Patent ID: 8996488
Filing Date: 2015-03-31
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A rule-based system for improving accuracy of geocoding results, the system comprising: a processor, the processor including: a geocoding accuracy module for receiving a query including a textually identified location from a communications device and successively removing constraints from the textually identified location until a match is located, wherein the geocoding accuracy module performs operations as follows: first, determines if there is an exact match for the queried textually identified location; then second, modifies the textually identified location by swapping pre and post directionals, if present, to obtain a modified version of the textually identified location if an exact match cannot be obtained and determines if there is a match for the modified version of the textually identified location; and then third, modifies the textually identified location by adding directionals if no directionals are given and if no match has been obtained and determines if there is a match for the modified textually identified location, wherein swapping pre and post directionals, if present, comprises moving a directional that is currently in front of the textually identified location to an end of the textually identified location to provide a swapped front to back directional and moving a directional that is currently at the end of the textually identified location to the front of the textually identified location to provide a swapped back to front directional; wherein the swapped front to back directional and the swapped back to front directional indicate a same direction before and after a swap; and wherein the geocoding accuracy module performs operations as follows in sequence after modifying the textually identified location by adding directionals: modifies the textually identified location by adding a thoroughfare type if a thoroughfare type is not already specified in the textually identified location if no match has been obtained and determines if there is a match for the modified textually identified location; then determines if there is a match for the textually identified location wherein generic thoroughfare type indicators are presumed to match specific thoroughfare type indicators to obtain the match; then determines if there is a match for the textually identified location wherein directionals are allowed to deviate by up to 45 degrees to obtain the match; then determines if there is a match for the textually identified location wherein double letter and whitespace expansion checking is enabled to obtain the match; then determines if there is a match for the textually identified location wherein common phoneme substitution is enabled to obtain the match; then determines if there is a match for the textually identified location wherein common street suffix/prefix insertion is enabled to obtain the match; then determines if there is a match for the textually identified location wherein thoroughfare type checking is disabled completely to obtain the match; then determines if there is a match for the textually identified location wherein directional checking is disabled completely to obtain the match; and then converts the textually identified location to soundex form, allowing for phonetic-style name matching and a wide variance in the actual spelling of street names, to obtain a converted textually identified location and repeat all rules using the converted textually identified location until a match is obtained.