Method and computer program product for geophysical and geologic data identification, geodetic classification, organization, updating, and extracting spatially referenced data records

• US 8,402,058 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2010
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ensoco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ensoco Incorporated
• Inventors: Conner, John, Meadours, Bruce, Ponton, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANNAVAJJALA, SRIRAMA T
• Application Number:
  US12/686,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20100179963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 707/602, 707/694, 707/705, 707/715, 707/736, 707/758, 707/769, 707/776, 707/788, 707803-804
• US Class Current: 707/788
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/102 using electrical means

Abstract

A method of geodetic information acquisition and a computer program product having computer code for performing the method are provided. The method includes identifying a file having multiple records, where the records contain spatially referenced data. The records are classified into header records and data records. Each data record is divided into fields. Patterns of fields consistent with sets of the data records are identified. The records are associated with a format based on the patterns of fields. At least some of the spatially referenced data is extracted from the records according to the format.

Claims

1. A method of geodetic information acquisition comprising:

identifying a file, the file comprising a plurality of records, the plurality of records comprising spatially referenced data in an unknown format;

classifying each of the plurality of records as either free-form or fixed format;

classifying the plurality of records into one or more header records and one or more data records;

dividing each of the plurality of records into a plurality of fields;

for any of the one or more data records classified as fixed format;

deriving, from the one or more data records classified as fixed format, one or more patterns of fields consistent with one or more sets of the one or more data records;

determining if the plurality of records classified as fixed format matches a known format based on the one or more patterns of fields; and

if the plurality of records classified as fixed format matches a known format, extracting at least some of the spatially referenced data from the plurality of records in accordance with the known format;

identifying one or more keyword fields in the plurality of records by comparing the fields of the plurality of records to a list of possible keyword fields;

matching each of the one or more keyword fields to a value field for that keyword; and

updating a database to store each matching of the one or more keyword fields to a value field for that keyword.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the spatially referenced data with a coordinate reference system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the coordinate reference system is determined based on a second file comprising spatially referenced data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the spatially referenced data is associated with the coordinate reference system based on user input.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising converting the spatially referenced data to a different coordinate system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising converting the spatially referenced data to a different format.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying one or more keywords in the one or more header records.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

identifying one or more values in the one or more header records; and

associating each of the one or more keywords with one of the one or more values.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a pattern in the one or more patterns of fields could be modified to be consistent with additional data records in the one or more data records; and

modifying the pattern to be consistent with the additional data records.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the spatially referenced data identifies a feature of a geographical location.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a map showing at least one location identified by the spatially referenced data.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a map showing locations identified by the spatially referenced data.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising dividing the plurality of records into one or more stanzas, each stanza comprising a plurality of data records having the same format.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if a set of data records comprises fields which are fixed in length.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if a set of data records comprises fields which are not fixed in length.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the extracted spatially referenced data in an index.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising querying the index.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the associating the plurality of records with a known format further comprises:

forming a template from at least some of the one or more patterns of fields;

comparing the formed template to a database of templates, each template in the database of templates associated with a known format;

matching the formed template to a matching template in the database of templates; and

associating the plurality of records with the known format associated with the matching template.

18. A computer program product for geodetic information acquisition embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising:

computer code for identifying a file, the file comprising a plurality of records, the plurality of records comprising spatially referenced data in an unknown format;

computer code for classifying each of the plurality of records as either free-form or fixed format;

computer code for classifying the plurality of records into one or more header records and one or more data records;

computer code for dividing each of the plurality of records into a plurality of fields;

for any of the one or more data records classified as fixed format, computer code for;

deriving, from the one or more data records classified as fixed format, one or more patterns of fields consistent with one or more sets of the one or more data records;

determining if the plurality of records classified as fixed format matches a known format based on the one or more patterns of fields; and

if the plurality of records classified as fixed format matches a known format, extracting at least some of the spatially referenced data from the plurality of records in accordance with the known format;

computer code for identifying one or more keyword fields in the plurality of records by comparing the fields of the plurality of records to a list of possible keyword fields;

computer code for matching each of the one or more keyword fields to a value field for that keyword; and

computer code for updating a database to store each matching of the one or more keyword fields to a value field for that keyword.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer code for associating the spatially referenced data with a coordinate reference system.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the coordinate reference system is determined based on a second file comprising spatially referenced data.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the spatially referenced data is associated with the coordinate reference system based on user input.

22. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer code for converting the spatially referenced data to a different coordinate system.

23. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer code for converting the spatially referenced data to a different format.

24. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer code for identifying one or more keywords in the one or more header records.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising:

computer code for identifying one or more values in the one or more header records; and

computer code for associating each of the one or more keywords with one of the one or more values.

26. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

computer code for determining a pattern in the one or more patterns of fields could be modified to be consistent with additional data records in the one or more data records; and

computer code for modifying the pattern to be consistent with the additional data records.

27. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the spatially referenced data identifies a feature of a geographical location.

28. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer code for creating a map showing at least one location identified by the spatially referenced data.

29. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer code for creating a map showing locations identified by the spatially referenced data.

30. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer code for dividing the plurality of records into one or more stanzas, each stanza comprising a plurality of data records having the same format.

31. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer code for determining if a set of data records comprises fields which are fixed in length.

32. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer code for determining if a set of data records comprises fields which are not fixed in length.

33. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer code for storing the extracted spatially referenced data in an index.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising computer code for querying the index.