Method and apparatus for simplifying and accelerating the definition, dynamic generation and identification of geographic regions

A method for defining and identifying geographic areas, comprising:

• providing for a geographic region wherein the geographic region is divided into states, and wherein the states are divided into postal codes;
• receiving a query to identify a geographic area wherein the query includes an indication of at least one of a set of states and a set of postal codes and including in the query at least one of a plus sign and a minus sign, wherein the plus sign is included when at least one of the set of states and one of the set of postal codes is to be included in the geographic area and a minus sign is included when at least one of the set of states or one of the set of postal codes is to be excluded from the geographic region;
• and
• outputting a response including information related to the geographic area wherein the at least one of the set of states and the set of postal codes preceded with a plus sign is included in the geographic area and the at least one of the set of states and the set of postal codes preceded with a minus sign is excluded from the geographic area.

A method for defining and identifying a geographic area, comprising:

• providing for a geographic region wherein the geographic region is divided into subregions that are mutually exclusive, and wherein the subregions are divided sections that are mutually exclusive;
• receiving a query to define a geographic area wherein the query includes an indication of at least one of a set of subregions and a set of sections and including in the query at least one of a plus sign and a minus sign, wherein the plus sign is included when at least one of the set of subregions and one of the set of sections is to be included in the geographic area and a minus sign is included when at least one of the set of subregions or one of the set of sections is to be excluded from the geographic region;
• and
• outputting a pictorial diagram representative of the query wherein the pictorial diagram includes at least part of the region including the defined geographic area wherein the geographic area is viewably different from the subregions and sections that are excluded from the geographic area.

An apparatus for defining and identifying geographic areas, comprising:

• a memory having program instructions;
• a display screen;
• and
• a processor responsive to the program instructions to
• provide for a geographic region wherein the geographic region is divided into subregions that are mutually exclusive, and wherein the subregions are divided into sections that are mutually exclusive;
• receive a query for defining a geographic area wherein the query includes an indication of at least one of a set of subregions and a set of sections;
• determine whether the reference to at least one of the set of subregions and the set of sections indicates the at least one of the set of subregions and the set of sections are to be included in the geographic area;
• determine whether the reference to the at least one of the set of subregions and the set of sections indicates the at least one of the set of subregions and the set of sections are to be excluded from the geographic area;
• and
• output a response including information relating to the geographic area wherein the geographic area is representative of the query.

An apparatus for defining and identifying geographic areas, comprising:

• a memory having program instructions;
• a display screen;
• and
• a processor responsive to the program instructions to
• provide for a geographic region wherein the geographic region is divided into states, and wherein the states are divided into postal codes;
• receive a query to identify a geographic area wherein the query includes an indication of at least one of a set of states and a set of postal codes and including in the query at least one of a plus sign and a minus sign, wherein the plus sign is included when at least one of the set of states and one of the set of postal codes is to be included in the geographic area and a minus sign is included when at least one of the set of states or one of the set of postal codes is to be excluded from the geographic region;
• and
• output a response including information related to the geographic area wherein the at least one of the set of states and the set of postal codes preceded with a plus sign is included in the geographic area and the at least one of the set of states and the set of postal codes preceded with a minus sign is excluded from the geographic area.

An apparatus for defining and identifying a geographic area, comprising:

• a memory having program instructions;
• a display screen;
• and
• a processor responsive to the program instructions to
• provide for a geographic region wherein the geographic region is divided into subregions that are mutually exclusive, and wherein the subregions are divided sections that are mutually exclusive;
• receive a query to define a geographic area wherein the query includes an indication of at least one of a set of subregions and a set of sections and including in the query at least one of a plus sign and a minus sign, wherein the plus sign is included when at least one of the set of subregions and one of the set of sections is to be included in the geographic area and a minus sign is included when at least one of the set of subregions or one of the set of sections is to be excluded from the geographic region;
• and
• output a pictorial diagram representative of the query wherein the pictorial diagram includes at least part of the region including the defined geographic area wherein the geographic area is viewably different from the subregions and sections that are excluded from the geographic area.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for defining and identifying geographic areas, the system comprising:

• providing for a geographic region wherein the geographic region is divided into subregions that are mutually exclusive, and wherein the subregions are divided into sections that are mutually exclusive;
• receiving a query for defining a geographic area wherein the query includes an indication of at least one of a set of subregions and a set of sections;
• determining whether the reference to at least one of the set of subregions and the set of sections indicates the at least one of the set of subregions and the set of sections are to be included in the geographic area;
• determining whether the reference to the at least one of the set of subregions and the set of sections indicates the at least one of the set of subregions and the set of sections are to be excluded from the geographic area;
• and
• outputting a response including information relating to the geographic area wherein the geographic area is representative of the query.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for defining and identifying geographic areas, comprising:

• providing for a geographic region wherein the geographic region is divided into states, and wherein the states are divided into postal codes;
• receiving a query to identify a geographic area wherein the query includes an indication of at least one of a set of states and a set of postal codes and including in the query at least one of a plus sign and a minus sign, wherein the plus sign is included when at least one of the set of states and one of the set of postal codes is to be included in the geographic area and a minus sign is included when at least one of the set of states or one of the set of postal codes is to be excluded from the geographic region;
• and
• outputting a response including information related to the geographic area wherein the at least one of the set of states and the set of postal codes preceded with a plus sign is included in the geographic area and the at least one of the set of states and the set of postal codes preceded with a minus sign is excluded from the geographic area.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for defining and identifying a geographic area, comprising:

• providing for a geographic region wherein the geographic region is divided into subregions that are mutually exclusive, and wherein the subregions are divided sections that are mutually exclusive;
• receiving a query to define a geographic area wherein the query includes an indication of at least one of a set of subregions and a set of sections and including in the query at least one of a plus sign and a minus sign, wherein the plus sign is included when at least one of the set of subregions and one of the set of sections is to be included in the geographic area and a minus sign is included when at least one of the set of subregions or one of the set of sections is to be excluded from the geographic region;
• and
• outputting a pictorial diagram representative of the query wherein the pictorial diagram includes at least part of the region including the defined geographic area wherein the geographic area is viewably different from the subregions and sections that are excluded from the geographic area.

A system for defining and identifying geographic areas, comprising:

• means for providing for a geographic region wherein the geographic region is divided into subregions that are mutually exclusive, and wherein the subregions are divided into sections that are mutually exclusive;
• means for receiving a query for defining a geographic area wherein the query includes an indication of at least one of a set of subregions and a set of sections;
• means for determining whether the reference to at least one of the set of subregions and the set of sections indicates the at least one of the set of subregions and the set of sections are to be included in the geographic area;
• means for determining whether the reference to the at least one of the set of subregions and the set of sections indicates the at least one of the set of subregions and the set of sections are to be excluded from the geographic area;
• and
• means for outputting a response including information relating to the geographic area wherein the geographic area is representative of the query.

A system for defining and identifying geographic areas, comprising:

• means for providing for a geographic region wherein the geographic region is divided into states, and wherein the states are divided into postal codes;
• means for receiving a query to identify a geographic area wherein the query includes a, indication of at least one of a set of states and a set of postal codes and including in the query at least one of a plus sign and a minus sign, wherein the plus sign is included when at least one of the set of states and one of the set of postal codes is to be included in the geographic area and a minus sign is included when at least one of the set of states or one of the set of postal codes is to be excluded from the geographic region;
• and
• means for outputting a response including information related to the geographic area wherein the at least one of the set of states and the set of postal codes preceded with a plus sign is included in the geographic area and the at least one of the set of states and the set of postal codes preceded with a minus sign is excluded from the geographic area.

A system for defining and identifying a geographic area, comprising:

• means for providing for a geographic region wherein the geographic region is divided into subregions that are mutually exclusive, and wherein the subregions are divided sections that are mutually exclusive;
• means for receiving a query to define a geographic area wherein the query includes an indication of at least one of a set of subregions and a set of sections and including in the query at least one of a plus sign and a minus sign, wherein the plus sign is included when at least one of the set of subregions and one of the set of sections is to be included in the geographic area and a minus sign is included when at least one of the set of subregions or one of the set of sections is to be excluded from the geographic region;
• and
• means for outputting a pictorial diagram representative of the query wherein the pictorial diagram includes at least part of the region including the defined geographic area wherein the geographic area is viewably different from the subregions and sections that are excluded from the geographic area.