Method and system for automated ticket geocoding and estimating positional errors

• US 7,877,202 B1
• Filed: 04/16/2007
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Giles, Christopher, Stewart, Harold J., Asher, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby; Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US11/735,697
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 701207-214, 701/300, 340/995.14
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models

Abstract

A system and method for receiving a geocode request for a location including a textual description of the location, selecting a test for geocoding the location, geocoding the location using the selected test and determining a bounding area around the location indicating at least one maximum distance range from the location.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a geocode request for a location including a textual description of the location;

selecting a test for geocoding the location;

geocoding the location using the selected test; and

determining a bounding area around the location indicating at least one maximum distance range from the location.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including:

determining a street density of a region including the location; and

estimating, from the street density, a maximum uncertainty for the representation of the location.

3. The method according to claim 2, further including:

determining a bounded range within endpoints of an address block range for locating the location, wherein the bounding area is defined by the bounding range and the maximum uncertainty for the location.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the test for geocoding the location is selected from a plurality of geocoding tests performed in parallel, each of the geocoding tests being a method for obtaining a latitude and a longitude coordinate from the textual data.

5. The method according to claim 4, further including:

penalizing at least one of the plurality of geocoding tests when the at least one the plurality of geocoding tests yields in an inaccurate result by decreasing a weight coefficient for the at least one of the plurality of geocoding tests, wherein decreasing the weight coefficient decreases the likelihood the a particular test will be selected when selecting the optimal test.

6. The method according to claim 4, further including:

rewarding at least one of the plurality of geocoding tests when the at least one the plurality of geocoding tests yields in an accurate result by increasing a weight coefficient for the at least one of the plurality of geocoding tests, wherein increasing the weight coefficient increases the likelihood the a particular test will be selected when selecting the optimal test.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting the test incorporates a confidence factor, the weight coefficient is a function of the location indicating a relative degree of certainty in the result for a plurality of geocoding tests.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the geocode request corresponds to a site for an underground excavation.

9. The method according to claim 8, further includes:

determining that the site underground excavation is within a proximity of one or more underground assets when the one or more underground assets is located within the bounding area.

10. A system, comprising:

a plurality of geocoding tests for converting a textual description of a location into a geocoded point;

an error estimation application determining the likelihood a particular geocoding test will be selected as an optimal test and selecting the optimal test; and

an asset management device performing the optimal test and defining a bounding box around the geocoded point indicating at least one maximum distance range from the geocoded point to the location.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the error estimation application penalizes at least one of the plurality of geocoding tests when the at least one the plurality of geocoding tests yields in an inaccurate result by decreasing a weight coefficient for the at least one of the plurality of geocoding tests, wherein decreasing the weight coefficient decreases the likelihood the a particular test will be selected when selecting the optimal test, and rewards at least one of the plurality of geocoding tests when the at least one the plurality of geocoding tests yields in an accurate result by increasing a weight coefficient for the at least one of the plurality of geocoding tests, wherein increasing the weight coefficient increases the likelihood the a particular test will be selected when selecting the optimal test.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the error estimation application incorporates a confidence factor, the weight coefficient is a function of the location indicating a relative degree of certainty in the result for a plurality of geocoding tests.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the assert management device determines a street density of a region including the geocoded point, and estimates, from the street density, a maximum uncertainty for the representation by the geocoded point of the location.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein the assert management device determines a bounded range within endpoints of an address block range for locating the location, wherein the bounding box is defined by the bounding range and the maximum uncertainty for the geocoded point.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein the optimal test for geocoding the textual description is selected from a plurality of geocoding tests performed in parallel, each of the geocoding test being a method for obtaining a latitude and a longitude coordinate from the textual data.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein the geocode request corresponds to a site for an underground excavation and the assert management device determine that the site underground excavation is within a proximity of one or more underground assets when the one or more underground assets is located within the bounding box.

17. A computer readable storage medium including a set of instructions executable by a processor, the set of instructions being operable to:

receive a geocode request for a location including a textual description of the location;

select a test for geocoding the location;

geocode the location using the selected test;

determine a bounding area around the location indicating at least one maximum distance range from the location.

18. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the set of instructions are further operable to:

determine a street density of a region including the location; and

estimate, from the street density, a maximum uncertainty for the representation of the location.

19. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 18, wherein the set of instructions are further operable to:

determine a bounded range within endpoints of an address block range for locating the location, wherein the bounding area is defined by the bounding range and the maximum uncertainty for the location.