High resolution tracking of mobile assets
A system and method for describing local area geo-reference features and landmarks in providing high resolution asset location information. Geo-image data is integrated to a mapping application and geo-reference data to add more detailed scale levels to the map. The geo-image data includes geo-images and its features to provide more detailed references to the asset and support the larger references of the geo-reference data. To describe a geo-reference landmark, an original landmark representation is selected with a center point and a radius. The asset location points located at the original landmark representation are compiled along with the asset location points generated by events occurring at the landmark to create a point set. The point set replaces the original landmark representation when a prescribed number of points is reached. The asset location points that are within a specified distance from any of the points in the point set are added to the point set to complete the landmark representation. The geo-image data and landmark representation data are combined to provide high resolution asset location information.
1. A method for representing a landmark comprising the steps of:
(a) creating an original landmark representation having a center point and a radius;
(b) selecting asset location points that are within the original landmark representation to create a set of asset location points;
(c) adding asset location points that are generated by events occurring at the landmark to the set of asset location points; and
(d) replacing the original landmark representation with the set of asset location points when a minimum number of points is obtained.
2. A method as in claim 1 further comprising excluding duplicate asset location points from the set of asset location points.
3. A method as in claim 1 further comprising the step of adding asset location points that are within a specified distance of any of the points in the set of asset location points to the set of asset location points.
4. A method as in claim 1 further comprising the step of repeating (a) to (d) until the minimum number of points is obtained.
5. A method as in claim 1 wherein a user can edit the set of asset location points.
6. A method as in claim 1 wherein the landmark is a parking lot or a shipping yard.
7. A method for providing location references comprising the steps of:
providing geo-reference data, geo-image data, and landmark representation data;
integrating the geo-reference data, geo-image data and landmark representation data by:
(a) creating an original landmark representation having a center point and a radius;
(b) selecting asset location points that are within the original landmark representation to create a set of asset location points;
(c) adding asset location points that are generated by events occurring at the landmark to the set of asset location points; and
(d) replacing the original landmark representation with the set of asset location points when a minimum number of points is obtained.
8. A method as in claim 7 further comprising the step of adding asset location points that are within a specified distance of any of the points in the set of asset location points to the set of asset location points.
9. A method as in claim 7 further comprising the step of comparing the geo-image data and landmark representation data to accurately represent a reference.
10. A method as in claim 9 wherein the landmark representation data is used to update references in the geo-image data.
11. A system for representing a landmark comprising:
a database server providing asset location points;
a processor;
a computer readable medium; and
a computer program executed by the processor to represent a landmark comprising the steps of:
(a) creating an original landmark representation having a center point and a radius;
(b) selecting asset location points that are within the original landmark representation to create a set of asset location points;
(c) adding asset location points that are generated by events occurring at the landmark to the set of asset location points; and
(d) replacing the original landmark representation with the set of asset location points when a minimum number of points is obtained.
12. A method as in claim 11 wherein the computer program further comprising the step of adding asset location points that are within a specified distance of any of the points in the set of asset location points to the set of asset location points.