Intelligent reverse geocoding

• US 9,366,539 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2014
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• 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:
  US14/281,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20140297175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4566, 455/457, 701409-412, 701/455, 701461-462, 701/532
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 location server system, comprising:

a ranker to receive current location information from a physical wireless device;

a point of interest map database, in communication with said ranker, to provide said ranker with a point of interest within a geographic region including said current location;

a street network model database, in communication with said ranker, to provide said ranker with a closest road segment within said geographic region; and

a civic address database, in communication with said ranker, to provide said ranker with a closest civic address within said geographic region;

wherein said ranker adjusts an accuracy of said current location by incorporating into said current location a closest geographic reference point selected from among said closest point of interest, said closest road segment, and said closest civic address; and

wherein a size of an icon on a mapped display indicating said current location is adjusted based on said adjusted accuracy of said current location.

2. The location server system according to claim 1, wherein said closest geographic reference point comprises:

a nearby road segment.

3. The location server system according to claim 1, wherein said closest geographic reference point comprises:

a point of interest (POI).

4. The location server system according to claim 3, wherein:

said ranker determines said closest geographic reference point based on a point and polygon search of a location shape as overlaid on a point of interest map.

5. The location server system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitter, in communication with said ranker, to transmit said adjusted-accuracy current location to a client device.

6. The location server system according to claim 5, wherein said client device comprises:

a mobile device.

7. The location server system according to claim 5, wherein said client device comprises:

an automobile navigation system.

8. The location server system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a shape icon determination module to obtain a shape icon representing said adjusted accuracy of said current location of said physical wireless device, said shape icon being sized both according to a degree of accuracy of said current location, and according to a proximity of said current location to said closest geographic reference point.