Method and apparatus for collecting and expressing geographically-referenced data

• US 6,772,142 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2000
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation Incorporated (Cornell University), National Audubon Society
• Original Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation Incorporated (Cornell University), National Audubon Society
• Inventors: Fitzpatrick, John W., Kelling, Steven T., Beloin, Ronald M., Slothower, Roger L., Gill, Frank B., Fredericks, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Shahid
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLEURANTIN, JEAN B
• Application Number:
  US09/702,407
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3-5, 707/100-104, 709/217, 709/218, 709/200, 709/206, 709/208, 709/220, 709/229, 701/200, 701/206, 701/208
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/919 Geographic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A web-based implemented system in which observers may pinpoint locations on a scalable map in order to fix data by latitude and longitude and to collect data describing that location. Also permitted within the system is the selection of non-contiguous groups of geographic data points for analysis. Although not limited thereto, the system may be used to track bird sightings and migration patterns as well as other bird related information and data. The mapping is scalable and can be integrated with a Geographic Information System (GIS), e.g. elevation, vegetation or city maps. Variations over time can be analyzed for a specific point, and pattern movements across points can be tracked.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for aggregating and expressing geographically-linked data provided by a plurality of observers, comprising the steps of:

a) providing an interactive map capable of receiving geographical location and associated data over the Internet from a plurality of observers;

b) receiving a first geographical location and first associated data from a first observer;

c) storing said geographical location and said first associated data received from said first observer in a database as data records according to said geographical location;

d) receiving a second location and second associated data from a second observer;

e) repeating steps c) and d) with said second location and second associated data;

f) receiving a spatial query from a user specifying at least one location on said interactive map; and

g) providing from the database the data records associated with the user-specified at least one location, the data records provided being from among the data records received from the plurality of observers and stored in the database.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of translating said first location to one or more map coordinate points;

and wherein said step of storing said first location further comprises storing said map coordinate points in said database.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of translating said first location to a line;

and wherein said step of storing said first location lher comprises storing said line in said database.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of translating said first location to a polygon;

and wherein said step of storing said first location further comprises storing said polygon in said database.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said second location overlaps said first location.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

i) receiving a user-specified link factor;

j) selecting data records from said database using said first link factor;

k) creating a map overlay by linking said selected records; and

l) overlaying said map overlay on said interactive map.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of providing a plurality of references to each of said locations in said interactive map, any one of said plurality of references to be used as a location point specifier.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of providing a plurality of references further comprises displaying a list of available references for a user-specified location on the interactive map.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said interactive map has a plurality of layers and said at least one location is specified according to layer.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said plurality of references includes longitude and latitude.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein said plurality of references includes a place name.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein said plurality of references includes an observer-specified name.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein said plurality of references includes geographical association reference.

14. The method of claim 6 wherein said link factor is a selected entry type in said data records.

15. The method of claim 6 wherein said link factor is a project name included m said data records.

16. The method of claim 6 further composing the steps of:

m) receiving at least one additional user-specified link factor;

n) selecting additional data records from said database using said at least one additional link factor;

o) creating a second map overlay by linking said additional data records; and

p) overlaying said second map overlay on said interactive map.

17. A computer-implemented method for accumulating geographically-linked data in order to respond to geographically based queries, comprising the steps of:

a) providing an interactive map capable of receiving geographical location and associated data over the Internet from a plurality of observers)

b) receiving a plurality of geographical locations and a plurality of associated data from an observer;

c) translating said plurality of locations to one or more map coordinate points;

d) storing said one or more map coordinate points and said plurality of associated data in a spatially-linked database as data records;

e) receiving at least one geographical based query from at least one user, said at least one user specifying at least one location point on said interactive map; and

f) providing from the database the data records associated with the user-specified at least one location, the data records provided being from among the data records received from the plurality of observers and stored in the database.

18. A computer-implemented method for conducting ornithology studies, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a web-based interactive map capable of receiving as input locations and associated data from a plurality of observers;

b) creating a plurality of bird observation sites in a spatially-linked database in response to input from said plurality of observers;

c) receiving input locations and associated data from said plurality of observers;

d) translating said received input locations to map coordinate points;

e) relating the received associated data to bird observation sites among the created bird observation sites using said map coordinate points; and

f) populating the spatially-linked database with the associated data received from the plurality of observes at respective related bird observation sites.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of:

g) accepting a spatial query from a user, said spatial query including at least one bird observation site;

h) accessing said database for data records associated with said at least one bird observation site; and

i) creating a report from data records found in step h).

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said spatial query further comprises a bird species.

21. A computer-implemented method for collecting data associated with a point of interest, the location of the point of interest being initially undetermined, the collected data being indicative of an event occurring at the point of interest, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing at least one interactive geographically referenced map for receiving a mark indicative of the relative position of a point of interest, the at least one map including at least one reference point whose geographic coordinates are known;

b) receiving the mark indicative of the relative position of the point of interest;

c) processing the relative position of the point of interest with respect to the at least one reference point to determine geographic coordinates of the point of interest; and

d) associating the geographic coordinates of the point of interest with data in a geographically-linked database related to the one point of interest, the associated data having previously been received from at least one observer and stored in the database.

22. A computer-implemented method for facilitating the collection and inputting of data to a centrally disposed database by a plurality of data gatherers by use of a network which is accessible from points within a geographic area, the data being indicative of an event occurring at one of a plurality of points of interest within the geographic area, the location of the plurality of points of interest being initially undermined, said method comprising the steps of:

a) downloading over the network upon request of at least one of the plurality of data gatherers at least one geographically referenced map to the at least one data gatherer, the at least one geographically referenced map including at least one reference point whose geographic coordinates are known and being adapted to receive a mark inputted by the at least one data gatherer and indicative of the relative position of the one point of interest;

b) receiving over the network form the at least one data gatherer at the centrally disposed database the mark and the data related to the mark;

c) processing the relative position of the one point of interest with respect to the one reference point to determine the geographic coordinates of the one point of interests; and

d) storing the received data related to the point of interest and The geographic coordinates associated with the point of interest in the centrally disposed database.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein the database includes a plurality of storage locations that are respectively addressable by the coordinates of corresponding points of interest, and there is a further included the step of inputting the data related to the one point of interest to the storage location addressed by the coordinates of the data related to the corresponding point of interest.

24. The method of constructing and inputting data into a database, which is connected to a network and is accessible from a plurality of points of interest within a geographic area, the location of the plurality of points of interest being initially undetermined, the data being indicative of an event occurring at one of a plurality of points of interest within the geographic area, said method comprising the steps of:

a) constructing a database to have a plurality of storage locations, each of said storage locations being dedicated to receive data over the network relative to a corresponding point of interest and addressable in accordance with the geographic coordinates of the corresponding point of interest;

b) providing at least one interactive geographically referenced map to a data gatherer for receiving from the data gatherer a mark indicative of The relative position of the point of interest, the at least one map including at least one reference point whose geographic coordinates are known;

c) processing the relative position of the point of interest with respect to the at least one reference point to determine geographic coordinates of the point of interest;

d) addressing one of the storage locations according to the geographic coordinates of the point of interest; and

e) inputting data received from the data gatherer relative to the point of interest into the addressed storage location.