Geographic representations of geographic areas

• US 9,936,341 B1
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Siris, Marc D., Schenken, Christopher T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks Harold, Marsha D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cosme, Natasha W
• Application Number:
  US14/180,755
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 340988, 4554563
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• 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: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2228 Indexing structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2468 Fuzzy queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/444 Spatial browsing, e.g. 2D maps, 3D or virtual spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for standardizing addresses and providing information associated with geographic areas/points of interest. For example, location data can be collected for serviceable points. From the collected location data, addresses can be standardized, location-based searches can be performed, correct locations of serviceable points can be confirmed, and geographic representations can be generated.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request to generate a geographic representation of a geographic area;

responsive to receiving the request to generate the geographic representation of the geographic area, identifying, via one or more processors, a plurality of records corresponding to the geographic area, wherein each of the plurality of records comprises location data associated with a serviceable point in the geographic area, the location data collected during one or more prior vehicle visits to the serviceable point in the geographic area;

generating, via the one or more processors, a geographic representation of the geographic area based at least in part on the location data from each of the plurality of records, wherein the geographic representation comprises graphical depictions in a digital map of at least two serviceable points associated with the plurality of records;

determining a topography of the geographic area based in part on the location data from each of the records, collected during the prior vehicle visits to the serviceable point in the geographic area and plotting generated visible indicia of the topography in the geographic representation of the graphical depictions in the digital map in response to collecting the location data during the prior vehicle visits to the serviceable point; and

causing display, via the one or more processors, of the digital map comprising the geographic representation of the geographic area.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the geographic representation as part of a digital map.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) the location data comprises a longitude and latitude and (b) generating the geographic representation comprises plotting the location data for each of the plurality of records.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic representation comprises one or more street segments.

5. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including program code, the at least one memory and the program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

receive a request to generate a geographic representation of a geographic area;

responsive to receiving the request to generate the geographic representation of the geographic area, identify a plurality of records corresponding to the geographic area, wherein each of the plurality of records comprises location data associated with a serviceable point in the geographic area, the location data collected during one or more prior vehicle visits to the serviceable point in the geographic area;

generate a geographic representation of the geographic area based at least in part on the location data from each of the plurality of records, wherein the geographic representation comprises graphical depictions in a digital map of at least two serviceable points associated with the plurality of records;

determine a topography of the geographic area based in part on the location data from each of the records, collected during the prior vehicle visits to the serviceable point in the geographic area and plot generated visible indicia of the topography in the geographic representation of the graphical depictions in the digital map in response to collecting the location data during the prior vehicle visits to the serviceable point; and

cause display of the digital map comprising the geographic representation of the geographic area.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to store the geographic representation as part of a digital map.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein (a) the location data comprises a longitude and latitude and (b) generating the geographic representation comprises plotting the location data for each of the plurality of records.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the geographic representation comprises one or more street segments.

9. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to receiving a request to generate a geographic representation of a geographic area;

an executable portion configured, responsive to receiving the request to generate the geographic representation of the geographic area, to identify a plurality of records corresponding to the geographic area, wherein each of the plurality of records comprises location data associated with a serviceable point in the geographic area, the location data collected during one or more prior vehicle visits to the serviceable point in the geographic area;

an executable portion configured to generate a geographic representation of the geographic area based at least in part on the location data from each of the plurality of records, wherein the geographic representation comprises graphical depictions in a digital map of at least two serviceable points associated with the plurality of records;

an executable portion configured to determine a topography of the geographic area based in part on the location data, from each of the records, collected during the prior vehicle visits to the serviceable point in the geographic area and plot generated visible indicia of the topography in the geographic representation of the graphical depictions in the digital map in response to collecting the location data during the prior vehicle visits to the serviceable point; and

an executable portion configured to cause display of the digital map comprising the geographic representation of the geographic area.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 further comprising an executable portion configured to store the geographic representation as part of a digital map.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein (a) the location data comprises a longitude and latitude and (b) generating the geographic representation comprises plotting the location data for each of the plurality of records.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the geographic representation comprises one or more street segments.