WO1996007170B1

WO1996007170B1 - A geodetic coding system

Info

Publication number: WO1996007170B1
Application number: PCT/CA1995/000496
Authority: WO
Filing date: 1995-08-31
Publication date: 1996-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 1997-02-28

Abstract

The present invention provides for a Natural Area Coding System based upon the natural coordinates of longitude and latitude. The system comprises a character string of n characters for the longitude and a second character string of n characters for the latitude of a particular location, each of the characters in each of the strings being selected from one of a number of possible characters. The natural area code can be obtained generally using the above algorithm where Longitude=180+Longitude East OR 180-Longitude West, or Longitude=Longitude East OR 360-Longitude West, or Longitude=180+Longitude West OR 180-Longitude East, or Longitude=Longitude West OR 360-Longitude East, and Latitude=90+Latitude North OR 90-Latitude South, or Latitude=90+Latitude South OR 90-Latitude North, F($(1,3)$) = Nearest whole number of ($(1,3)$) with x0=y0=0.5 OR Integer part of ($(1,3)$) with x0=y0=0, (a) sums the terms only when q>1, otherwise equals to zero. A is the number of characters in the character set. n and m are the number of characters in the longitude and latitude character string respectively. The resultant code will be X1X2X3...Xn Y1Y2...Ym, where X1,X2,...,Xn are the natural area code symbols corresponding to the integers x1,x2,...,xn, similarly for Y1,Y2,...,Ym. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, m and n are 4 and A is 30 using the ten digits, 0 to 9 and the capital consonants of the English letters as the character set, resulting in an 8-character code for each ara of the earth smaller than 50 meters in longitudinal direction and 25 meters in latitudinal direction for the whole world.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 13 March 1996 (13.03.96);

original claims 1-24 replaced by amended claims 1-22 (6 pages)]

1. A Natural Area Coding System based upon the natural coordinates of longitude and latitude, the system

comprising a character string of n characters to represent, the longitude and a second character string of n characters to represent the latitude of a particular location, each of the characters in each of the strings being selected from one of a number of possible characters, the natural area code being obtained by the following method; a) calculate the integers x_l to x_n for the longitude and y_l to y_m for the latitude as follows:

q=1,2,..., n or m is the place number.

where

Longitude=180+Longitude East OR 180-longitude West or

Longitude=Longitude East OR 360-Longitude West or

Longitude=180+Longitude West OR 180-Longitude East or

Longitudes-Longitude West OF 360-Longitude East and

Latitude=90+Latitude North OR 90-Latitude South or

Latitude=90+Latitude South OR 90-Latitude North

sums the terms only when q>1, otherwise equals to zero.

A is an integer between 26 and 36 and is the number of characters in the character set.

n and m are integer independents selected from between 2 ar.d 6 and are the number of characters in the longitude and latitude character string respectively;

and

b) substitute each of the integers in the integer string for the equivalent character from a specified character set to generate the natural area code for a location.

2. A Natural Area Coding System according to claim 1 wherein A is 30, 31, 34 or 36 and m and n are 4.

3. A Natural Area Coding System according to claim 1 wherein A is 36 and m and n are 4.

4. A Natural Area Coding System according to claim 3 wherein the integers x₁ to x₄ and y₁ to y₄ in the integer strings are substituted for an equivalent character

according to the following table of symbols:

5. A Natural Area Coding System according to claim 1 wherein A is 30 and m and n are 4.

6. A Natural Area Coding System according to claim 5 wherein the integers x₁ to x₄ and y₁ to y₄ in the integer strings are substituted for an equivalent character according to the following table of symbols:

7. A Natural Area Coding System according to claim 1 in which the geodetic coding system also includes a character string of p characters for the altitude where the

characters in the altitidue character string are obtained as follows:

ALT = AP* Arctan {(Altitude + R)/R)/90

where F( ), z₀, A and q have the same meaning as in claim 1 and p is an integer of between 2 and 6 and is the numoer of characters in the altitude character string; R is the distance from the earth center in km along the

gravitational force line to the geoid surface and can be approximated by the earth radius at the location: f = (a - b)/a / e = 2*f - f² ;

N = a/sqrt (1 - e²*sin²(Latitude)) ;

R = N*sqτt[1- e²*(2-e²) *sin² (Latitude)} where a is the semi-major earth axis (ellipsoid equatorial radius) equal to 6379.1370 km; b is the semi-minor earth axis (ellipsoid polar radius) equal to 6356.7523 km; sqrt() is the square root function; sin() and cos() are triangular functions; the symbol / is the division sign ana the altitude string Z₁Z₂Z₃...Z_P corresponds to the integers z₁ , z₂ , z₃... z_p.

3. A Natural Area Coding System according to claim 7 wherein A is 30, 31, 34 or 36 and m, n and p are 4.

9. A Natural Area Coding System according to claim 8 wherein A is 36.

10. A Natural Area Ceding System according to claim 3 wherein A is 30 and m, n and p are 4.

11. A Natural Area Coding System according to claim 10 wherein the integers x₁ to x₄, y₁ to y₄ and z₁ to z₄ in the integer strings are substituted for an equivalent character according to the following table of symbols:

12. A map of a region of the earth having grid lines printed thereon corresponding to the Natural Area Code of the region as determined according any one of claims 1 to 6.

13. A postal addressing system utilizing the natural area code of the address as determined according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

14. A postal addressing system according to claim 13 further including a third locally defined character string.

15. A telecommunications apparatus having a

telecommunications address corresponding to the natural area code of the location of the telecommunications

apparatus determined according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

16. A telecommunications apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the telecommunications address includes a third locally defined character string.

17. A telecommunications apparatus according to claim 15 or claim 18 wherein the apparatus further includes a means for addressing other telecommunications apparatus according to their telecommunications addresses.

18. A global positioning system unit having a display of the location of the unit wherein the display of the

location of the global positioning system unit utilizes the Natural Area Coding System determined according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

19. A global positioning system unit according to claim 18 wherein the unit further includes a keyboard or keypad for inputting the character set of the Natural Area Coding System.

20. A geographic and geodetic information system and database having a geographic and geodetric information management system based upon the Natural Area Coding System according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

21. A mail sorting software program based on the postal addressing system according to claim 13 or 14.

22. An emergency address dispatching software program based on the Natural Ares Coding System according to any one of claims 1 to 6.