Alphanumeric Location Coding System for Address-less Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current location identification methods, such as GPS coordinates and physical addresses, are unwieldy and imprecise, making it difficult to communicate specific locations effectively, especially when informal or address-less locations are involved, and existing solutions like Google Place Pages do not adequately address these issues.
Innovation Solution
A software product and smartphone application that creates easy-to-use alphanumeric codes or QR/bar codes for specific locations, allowing input through various means, including typing, scanning, or selecting on a map, with options for customization and sharing, and integrates with online search, mapping, and social media technologies using a symbol to recognize and link to associated locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS coordinates are used to identify locations, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to unwieldy long strings of numbers that are difficult to remember, communicate, and enter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the unwieldy GPS coordinates into manageable components by creating a hierarchical addressing system. Locations are broken down into levels (e.g., country, region, specific place) with each level having a shorter code segment. This allows the complete location to be represented as a sequence of manageable segments rather than one long coordinate string, resolving the contradiction between precision and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary coding system that translates between GPS coordinates and user-friendly location codes. This intermediary layer converts precise coordinate data into mnemonic codes that are easier to remember and communicate, while maintaining the ability to retrieve the original precise coordinates when needed, thus resolving the contradiction.
2Ease of operation
If physical addresses are used to identify locations, then ease of operation is improved for familiar places, but measurement precision deteriorates due to ambiguity and difficulty in inputting addresses into GPS devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional approach by allowing users to input mnemonic location codes instead of requiring them to input precise addresses or coordinates. The system then resolves these simplified codes into precise location data, flipping the usual direction of translation and making the system more user-friendly while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified copies of location identifiers that capture the essential identifying features of places without requiring complete address information. These copied identifiers serve as proxies for full addresses, maintaining enough information for precise location identification while being much easier to communicate and input.
3Ease of operation
If informal location identifiers are used, then ease of operation is improved for specific places, but measurement precision deteriorates due to confusion and miscommunication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of informal location identifiers by assigning them standardized formats and structures. Informal names are transformed into coded identifiers that follow specific rules, adding structural parameters that reduce ambiguity while preserving the informal, memorable nature of the original identifiers.
4Ease of operation
If QR codes are used for location identification, then ease of operation is improved for scanning, but device complexity increases and adaptability deteriorates as the service only accepts addresses and does not provide simple scanning for directions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal location coding system that can handle multiple types of location identifiers (addresses, coordinates, informal names, landmarks) through a single standardized code format. This multi-functional system can encode and decode various location types, making it adaptable to different situations while maintaining ease of scanning and use.
Data Source
AI summary
A software product for easy-to-use naming, coding, and sharing of locations, including those with no addresses.