Patent ID: 7043501
Filing Date: 2006-05-09
Classification: G06F,G06Q,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method of selecting a geographic location having similarities to another geographic location in at least one user defined category, the method comprising the steps of: a. selecting a plurality of geographic locations; b. selecting a plurality of predefined characteristics applicable to the geographic locations; c. defining a range of values for each characteristic, each value representating a degree to which a geographic location embodies the characteristic; d. defining a data base of geographic locations and characteristics, and populating the data base with characteristic values for the geographic locations; e. selecting a first geographic location from the data base; and, f. comparing the first geographic location in the data base with other geographic locations in the data base and generating an ordered list of other geographic locations most similar to the first geographic location, wherein the step of comparing the first geographic location in the data base with other geographic locations in the data base and generating an ordered list of other geographic locations most similar to the first geographic location comprises generating a dissimilarity matrix in which an overall dissimilarity value is assigned to each of the other geographic locations relative to the first location, and generating an ordered list of the other geographic locations therefrom, and wherein the step of generating a dissimilarity matrix comprises the step of applying an extraction method to the raw data, the extraction method including a factor analysis to extract factors from the data base, and applying a squared Euclidian distance measure to the extracted factors.