Patent ID: 7089198
Filing Date: 2006-08-08
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method for offering for purchase by a computer earth imagery content of a user-selected desired geospatial area, the earth imagery content being delivered in the form of a photo product, the method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving earth imagery metadata from a plurality of earth imagery content providers and storing the earth imagery metadata in a plurality of databases; (b) overlaying the earth imagery metadata on a mapping application for display; (c) interacting, by a user, over a network channel with the mapping application, including locating a geographical area on a computer display via the mapping application, and selecting via an on-line, interactive man-machine interface a desired geospatial area represented by user defined polygons; (d) converting the user-selected geographical area represented by the user defined polygons to a data string; (e) transmitting the data string over a network channel to a fulfillment provider; and (f) generating by the fulfillment provider a photo product of the desired geographical area in a format selected by the user; wherein interacting via the on-line, interactive man-machine interface includes (i) viewing, by the user, geographic data on the computer display, including a map, (ii) locating, by the user, a spatial location on the map, and (iii) dynamically selecting, by the user, a geographical area, including the spatial location, enclosed by a user defined polygon, providing substantially limitless size and shape variability, (g) offering the user a choice of photo products; (h) a price and a delivery time of the photo product and a location of the fulfillment provider are dependent on the desired geospatial area and format selected; and (i) the price is automatically and proportionally determined by a computer of the fulfillment provider, in response to a size of dynamically selected polygons on the display of the user, and transmitted by the fulfillment provider, by way of the network channel, for display on the display of the user.