Method and apparatus to ensure proper geocoding

• US 7,831,486 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2003
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Howard W. Brant
• Original Assignee: Howard W. Brant
• Inventors: Graham, William Eric, Rittwager, Frank John, Colbert, Daniel James, Main, James David II
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; F. Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALMATRAHI, FARIS S
• Application Number:
  US10/696,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20050096991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,567 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for verifying customer addresses before using those addresses in an asset tracking system. More specifically, the enhanced asset tracking system can accept multiple characteristics of the location. An operator or GIS system can check that these descriptors are identifying the same location. If descriptors do identify a same location, then the operator or GIS system can allow the location information to pass to the assets.

Claims

1. A method to ensure accurate geocoding of an input location in an asset tracking system, comprising:

receiving, from one or more sources that are separate from the asset tracking system first, second, and third characteristics of the input location;

inputting the first, second, and third characteristics into a GIS system of the asset tracking system;

generating, via the GIS system, a first geocode for the first characteristic, a second geocode for the second characteristic, and a third geocode for the third characteristic;

after the generating of the first, second, and third geocodes comparing the first geocode to the second and third geocodes;

based on the comparison, determining if the first characteristic and at least one of the second and third characteristics identify a same location; and

allowing a geocode of the same location to be sent to one or more assets if the first geocode for the first characteristic and the second geocode for the second characteristic are spatially near or the first geocode for the first characteristic and the third geocode for the third characteristic are spatially near.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first characteristic, second characteristic, or third characteristic, is provided by an electronic source communicatively coupled to the asset tracking system.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the electronic source is a caller identification system.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first characteristic is one of an address, a set of cross streets, a zip code, a telephone area code, a latitude and longitude, or a phone number.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein each of the second and third characteristics is one of an address, a set of cross streets, a zip code, a telephone area code, a latitude and longitude, or a phone number, and wherein the other characteristic is different than the first characteristic.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first geocode and the second geocode or the first geocode and the third geocode are spatially near when located within a same street block.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first geocode and the second geocode or the first geocode and the third geocode are spatially near when located within a same zip code.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first geocode and the second geocode and the third geocode are spatially near when located within a same area code.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first geocode and the second geocode or the first geocode and the third geocode are spatially near when within a set distance apart.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the set distance apart is measured in miles or fractions of a mile.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the set distance apart is measured in degrees, minutes, or seconds of latitude or longitude.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the asset is sent to the same location when the geocode of the same location is allowed in the asset tracking system.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the asset includes a mobile device to receive the geocode.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the asset includes a display device to show the same location.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the same location is not displayed on the display device until the geocode of the same location is allowed.