Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-18
2004-08-03
Coby, Frantz (Department: 2171)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000, C701S200000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06772174
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a method for administrating and handling large amounts of data, such as e.g. statistical data, events or phenomena, the data being associated with a spatial entity, such as a geographical entity. The invention also relates to the computer system adapted for performing the method of the invention as well as the computer program product for adapting a general-purpose computer system to performing the method. The data are organised in layers of data having a mutual relation, primarily defining rules for interaction with other layers of data so as to generate derived layer of data of which one or more are output layers. The computer system represents the output layers to the user by means of a virtual representation of a spatial entity, such as a topological or geographical entity generated by the computer, and the data for generating the layers are administrated by a data communication network.
In particular, the invention relates to a method according to which at least a part of the representation of the spatial entity comprises a number of sub-layers arranged hierarchically so that a lower layer comprises a representation of the geographical entity in greater detail than a higher level, and the data or parts of the data may be associated with one or more of these sub-layers.
Alternatively or additionally, different sets of data may be represented as different layers that interact and are presented to the user as being superimposed on the representation of the geographical entity, the different layers of data may furthermore be enabled to interact so as e.g. to produce a new representation for the user or to initiate actions at systems or items being external to the computer operated by the user.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known today to exchange data representing e.g. information or interaction with computer systems, over a communication network, such a an open network, and for a user operating a computer connected to the network to have access to the data by using a browser. However, with the present and rapidly increasing amount of data available on open, public network, it is very difficult for a user to find and select the relevant information from the data being available.
The organisation of data and the presentation of the organisation of data to the user is essential for enabling the individual user to have access to the amount of data from a practical and not only theoretical point of view. A spatial representation having a commonly known mapping would, for at least data having an association with said mapping, be a natural environment for the human mind to perceive passive and active information as contrast to the present structure or lack of structure of information.
It is known from WO 97/07467 to present a map of an area supplied from a map server to a user and superimpose on this map information relating to a place of interest. The information may contain details of hotels, restaurants, shops or the like, associated with the geographical co-ordinates of each location.
It is furthermore known from EP 0 802 516 A2 to present a three-dimensional map to the user on a two-dimensional screen for navigational use. The map may be presented to the user from the viewpoint of the user or from any selected viewpoint.
Another system for navigational use is known from EP 0 785 535 A1 which discloses a guidance system for vehicles. The system displays road maps to the user as well as other information upon request, such as traffic information an sightseeing information, and the display device is in wireless connection with information supply servers. The display device comprises a position detection section, using e.g. the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the detected position is used to select the area to show on the display.
The known systems are only able to administer a limited amount of information being selected by the user from a small, well defined library of information. The systems offers no possibility of performing an automated selection among a large amount of information to obtain a limited number of high relevance to the user. Thus, these known systems include no advantages over the known general purpose interface applications, browsers, for searching and retrieving information from a plurality of external servers via a public communication network.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for administrating data by organising the data according to spatial entities, such as topological or geographical entities, to which the data are associated, allowing the data to interact mutually between different data layers or between data layers and other data to generate derived data and represent these derived data to the user by means of a virtual representation of the spatial entity generated by a computer.
It is a further object to allow the data to interact so as to reduce the amount of data to be presented to the user, by means of excluding data or by means of combining more data into one new informational item.
In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method according to which the virtual representation is of the earth and/or a subpart thereof, such as a country, a city, a house etc.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method according to which the virtual representation is hierarchically organised in a number of levels having different degree of details, and the data may be associated with one or more of the levels.
These as well as other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention offers a number of advantages with respect to administration and presentation of data which will be discussed in the following.
The present invention relates to a method for administering information at least some of which are related to a spatial entity, comprising
providing, in a computer system, a data system residing on data storage means of the computer system and representing the spatial entity;
at least some of the data of the data system (co-ordinate data) representing respective sets of spatial co-ordinates of a co-ordinate system spanning the spatial entity,
at least some of the data of the data system (spatial entity basic descriptor data) being associated with co-ordinate data and describing basic properties of the spatial entity at the respective co-ordinates, or the co-ordinate data being predefined as co-ordinate data pertaining to a particular known spatial entity,
at least some of the data of the data system (layer data) being associated with co-ordinate data and describing phenomena related to the spatial entity at the respective co-ordinates, the layer data being organised in at least two groups (layers), each group (layer) containing one or several layer data,
the method comprising the step of outputting, to an output device, layer data and representing the layer data at the output device in such a manner that one or more phenomena described by the layer data can be perceived as related to the particular position of the spatial entity which is defined by the co-ordinate data with which the particular layer data is/are associated,
the data system comprising property data permitting the definition of how the data of a particular layer, or certain data of a particular layer, is/are to be perceived in relation to the basic descriptor data and/or in relation to data of one more other layers, and the output representing the spatial entity in accordance with these data.
The data storage means of the computer system are computer-readable media such as e.g. magnetic discs or tapes, optical discs, CD-ROMS, RAM circuits, etc., each media being in permanent or temporarily data-communication contact with the computer system.
The co-ordinate data define the spatial entity and are used to interpret the relation between the layer data and the spatial entity so as to enable a possible representation of the layer data together with at least some of the spatial entity basic d
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Coby Frantz
Cycore AB
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