Geographic Management System

• US 20090055719A1
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carl R. Clark, CeleritasWorks, LLC (RGS Senior Management Group, LC)
• Original Assignee: CeleritasWorks, LLC (RGS Senior Management Group, LC)
• Inventors: Cossins, Robert N., Evans, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,363,146 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• 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 geographic management system (GMS) comprises a web server, a database server, and a map server. A user browser connected to the GMS transmits a search criteria to the web server. The web server transmits the search criteria to the map server. The map server geocodes the search criteria, obtains network data and geospatial data from the database server corresponding to the geocode, and transmits the geocode, the network data, and the geospatial data to the web server. The web server transmits the geocode, the network data, and the geospatial data to the user browser. The network data and the geospatial data are displayed on the user browser as a map displaying network elements of a telecommunication network relative to other network elements, geographic elements, and customers. One or more of the network elements have associated performance elements or sectored performance elements that display performance characteristics or sectored performance characteristics that signify performance attributes associated with the network element. The user browser can navigate through other network data and geospatial data by selecting network elements on the map or by selecting navigation tools or navigation tabs displayed in conjunction with the map.

Claims

1. A system for managing a network using a processor comprising:

a database component configured to manage network data and geospatial data;

a geocoding component configured to receive a search criteria, to geocode the search criteria, and to obtain from the database process network data and geospatial data within a range of the geocode; and

a communication component configured to receive the search criteria, to communicate search criteria data with the geocoding process, to receive the network data and the geospatial data from the geocoding process, and to generate the network data and the geospatial data for display to depict at least one geographic element, at least one network element, and a plurality of sectored performance elements corresponding to the at least one network element, each sectored performance element having at least one sectored performance characteristic corresponding to at least one sectored performance attribute.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication component further is configured to generate the network element for display with a display characteristic corresponding to a status of the network element.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication component further is configured to generate for display at least one member of a group consisting of a hot spot, a coverage area, a trouble area, a trouble ticket, the trouble ticket relative to the at least one geographic element, and the trouble ticket relative to the at least one network element.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the network comprises at least one member of a group consisting of a communication network, an oil network, a gas network, a store network, a packaging network, and another business network.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the search criteria comprises an address.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the network comprises at least one member of a group consisting of a communication network, an oil network, a gas network, a store network, a packaging network, and another business network.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one sectored performance characteristic for at least one sectored performance element comprises at least one member of a group consisting of a color, a shade, a cross-hatch, a fill, and a shape.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one sectored performance element comprises at least a portion of at least one member of a group consisting of a concentric ring, a pie-shape, a circle, and a polygon.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one sectored performance element comprises a shape, wherein the shape is configured to vary depending on a value of a corresponding sectored performance attribute.

10. A method for managing a network using a processor comprising:

receiving a search criteria;

determining a geocode for the search criteria;

obtaining network data and geospatial data within a range of the geocode;

generating the network data and the geospatial data for display to depict at least one geographic element, at least one network element, and sectored performance elements corresponding to the at least one network element.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising generating the network data and the geospatial data for display to depict at least one member of a group comprising a hot spot, a coverage area, a trouble area, a trouble ticket, the trouble ticket relative to the at least one geographic element, and the trouble ticket relative to the at least one network element.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the search criteria comprises an address.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising generating the network data wherein the network comprises at least one member of a group consisting of a communication network, an oil network, a gas network, a store network, a packaging network, and another business network.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising generating the network data and the geospatial data for display to depict at least one sectored performance characteristic for at least one of the sectored performance elements comprising at least one member of a group consisting of a color, a shade, a cross-hatch, a fill, and a shape.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising generating the network data and the geospatial data for display to depict at least one of the sectored performance elements comprising at least a portion of at least one member of a group consisting of a concentric ring, a pie-shape, a circle, and a polygon.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising generating the network data and the geospatial data for display to depict at least one of the sectored performance elements comprising a shape, wherein the shape is configured to vary depending on a value of a corresponding sectored performance attribute.