes representing the names of second geographical areas, wherein each of the first geographical areas is a sub-division of one of the second geographical areas according to the postal addressing system, and a third level of nodes representing the regional names of third geographical areas, wherein each of the third geographical areas is a sub-division of one of the first geographical areas according to the postal addressing system, wherein the levels of nodes are arranged in the database in such a manner that, for at least one set of parent and child nodes, the database includes a storage location for the parent node, a storage location for the child node, and a pointer between the storage locations of the parent and child nodes, wherein a particular node in the second level stores the a name of a geographical area that is larger than and encompasses the geographical area whose name is stored in the parent node of the particular node in the first level, and wherein the particular node stores the name of a geographical area region that is larger than and encompasses the geographical area region whose name is stored in the child node of the particular node in the third level. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification