Real estate value map computer system

• US 8,046,715 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2001
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kioba Processing, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Vepse Technology Co LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Wiese, Steven Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): HAILU, TADESSE
• Application Number:
  US10/044,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20020077936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,637 Days
• Field of Search: 345/764, 345/962, 345/961, 345/835, 345/839, 345/846, 345/810, 345/825, 345/771, 345/826, 340/990, 340/995, 705/1, 705/27, 705/8, 705/26, 705/35, 701/200, 701/206, 701/208, 701/202, 701/25, 701/28, 715/835, 715/853, 715/700, 715760-764
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/006 Representation of non-cartographic information on maps, e.g. population distribution, wind direction, radiation levels, air and sea routes

Abstract

A computer system creates and displays a map image based upon a value database associating a plurality of values each with a geographic location in a geographic area and a map program associating each location with a map image location. The computer system assigns one of a plurality of symbols to each geographic location based upon its associated value. The symbol is then displayed on the map image at the map image location associated with the geographic location.

Claims

1. A method of displaying on a computer information regarding values associated with a plurality of geographic locations including the steps of:

a) receiving a request for information regarding a first geographic area including the plurality of geographic locations, wherein the plurality of geographic locations are street addresses;

b) receiving a plurality of values each associated with one of the plurality of geographic locations, wherein said plurality of values are price values;

c) associating each of a plurality of symbols with each of the plurality of geographic locations based upon the associated value of said each of the plurality of geographic locations, wherein the plurality of symbols each include a different shape;

d) displaying a map of the first geographic area in response to said step a) on a display; and

e) displaying each of the plurality of symbols on the map at its associated geographic location in response to said step a) on the display.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of symbols each include a different color.

3. A method of displaying on a computer information regarding values associated with a plurality of geographic locations including the steps of:

a) receiving a request for information regarding a first geographic area including the plurality of geographic locations, wherein the plurality of geographic locations are street addresses;

b) receiving a plurality of values each associated with one of the plurality of geographic locations, wherein said plurality of values are price values;

c) associating each of a plurality of symbols with each of the plurality of geographic locations based upon the associated value of said each of the plurality of geographic locations;

d) displaying a map of the first geographic area in response to said step a) on a display; and

e) displaying each of the plurality of symbols on the map at its associated geographic location in response to said step a) on the display;

f) associating each of the plurality of symbols with a different range of values wherein each of the plurality of symbols has first visually identifying characteristic indicating one of a plurality of ranges of the values and a second visually identifying characteristic indicating a subrange within its associated range; and

g) associating each of the plurality of symbols based upon said steps c) and f) wherein the value of each geographic location corresponds to the range and subrange indicated by the symbol associated with the geographic location.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein each of the symbols has an associated color and an associated shape.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein a magnitude of the ranges vary among the plurality of symbols.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the associating the plurality of non-alphanumeric graphical symbols further includes assigning the plurality of non-alphanumeric graphical symbols to at least two street addresses of the plurality of street addresses based upon price values of the plurality of price values associated with the at least two street addresses.

7. A method of displaying on a computer information regarding values associated with a plurality of geographic locations including the steps of:

a) receiving a request for information regarding a first geographic area including the plurality of geographic locations, wherein the plurality of geographic locations are street addresses;

b) receiving a plurality of values each associated with one of the plurality of geographic locations, wherein said plurality of values are price values;

c) associating each of a plurality of symbols with each of the plurality of geographic locations based upon the associated value of said each of the plurality of geographic locations;

d) displaying a map of the first geographic area in response to said step a) on a display; and

e) displaying each of the plurality of symbols on the map at its associated geographic location in response to said step a) on the display;

f) associating each of a plurality of colors with one of a plurality of ranges of the values;

g) associating each of a plurality of shapes with one of a plurality of subranges within each of the plurality of ranges of the values, each symbol including one of the plurality of colors and one of the plurality of shapes, wherein a magnitude of the plurality of subranges varies among the symbols; and

h) associating each of the plurality of symbols based upon said steps c), f) and g).

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the subranges for symbols associated with a higher-value color are larger in magnitude than symbols associated with a lower-value color.

9. A computer system for displaying information regarding values associated with a plurality of locations comprising:

a) an input device for selectively generating a request for information regarding a geographic area;

b) a database of a plurality of values each associated with one of the plurality of locations in the geographic area, each of a plurality of symbols associated with each of the plurality of locations based upon the values, wherein the plurality of symbols each include a different shape and a different color and wherein said plurality of values are price values and said plurality of locations are street addresses; and

c) a display displaying a map of the first geographic area and each of the plurality of values at the associated locations on the map in response to said request from said input device.

10. The computer system of claim 9 wherein each of a plurality of colors is associated with one of a plurality of ranges of the values, and each symbol includes a different one of the plurality of colors, each of the plurality of symbols associated with the plurality of locations based upon the associated colors and values.

11. A computer system for creating a map comprising:

a map program associating each of a plurality of geographic locations in a geographic area with a map location, wherein said geographic locations are street addresses;

a value database of a plurality of values each associated with one of the plurality of geographic locations, wherein said plurality of values are price values;

a plurality of symbols, each associated with at least one of the plurality of values wherein each of the plurality of symbols has a first visually identifying characteristic indicating one of a plurality of ranges of the values and a second visually identifying characteristic indicating a subrange within its associated range;

a computer programmed to associate each of the plurality of symbols with each of the plurality of map locations in the map program based upon the associated value in the value database for the associated geographic location; and

a display displaying a map image of the geographic area and each of the plurality of symbols at the associated map locations.

12. The computer system of claim 11 wherein each of a plurality of colors is associated with one of a plurality of ranges of the values, and each symbol includes a different one of the plurality of colors, each of the plurality of symbols associated with the plurality of locations based upon the associated colors and values.

13. The computer system of claim 11 wherein each of the plurality of symbols is different in appearance.

14. The computer system of claim 13 wherein said each of the plurality of symbols is associated with more than one of the plurality of locations based upon the associated values.

15. A method for creating a map image in a computer including the steps of:

a) receiving a plurality of values each associated with one of a plurality of geographic locations in a geographic area, wherein said plurality of values are price values and said plurality of geographic locations are street addresses;

b) associating each of a plurality of symbols with at least one of the plurality of values wherein each of the plurality of symbols has a first visually identifying characteristic indicating one of a plurality of ranges of the values and a second visually identifying characteristic indicating a subrange within its associated range;

c) associating each of the plurality of geographic locations with a map location on a street map image;

d) associating each of the plurality of symbols with each of the plurality of map locations based upon the associated values;

e) generating the map image of the geographic area including the plurality of symbols each at their associated map locations.

16. The method of claim 15 further including the steps of:

f) receiving a request for information regarding the geographic area;

g) displaying a map of the first geographic area in response to said step a); and

h) displaying each of the plurality of symbols on the map at its associated location in response to said step a).

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said steps c) and d) are performed after said steps a) and b).

18. The method of claim 15 further including the steps of:

f) associating each of a plurality of shapes with one of a plurality of ranges of the values, each symbol including a different one of the plurality of shapes;

g) associating each of the plurality of symbols based upon said step f).

19. The method of claim 18 further including the step of:

displaying a legend indicating the values associated with each of the plurality of symbols.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein each of the plurality of values is associated with a street address.

21. A method of displaying on a computer information regarding values associated with a plurality of geographic locations including the steps of:

a) associating each of a plurality of symbols with one of a plurality of geographic locations based upon associated values of the geographic locations, each of the plurality of symbols having first visually identifying characteristic indicating one of a plurality of ranges of the values and a second visually identifying characteristic indicating a subrange within its associated range, the value of each geographic location corresponding to the range and subrange indicated by the symbol associated with the each geographic location;

b) receiving a request for information regarding a first geographic area including the plurality of geographic locations;

c) displaying a map of the first geographic area in response to said step b);

d) displaying each of the plurality of symbols on the map at its associated geographic location in response to said step b).

22. The method of claim 21 wherein one of the first visually identifying characteristic and the second visually identifying characteristic is shape.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the other of the first visually identifying characteristic and the second visually identifying characteristic is color.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein at least one of the first visually identifying characteristic and the second visually identifying characteristic is color.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein a magnitude of the subranges varies among the symbols.

26. A method for creating a map image in a computer including the steps of:

a) receiving a plurality of values each associated with one of a plurality of geographic locations in a geographic area;

b) associating each of a plurality of symbols with one of the plurality of geographic locations based upon the value associated with the geographic location;

c) associating each of the plurality of geographic locations with a map location on a street map image;

d) associating each of the plurality of symbols with each of the plurality of map locations based upon the associated values; and

e) generating the map image of the geographic area including the plurality of symbols each at their associated map location, each of the plurality of symbols having first visually identifying characteristic indicating one of a plurality of ranges of the values and a second visually identifying characteristic indicating a subrange within its associated range, the value of each geographic location corresponding to the range and subrange indicated by the symbol associated with the geographic location.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein at least one of the first visually identifying characteristic and the second visually identifying characteristic is shape.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein at least one of the first visually identifying characteristic and the second visually identifying characteristic is color.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein at least one of the first visually identifying characteristic and the second visually identifying characteristic is color.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein a magnitude of the subranges varies among the symbols.

31. A method comprising:

receiving a request for information regarding a first geographic area including a plurality of street addresses;

receiving a plurality of price values associated with the plurality of street addresses;

associating a plurality of non-alphanumeric graphical symbols with the plurality of street addresses based upon the plurality of price values of the plurality of street addresses; and

displaying, on a display of a computing device, a map including at least a portion of the first geographic area in response to the receiving of the request,

wherein displaying the map includes displaying at least one of the plurality of non-alphanumeric graphical symbols at or near at least one map location corresponding to at least one street address of the plurality of street addresses.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the receiving the plurality of price values and the associating are performed prior to the receiving the request.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the receiving the plurality of price values includes receiving a plurality of rental values.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

displaying a list of a plurality of geographic areas, including the first geographic area prior to the receiving the request.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

displaying a legend indicating the plurality of price values associated with the plurality of non-alphanumeric graphical symbols.

36. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

displaying an advertisement based upon the receiving the request, wherein the advertisement is for an entity, product, or service, excluding real estate located at one of the plurality of street addresses.

37. The method of claim 31, further comprising at least one of receiving a request for additional information for a selected one of the plurality of street addresses or displaying supplemental information for a selected one of the plurality of street addresses.

38. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

associating a price value of the plurality of price values with a latitude and longitude; and

displaying at least one of the plurality of non-alphanumeric graphical symbols at or near at least one map location corresponding to the latitude and longitude.

39. The method of claim 31, wherein the displaying the at least one of the plurality of non-alphanumeric graphical symbols includes displaying a first non-alphanumeric graphical symbol and a second non-alphanumeric graphical symbol different in appearance from the first non-alphanumeric graphical symbol.

40. A computer system comprising:

an input device for selectively generating a request for information regarding a geographic area;

a database of a plurality of price values associated with a plurality of street addresses in the geographic area, wherein the plurality of price values are further associated with a plurality of non-alphanumeric graphical symbols based upon the plurality of price values; and

a display configured to display a map of at least a portion of the geographic area and at least one of the plurality of non-alphanumeric graphical symbols at or near street addresses of the plurality of street addresses represented on the map in response to the request.

41. The computer system of claim 40, wherein the plurality of price values are a plurality of rental price values.

42. The computer system of claim 40, wherein the display is further configured to display a plurality of geographic areas facilitating input device selection of the geographic area from the plurality of geographic areas.

43. The computer system of claim 40, wherein a first non-alphanumeric graphical symbol of the plurality of non-alphanumeric graphical symbols is different in appearance from at least a second non-alphanumeric graphical symbol of the plurality of non-alphanumeric graphical symbols.

44. The computer system of claim 43, wherein at least one of the non-alphanumeric graphical symbols of the plurality of non-alphanumeric graphical symbols is associated with at least two street addresses of the plurality of street addresses based, at least in part, upon a price value of the plurality of price values associated with the at least two street addresses of the plurality of street addresses.

45. An article of manufacture including a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method, comprising:

receiving a request for information regarding a first geographic area including a plurality of real estate parcels;

receiving a plurality of price values associated with the plurality of real estate parcels;

associating a plurality of purely graphical symbols with the plurality of real estate parcels based, at least in part, on a subset of price values of the plurality of price values associated with the plurality of real estate parcels; and

displaying, on a display of a computing device, a map including at least a portion of the first geographic area in response to the receiving of the request,

wherein the displaying the map includes displaying at least one of the plurality of purely graphical symbols at or near at least one map location corresponding to at least one real estate parcel of the plurality of real estate parcels.

46. The article of manufacture of claim 45, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a list of a plurality of geographic areas, including the first geographic area, prior to the receiving the request for information.

47. The article of manufacture of claim 45, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying an advertisement based upon the receiving the request, wherein the advertisement is for an entity, product, or service, excluding real estate located at one of the plurality of real estate parcels.

48. The article of manufacture of claim 45, wherein a first purely graphical symbol of the plurality of purely graphical symbols is different in appearance from at least a second purely graphical symbol of the plurality of purely graphical symbols.

49. The article of manufacture of claim 48, wherein at least one of the purely graphical symbols of the plurality of purely graphical symbols is associated with more than one real estate parcel of the plurality of real estate parcels based, at least in part, upon a price value of the plurality of price values associated with the more than one real estate parcel of the plurality of real estate parcels.