Method and system for providing location services

• US 9,031,579 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2012
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schwent, Stephen, Ravenscraft, Cliff
• Primary Examiner(s): SIVJI, NIZAR N
• Application Number:
  US13/632,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20140094194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 705/10, 705/347, 709/227, 455/456, 455/414.3, 717/100
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• 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: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A computer-implemented method including executing instructions stored on a computer-readable medium is provided. The method includes receiving a request for location services from a user, the request including one or more request parameters. The method also includes formatting the request as a single uniform resource locator (URL) string including the one or more request parameters and transmitting the formatted request to a first of a plurality of geolocation service providers. The method also includes receiving from the first of a plurality of geolocation service providers one or more geographic coordinates related to the request and the one or more request parameters. The method includes outputting the one or more geographic coordinates to the user.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a location of a physical resource to a user, the method implemented using a computer device coupled to a memory device, the method comprising:

receiving, by the computer device, from a user computing device, a location of the user, a type of resource to be located, and a search radius;

transmitting, from the computer device, the user location, formatted as a single uniform resource locator (URL), to a first geolocation service provider;

receiving, by the computer device, from the first geolocation service provider, a first set of geographic coordinates associated with the user location and a first accuracy rating associated with the first set of geographic coordinates;

determining that the first accuracy rating fails to satisfy an accuracy threshold;

identifying, by the computer device, a second geolocation service provider, from which to receive a second set of geographic coordinates having a second accuracy rating that satisfies the accuracy threshold, associated with the user location;

generating a list of resources, by the computing device, including querying a resource database segment, wherein the resource database segment queried is determined at least in part on the type of resource to be located; and

outputting the second set of geographic coordinates and the generated list of resources to the user.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the type of resource to be located further comprises at least one of an entertainment venue, theater, nightclub, restaurant, automated teller machine (ATM), Paypass contactless payment system, Prepaid Travel, Easy Savings, and Repower.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the list of resources is restricted to a search area defined from latitude and longitude boundaries based at least in part on the search radius, and using the second set of geographic coordinates as the center of the search area.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein outputting the second set of geographic coordinates to the user comprises overlaying the second set of geographic coordinates on a map display.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the accuracy threshold is set to accept a set of geographic coordinates that have an accuracy rating signifying a close match between the user location and the set of geographic coordinates.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the accuracy rating signifies one of a close match, an approximate match, and no match between the user location and the set of geographic coordinates.

7. A computer system for displaying a location of a physical resource to a user, said computer system comprising:

a processor;

a memory in communication with the processor;

a first application programming interface (API) configured to receive a location of the user, a type of resource to be located, and a search radius; and

a second API configured to;

transmit the user location, formatted as a single uniform resource locator (URL) to a first geolocation service provider;

receive, from the first geolocation service provider, a first set of geographic coordinates associated with the user location, and a first accuracy rating associated with the first set of geographic coordinates;

determine that the first accuracy rating fails to satisfy an accuracy threshold;

identify a second geolocation service provider, from which to receive a second set of geographic coordinates having a second accuracy rating that satisfies the accuracy threshold, associated with the user location;

generate a list of resources, including querying a resource database segment, wherein the resource database segment queried is determined at least in part on the type of resource to be located; and

output the second set of geographic coordinates and the list of resources to the user.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the type of resource to be located further comprises at least one of an entertainment venue, theater, nightclub, restaurant, automated teller machine (ATM), Paypass contactless payment system, Prepaid Travel, Easy Savings, and Repower.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the list of resources is restricted to a search area defined from latitude and longitude boundaries based at least in part on the search radius, and using the second set of geographic coordinates as the center of the search area.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the accuracy threshold is set to accept a set of geographic coordinates that have an accuracy rating signifying a close match between the user location and the set of geographic coordinates.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the accuracy rating signifies one of a close match, an approximate match, and no match between the user location and the set of geographic coordinates.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein outputting the second set of geographic coordinates to the user comprises overlaying the second set of geographic coordinates on a map display.

13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for displaying a location of a physical resource to a user, using a computer device, wherein the computer device includes a memory device and a processor, wherein when executed by said processor, said computer-executable instructions cause said processor to:

receive, from a user computing device, a location of the user, a type of resource to be located, and a search radius;

transmit the user location, formatted as a single uniform resource locator (URL), to a first geolocation service provider;

receive, from the first geolocation service provider, a first set of geographic coordinates associated with the user location and a first accuracy rating associated with the first set of geographic coordinates;

determine that the first accuracy rating fails to satisfy an accuracy threshold;

identify a second geolocation service provider from which to receive a second set of geographic coordinates having a second accuracy rating that satisfies the accuracy threshold, associated with the user location;

generate a list of resources, including querying a resource database segment, wherein the resource database segment queried is determined at least in part on the type of resource to be located;

output the second set of geographic coordinates and the generated list of resources to the user.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 13, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to overlay the list of resources on a map.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 13, wherein the type of resource comprises at least one of an entertainment venue, theater, nightclub, restaurant, automated teller machine (ATM), Paypass contactless payment system, Prepaid Travel, Easy Savings, and Repower.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 13, wherein the accuracy threshold is set to accept a set of geographic coordinates that have an accuracy rating signifying a close match between the user location and the set of geographic coordinates.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 13, wherein the accuracy rating signifies one of a close match, an approximate match, and no match between the user location and the set of geographic coordinates.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 13, wherein the list of resources is restricted to a search area defined from latitude and longitude boundaries based at least in part on the search radius, and using the second set of geographic coordinates as the center of the search area.