Information mapping approaches
Methods, systems and applications for updating, enhancing, organizing, and utilizing geographic maps, for locating points of interest and places of businesses, or POI's. Embodiments provide a method for collecting geo-coordinate data on POIs by eliciting participation of the business owners or designated employees to identify the specific locations of POI's on a map; a map program which synchronizes to a centralized database where POI and other more frequently changing and time-dependent map information is downloaded to individual users; a map program, where in addition to the standard contact information, “qualitative” information and website links are included in an POI information box to aid in pre-qualifying a POI before selection and in booking a reservation; a method for locating markers on an Internet-based search engine map; and an improved contact management system that allows locations of contacts to be viewed on a map while minimizing address geocoding.
1. A method comprising:
providing first and second point of interest data sets
receiving update data with respect to said first and second point of interest data sets to create first and second updated point of interest data sets;
selectively providing, through the Internet, for display on a plurality of maps, to a plurality of map display programs, said first or second updated point of interest data sets;
wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first or second updated point of interest data set comprises qualitative data.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the qualitative data comprises data that is other than a name of a point of interest indicated by the first updated point of interest data, an address of the point of interest, a Web address of the point of interest, and a telephone number of the point of interest.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the qualitative data includes a rating of a point of interest indicated by the first updated point of interest data, a description that is provided by a representative of the point of interest, or seasonal information.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first or second update data set indicates new geographical coordinates for a point of interest indicated by the first point of interest data, a different address of the point of interest, a new name of the point of interest, a telephone number of the point of interest, or a Web address of the point of interest.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing said first or second updated point of interest data comprises providing said first updated point of interest for display on a handheld device.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing said first or second updated point of interest data comprises providing said first updated point of interest for display on an in-vehicle navigation system.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to receiving the first update data:
receiving, from a client device, a request for the first point of interest data set,
in response to receiving the request, sending the first point of interest data set to the client device for display on a map;
after creating the first updated point of interest data set, sending the first updated point of interest data to the client device for display on the map.
9. A system comprising:
a first system that is configured to:
provide, an internet network database of point of interest data;
provide, to at least two different third parties, access to update data with respect to particular point of interests in said internet network database of point of interest data to create updated, particular point of interest data; and
selectively send the updated, particular point of interest data from said internet network database of point of interest data over a network to a plurality of programmed computers; and
each of said plurality of programmed computers is configured to:
provide a plurality of sets of point of interest data for display on a first map;
receive, from the first system, the updated, particular point of interest data that pertains to a particular set of point of interest data;
display a second map comprising said updated, particular set of point of interest data.
10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the updated, particular point of interest data comprises third party qualitative updates.
11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the third party qualitative updates comprise data that is other than a name of a point of interest indicated by the particular point of interest data, an address of the point of interest, a Web address of the point of interest, and a telephone number of the point of interest.
12. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the third party qualitative updates includes a rating of a point of interest indicated by the particular point of interest data, a description that is provided by a representative of the point of interest, or seasonal information.
13. The system according to claim 9 , wherein one or more updates to the particular point of interest data indicate new geographical coordinates for a point of interest indicated by the particular point of interest data, a different address of the point of interest, a new name of the point of interest, a telephone number of the point of interest, or a Web address of the point of interest.
14. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the programmed computer is a handheld device.
15. The system according to claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of programmed computers is part of an in-vehicle navigation system.
16. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the first system is further configured to:
prior to creating the updated, particular point of interest data:
receive, from a second of the plurality of programmed computers, a request for data with respect or a particular point of interest,
in response to receiving the request, send the data with respect to a particular point of interest to the second of the plurality of programmed computers for display on a map;
after creating the updated, particular point of interest data, send the updated, particular point of interest data to the second of the plurality of programmed computers for display on the map.
17. The method of claim 5 , wherein said update data is received from a business owner, a manager or an advertiser.
18. The system of claim 13 wherein a third-party comprises a business owner, a manager or an advertiser.