Data Processing System Using Geographical Locations

• US 20110010464A1
• Filed: 07/08/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Movix Limited
• Original Assignee: Movix Limited
• Inventors: Morris, Johnathan Jones, Cockrill, Joel, Spaull, Robert, Morrison, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 8,572,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

A data processing system (1,2) stores coordinate data defining a plurality of unique regions (17), for example defined by a cell of a geodesic grid (13) applied to the surface of the earth (12). Each region can be allocated to an owner and there is stored a unique identifier for that region, a hierarchical descriptor for that region, data identifying the owner, and a network address which identifies an owner domain in respect of that region. An owner of a region may sub-allocate sub-regions (18) or objects of an allocated region and there is stored in respect of any sub-region or object that has been sub-allocated by an owner, an identifier and a hierarchical descriptor for that sub-region or object. The data processing system can resolve a descriptor based DNS query specifying a region, or a sub-region, or object of such a region, so as to return data comprising the network address for the owner domain allocated to that region.

Claims

1. A data processing system comprising data storage which stores coordinate data defining a plurality of unique geographical regions, each region being a cell of a geodesic grid applied to the surface of the earth;

wherein each region can be allocated to an owner and the data storage is configured to store, in respect of an allocated region, a unique identifier for that region and a hierarchical descriptor for that region, data identifying the owner, and a network address which identifies an owner domain in respect of that region;

the data processing system permits sub-allocation by an owner of an allocated region of at least one of;

(i) a sub-region of the allocated region;

(ii) an object within the allocated region;

(ii) a sub-object of an object within the allocated region;

(iv) an object within a sub-region of the allocated region; and

(v) a sub-object of an object within a sub-region of the allocated region;

the data processing system is configured to store in the data storage, in respect of any sub-allocated sub-region, object or sub-object, an identifier and a hierarchical descriptor for that sub-region, object or sub-object;

and wherein the data processing system is configured to resolve a descriptor based DNS query specifying a region, so as to return data comprising the network address for the owner domain allocated to that region.

2. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data processing system is configured to resolve a descriptor based DNS query specifying a sub-region, object or sub-object of a region, so as to return data comprising the network address for the owner domain allocated to that region.

3. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1 which is configured to store in the data storage, in respect of any sub-allocated sub-region, object or sub-object, a network address which identifies a sub-owner domain in respect of that sub-allocated sub-region, object or sub-object, the data processing system being further configured to resolve a descriptor based DNS query specifying a sub-region, object or sub-object of a region, so as to return data comprising the network address for the sub-owner domain allocated thereto.

4. A data processing system as claimed in claim2, wherein each region, sub-region, object or sub-object is associated with a unique descriptive, location based, uniform resource locator.

5. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein regions and sub regions are defined using a grid of top level parent triangles each having a unique identifier, each top level parent triangle being repeatedly sub-divisible into four lower level triangles in a cascading parent/child relationship, wherein each lower level triangle has a unique identifier comprising the unique identifier of its parent triangle and an identifier to distinguish it from the other three children of that parent triangle.

6. A data processing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the top level parent triangles are arranged in groups of eight forming an octagon, each top level parent triangle in an octagon having a unique identifier which comprises a unique identifier for the octagon and an identifier to distinguish it from the other seven triangles in that octagon.

7. A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data processing system stores sub-ownership data in the event that an owner of an allocated region enters into a sub-ownership transaction in respect of a sub-allocated sub-region, object or sub-object within an allocated region.

18. A computer program product as claimed in claim 6 wherein the method comprises storing in the data storage, in respect of any sub-allocated sub-region, object or sub-object, a network address which identifies a sub-owner domain in respect of that sub-allocated sub-region, object or sub-object, the method further comprising resolving a descriptor based DNS query specifying a sub-region, object or sub-object of a region, so as to return data comprising the network address for the sub-owner domain allocated thereto.

8. A data processing system comprising data storage which stores data defining a plurality of unique regions of a space;

wherein each region can be allocated to an owner and the data storage is configured to store, in respect of an allocated region, a unique identifier for that region and a hierarchical descriptor for that region, data identifying the owner, and a network address which identifies an owner domain in respect of that region;

the data processing system permits sub-allocation by an owner of an allocated region of at least one of;

(i) a sub-region of the allocated region;

(ii) an object within the allocated region;

(ii) a sub-object of an object within the allocated region;

(iv) an object within a sub-region of the allocated region; and

(v) a sub-object of an object within a sub-region of the allocated region;

the data processing system is configured to store in the data storage, in respect of any sub-allocated sub-region, object or sub-object, an identifier and a hierarchical descriptor for that sub-region, object or sub-object;

and wherein the data processing system is configured to resolve a descriptor based DNS query specifying a region, so as to return data comprising the network address for the owner domain allocated to that region.

9. A data processing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the data processing system is configured to resolve a descriptor based DNS query specifying a sub-region, object or sub-object of a region, so as to return data comprising the network address for the owner domain allocated to that region.

10. A data processing system as claimed in claim 8 which is configured to store in the data storage, in respect of any sub-allocated sub-region, object or sub-object, a network address which identifies a sub-owner domain in respect of that sub-allocated sub-region, object or sub-object, the data processing system being further configured to resolve a descriptor based DNS query specifying a sub-region, object or sub-object of a region, so as to return data comprising the network address for the sub-owner domain allocated thereto.

11. A data processing system as claimed in claim 9, wherein each region, sub-region, object or sub-object is associated with a unique descriptive, location based, uniform resource locator.

13. A data processing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the data storage stores coordinate data defining the plurality of unique regions.

14. A data processing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein each region is a cell of a geodesic grid applied to the surface of the earth.

15. A data processing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the space is a virtual environment.

16. A computer program product comprising instructions which when carried out by data processing apparatus comprising data storage and a processor, will cause the data processing apparatus to carry out a method comprising:

storing, in the data storage, data defining a plurality of unique regions of a space;

allocating a region to an owner and storing, in the data storage, a unique identifier for that region and a hierarchical descriptor for that region, data identifying the owner, and a network address which identifies an owner domain in respect of that region;

permitting sub-allocation by an owner of an allocated region of at least one of;

(i) a sub-region of the allocated region;

(ii) object within the allocated region;

(ii) a sub-object of an object within the allocated region;

(iv) an object within a sub-region of the allocated region; and

(v) a sub-object of an object within a sub-region of the allocated region; and

storing, in the data storage, in respect of any sub-allocated sub-region, object or sub-object, an identifier and a hierarchical descriptor for that sub-region, object or sub-object;

and resolving a descriptor based DNS query specifying a region, so as to return data comprising the network address for the owner domain allocated to that region.

17. A computer program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein the method comprises resolving a descriptor based DNS query specifying a sub-region, object or sub-object of a region, so as to return data comprising the network address for the owner domain allocated to that region.

19. A computer program product as claimed in claim 17, wherein each region, sub-region, object or sub-object is associated with a unique descriptive, location based, uniform resource locator.

20. A computer program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein the data storage stores coordinate data defining the plurality of unique regions.

21. A computer program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein each region is a cell of a geodesic grid applied to the surface of the earth.

22. A computer program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein the space is a virtual environment.

23. A computer program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein regions and sub regions are defined using a grid of top leve/parent triangles each having a unique identifier, each top level parent triangle being repeatedly sub-divisible into four lower level triangles in a cascading parent/child relationship, wherein each lower level triangle has a unique identifier comprising the unique identifier of its parent triangle and an identifier to distinguish it from the other three children of that parent triangle.

24. A computer program product as claimed in claim 23 wherein the top level parent triangles are arranged in groups of eight forming an octagon, each top level parent triangle in an octagon having a unique identifier which comprises a unique identifier for the octagon and an identifier to distinguish it from the other seven triangles in that octagon.

25. A computer program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein the data processing system stores sub-ownership data in the event that an owner of an allocated region enters into a sub-ownership transaction in respect of a sub-allocated sub-region, object or sub-object within an allocated region.