Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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GLOBAL ADDRESS SYSTEM AND METHOD
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
100011 This disclosure relates to a system, method, and computer-readable
device for
creating a global address code, in particular, a global address code to
provide a uniform
address code for any location in the world and to aid in the delivery of
services or goods.
[0002] Correct addressing is of great importance for enabling the
localization of persons,
objects, companies and other entities. Correct addressing can furthermore
contribute to
environmental planning, give a strong impulse to regional, continental and
global welfare
and facilitate economic, political and social interaction. However, there are
regions in the
world where addressing is underdeveloped or even absent. Postal codes, street
names
and/or house numbers are not provided, not logically structured, and/or not
registered in a
central database. Hence, persons, objects, companies and other entities cannot
be easily
found and mail and packages are not reliably delivered. As a result, mail
carriers refuse to
deliver to unmarked locations that do not currently have an assigned street
address. This
causes unnecessary confusion and can delay the economic development of a
region.
Delivery systems are known which allow for setting a drop-box as an
alternative to an
unclear address. The number and availability of drop-boxes are, however,
simply too
limited.
[0003] Even in locations where government-recognized addresses exist, mail
carriers still
refuse to deliver to certain rural locations. The United States Postal Service
provides
delivery services using either city carriers, rural carriers, or contract
carriers. When a rural
delivery route does not serve a minimum of one family per mile, that delivery
route may
be converted to contract delivery route. But, the contract delivery routes
must still meet a
certain criteria, otherwise the USPS and its contract carriers will not
service that address.
If an address is not on a publicly maintained road, is not kept clear of ice
and snow in the
wintertime, and/or is not less than a half-mile from the carrier's current
line of travel, the
address will not qualify for delivery service. When an address does not
qualify for
delivery service, the affected family, individual, or company must establish a
drop box in
a qualifying location or rent a post office box to receive mail.
[0004] Currently, mail carriers require the use of data networks (e.g.,
the internet or a
cellular data network) to deploy their methods and systems. For example, as
U.S. Pat.
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Publ. No. 2016/0092456 discloses a location identifier as a barcode that
includes, among
other things, a barcode ID, service data, zip code, and grid coordinates. When
the barcode
is scanned, a device must query the Internet to retrieve the grid coordinate
information.
Additional delivery systems and methods, such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,797,104,
disclose
systems and methods where navigation and routing information is also available
from
Internet sites. U.S. Patent No. 8,725,407 describes a mapping system that is
in electronic
communication with other systems/devices over wired or wireless networks. Each
of
these methods explicitly require access to the Internet, a wired, or a
wireless network to
function. None of the systems can operate in rural areas outside a cellular
data network.
[0005] Additionally, local, state, and national government entities
maintain databases that
store information describing a publicly maintained road and transportation
network.
However, the government does not track or store information describing roads,
paths,
trails, etc. that are located in rural areas or are located on private
property. In some
jurisdictions, the government does not keep track of any road or
transportation network
information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] According to a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a
system, method, and
tangible computer-readable device for creating a global address. Specifically,
the present
disclosure provides a system, method, and computer-readable device comprising
a
memory, at least one processor or processing module, and a communications link
capable
of facilitating data transmissions between a remote device associated with a
specific
remote user and the processor or processing module. The system's processor or
processing module are configured to receive account information and location
data,
describing a specific user and a specific global location, respectively. Upon
validating the
received information and data, the processor determines turn-by-turn
navigational data for
the receiving location. The processor is further configured to create a
location code based
at least in part on the received account information, the received location
data, and the
determined navigational data.
[0007] In an embodiment, the present disclosure further provides a method
for requesting
a global address. The method includes sending account information and global
location
data to a remote computer. In an embodiment, the global location data may
include at
least one of longitude, latitude, and altitude of a specific global location.
The method
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further includes receiving a location code from the remote computer. In an
embodiment,
the location code is based at least in part on a combination of the account
information, the
specific global location, and the turn-by-turn navigational data. The location
code may be
encoded into a QR code, printed, and used a physical label. Furthermore, the
encoded
global location and turn-by-turn navigational data may be decoded, even in
rural areas
outside a cellular data network.
[0008] In an embodiment, the account information may include a username
and/or
password. In yet another embodiment, the system, method, and computer-readable
device
may provide an interactive map to a remote user to obtain location data based
on the
user's selection.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The invention will be elucidated on the basis of a number of
exemplary
embodiments shown in the attached schematic drawings, in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is an example computer system useful for implementing
various
embodiments;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of processing nodes and modules,
according to various
embodiments;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process for creating a global
address, according
to an example embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the delivery system with an ordering
section, a
localization section and a delivery section, according to an embodiment of the
invention;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the delivery section of the delivery
system
according to an embodiment;
[0015] FIG. 6A is a schematic comparison between the coverage of a
conventional
addressing system and a delivery system according to an embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 6B is a map illustrating the approximate cellular data
coverage in the United
States;
[0017] FIGS. 6C and 6D depict a network of roads and paths of a rural
geographic area;
and
[0018] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for creating a global
address, according
to an example embodiment.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] As required, a detailed illustrative embodiment of the present
invention is
disclosed herein. However, techniques, systems and operating structures in
accordance
with the present disclosure may be embodied in a wide variety of forms and
modes, some
of which may be quite different from those in the disclosed embodiment.
Consequently,
the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely
representative,
yet in that regard, they are deemed to afford the best embodiment for purposes
of
disclosure and to provide a basis for the claims herein, which define the
scope of the
present invention. The following presents a detailed description of a
preferred
embodiment as well as alternate embodiments such as a simpler embodiment or
more
complex embodiments for alternate devices of the present invention.
[0020] In countries around the world, many geographical addressing systems
have been
created in order to identify or describe a geographic location of a specific
residence,
business, street address, etc. Each country or principality has adopted its
own version of
such geographic addressing systems. For example, in the United States one
generally
identifies/describes a geographic location using a street number, street name,
city, state,
and a zip code that includes up to nine numerical digits. Other countries also
use postal
codes similar to the United States zip code. However, in countries like
Canada, the postal
code may indicate on which side of a residential street a person lives. In the
United
Kingdom, there are at least six valid postcode formats that mix and match
alphanumeric
characters to create an outward code and an inward code. In many countries and
principalities around the world, there are geographic locations that do not
have any type
of addressing system. Rural areas such as areas outside Erbil city in
Kurdistan, Iraq, have
no existing address systems. Thus, in some areas of the world, very complex
addressing
systems are in place, while other portions of the world have no such system at
all.
[0021] In view of the foregoing, there exists a need for an improved
system, method, and
apparatus for creating a globally recognized addressing system. Furthermore,
there exists
a need for an improved system, method, and apparatus to provide navigational
data to
rural or remote locations that are not serviced by a mail carrier and/or are
located in an
area outside a data communications network.
[0022] This disclosure provides a method and system for creating a unique
global address
code for any location in the world. The disclosure further provides a
localization system
for determining or confirming data describing a location, in particular a
delivery location
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for delivery of services or goods, wherein the location can be provided with a
uniform
address or location code and wherein the address or location code comprises
encoded
navigational data that can be decoded without the internet or any assistance
of a data
network.
[0023] For illustrative purposes, embodiments, as provided herein, are
described with
respect to creating a unique global address for locations worldwide. A skilled
artisan
would recognize that the techniques disclosed herein can be applied to other
sorts of
personal and/or entity information.
[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of an exemplary
global addressing
system 100, useful for implementing various embodiments of the present
disclosure. As
will be described in greater detail below, a user may interact with global
addressing
system 100 to create a global address code for a specific global location. As
depicted,
remote device 102 is in electronic communication with at least one computing
system 114
over communications link 112a and at least one printing device 134 over
communications
link 112b. In an embodiment, remote device 102 includes one or more features
to provide
additional functionality. For example, the remote device 102 may include, for
example,
processor 103, global positioning system ("GPS") receiver 104, user interface
106, and
communications port 110. In an embodiment, user interface 106 may further
include user
input/output device(s) 108.
[0025] The computing system 114 likewise includes one or more features to
provide
additional functionality. For example, computing system 114 may include at
least one
processor 116, user interface 124, and communications port 130. In an
embodiment,
processor(s) 116 may additionally include validation module 118, location
module 120,
and global addressing module 128. In an embodiment, user interface 124 may
further
include user input/output device(s) 122. In an embodiment, computing system
114 is in
electronic communication with global address reader 134 over communications
link 112c
and/or at least one database/memory system, i.e., database memory 132a-n over
communications link 112d.
[0026] For purposes of this discussion, the term "module" shall be
understood to include
at least one of software, firmware, and hardware (such as one or more circuit,
microchip,
processor, or device, or any combination thereof), and any combination
thereof. In
addition, it will be understood that each module may include one, or more than
one,
component within an actual device, and each component that forms a part of the
described module may function either cooperatively or independently of any
other
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component forming a part of the module. Conversely, multiple modules described
herein
may represent a single component within an actual device. Further, components
within a
module may be in a single device or distributed among multiple devices in a
wired or
wireless manner. As such, one or more modules may be used alone (or in
combination) to
provide an improved system, method, or apparatus for creating a unique global
address
code for a specific global location.
[0027] Remote device 102 is a remote computing device capable of
interacting with a
remote user. In an embodiment, the remote device may be implemented using a
personal
computer, a laptop computer, a tablet, a smartphone, or other communications
device
capable of communicating with computing system 114 over a communications link.
As
will be discussed in greater detail below, a remote user may interact with
remote device
102 to send demographic and/or geographic data, describing a specific person
or place, to
computing system 114. Further, as will be discussed in greater detail below,
computing
system 114 uses this information to generate a global address describing the
specific
person or global location.
[0028] In an embodiment, remote device 102 includes GPS receiver 104. GPS
receiver
104 may be implemented using either global navigation satellite system (GNSS)
type
receivers or any other GPS receiver capable of providing the remote device's
real-time
location.
[0029] In an embodiment, user interface 106 further includes input/output
device(s) 108.
The input/output device(s) may be used to facilitate interactions between a
user and the
remote device. For example, input/output device(s) include monitors, displays,
keyboards,
pointing devices, joysticks, buttons, touchscreens, graphical user interface
buttons (GUI),
etc., that communicate with a processor through user interface 130. In an
embodiment, a
user may use a keyboard or touchscreen to enter, or alternatively confirm,
demographic
and/or geographic information describing a specific person or global location.
[0030] In an embodiment, computing system 114 further includes memory 128.
Memory
128 is implemented as a main or primary memory, such as random access memory
(RAM). Memory 128 may include one or more levels of cache. The memory may have
stored therein control logic, such as computer software, and/or data. In
additional
embodiments, memory may also include one or more secondary storage devices or
memory such as a hard disk drive and/or a removable storage device or drive.
The
removable storage drive may include a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape
drive, a
compact disk drive, and/or any other storage device/drive.
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100311 In an embodiment, computing system 114 further includes at least
one processor
116. As depicted in FIG. 1, processor 116 further includes validation module
118,
location module 120, global addressing module 122, road detection module 123,
and/or
any other module necessary to perform the functionality described herein. In
additional
embodiments, processor 116 includes only a single module or any modules
contemplated
herein. Each module may be implemented as logic embodied in software,
firmware,
hardware, and/or operating system implementations in order to perform or carry-
out a
desired function. Further, as used herein, a module may also be implemented as
a
collection of software instructions. One or more software instructions in the
modules may
be embedded in firmware, such as in an erasable programmable read only memory
(EPROM). The modules described herein may also be stored in any type of non-
transitory
computer-readable medium or other storage device.
[0032] In an embodiment, the modules are incorporated using a single
computing system
and processor. In other embodiments, the modules are incorporated using more
than one
computing system and/or processor. Referring now to FIG. 2, shown is a non-
limiting
functional block diagram of global addressing system 200, useful for
implementing
various embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, a remote device 202
(such as
remote device 102) is in electronic communication with network 240 through
communications link 212. Network 240 may be comprised of computer systems 214a-
d,
each having at least one processor 216a-d. The processors may send and receive
data
to/from other processors within the network and/or remote device 202 through
communications infrastructure 238. For example, in an embodiment, validation
module
218, located within computing system 214a, communicates with remote device 202
by
transmitting data through communications infrastructure 238 and communications
link
212. In another non-limiting example, location module 220 located within
computing
system 214b, may send and receive data with global address module 222 through
communications infrastructure 238. In another example, road detection module
223
located within computing system 214d, may send and receive data with global
address
module 222 through communications infrastructure 238.
[0033] A network (such as network 240 of FIG. 2) may be implemented as a
wide area
network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN),
or
any other network capable of performing the functionality described herein. As
such, a
communications infrastructure (such as communications infrastructure 238 of
FIG. 2)
may be a wired and/or wireless connection. Further, the communications
infrastructure
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may operate using a communications protocol such as: long term evolution
(LTE), Wi-Fi,
Bluetooth, radio-frequency, first generation (1G) wireless technology, second
generation
(2G) wireless technology, third generation (3G) wireless technology, fourth
generation
(4G) wireless technology, code-division multiple access (CDMA), frequency
division
multiple access (FDMA), generic access network (GAN), global system for mobile
(GSM), or any other network protocol capable of sending and receiving data
between
nodes within a network and/or a remote device. Accordingly, network 240 may
interact
with remote device 202 over communications link 212 using any of the
aforementioned
protocols.
[0034] Various example, non-limiting embodiments, of contemplated
software, firmware,
hardware, and/or operating system modules shall now be discussed.
[0035] A validation module (such as validation module 118 of FIG. 1 or
validation
module 218 of FIG. 2) may provide security functionality. The validation
module may be
used to confirm the identity of the user. For example, in an embodiment, the
user may be
required to create a username and password. In an embodiment, the user may be
required
to confirm his/her identity using a credit card, a duplication of a passport,
or biometric
data such as a thumb print, finger print, or a retina scan. In an additional
embodiment, a
user's social media presence may be used to confirm his/her identity. In
additional
embodiments, the validation module may also track the IP address, location of
the user
device, MAC address of the user device, network specifications including cell
tower or
internet service provider locations, timestamps, and any other data that may
be used to
confirm the location of the user.
[0036] Location module 120 and/or location module 220 may be implemented
to
determine and/or confirm geographic data describing a specific person or
geographic
location. For example, in an embodiment, the location module may generate and
provide
an interactive map to confirm a geographic location of received user input.
The user may
interact with the map to select a location on the map. In an embodiment, the
user may
enter a street address, a city, state, zip code, country, principality or any
other
geographical identifier and the location module will present the location to
the user
through a user interface. The user may then manipulate the map display by
zooming in
and out; by panning up, down, or to any side or angle; by rotating the map
clockwise or
counterclockwise; or any other means for manipulating a map.
[0037] As described above, map vector data may not be available that
describes the road
network. Map vector data, may for example, be a vector-based collection of
geographic
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information system (GIS) data about Earth at various levels of detail. Being a
vector-
based data model, it describes the road network as a connection of geographic
coordinates
(e.g., latitude and longitude), one connected to another. An example, is for
example, is a
Vector Map (VMAP) format, also sometimes called Vector Smart Map. In the U.S.,
the
government collects that information and stores it in a public database
managed by the
National Geospatial Intelligence Area. Often, this information may be manually
reported
to the entity managing the public database. In some areas and countries,
public roads may
built without registering them in a public database. the desired route may
include private
roads that are uncharted. The lack of vector map data presents a great
technical problem
in delivering goods to remote areas.
[0038] Various solutions are presented herein to the technical problem
herein. Even in
cases where vector road map data is unavailable, raster satellite imagery may
be
available. Various approaches are disclosed for determining a route in the
absence of
vector map data.
[0039] First, in an embodiment, the user may place a marker in the exact
spot on a map.
Upon receiving confirmation that the selected global position is correct, the
location
module sends the geographic data to the global address module. In an
embodiment the
interactive map may be a satellite image. The user may be prompted to draw the
delivery
route on the interactive map using a mouse, pointer, touchscreen, or any other
method for
interacting with the map. For example, the user may zoom in on the map to find
an road,
trail, path, waterway, etc., and draw a suggested delivery route. The system
may be
configured to auto-correct a user's input. For example, the system may detect
that a user-
drawn path is drawn on the interactive map within 10 feet of a detected road,
trail,
waterway, etc.
[0040] Second, in another embodiment, location module 218 may determine
vector map
data based on the image data. As mentioned above, the map data may be in
raster format,
describing satellite photographs on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Embodiments may
interpret
these satellite photographs to determine map vector data using computer vision
techniques.
[0041] According to the computer vision techniques applied herein, every
object class
(such as primary, secondary roads) has its own special features that helps in
classifying
the class. Object class detection uses these special features. Road detector
module 123
and/or 223 is configured to detect roads within an images. For example, the
Viola-Jones
detection technique, normally used for face detection, may be applied here to
detect
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roads. The algorithm may comprise four stages: Haar Feature Selection,
creating an
integral image, Adaboost Training, and Cascading Classifiers. Using an object
detection
technique is applied, the pixels of the raster satellite image may be
determined.
[0042] Once the pixels of the raster satellite image are identified, the
latitude and
longitude values corresponding to the pixels may be determined. Then, latitude
and
longitude values are integrated to determine vector map data describing the
missing road
data. In this embodiment, data describing the newly detected road or pathway
is stored in
a database and, in an embodiment, the newly detected road or pathway is
assigned a
unique identifier or name. So, in rural areas where the government does not
track or
maintain a database describing the unnamed or unknown roads and pathways, this
system
is capable of detecting and storing this information.
[0043] Using the vector map data, the location module may determine a
navigational
route via newly detected road(s) or pathway(s). The navigational route may be
determined, for example, by applying a Viterbi algorithm and may include
estimated
traversal times. The determined navigational route may include one or more
roads or
pathways that were previously unnamed, unknown, or did not previously exist in
a
government-maintained database.
[0044] In an embodiment, the location module may be updated to include the
most recent
database and software updates based on updated satellite images, including any
newly
assigned unique identifier data.
[0045] In an exemplary embodiment, a user may enter "Erbil City, Kurdistan
Region,
Iraq." Upon receiving this inquiry, the location module produces a satellite
image of the
city and its surrounding region as retrieved from, for example, an image
database (not
shown). The user may then zoom in and pan the image to a desired location,
such as a
pasture behind his or her own residence using known graphical processing
interfaces or
interactive mapping technology. Upon placing a marker on the map, the location
module
will prompt the user to confirm the location. Upon confirming the location,
the location
module sends the geographic data of the selected location to the global
address module.
[0046] In an embodiment, the location module may also generate recommended
driving,
walking, boating, or cycling instructions/directions. The directions may
originate from a
specific business location in the region, a local airport, bus depot, or any
other common
hub for public transportation. In such an embodiment, the user may be prompted
to
confirm the instructions/directions to the rural delivery location. The user
may also be
prompted to define a more efficient travel route. As an example of such an
embodiment,
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if the user entered the GPS coordinates "47 02'09.4"N 9 00'18.5"E", the
location module
would detect a location near Glarus, Switzerland. Upon confirming the
location, as
described above, the location module would suggest traveling instructions from
a Swiss
Post Office, the Glarus train station, the Zurich International Airport, the
Zurich
HauptBahnhof, or any other transportation hub. Such locations may be
determined, for
example, from a database listing of such hubs identified by coordinates, using
an
algorithm to determine distances between hubs in the database and the GPS
coordinates
entered and then select the hubs having the smallest distance value. The user
would then
either select a suggested travel route or the user may be prompted to draw a
more efficient
route. Based on the user input, the system will determine geographical
coordinates for
drawn path and using the geographical coordinates the system determines
navigational
directions.
[0047] In an embodiment, the navigational directions may also begin at a
known structure
or landmark, such as a religious building, a hospital, a shopping center,
convenience
store, a geological feature, or another known feature that is directly
accessible from a
public transportation network. For example, the first navigational instruction
may instruct
the user to navigate to the known location, and from the known location, begin
traveling
on roads or paths outside the publicly-maintained transportation network.
Based on the
user input, the system will determine geographical coordinates for drawn path
and using
the geographical coordinates the system determines navigational directions.
[0048] In an embodiment, the location module may determine a road, path,
or waterway
network using a road map comprising government recognized roads and a
satellite image
comprising remote and/or rural paths. The network map may be refined and
represented
using a direct graph. The network map is then converted into the global
coordinate, which
is much more convenient for performing navigational tasks than the other types
of
coordinate. Using the global coordinates of the map, the shortest path for
motion is
estimated using a heuristic searching method. In an embodiment where the path
is drawn
by the user, the location module may be configured to adjust the drawn path to
match up
with the network map and/or the remote and rural paths of the satellite image.
The
location module may then assign global coordinates to the drawn path and
determine the
navigational data/instructions.
[0049] Global address module 122 and/or global address module 222 is used
to generate
a specific global address or global address code based on demographic and/or
geographic
data describing a specific person or geographic location. In an embodiment,
the global
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address module receives user input, processes the received embodiment, and
generates
the global address code. In an embodiment, the received user input describes a
specific
global location. The user input describing a specific location may include at
least one of:
a nationally recognized street address, residential or commercial property,
business name,
resident name, longitude, latitude, and altitude. In an embodiment, the global
address
module may receive specific location data from the location module. In an
additional
embodiment, the specific location data may be received from the user directly.
The
generated global address code will be discussed in greater detail below, with
reference to
FIGs. 3 and 7.
[0050] Database/Memory 132a-n and/or Database/Memory 232a-n may be
implemented
within network 240 to provide additional storage space. In an embodiment,
Database/Memory 132a-n and/or Database/Memory 232a-n may be configured to
store a
list of roads, paths, trails, riverbed, abandoned railway, or other
navigational landmarks
that may be useful in navigating from one location to another location in a
rural, remote,
nomadic, or adventure location. In embodiments where the road, path, trail,
etc., is not a
government-recognized or publicly-maintained byway, the database may be
configured to
assign a unique name or identifier for each road, path, trail, or landmark.
[0051] For example, the location module, as described above, may determine
navigational directions that follow a mountainous trail that begins near a
unique
geological formation. The determined navigational direction may include
specific
directions to the geological formation and then changing course by traveling
east, 100
meters after the unique rock formation. In such an embodiment, the system will
assign the
turn, e.g., fork, in the path and/or the geological formation a unique name or
identifier and
store data describing the fork and/or rock formation in Database/Memory 132a-n
and/or
Database/Memory 232a-n. The same process may be performed in areas where a
new,
unnamed, road is created or a new delivery location is requested. In an
embodiment, the
unique name or identifier may be one or more descriptive words, a global
position
describing the location, or a series of alphanumeric characters.
[0052] Assigning and storing data describing areas where a new, unnamed,
road is
created or for other landmarks offers at least three benefits not offered by
current systems
and methods. First, the disclosed method provides more clear and accurate
navigational
data/instructions based on the roads, paths, and landmarks not tracked or
otherwise
known. Second, the disclosed method provides a solution for areas or
jurisdictions that do
not track or maintain data describing a rural road or transportation network.
Third, by
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creating and storing unique identifiers for the new roads or other landmarks,
the amount
of data to be encoded into a QR code is reduced.
[0053] In an embodiment, the Database and Memory systems may also store
code words
for commonly-used directions. For example, for a navigational direction "turn
right at the
next intersection," the system may store an acronym such as "tratni" or it may
be assigned
an alphanumeric code such as "tr4." Employing code words may reduce the amount
of
data required to encode and decode the navigational data. Further, the systems
used to
encode and decode the QR codes, as described herein, may be configured to
store a list of
commonly-used directions in local memory.
[0054] Various example, non-limiting embodiments, of contemplated global
address
creation methods shall now be discussed.
[0055] FIG. 3 illustrates method 300, a method for creating a global
address using the
global addressing systems illustrated in FIGs 2 and 3, as described above. At
step 342, the
system receives a request for a global address from a remote user.
[0056] At step 344, the system determines whether to use the remote user's
current
location or a different location. This determination may be performed by
prompting the
remote user to select a "use current location" option and/or based on the
information
received at step 342. For example, the information received at step 342 may
indicate that
the user's current location is to be used. Such information may include a
checkbox,
graphical user interface, web-form, or saved preferences based on a user
account
indicating the remote user's selection.
[0057] At step 346, the system determines whether GPS data is available.
If the GPS data
is available, the system advances to step 350, where it is determined that the
remote
device is associated with the remote user. Step 350 will be discussed in
greater detail
below. If the GPS data is not available, the system may prompt the remote user
to turn on
the device's GPS system (not shown) or the system may automatically advance to
step
348.
[0058] At step 348, the system prompts the user for demographic and/or
geographic
information to be used in creating a global address and/or a user account.
Demographic
data may include: first name, last name, age, gender, household information,
etc.
Geographic information may include: current street address (when possible),
zip code
(when possible), global latitude, global longitude, elevation, or any other
information that
may be used to identify a specific global location. In an embodiment, step 348
may
further include providing an interactive map where the user may place a map
indicator
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over the specific global location. In an embodiment, the interactive map will
assist the
system in determining the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the indicated
location.
[0059] At step 352, the system receives the information from the remote
user. In an
embodiment, step 352 may further include checking the received data for
errors. For
example, if the received information provides a global location that is on a
mountain top,
in the ocean, or another uninhabitable place, the system may return to step
348. In an
embodiment, the system may confirm that the mountain top, ocean, or other
inhabitable
place is indeed the intended delivery location, and advances to the next step.
[0060] Returning now to step 350, the received data may include latitude,
longitude,
altitude, or any other data point that may indicate the global position of the
device. In an
embodiment, the system may use a cellular network, wifi network, or any other
type of
data network to triangulate the location of the remote device in order to
determine the
global position of the remote user and the remote device.
[0061] At step 354, the system provides a map for the user indicating the
received
geographic location. For example, if the user entered the latitude: 77
03'50.4"W and
longitude: 38 48'04.2"N, the map will display a map indicator at the United
States Patent
and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. If the user entered the
latitude:
43 57'23.6"E and longitude: 36 14'00.9"N, the may will display a map indicator
at the
Erbil International Airport in Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq.
[0062] At step 356, the system will prompt the user to confirm the
accuracy of the map
indicator placed on the map provided at step 354. If the indicator is not
placed correctly,
the system will return to step 348. If the indicator accurately depicts the
specific location,
the system advances to step 358.
[0063] At step 358, the system creates the global address based on the
received latitude,
longitude, and altitude. The global address may be created in the form of at
least one of a
barcode, a matrix barcode, a quick response code ("QR code"), or a machine-
readable
optical label. In an embodiment, the location code may define a shape, based
on a feature
of the remote location. For example, in an embodiment where the system creates
a QR
code for a location within Kenya, the QR code may define a shape of the
letters "KE." Or,
where the system creates a QR code for a location within Iraq, the QR code may
define a
shape of the letters "IQ." Or in an additional embodiment, where the system
creates a QR
code for a location within the Netherlands, the QR code may define the shape
of the
geographic boundaries of the country. In additional embodiments, the global
address may
also be created and encoded onto a magnetic stripe, an embeddable EMV chip, a
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proximity card, a smart card (i.e., any card that has a microprocessor within
the card
configured to send and receive data with a card reader), a contact card that
has a memory
chip embedded therein, a contactless card configured to wirelessly transmit
data, or an
RFID chip.
[0064] In embodiments where the global address is created in the form of a
QR code, the
QR code may be created using one or more QR codes of the same or different
sizes. The
QR code size may range from 21 pixels by 21 pixels up to 177 pixels by 177
pixels. As
used herein, the term pixel refers to the black and while squares that define
a single
square, or QR-code pixel, of a QR code. In some instances a single QR-code
pixel may
require more than one electronic-display pixel to render the QR-code pixel,
based on the
screen configuration and/or other display settings of the electronic device
used to render
the QR code.
[0065] The QR code may be created using at least one encoding mode. The
encoding
modes may include, for example: numeric mode, which may contain up to 7,089
characters; alphanumeric mode, which may contain up to 4,296 characters; byte
mode,
which may contain up to 2,953 characters; and/or kanji mode, which may contain
up to
1,817 characters. The QR codes may be encoded using the Reed-Solomon error
correction method, which creates error correction code words based on the
encoded data.
A QR-code reader may use the Reed-Solomon error codes to determine whether the
data
has been read (by the code reader) correctly. If it is determined (by the code
reader) that
the data has not been read correctly, the Reed-Solomon code words may be used
to
correct the data errors. Accordingly, the global address may be encoded into
QR codes
having error correction capabilities ranging from 7-30%, based on the desired
accuracy,
available data, or other factors. Exemplary methods for creating a QR code are
illustrated
in Figure 7 and are disclosed in greater detail below.
[0066] As described above, in areas without mobile access, a
latitude/longitude location
included in a QR code may be of little help. This is because the route
information still
needs to be determined. And, a mobile device may be unable to determine the
route
without map vector data. Local map vector databases may be available, but they
may take
up too much memory, and may be difficult to be up-to-date.
[0067] To deal with the technical problems of lack of memory, lack of
connectivity, and
lack of up-to-date data, embodiments may encode the complete route
information, from
start to destination, in a QR code. That is, in an embodiment, the system is
capable of
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encoding a complete set of navigational data and route information into a QR
code, such
that the system may later decode the information when outside a data network.
[0068] An example of route information that may be decoded, from one or
more QR
codes, without a network connection, includes an ordered set of navigational
instructions.
An example of an ordered set of navigational instructions is: (1) drive the
vehicle East,
5.2 km past the known hospital; (2) turn right on the unmarked road located at
a specific
GPS coordinate; (3) follow the unmarked road to the mosque having a green
dome; (4)
walk West 100 meters up the hill to the third row of unmarked houses; and (5)
deliver the
package at the blue door, which is the third door on the right.
[0069] As described above, a QR code only has a very limited about of
space. To deal
with that technical problem, the route information may be compressed so the
information
encoded uses fewer bits than the original representation of the data..
Compression, as
described herein, can be either lossless (inexact) or lossy (exact)
compression. Lossless
compression reduces bits by identifying and eliminating statistical
redundancy. No
information is lost in lossless compression. Lossy compression reduces bits by
removing
unnecessary or less important information.
[0070] Examples of lossless compression techniques include: Lempel¨Ziv
(LZ)
compression, DEFLATE compression which is a variation on LZ optimized for
decompression speed and compression ratio, Lempel¨Ziv¨Welch (LZW) compression,
and other LZ methods that use a table-based compression model where table
entries are
substituted for repeated strings of data. In such embodiments, this
compression table is
generated dynamically from earlier data in the input. The table itself is
often Huffman
encoded. Additional examples of lossless compression include Zip (on systems
using
Windows operating system), Stufflt (on Apple systems), and gzip (on systems
running
UNIX).
[0071] At step 360, the system stores the created global address in at
least one database
and/or memory device.
[0072] At step 362, the system provides the global address to the remote
user. In an
embodiment, the system provides the global address in a printable format, so
the remote
user can print the global address onto a printable medium, including: paper, a
sticker, a
box, a business card, a plastic card, or any other medium that may be used to
ship a letter,
parcel, or package, or a printable medium that may alternatively be affixed to
a letter,
parcel, or package. In an additional embodiment, the global address may be
provided to
the user in a sharable electronic format such as a picture, image, pdf, or
other medium
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commonly used to share images. In additional embodiments, the system may be
configured to transfer/encode the global address to a card having a magnetic
stripe, an
embeddable EMV chip, a contact card that has a memory chip embedded therein, a
contactless card configured to wirelessly transmit data, and/or an RFID chip.
In such
embodiments, the card may have a shape that resembles a business card or a
credit card.
[0073] Various example, non-limiting embodiments of delivery systems that
use the
contemplated global address shall now be discussed.
[0074] FIGs. 4 and 5 show delivery systems 400 and 500, respectfully, for
delivery of
services and goods using a global address according to embodiments. Delivery
system
400 comprises an ordering section 464 for ordering of goods and services, and
a
localization section 490 for choosing or determining a desired delivery
location.
[0075] The ordering section 464 is a part of a web site, an application,
or a mobile
application (an "app") which is offered by a supplier of services and/or
goods. For
example, the website or app may be offered by a shipping company and/or a
parcel
service. The ordering section 464 is provided with an interface which is
reachable by the
intended recipient of the services and goods, in most cases a consumer. As an
alternative,
the interface may also form part of an internal ordering system of a supplier
of the
services or goods. The interface comprises representation and input for
obtaining and
inputting data about the desired service or the desired goods. Furthermore,
the ordering
section 464 is electronically coupled to the localization system 490, over
network link
488, for inputting data, such as a street name 472, a postal code 476 and/or a
house
number 474, if available. Additionally, the option can be provided to
designate a drop-
box 478. The ordering section 464 is further provided with input fields 480a-n
for the
input of coordinates, preferably GPS coordinates, an interactive map 482 for
manually
marking a delivery location, or a localization module 484 for retrieving the
current
location of the recipient. The current location of the recipient can be
retrieved, for
example, on the basis of the current location of a mobile device 486, such as
a telephone,
tablet or laptop. The localization module 484, for example, comprises
instructions for
communicating with the software of the mobile device 486 to obtain data about
the
current location of the mobile device. The mobile device can, for example,
establish the
current location from triangulation with nearby cell towers or on the basis of
a GPS
module in mobile device 486. Applications using data about the current
location of a
mobile device are categorized as 'Location Based Services' (LB S).
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[0076] The input location data or location data that has been otherwise
generated are
transmitted, over network link 488, to the localization system 490 during or
after
finalizing the order. The localization system 490 is provided with processing
and/or
conversion software 492 for processing, interpreting and/or converting the
location data
about the delivery location into a predetermined data format and a storage
medium for
storing the location data in a database structure. In an embodiment, the
predetermined
data format is constructed from a group of components comprising: XY
coordinates
(496a-n) which are indicative of the longitude and latitude of the desired
delivery
location, a Z coordinate (496a-n) that is indicative for the height,
preferably above sea
level, at which the delivery location is located and furthermore, if
available, an indication
of a name, an indication of a street, an indication of a house number, an
indication of a
place, postal code, province and/or country, and optionally special remarks
about the
delivery location. The location data is digitally coupled to or stored with
the data about
the order. If so desired, the location data can be converted into a compact
location code
494 and visualized on a screen or offered for printing on a label which can be
applied to
the product that is to be delivered.
[0077] FIG. 5 illustrates delivery system 500. Indeed, the logistics chain
according to
FIG. 5 is relatively simple up to a local warehouse 598 that is located in an
area with
recognized, conventional addressing. The delivery up to this point can take
place with the
delivery system according to the invention as well as conventionally, based on
street
name, postal code and house number. From the warehouse 598 onwards, delivery
is
executed based on the stored location data. More specifically, from that point
on, the
delivery may occur outside a publicly-maintained road or transportation
network. The
delivery system comprises a navigation system 501 with a scanner 503 for
scanning a
location code 505, or an interface for inputting digitally provided or printed
location data
(not shown). The navigation system 500 in this example is a GPS based
navigation
system.
[0078] The navigation system 500 can be provided using any means of
transportation, for
example and without limitation: a truck, a car, a bicycle, a quad-copter, a
drone, a pack
animal, boat, canoe, or any other method for delivering/retrieving a
passenger, patient,
customer, package, or parcel. The navigation system 500 is not limited to
navigation via
registered roads, but can also provide assistance when navigating over trails,
pathways,
and waterways to coordinates, such as the XYZ coordinates. When delivering at
heights
(the Z coordinate), for example in a multi-level building 507, delivery to a
designated
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location in the lobby, on the roof 511, or a mountainous location is also
possible. Use can
also be made of a drop-box 509, 513.
[0079] Communication of the location data between the ordering section,
the localization
system and the delivery system is preferably executed via secure connections.
Furthermore, the database structure is protected against intrusions by
unauthorized third
parties. This ensures the privacy of the involved parties. If so desired, the
localization
system could, however, allow for selective data exchange. For example, in
return for a
fee, data may be provided to third parties for the purpose of marketing goals
or
governmental goals.
[0080] In an alternative embodiment, the processing and/or conversion
software of the
localization system is arranged for checking the input or obtained location
data based on
the predetermined preconditions, and is further arranged for providing a
notification of
rejection to the ordering section 464 in the case that the location data does
not meet the
preconditions. A precondition can, for example, be a limited geographical
delivery area,
such as based on series or ranges of allowed and excluded XY coordinates or
excluded
places, postal codes, provinces or country indications. For example, if the XY
coordinates
indicate an area within a warzone, the system may reject such an address
designation.
[0081] In a more general application of the invention, the processing
and/or conversion
software is arranged for assigning the input or obtained location to a person,
a company,
or a delivery location for a limited period of time. The period of time is,
for example, a
given number of days, weeks or months. During this period, the person or
company can
use the assigned location for purposes such as the aforementioned delivery of
goods
and/or services, or other purposes. After expiration of the limited duration,
the assigned
location is unassigned or deleted. In an embodiment, the system may maintain
records of
the username, password, and/or confirmed identity of the user associated with
the
location. As an additional security measure and to ensure lawful conduct/use
of the global
address systems described herein, global address and identity information may
be shared
with local law enforcement agencies.
[0082] In a further embodiment of the invention, the processing and/or
conversion
software of the localization system is arranged for converting the input or
obtained
location data to a easily readable format, for example a code 505 with text or
visual
elements. In particular, the processing and/or conversion software is arranged
for at least
partially converting the XY coordinates and optionally the Z coordinate to a
code 505
from which the continent, the country, the province and/or place associated
with said
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coordinates can be easily read. The code 505 then comprises at least a first
component
which enables delivery with the use of a GPS based navigation system, for
example with
a part of or the entire XY coordinates, and a second component which indicates
continent,
country, province and/or place. In this manner, a global, universal postal
code can be
obtained. The second component is derived by the processing and/or conversion
software
from the given XY coordinates by comparing these coordinates with known series
or
ranges of coordinates for certain continents, countries, provinces and/or
places.
[0083] As schematically shown in FIG. 6A, the coverage area of the
localization system
and the delivery system is enlarged by using the XY coordinates according to
the
invention, such that locations can be unambiguously determined in cities 601,
as well as
towns 603, rural areas 605, tribal areas (not shown), and nomad or adventurous
locations
607. In particular, the comparison is made between a first series of coverages
609 for the
aforementioned areas when using conventional addressing based on street names
and
house numbers, and a series of coverages 611 when using the delivery system
and the
localization system according to the invention. As used herein, a rural area
is an area
having less than one household, or delivery location, per square mile and/or
an area that is
not within a data network. Tribal areas, as used herein, are geographic
regions having
autonomous, or semi-autonomous, tribal leadership and may have tribal rules.
Also, as
used herein, nomad and adventurous locations are permanent or temporary
locations that
are not directly accessible from a publicly maintained road, are not kept
clear of ice and
snow in the wintertime, and/or are located more than a half-mile from a
publicly
maintained road or existing mail route. Examples of nomad an adventure
locations may
include a farm house or barn, a cabin in a mountainous location, a shepherd
encampment,
a base camp, an oil rig, or any other similar location.
[0084] FIG. 6B illustrates an approximation of data network coverage of
the United
States. The regions of the map that are shaded illustrate geographic areas
where cellular
data networks are available. The unshaded regions of the map illustrate
geographic areas
where no cellular data networks are available. As described herein, the
unshaded areas are
rural areas. Users living in, or otherwise visiting, such rural areas cannot
simply use a
cellular device to look up directions for traveling from one place to another,
or for finding
their way after becoming lost.
[0085] FIGS. 6C and 6D illustrate additional examples or a rural area, as
described
herein. More specifically, FIG. 6C illustrates a road map for a populated
area. As shown,
only the main roads are marked with a name and several minor roads or paths
are
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unmarked and/or unnamed. FIG. 6D is a satellite image of the same geographic
location
that is illustrated in FIG. 6C. As shown, the network of unmarked and/or
unnamed roads
or paths service a densely populated area. Because none of the dwellings have
a
government-recognized house number and because the unnamed roads are not
publicly
maintained, FIGS. 6C and 6D depict a rural area. The figures have been
annotated with
reference numbers for ease of discussion below.
[0086] FIG. 7 illustrates method 700, a method for creating a global
address in the form
of a QR code, as described above. At step 702, the system receives at least
one text string
describing navigational directions from a first location to a second location.
The received
text string might comprise one or more navigational directions: "3km east to
red roof
church turn west," "follow riverbed to falls turn north," or "from [GPS
Location A] travel
lkm to [GPS Location B] following dirt path." As described above, the input
text may
include a commonly-used navigational direction. For example, the for the
navigational
direction "turn left on the path in 100 meters," the input text may read
"tlop100m."
[0087] At step 704, the system analyzes the received text string(s) to
determine a mode
for the QR code. As described above, the QR code standard has four modes for
encoding
text: numeric, alphanumeric, byte, and Kanji. Each mode encodes the text as a
string of
bits, but each mode uses a different method for converting the text into bits.
If the input
string only consists of decimal digits (0 through 9), the system will select
numeric mode.
Alphanumeric mode is selected for input strings having decimal digits 0
through 9, as
well as uppercase letters (not lowercase) and symbols $ (dollar symbol), %
(percent
symbol), * (asterisk), + (addition symbol), - (dash or subtract symbol), .
(period), /
(slash), : (colon), and a blank space. Byte mode is used when an alphanumeric
character
that can be encoded in ISO 8859-1 and is not included in the list above. If
all of the
characters are in the Shift JIS character set, use Kanji mode. The
alphanumeric mode
would be selected for three example directions provided above, but in an
embodiment, the
directions will include numbers only, where specific number sequences encode
words like
East, turn, km, etc. In such embodiments, the numeric mode could be used, so
long as the
system hardware components are configured to decode the number sequences.
[0088] At step 706, the system determines the amount of data required for
the QR code
based on the input text string and the determined mode. As provided above,
each of the
modes have different data requirements: numeric mode may contain up to 7,089
characters per QR code; alphanumeric mode may contain up to 4,296 characters;
byte
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mode may contain up to 2,953 characters per QR code; and kanji mode may
contain up to
1,817 characters per QR code.
[0089] At step 708, the system determines the smallest or minimum size (or
version) for
the QR code. As described above, the result of this step is a string of bits
that is split up
into data code words that are each 8-bits long. The QR code size may range
from 21
pixels by 21 pixels up to 177 pixels by 177 pixels. Because the QR code may be
implemented or printed on an envelope, package, business card, paper, etc.,
the system
may be configured to select the smallest QR code to fit the received input
text string. In
an embodiment, the system may determine that more than one QR code is
necessary to
encode the received input text. In such instances, the multiple QR codes may
create
different size (version) QR codes or they multiple QR codes may be created
using the
same size (version).
[0090] At step 710, the system determines which error correction level
will be used. As
explained above, the global address may be encoded into QR codes having error
correction values ranging from 7-30%, based on the desired accuracy, available
data, or
other factors. Higher levels of error correction, i.e., more code words to
ensure better
accuracy, requires more data. For example, in a QR code to be encoded to
version 40
(177 x 177 pixels) using alphanumeric mode, the input text string can include
up to 4,296
characters with a 7% error correction value or up to 1,852 characters with a
30% error
correction value. The system may determine the error correction value based on
the
available block spaces in the determined minimum size. In an embodiment, the
system
may be configured to select a specified error correction value. For example,
the system
may automatically select a 30% error correction value to ensure the most
accuracy.
[0091] At step 712, the system converts the input text string, error
correction code words,
a character count indicator, any padding bits, and/or any encryption keys into
8-bit code
words and further assigns the 8-bit code words into blocks of data. The system
may
further assign the blocks of data into groups of blocks. For example, in an
embodiment, a
first block of data may contain 16 8-bit code words and a second block of data
may
contain an additional 16 8-bit code words. Group 1, may comprise the first and
second
blocks of data, thus comprising 32 8-bit code words. Returning to the example
text strings
provided above, the system will convert each character of each direction into
8-bit binary
code words.
[0092] At step 714, the system determines the number, size, and placement
of one or
more finder patterns, separator patterns, alignment patterns, timing patterns,
and dark
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blocks within a QR-code matrix (the "standard patterns"). Finder patterns are
square
patterns placed in one or more of the corners of the QR code. For example,
finder patterns
may be placed at the top left corner, top right corner, and bottom left corner
of the QR
code. The separator patterns are areas of whitespace that abut the finder
patterns.
Alignment patterns are similar to finder patterns, but smaller, and are placed
throughout
the code. The number and position of the alignment patterns are determined
based on QR
code version (size). Larger QR codes require more alignment patterns. Timing
patterns
are dotted lines that connect the finder patterns. Dark blocks are a single
black blocks that
may be placed beside the bottom left finder pattern.
[0093] At step 716, the system adds one or more of the standard patterns
(finder patterns,
separator patterns, alignment patterns, timing patterns, and dark blocks) to
the QR-code
matrix.
[0094] At step 718, the system adds, or places, the data bits starting at
the bottom-right of
the matrix and proceeding upward in a column that is two blocks wide. As
described
above, the code words, describing the input text, have been converted into
binary form.
Blocks representing binary zero (or null) are shaded white, whereas blocks
representing
binary one are shaded black or any other color that is distinguishable from
white. When
the first two-module column is encoded to the top of the column, a second two-
module
column, immediately to the left of the first column and places the blocks from
top to
bottom. Whenever the current column reaches the edge of the matrix, the system
moves
on to the next two-module column and changes direction. That is, if the system
placed the
blocks from top-to-bottom in the previous column, the system will place the
blocks from
bottom-to-top in the next column. When a finder pattern, separator pattern,
alignment
pattern, timing pattern, and/or dark module is encountered, the data bit is
placed in the
next unused location within the QR-code matrix. When a timing pattern is
reached, the
system will continue placing the blocks in the column to the left of the
timing pattern. No
column should overlap the timing pattern.
[0095] At step 720, the system determines whether any additional data
masking, bit-
flipping, or an encryption scheme should be applied. A mask pattern changes
which
blocks are dark and which are light according to a particular rule. The
purpose of this step
is to modify the QR code to make it easier for a QR code reader to scan and to
improve
scan accuracy and/or to obfuscate the encoded data. If a module in the QR code
is
"masked," this means that if it is a light module, based on the code word, it
should be
changed to a dark module. Alternatively, if the module is a dark module, it
should be
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changed to a light module. Masking simply means to toggle the color of the
module.
Masking is only applied to code words (data blocks and error-code blocks) and
are not
applied to finder patterns, separator patterns, alignment patterns, timing
patterns, and/or
dark blocks. An encryption scheme, e.g., a hash function, may be applied to
further
scramble the bits/blocks so a third party cannot scan the code, only optical
scanners that
are configured to decode the specific encryption techniques. The resulting
global address
QR code includes the encoded text input strings that can be decoded without
the aid or the
interne or another data network.
[0096] At step 722, the system performs the determined data masking, bit-
flipping, or
encryption scheme to the QR-code matrix and finalizes the QR-code.
[0097] The ability to decode the input text strings, i.e., the
navigational data, is an
improvement over conventional techniques. Currently, when a person encounters
a QR
code, using a smartphone or other similar device, the user may scan the QR
code.
However, to access the content of the QR code, the device is directed to an
interne site or
must otherwise download content using a cellular data network or some other
internet
interface. In rural, remote, nomadic, or adventure locations, there is no way
for a user to
access the interne to retrieve the desired information. The current methods
and systems
overcome that technological problem because the comprehensive navigational
instructions are encoded into the QR code and can be decoded without requiring
a data
connection, so long as the user has a compatible QR-code scanner.
[0098] Various example, non-limiting embodiments, of methods for
implementing the
disclosed methods and systems shall now be discussed.
[0099] In an embodiment, a user may access the system, using the interne
or any other
type of data network, and request a global address QR code to ship a package
to a remote,
rural, nomadic, or adventure location that is located outside of current mail
carrier
coverage, a location that is not accessible using publicly-maintained
roadways, and/or a
location that is outside a cellular data network. In an embodiment, such as
the
embodiment depicted in FIG. 6D, the user may draw a desired delivery route on
the map.
After the system creates a QR code, using the methods described herein, the
requesting
user may print the created QR code and affix the global address QR code to the
package.
The package may be shipped using conventional methods, e.g., FedEx, USPS, UPS,
etc.,
to a warehouse, such as warehouse 598 as illustrated in FIG. 5. At the
warehouse, the
global address QR code affixed to the package is scanned using an optical
scanner. In
embodiments where the global address has been encoded onto a card, the global
address
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may be decoded using magnetic stripe reader, an EMV chip reader, an RFID
reader, or
any other system configured to decode the global address. Without the aid or
the internet
or any other cellular data network, the optical scanner/reader decodes the
global address
QR code and determines the navigational directions for delivering the package
to the
specified location. The delivering user, may then coordinate delivery to the
location. The
delivery method may be selected by the requesting user, by the system, or by
the
delivering user at the warehouse. The delivery method may be selected based on
the
terrain, location, distance, local laws, or other factors that may affect
delivery.
[0100] As described above, publicly-maintained roads may be used for at
least a portion
of the delivery and the encoded navigational instructions may begin at a known
landmark.
For example, both delivery routes illustrated in FIG. 6D begin at a hospital
612 and end at
either delivery location 614 or delivery location 622. However, the delivering
user may
only travel on publicly-maintained roads until the user reaches intersections
616 and/or
618. Beyond those intersections, the roads and/or paths are no longer named
and are no
longer publicly-maintained. Using conventional methods (i.e., named roads and
house
numbers), the delivering user would be unable to travel any further. Without
road names,
road signs, house numbers, and without a cellular data connection, the
delivering user
would not have a reference point to gauge progress or to make the correct turn-
by-turn
steps. The delivering user may easily become lost and disoriented which is
inefficient and
costly.
[0101] Using the methods described herein, when the delivering user
reaches the end of
the publicly-maintained roadway at intersections 616 and/or 618, the user may
again scan
the QR code. At intersection 618, the delivering user has at least six dirt
paths to choose
from, if the wrong path is chosen, the user may become lost. However, the QR
code
contains an instruction to turn north-west onto a dirt path and travel toward
GPS location
36 09'53.2N 43 58'10.1"E. When the delivering user arrives at the indicated
GPS
location, the user may scan the same (or a different) QR code to obtain the
next direction.
The delivering user then traverses additional instructions traveling over
other paths and
passed additional landmarks 620, until reaching delivery location 622. Using
the methods
described herein, the delivering user does not have to rely on conventional
methods,
rather, the user can obtain each step-by-step direction that has been encoded
into the QR
code(s) affixed to the package. Further, using the methods described herein,
delivery
services may be provided to geographic areas, such as the geographic areas
depicted in
FIGS. 6A-6D, that are not serviced by conventional service providers.
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[0102] In an additional implementation, a user planning a vacation or
business trip to a
remote location may request a global address QR code based on the user's
specific
itinerary. For example, the user may create a QR code that contains encoded
navigational
directions for traveling from the airport to a hotel. The user may also
request unique QR
codes that contain encoded navigational directions for traveling to and from
the hotel and
other local destinations such as a restaurant, an office building, etc. Such
an
implementation his may be useful, for users that do not speak the local
language or cannot
otherwise convey directions to a driver, e.g., a taxicab. A user that is
planning a fishing
vacation in a remote area of Alaska, may access the system, using the internet
or any
other type of data network, and request a global address QR code for travel
directions
from the airport to the fishing lodge, for travel directions from the fishing
lodge to/from a
local outfitter, etc. Using this implementation, the user will not have to
rely on a data
network to receive navigational instructions to relocate from one place to
another.
[0103] In an additional implementation, an employee or employer that
manages a job site
in a remote, rural, nomadic, or adventure location may request QR codes that
contain
encoded navigational directions from that specific job site to other specific
locations. The
user may create one or more global address QR codes to include navigational
data for
traveling to/from that specific job site to an emergency location, housing
compound, a
communication station, or any other employer- or employee-specific location.
For
example, an employer that operates and oil rig in a remote or rural location
that is outside
of the publicly maintained transportation network and/or is outside a cellular
data
network, where the employees at the job site are unable to search the internet
for
directions, may create QR codes according to methods and systems described
herein. So,
if an employee is injured on the job site, navigational instructions to the
nearest hospital
or emergency evacuation site are readily available. Or, if an employee is
unfamiliar with
the area and cannot use the internet to find directions, QR codes assist the
user in finding
housing, communication buildings, etc. may be desired. Alternatively, the
employer may
create a QR code and share it with emergency response organizations/personnel.
In such
an embodiment, an ambulance company may store the QR code and, in the event of
an
emergency, scan the QR code to access the specific job site.
[0104] In an additional embodiment, the delivery location may include a
beacon/emitter
to assist an emergency responder, or a user that is otherwise attempting to
access the
delivery location, to find the location. In such an embodiment, the beacon may
be an
infrared beacon that continuously emits infrared signals in all directions.
The signals
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coming from the beacon are detected by one or more IR receivers. Based on the
strength
and direction of the received IR signals, the system can determine the
position of the
beacon. In some cases, the location of the IR beacon may be determined using
triangulation methods. The infrared beacon and one or more IR receivers may be
used in
conjunction with navigational data decoded from a QR code, as described above,
and may
be used to provide an added measure of confidence that a user is accessing the
correct
location. The beacon may be used independent of the QR code methods described
herein.
[0105] It is to be understood that the above description is included to
illustrate the
operation of the preferred embodiments and is not meant to limit the scope of
the
invention. From the above discussion, many variations will be apparent to one
skilled in
the art that would yet be encompassed by the spirit and scope of the present
invention.
