Method and apparatus for managing real estate data

• US 9,009,610 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2012
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Costar Realty Information Incorporated (CoStar Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CoStar Group Inc.
• Inventors: Evatt, Bob, Bohl, Scot, Merritt, John, Florance, Andrew C.
• Primary Examiner(s): TITCOMB, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US13/491,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20130332877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 715/781, 715/784, 715/762, 705/14.73
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/163 Real estate management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

A system and method for managing real estate data using a mobile device, such as a tablet computer. The data is displayed in a manner that facilitates quick analysis suing a mobile device. User interfaces, processing, and other features provide a mobile user with information required to make intelligent decisions on real estate transactions. A tour can be constructed based on a subset of data returned as a result of a database query.

Claims

1. A computer system for providing real estate data to a user on a mobile device having a touch screen user interface, the system comprising:

a mobile client device having a touch screen display, a processor, a non-transitory memory and instructions stored in the memory in the form of an app, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the client device to;

receive a query from a user;

transmit the query to a server, the server having a database of real estate data stored in the form of property records;

receive, from the server, data related to property records that satisfy the query;

receive map data for a geographic region corresponding to the property records;

create formatted data to be displayed on the touch screen user interface including receiving information corresponding to a set of the property records each having an associated geographic location, determining the size of a map viewing area to be viewed on the touch screen user interface, determining a size of at least one graphical indicator, determining a geographic region of the map viewing area, determining plural geographic sub-regions within the geographic region based on the size of a map viewing area, the size of the at least one graphical indicator, and the geographic region, and designating a maximum number n of-graphical indicators in a given geographic subregion to be displayed on the touch screen user interface for each of plural subsets of properties in the given geographic subregion; and

display the formatted data in a map window on the touch screen user interface, including displaying n graphical indicators on a geographic map in each of the geographic subregions to thereby limit the number of graphical indicators displayed on the touch screen user interface for at least a subset of the properties corresponding to the property records satisfying the query.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein a record window displaying textual and image information for at least two of the properties corresponding to the property records satisfying the query is displayed on the touch screen user interface simultaneously with the map window.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the geographic region is defined by a latitude delta and a longitude delta.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein n equals 1.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the size of the geographic region is determined each time a map viewing area is changed.

5. A computer implemented method for providing real estate data to a user on a mobile device having a touch screen user interface, the method comprising:

receiving, by the mobile device, a query from a user;

transmitting, by the mobile device, the query to a server, the server having a database of real estate data stored in the form of property records;

receiving, from the server, data related to property records that satisfy the query;

receiving map data for a geographic region corresponding to the property records; and

create formatted data to be displayed on the touch screen user interface including receiving information corresponding to a set of the property records each having an associated geographic location, determining the size of a map viewing area to be viewed on the touch screen user interface, determining a size of at least one graphical indicator, determining a geographic region of the map viewing area, determining plural geographic sub-regions within the geographic region based on the size of a map viewing area, the size of the at least one graphical indicator, and the geographic region, and designating a maximum number n of graphical indicators in a given geographic subregion to be displayed on the touch screen user interface for each of plural subsets of properties in the given geographic subregion; and

displaying the formatted data in a map window on the touch screen user interface, including displaying n graphical indicators on a geographic map in each of the geographic subregions to thereby limit the number of graphical indicators displayed on the touch screen user interface for at least a subset of the properties corresponding to the property records satisfying the query.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein n equals 1.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein a record window displaying textual and image information for at least two of the properties corresponding to the property records satisfying the query is displayed on the touch screen user interface simultaneously with the map window.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the geographic region is defined by a latitude delta and a longitude delta.