Intelligent reverse geocoding

• US 8,731,585 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2006
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Artax LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Zarem, Matthew, Vuillermet, Eric, DeAguiar, John
• Primary Examiner(s): CAI, WAYNE HUU
• Application Number:
  US11/367,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20070191029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,000 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.5, 455/414.2, 4554561-4566, 455/457, 701200-214, 701409-412, 701/455, 701461-462, 701/532
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for obtaining location information from a location source. A geographic reference point is determined based on accuracy of the location information. The geographic reference point is incorporated into a location result.

Claims

1. A method of displaying location data on a physical client device, comprising:

obtaining current location data of said physical client device from a location data source, said current location data including accuracy data specifying a degree of accuracy of said obtained current location data;

obtaining a shape icon to represent a current location of said physical client device;

modifying a size of said shape icon according to said degree of accuracy of said obtained current location data; and

displaying said size modified shape icon on a display of said physical client device.

2. The method of displaying location data on a physical client device according to claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a center of said size modified shape icon as a proximate current location of said physical client device.

3. The method of displaying location data on a physical client device according to claim 1, further comprising:

associating said obtained current location data with at least one of a civic address, a road intersection, and a point of interest.

4. The method of displaying location data on a physical client device according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a proximity of said current location of said physical client device to a road segment.

5. The method of displaying location data on a physical client device according to claim 1, wherein said current location data comprises:

a distance between a geographic reference point and a current location of said physical client device represented by said obtained current location data.

6. The method of displaying location data on a physical client device according to claim 1, further comprising:

associating said obtained current location data with a point of interest, said point of interest being at least one of a landmark, a shopping center, a business establishment, a park, a sports facility, a wilderness area, a recreational area, and a geographic area.

7. The method of displaying location data on a physical client device according to claim 1, wherein:

said size of said modified shape icon is modified inversely proportional to said degree of accuracy of said obtained current location data.

8. A physical client device for displaying location data, comprising:

a client device module to obtain current location data of said physical client device from a current location data source, said current location data including accuracy data specifying a degree of accuracy of said obtained current location data;

a shape icon determination module to obtain a shape icon representing a current location of said physical client device;

an icon modification module to modify a size of said shape icon according to said degree of accuracy of said obtained current location data; and

a physical display to visually display said size modified shape icon.

9. The physical client device for displaying location data according to claim 8, wherein:

said client device module further establishes a center of said size modified shape icon as a proximate current location of said physical client device.

10. The physical client device for displaying location data according to claim 8, wherein:

said client device module associates said current location data with at least one of a civic address, a road intersection, and a point of interest.

11. The physical client device for displaying location data according to claim 8, wherein:

said client device module determines a proximity of said location of said physical client device to a road segment.

12. The physical client device for displaying location data according to claim 8, wherein said current location data comprises:

a distance between a geographic reference point and a location of said physical client device represented by said obtained current location data.

13. The physical client device for displaying location data according to claim 8, further comprising:

associating said obtained current location data with a point of interest, said point of interest being at least one of a landmark, a shopping center, a business establishment, a park, a sports facility, a wilderness area, a recreational area, and a geographic area.

14. The method of displaying location data on a physical client device according to claim 8, wherein:

said size of said modified shape icon is modified inversely proportional to said degree of accuracy of said obtained current location data.