System, apparatus and method for mapping

• US 7,856,312 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 1626628 Ontario Limited
• Original Assignee: 1626628 Ontario Limited
• Inventors: Burchfield, Marcy L., Geile, Wolfhard, Coombes, Anthony C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US11/257,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20060136126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,883 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701/50, 455/3.01, 703/1, 705/35
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3852 Data derived from aerial or satellite images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/20 Drawing from basic elements, e.g. lines or circles
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/422 Technical drawings; Geographical maps
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

The present invention provides a novel apparatus and method for mapping of urban regions. An apparatus includes the remote sensing equipment that is connected to a computer processor. The remote sensing equipment gathers imaging data about an urban region. The computer processor interprets the imaging data to generate a map of the urban region comprising representations that identify a first set of indicia representing physiographic characteristics, a second set of indicia representing different types of built forms, and a third set of indicia representing patterns of human activity associated with both the physiographic characteristics and the built forms. The map can also include a fourth set of indicia representing an intensity level that at least one of the other types of indicia occurs.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium for storing programming instructions readable by and executable on a general purpose computer;

said programming instructions implementing a method of generating a map of an urban region;

said programming instructions comprising the steps of;

receiving remotely sensed data of an urban region that includes a plurality of built forms;

determining a type of each said built form in said remotely sensed data based on a comparison of said built forms found in said remotely sensed data with a known database of a plurality of different types of built forms; and

generating user output containing a representation of at least one precinct occupying an area less than an area of said map;

each precinct comprising indicia identifying said determined type of each built form in said region, said user output presented in a graphical form that represents said region and including a location of each said built form according to said determined type.