Mapping Short Form Place Names to Geographic Locations

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing computer ecosystems, particularly in mobile devices, face challenges in determining exact locations from short form place names in calendar events, making it difficult to calculate travel time without user input.

Innovation Solution

A system that correlates short form location names from calendar events with actual geographic locations using temporal overlap and confidence measures, associating user information such as maps or directions with the most likely location based on historical data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If short form place names are used in calendar events, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidmeasurement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary system that matches short form place names from calendar events with location data from historical travel records. This intermediary matching process bridges the gap between the simple user input and the precise location information needed for travel time calculation, resolving the contradiction by allowing easy input while achieving precise location identification through correlation algorithms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If automatic location mapping is implemented, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveproductivityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-collecting and storing location information from users' historical travel records before the actual need arises. When a calendar event requires location mapping, the system can quickly query this pre-organized historical data rather than gathering information in real-time, thereby improving productivity while managing complexity through advance preparation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service by automatically performing the location mapping task without requiring user intervention. The correlation algorithm autonomously matches calendar place names with historical location data, calculates confidence measures, and determines the most likely location, freeing the user from manual input while the system handles the complexity internally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If correlation confidence measures are calculated, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidloss of time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by calculating confidence measures only when necessary to resolve ambiguous matches or when the correlation strength falls below a threshold. For clear, unambiguous matches, the system accepts the correlation without extensive confidence calculation, thereby maintaining reliability for critical decisions while reducing time loss in routine cases through selective application of the confidence measurement process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS9792556B2Mapping gathered location information to short form place names using correlations and confidence measures that pertain to lengths of overlaps of location data and calendar data sets

Publication Date: 2017.10.17 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

Using the short form information people tend to use in their calendar locations (not full address or GPS location), machine learning techniques are used to map gathered location information to these short form names.