Method and system for generating a raster display having expandable graphic representations
First Claim
1. A method for generating a raster display map having expandable graphic representations, said generating method employing an existing map and an object database containing information on addresses located within the territory represented by the existing map, said generating method comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining and displaying a raster map corresponding to said existing map;
(b) providing a preexisting vector database having information characteristic to the territory represented by the raster map;
(c) displaying a vector map from said vector database, said displayed vector map containing said information characteristic to the territory depicted in said raster map;
(d) aligning corresponding areas of said raster map and said vector map;
(e) geocoding said object database information with X,Y coordinates relative to said vector database, at least some of said X,Y coordinates identifying addresses within the areas depicted by said aligned raster and vector maps; and
(f) displaying said raster map and a graphical representation of an address located within the area represented by the raster map, said graphical representation being expandable to provide object database information on said address.
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Abstract
A vector database is used to create a vector map which is aligned with a raster map produced from an existing hand-drawn map. The aligned maps provide an X,Y coordinate basis for the locating of specific addresses within the territory represented by the raster map. The technique is particularly applicable to use by a utility company wherein the addresses identified are customer residences, each residence being coded with specific X,Y coordinates relative to the vector database. Relevant additional customer information is indexed through a graphical representation of the address which when displayed appears on the raster map at the appropriate X,Y coordinates relative to the vector map. Additional specific details of the method and system are presented.
76 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for generating a raster display map having expandable graphic representations, said generating method employing an existing map and an object database containing information on addresses located within the territory represented by the existing map, said generating method comprising the steps of:
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(a) obtaining and displaying a raster map corresponding to said existing map; (b) providing a preexisting vector database having information characteristic to the territory represented by the raster map; (c) displaying a vector map from said vector database, said displayed vector map containing said information characteristic to the territory depicted in said raster map; (d) aligning corresponding areas of said raster map and said vector map; (e) geocoding said object database information with X,Y coordinates relative to said vector database, at least some of said X,Y coordinates identifying addresses within the areas depicted by said aligned raster and vector maps; and (f) displaying said raster map and a graphical representation of an address located within the area represented by the raster map, said graphical representation being expandable to provide object database information on said address. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for generating a raster display map having expandable graphic representations, said generating system employing an existing territorial map and an object database containing information on addresses located within the territory represented by the existing map, said generating system comprising:
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means for rasterizing said existing map to obtain a computerized raster map; first computer storage means for containing an existing vector database having information characteristic to the territory represented by the rasterized map; means for displaying a vector map from said vector database, said vector map containing said information characteristic to the territory depicted in the raster map; means for aligning corresponding territories depicted in said raster map and said vector map; means for assigning X,Y coordinates to said object database information using said vector database, wherein at least some of said X,Y coordinates assigned to said object database information identify addresses within the territory depicted by said aligned raster and vector maps; and means for displaying said raster map with an appropriately positioned graphical representation of an address located within the territory represented by the raster map. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification