Method and apparatus for providing location based data services

A system for generating a unique key for use in a database system comprising:

• a. means for receiving an indication of location;
• b. means for determining a latitude-longitude value corresponding to the received indication of location:
• c. means for generating at least one other piece of data in addition to the latitude-longitude value;
• and,
• d. means for combining the determined latitude-longitude value and the at least one other piece of data to generate the unique key.

A method for processing a location sensitive search request for a specified geographic area comprising:

• a. receiving a location sensitive search request having a location information component;
• b. parsing the location information component into a format that is used by a location database;
• c. querying the location database with the parsed location information component for records that satisfy the location sensitive search request;
• d. generating search results from the location database that satisfy the location sensitive search request;
• and,
• e. transmitting the search results.

A system for processing a location sensitive search request for a specified geographic area comprising:

• a. means for receiving a location sensitive search request having a location information component;
• b. means for parsing the location information component into a format that is used by a location database;
• c. means for querying the location database with the parsed location information component for records that satisfy the location sensitive search request;
• d. means for generating search results from the location database that satisfy the location sensitive search request;
• and,
• e. means for transmitting the search results.

A method for generating a unique key and processing a location sensitive search request with a static location as a reference point comprising:

• a. receiving an indication of the location of a static reference point and a location sensitive search request;
• b. determining a latitude-longitude value corresponding to the received indication of location of the static reference point;
• c. generating at least one other piece of data in addition to the latitude-longitude value;
• d. combining the determined latitude-longitude value and the at least one other piece of data to generate the unique key;
• e. querying a location database with the unique key as a reference point, for records that satisfy the location sensitive search request;
• f. generating search results;
• and,
• g. transmitting the search results.

A system for generating a unique key and processing a location sensitive search request with a static location as a reference point consisting of a:

• a. means for receiving an indication of the location of a static reference point and a location sensitive search request;
• b. means for determining a latitude-longitude value corresponding to the received indication of location of the static reference point;
• c. means for generating at least one other piece of data in addition to the latitude-longitude value;
• d. means for combining the determined latitude-longitude value and the at least one other piece of data to generate the unique key;
• e. means for querying a location database, with the unique key as a reference point for records that satisfy the location sensitive search request;
• f. means for generating search results;
• and,
• g. means for transmitting the search results.

A method for generating a unique key and processing a location sensitive search request with a mobile location as a reference point comprising the steps of:

• a. receiving positioning information and a location sensitive search request;
• b. determining a nearest static location that corresponds to the positioning information;
• c. determining a latitude-longitude value corresponding to the nearest address;
• d. generating at least one other piece of data in addition to the latitude-longitude value;
• e. combining the determined latitude-longitude value and the at least one other piece of data to generate the unique key;
• f. querying a location database for records that satisfy the location Sensitive search request;
• g. generating search results that satisfy the location sensitive search request;
• and,
• h. transmitting the search results.

A system for generating a unique key and processing a location sensitive search request with a mobile location as a reference point comprising:

• a. means for receiving positioning information and a location sensitive search request;
• b. means for determining a nearest static location that corresponds to the positioning information;
• c. means for determining a latitude-longitude value corresponding to the nearest address;
• d. means for generating at least one other piece of data in addition to the latitude-longitude value;
• e. means for combining the determined latitude-longitude value and the at least one other piece of data to generate the unique key;
• f. means for querying a location database for records that satisfy the location sensitive search request;
• g. means for generating search results that satisfy the location sensitive search request;
• and,
• h. means for transmitting the search results.

A method for processing a location sensitive search request from a device for which a unique key, which acts as a reference point for the search, has been assigned already comprising:

• a. receiving a unique key and a location sensitive search request;
• b. querying a location database, with the unique key as a reference point, for records that satisfy the location sensitive search request;
• c. generating search results;
• and,
• d. transmitting the search results.

A system for processing a location sensitive search request from a device for which a unique key, which acts as a reference point for the search, has been assigned already comprising:

• a. means for receiving a unique key and a location sensitive search request
• b. means for querying a location database, with the unique key as a reference point for records that satisfy the location sensitive search request;
• c. means for generating search results;
• and,
• d. means for transmitting search results.

A method for conducting a location sensitive search comprising:

• a. generating a location sensitive search request;
• b. submitting the location sensitive search request to a location database server;
• c. receiving a search result from the location database server;
• and,
• d. displaying the search result.

A system for conducting a location sensitive search comprising:

• a. means for generating a location sensitive search request;
• b. means for submitting the location sensitive search request to a location database server;
• c. means for receiving a search result from the location database server;
• and,
• d. means for displaying the search result.

A method for conducting a location sensitive search from a static location as a point of reference comprising:

• a. generating a location sensitive search request;
• b. generating an indication of a static location that acts as a reference point for the location sensitive search request;
• c. submitting the location sensitive search request and the indication of the static location to a location database server;
• d. receiving a search result of the location sensitive search request from the location database server;
• and,
• e. displaying the search result.

A system for conducting a location sensitive search from a static location as a point of reference comprising:

• a. means for generating a location sensitive search request;
• b. means for generating an indication of a static location that acts as a reference point for the location sensitive search request;
• c. means for submitting the location sensitive search request and the indication of the static location to a location database server;
• d. means for receiving a unique key corresponding to at least one of the indication of static location or a search result of the location sensitive search request to the location database server;
• and,
• e. means for displaying at least one of the search results or the relative location of the unique key.

A method for conducting a location sensitive search from a mobile location of a wireless device as a point of reference comprising:

• a. generating a location sensitive search request;
• b. generating positioning information of the wireless device;
• c. submitting the location sensitive search request and the positioning information of the wireless device to a location database server;
• d. receiving a search result;
• and,
• e. displaying the search result.

A system conducting a location sensitive search from a mobile location of a wireless device as a point of reference comprising:

• a. means for generating a location sensitive search request;
• b. means for generating positioning information of the wireless device;
• c. means for submitting the location sensitive search request and the positioning information of the wireless device to a location database server;
• d. means for receiving a search result;
• and,
• e. means for displaying the search result.

A method for creating location sensitive data and transmitting it to a location database server comprising:

• a. generating information relating to at least one of an item, a service, an event of interest or an instance of location sensitive information;
• b. generating an indication of location for the at least one of an item, a service, an event of interest or an instance of location sensitive information;
• c. transmitting the information and the indication of location to a database server;
• and,
• d. receiving a response from the location database server.

A system for creating location sensitive data and transmitting it to a location database server comprising:

• a. means for generating information relating to at least one of an item, a service, an event of interest or an instance of location sensitive information;
• b. means for generating an indication of location for the information;
• and,
• c. means for transmitting the information and the indication of location to a database server.

A method for creating location sensitive data that is stored in a location other than a location database server comprising:

• a. generating information relating to at least one of an item, a service or an event of interest;
• b. generating an indication of location for the information;
• c. submitting the indication of location to a location database;
• d. receiving a response from the location database server, wherein the response comprises a unique key that corresponds to the submitted indication of location;
• e. associating the unique key with location sensitive data;
• and,
• f. creating a data base entry comprising the associated unique key and the location sensitive data.

A system for creating location sensitive data that is stored in a location other than a location database server consisting of a:

• a. means for generating information relating to an item, a service or an event of interest;
• b. means for generating an indication of location for the information;
• c. means for submitting the indication of location to a location database;
• d. means for receiving a unique key that corresponds to the submitted indication of location;
• e. means for associating the unique key with location sensitive data;
• and,
• f. means for creating a data base entry comprising the associated unique key and the location sensitive data.

A method for receiving and storing location sensitive data for which a unique key exists comprising:

• a. receiving location sensitive data relating to at least one of an item, a service, an event of interest or an instance of location sensitive data
• b. receiving an indication of the location of said location sensitive data;
• c. parsing the indication of location into a format used by a location database;
• d. determining if a valid unique key has been generated from the parsed indication of location;
• e. querying the location database for the existence of a unique key for the parsed indication of location;
• f. combining the unique key with the location sensitive data;
• and,
• g. creating a database entry comprising the combined unique key and the location sensitive data.

A system for receiving and storing location sensitive data for which a unique key exists comprising:

• a. means for receiving location sensitive data relating to at least one of an item, a service, an event of interest or an instance of location sensitive data;
• b. means for receiving an indication of the location of said location sensitive data;
• c. means for parsing the indication of location into a format used by a location database;
• d. means for determining if a valid unique key has been generated from the parsed indication of location;
• e. means for querying the location database for the existence of a unique key for the parsed indication of location;
• f. means for combining the unique key with the location sensitive data;
• and,
• g. means for generating a database entry for the combined unique key and location sensitive data.

A method for receiving and storing location sensitive data for which a unique key does not exist comprising:

• a. receiving location sensitive data relating to at least one of an item, a service, an event of interest or an instance of location sensitive data;
• b. receiving an indication of the location of said location sensitive data;
• c. parsing the indication of location into a format used by a location database;
• d. determining if a unique key may be generated for the parsed indication of location;
• e. querying the location database for the existence of a unique key for the parsed indication of location;
• f. determining a latitude-longitude value corresponding to the received indication of location;
• g. generating at least one other piece of data in addition to the latitude-longitude value;
• h. combining the determined latitude-longitude value and the at least one other piece of data to form a unique key;
• i. combining the unique key with the location sensitive data;
• and,
• j. creating a database entry for the combined unique key and location sensitive data.

An apparatus for searching for location sensitive data comprising:

• a. a database having records;
• b. at least one record having a unique key, said unique key comprising a unique identifier of location and one other piece of data;
• c. a database query engine which queries the database;
• and,
• d. an output generator that transmits a response corresponding to the search query.

An apparatus for generating a unique key comprising:

• a. a database having records;
• b. at least one record having a unique key, said unique key comprising a unique identifier of location and one other piece of data;
• c. a database query engine that queries the database;
• and,
• d. an address translator engine that receives a request for an instance of the unique key, translates the indication of location and returns the unique key.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a memory having computer-readable code embodied therein for generating a unique key comprising:
• a. code means for receiving an indication of location;
• b. code means for determining a latitude-longitude value corresponding to the received indication of location;
• c. code means for generating at least one other piece of data in addition to the latitude-longitude value;
• and,
• d. code means for combining the determined latitude-longitude value and the at least one other piece of data to form a unique key.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a memory having computer-readable code embodied therein for conducting a location sensitive search comprising:
• a. code means for generating a location sensitive search request;
• b. code means for submitting the location sensitive search request to a location database server;
• c. code means for receiving a search result from the location database server;
• and,
• d. code means for displaying the search result.