Systems and methods for generating user specified information from a map

• US 7,561,169 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2006
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GEO-Softworks, LLC
• Original Assignee: GEO-Softworks, LLC
• Inventors: Carroll, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Sajous; Wesner
• Application Number:
  US11/465,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20080043037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.3, 340/990, 340/995.1, 340/995.14, 340/995.24, 340/539.2, 345/629, 345/441, 345/594, 345/619, 345/650, 345/443, 345468-469, 345/418, 345/636, 345/520, 345/522, 345/551, 345/556, 701/117, 701/119, 701/4, 701/200, 701/212, 701208-209, 382/305, 382/295, 382/282, 382/276, 382/260, 382/254, 715/273, 715/700, 715/764, 715/855
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

An embodiment relates generally a method of generating user-specified information. The method includes selecting a plurality of points on a map, where the plurality of points forms a closed polygon. The method also includes determining a plurality of coordinate pairs, where each coordinate pair is associated with a point from the plurality of points. The method also includes retrieving user specified information for an area enclosed by the plurality of coordinate pairs.

Claims

1. A method of generating user-specified information, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of points selected on a map, the plurality of points forming a closed polygon;

determining a plurality of coordinate pairs, each coordinate pair associated with a point from the plurality of points;

determining a generalized polygon based on the plurality of coordinate pairs;

forming a query based on the generalized polygon; and

retrieving, by a processor, user specified information for an area enclosed by the plurality of coordinate pairs, wherein the processor receives a data set generated based on the query and filters the data set against the plurality of coordinate pairs to form the user specified information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing one of a count of records in the user specified information and a listing of records in the user specified information in response to a user request.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising instantiating a data structure to store the plurality of coordinate pairs.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether a current line formed by each point and a previous point intersects with a previously created line.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising notifying a user of an invalid polygon in response to an intersection of the current line with the previously created line.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether a current point of the plurality of points completes the closed polygon.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user specified information is a filtered list.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the coordinate pair is one of a latitude/longitude pair and a Cartesian pair.

9. An apparatus comprising means to implement the method of claim 1.

10. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

11. A system for generating user specified information from a map, the system comprising:

a map database;

a second database; and

a selector tool configured to interface with the map database and the second database, wherein the selector tool further comprises;

a user interface (“

UI”

) module configured to interface with the map database, to accept a plurality of points on a selected map from the map database that form a closed polygon, to convert each point of the plurality of points into a respective coordinate pair, and to store the coordinate pairs in a data structure;

a validation module configured to validate the plurality of points;

a geometry engine configured to generate a query based on the plurality of points, wherein the geometry engine is configured to determine a generalized polygon based on the coordinate pairs and to generate the query based on the generalized polygon; and

a database interface configured to interface with the second database and to forward the query to the second database, wherein

the geometry engine is further configured to issue the query to the database interface, to receive a data set based on the query from the second database, and to filter the received data set against the coordinate pairs to form a requested data set.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the UI module is further configured to determine a current line formed by a current point and an immediate preceding point intersects with a previously created line.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the UI module is further configured to notify a user of an invalid polygon in response to an intersection of the current line with the previously created line.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the UI module is further configured to determine whether a current point of the plurality of points completes the closed polygon.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the validation module is configured to validate the coordinate pairs and the number of points.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the validation module is hinter configured to provide one of a count of records in the requested data set and a listing of records in the requested data set in response to a user request.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the UI module, the validation module, the geometry engine and the database interface are located in separate locations.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the UI module, the validation module, the geometry engine and the database interface are co-located.