Intelligent reverse geocoding

• US 20070191029A1
• Filed: 03/03/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Artax LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Zarem, Matthew, DeAguiar, John, Vuillermet, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,731,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• 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 computer implemented method, comprising:

obtaining location information from a location source;

determining a geographic reference point based on accuracy of the location information; and

incorporating the geographic reference point into a location result.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, where:

the location information incorporates a shape corresponding to a geographic area, the shape associated with a location specifying a geographic position within the shape.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, where:

the geographic reference point is in proximity to or enclosing the location.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, where:

the geographic reference point is one of a civic address, a road intersection or a point of interest.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining the geographic reference point includes determining the proximity of the location to a road segment.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 2, where:

the location result includes an indication of distance between the geographic reference point and the location.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 2, where:

the location is the center of the area.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 4, where:

the point of interest is a landmark, a shopping center, a business establishment, a park, a sports facility, a wilderness area, a recreational area, or a geographic area.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 2, where:

the accuracy is inversely proportional to a size of the shape.

10. A computer implemented method, comprising:

obtaining location information from a location source, the location information incorporating a shape corresponding to a geographic area, the shape associated with a location specifying a geographic position within the shape; and

selecting a location result from a plurality of location results based on a size of the shape and proximity of the location to a geographic reference point, the geographic reference point being one of a civic address, a road intersection or a point of interest.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 10, where:

incorporating the geographic reference point into the location result.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 10 where:

the geographic reference point is a civic address or a point of interest if the size is beneath a first threshold.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12, where:

the geographic reference point is a road intersection if the size is beneath a second threshold, the second threshold being greater than the first threshold.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 10, where:

the geographic reference point is a civic address if the proximity is beneath a first threshold.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 14, where:

the geographic reference point is a road intersection if the proximity is beneath a second threshold, the second threshold being greater than the first threshold.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 15, where:

the geographic reference point is a point of interest if the proximity is greater than the second threshold.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

incorporating an indication of distance between the geographic reference point and the location into the location result.

18. A computer program product, encoded on an information carrier, comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform:

obtaining location information from a location source;

determining a geographic reference point based on accuracy of the location information; and

incorporating the geographic reference point into a location result.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, where:

the location information incorporates a shape corresponding to a geographic area, the shape associated with a location specifying a geographic position within the shape.

20. A computer program product, encoded on an information carrier, comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform:

obtaining location information from a location source, the location information incorporating a shape corresponding to a geographic area, the shape associated with a location specifying a geographic position within the shape; and

selecting a location result from a plurality of location results based on a size of the shape and proximity of the location to a geographic reference point, the geographic reference point being one of a civic address, a road intersection or a point of interest.