# US 10,873,829 B2 · Web mapping distance determination using cache > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,829 B2 - Document ID: US10873829B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/813,465 - Filed: 2017-11-15 - Published: 2019-05-16 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-15 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Boniface Lobo; Daniel Bennett - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873829B2 ## CPC - H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds} - G06F 16/29: Geographical information databases - G06F 16/9574: {of access to content, e.g. by caching} - G06Q 50/10: Services - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract The example embodiments are directed to a system and method which can reduce the number of requests to a web mapping service. In an example, the method may include receiving a processing request from a field service software application for a route distance between a source field service location and a target field service location, identifying a sub-area of the web map in which the source field service location is located and a sub-area of the web map in which the target field service location is located, approximating the route distance between the source field service location and the target field service location based on a previously determined distance between a representative point of the sub-area which includes the source field service location and a representative point of the sub-area which includes the target field service location, and outputting route guidance based on the approximate route distance. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a processing request from a software application for a route distance between a source location and a target location on a geographical web map; identifying a sub-area of the geographical web map in which the service location is geographically located and a sub-area of the geographical web map in which the target location is geographically located; identifying, via a cache, a distance determination between a similarly-located source location included in the sub-area of the source location and a similarly-located target location included in the sub-area of the target location, which is previously determined by a web mapping service; and outputting route guidance to the software application based on the previous distance determination between the similarly-located source location and the similarly located target location determined by the web mapping service in response to the processing request. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising dividing an area of the geographical web map into a plurality of smaller sub-areas including the sub-area which includes the source location and the sub-area which includes the target location. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining the distance between the similarly-located source location and the similarly-located target location in response to a previous processing request. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the similarly-located source location comprises a center of the sub-area which includes the source location, and the similarly-located target location comprises a center of the sub-area which includes the target location. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising optimizing a daily route schedule based on the previous distance determination and at least one of the following additional factors: time constraints, technician expertise, availability of equipment, and customer preferences. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the geographical map comprises a plurality of locations including a start location, an end location, and multiple intermediate locations, and the source location and the target location correspond to different intermediate locations. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising dynamically dividing an area of the geographical web map into a plurality of smaller sub-areas including the sub-area of the source location and the sub-area of the target location based on a dispersal of the plurality of locations within the area. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving the previously determined distance determination between the similarly-located source location and the similarly-located target location from the cache. ### Claim 9 A computing system comprising: a processor configured to receive a processing request from a software application for a route distance between a source location and a target location on a geographical web map, identify a sub-area of the geographical web map in which the source location is geographically located and identify a sub-area of the geographical web map in which the target location is geographically located, and identify, via a cache, a distance determination between a similarly-located source location included in the sub-area of the source location and a similarly-located target location included in the sub-area of the target location, which is previously determined by a web mapping service; and an output configured to output route guidance to the software application based on the previous distance determination between the similarly-located source location and the similarly-located target location determined by the web mapping service in response to the processing request. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The computing system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to divide an area of the geographical web map into a plurality of smaller sub-areas including the sub-area which includes the source location and the sub-area which includes the target location. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The computing system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the distance between the similarly-located source location and the similarly-located target location in response to a previous processing request. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The computing system of claim 9, wherein the similarly-located source location comprises a center of the sub-area which includes the source location, and the similarly-located target location comprises a center of the sub-area which includes the target location. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The computing system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to optimize a daily route schedule based on the previous distance determination and at least one of the following additional factors: time constraints, technician expertise, availability of equipment, and customer preferences. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The computing system of claim 9, wherein the geographical map comprises a plurality of locations including a start location, an end location, and multiple intermediate locations, and the source location and the target location correspond to different intermediate locations. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The computing system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically divide an area of the geographical web map into a plurality of smaller sub-areas including the sub-area which includes the source location and the sub-area which includes the target location based on a dispersal of the plurality of locations within the area. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The computing system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve the previously determined distance determination between the similarly-located source location and the similarly-located target location from the cache. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions that when executed cause a computer to perform a method comprising: receiving a processing request from a software application for a route distance between a source location and a target location on a geographical web map; identifying a sub-area of the geographical web map in which the source location is geographically located and a sub-area of the geographical web map in which the target location is geographically located; identifying, via a cache, a distance determination between a similarly-located source location included in the sub-area of the source location and a similarly-located target location included in the sub-area of the target location, which is previously determined by a web mapping service; and outputting route guidance to the field service software application based on the previous distance determination between the similarly-located source location and the similarly-located target location determined by the web mapping service in response to the processing request. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises dividing an area of the geographical web map into a plurality of smaller sub-areas including the sub-area which includes the source location and the sub-area which includes the target location.