System for increasing accuracy of geocode data

• US 20050034074A1
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CDS Business Mapping LLC (CoreLogic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CDS Business Mapping LLC (CoreLogic Incorporated)
• Inventors: Munson, Kenneth A., Munson, James M., Munson, Daniel E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/712
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A mapping system uses aerial photographs to correct geocode data for street addresses. After entering an address, a street map is displayed along with an aerial photo, both of which indicate the street address location based on standard algorithms. The indicator on the aerial map can be moved to accurately align with the location of the entered street address, which corrects the geocode data, allowing further geographical analysis to be performed using the corrected geocode data. The corrected geocode data can be used to more accurately determine distances from the property at the street address to natural hazards such as, coastlines, earthquake faults and flood zones.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for interactively modifying geographical coordinates corresponding to a street address comprising:

displaying a map representing a geographical area that includes an indication of the location of the street address;

displaying a geo-referenced image of the geographical area;

upon selection of a corrected location of the street address in the geo-referenced image, computing geographic co-ordinates of the corrected location;

redrawing the map based on the computed geographic co-ordinates; and

displaying an indication of the corrected location of the street address in the redrawn map at the computed geographic co-ordinates.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying another indication of the corrected location of the street address in the georeferenced image.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

performing geographical analysis using the computed geographic co-ordinates.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the geographical analysis performed is the distance of the street address to a natural hazard.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the natural hazard is a flood zone.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the georeferenced image is displayed beside the map.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the map is overlaid on top of the georeferenced image.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the georeferenced image is an aerial photograph.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the georeferenced image is a satellite image.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein computing further comprises:

converting the location of the selected pixel in the geo-referenced image into the corrected geographic co-ordinates.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the georeferenced image is a parcel map.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the georeferenced image is a scaled topographical map.

13. An apparatus for interactively modifying geographical coordinates corresponding to a street address comprising:

a screen that displays a map representing a geographical area that includes an indication of the location of the street address and a geo-referenced image of the geographical area;

upon selection of a corrected location of the street address in the geo-referenced image, a mapping routine which computes geographic co-ordinates of the corrected location, redraws the map based on the computed geographic co-ordinates and provides an indication of the corrected location of the street address in the map at the computed geographic co-ordinates.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the mapping routine provides another indication of the corrected location of the street address in the geo-referenced image at the computed geographic co-ordinates.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a graphical information systems routine which performs geographical analysis using the computed geographic co-ordinates.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the geographical analysis performed is the distance of the street address to a natural hazard.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the natural hazard is a flood zone.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the georeferenced image is displayed beside the map.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the map is overlaid on top of the georeferenced image.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the georeferenced image is an aerial photograph.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the georeferenced image is a satellite image.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the mapping routine converts the location of the selected pixel in the geo-referenced image into the corrected geographic co-ordinates.

23. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the georeferenced image is a parcel map.

24. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the georeferenced image is a scaled topographical map.

25. An apparatus for interactively modifying geographical coordinates corresponding to a street address comprising:

display means which displays a map representing of a geographical area that includes an indication of the location of the street address and a geo-referenced image of the geographical area;

upon selection of a corrected location of the street address in the geo-referenced image, means for computing geographic co-ordinates of the corrected location;

means for redrawing the map based on the computed geographic co-ordinates; and

means for displaying an indication of the corrected location of the street address in the map at the computed geographic co-ordinates.

26. A computer program product, for interactively modifying geographical coordinates corresponding to a street address, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, including program code which:

displays a map representing a geographical area that includes an indication of the location of the street address;

displays a geo-referenced image of the geographical area represented by the map;

upon selection of a corrected location of the street address in the geo-referenced image, computes geographic co-ordinates of the corrected location;

redraws the map based on the computed geographic co-ordinates; and

displays an indication of the corrected location of the street address in the map at the computed geographic co-ordinates.