Patent ID: 7428476
Filing Date: 2008-09-23
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A system comprising: a processor; and a memory including computer-readable instructions stored therein that, upon execution by the processor, perform operations comprising: defining a reference model of a geophysical environment as a surface of a spheroid in a three-dimensional, geodetic coordinate system; dividing at least a portion of the defined reference model into a plurality of cells; defining a three-dimensional coordinate system for each cell of the plurality of cells, wherein the three-dimensional coordinate system defined for a cell of the plurality of cells comprises a first curvilinear axis that extends along a first curved surface of the cell, the first curved surface defined based on the reference model, a second curvilinear axis that extends along a second curved surface of the cell, the second curved surface defined based on the reference model, the second curvilinear axis orthogonal to the first curvilinear axis at an origin of the three-dimensional coordinate system, and a third axis perpendicular to the curved surface of the cell at the origin of the three-dimensional coordinate system and orthogonal to the first curvilinear axis and the second curvilinear axis; identifying a cell in which an entity is located; generating a location of the entity in terms of the three-dimensional coordinate system of the identified cell of the geophysical environment; and storing the generated location of the entity defined in the three-dimensional coordinate system.