Multi-occupant structure in a geo-spatial environment

• US 8,190,357 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Abhyanker, Raj Vasant, Thota, Chandrasekhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Misiaszek, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/725,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20070219659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,898 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701400-408
• US Class Current: 701/408
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system of multi-occupant structure in a geo-spatial environment are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes determining that a marker (e.g., associated with a profile of a user) is colliding with another marker simultaneously displayed in a map based on an overlap area of the marker with the another marker, automatically creating a group pointer that replaces the marker and the another marker on the map and generating a view of the marker and the another marker when a user (e.g., of the geo-spatial environment) selects the group pointer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, using a processor of a computing device, that a marker is colliding with another marker simultaneously displayed in a map based on an overlap area of the marker with the another marker;

automatically creating a group pointer that replaces the marker and the another marker on the map;

generating a view of the marker and the another marker when a user selects the group pointer; and

generating a multiple-structure group pointer when the marker and the another marker are associated with adjacent structures which are not shared by occupants identified through the marker and the another marker.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a residential group pointer in place of the group pointer when the marker and the another marker are associated with a shared residential structure;

generating a commercial group pointer in place of the group pointer when the marker and the another marker are associated with a shared commercial structure;

generating an industrial group pointer in place of the group pointer when the marker and the another marker are associated with a shared industrial structure;

generating an interior space pointer in place of the group pointer when the marker and the another marker are associated with at least one of a shared shopping mall, a shared mine, a shared tunnel, a shared amusement park, a shared private property, and a shared interior space; and

generating a family pointer in place of the interior space pointer when the marker and the another marker are associated with members of a same family residing in the shared interior space.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the marker, the another marker, and different markers are associated with a shared structure based on an address data associated with occupants represented through the marker, the another marker and the different markers.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising automatically allocating each one of the marker, the another marker, and the different markers in a set of floors of the shared structure based on a unit data associated with the address data of the occupants represented through the marker, the another marker and the different markers.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising providing a wiki interface such that the occupants represented through the marker, the another marker, and the different markers modify automatically determined allocation of each one of the marker, the another marker, and the different markers in the set of floors of the shared structure through at least one of a drag and drop interface and a pick and place interface.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising altering a latitude, a longitude, and altitude position of a particular marker when at least one of the marker, the another marker, and the different markers are moved.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising locking the wiki interface of the particular marker when a particular occupant associated with the particular marker claims a profile associated with the particular marker and elects to control placement of the marker themselves.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising permitting users of a geo-spatial environment to contribute content in a form of a textual content, a video content, and a pictorial content about the particular occupant through the wiki interface in the profile of the particular occupant until the particular occupant locks the wiki interface and elects to control contribution to the profile.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising providing through the wiki interface a way such that the occupants move the marker, the another marker, and the different markers to different buildings and structures in a geo-spatial environment when the marker, the another marker, and the different markers are misplaced.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising generating a floor constructor wiki in which the occupants create layouts of different floor plans and hallways of the shared structure, such that new and existing markers are moved to the different floor plans and hallways as constructed through the floor constructor wiki.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising providing a voting interface such that occupants of the shared structure elect a particular layout of a particular floor as one that is to be locked and used to represent a central map of the new and existing markers for the particular floor, wherein only a moderator among the occupants has privileges to unlock the elected particular layout.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising enabling commerce among the occupants of the shared structure through a community bulletin board that only verified occupants of the shared structure contribute to and have access to, such that the occupants barter, exchange, buy and sell goods and services among only other occupants of the shared structure.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing a grouping interface to the occupants of the shared structure to form social, professional, and collective purchasing groups with the other occupants of the shared structure in the geospatial environment.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions that when executed by a processor of a computing device cause the processor to:

determine that a marker is colliding with another marker simultaneously displayed in a map based on an overlap area of the marker with the another marker;

automatically create a group pointer that replaces the marker and the another marker on the map;

generate a view of the marker and the another marker when a user selects the group pointer; and

determine that the marker, the another marker, and different markers are associated with a shared structure based on address data associated with occupants represented through the marker, the another marker and the different markers.

15. A system comprising:

one or more memories configured to store executable code; and

one or more processors operably coupled to the one or more memories and configured to execute the executable code to;

determine that a marker is colliding with another marker simultaneously displayed in a map based on an overlap area of the marker with the another marker;

automatically create a group pointer that replaces the marker and the another marker on the map;

generate a view of the marker and the another marker when a user selects the group pointer; and

generate a multiple-structure group pointer when the marker and the another marker are associated with adjacent structures which are not shared by occupants identified through the marker and the another marker.