Patent application EP17153496A (EP), filed 2017-01-27
Publication number: EP3200100A1
Title: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING ONE OR MORE TERRITORIES
Abstract: Methods and apparatus for identifying one or more territories are provided. An example method includes receiving, from a data source, a territory file. The territory file can include data describing territory details such as a geographic territory name, territory geometry information, territory data attributes, and a territory color. Territory data is retrieved from a server, based on data in the territory file. A spatial fabric layer including polygonal regions is loaded from the territory data. A visual representation of one or more polygonal regions is displayed with a video display. User data indicating a selection of one or more polygonal regions can be received to create or update one or more selected territory polygonal regions. Changes made to a territory allocation can be displayed on a video display. The territory file can be updated with data identifying the one or more selected polygonal regions, and stored.
IPC codes: G06F  16/    29            A I
G06F  17/    30            A I
G16Z  99/    00            A I
Claims: number: 1
text: A method, comprising:
number: 2
text: The method of claim 1, further comprising:
number: 3
text: The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the one or more selected polygonal regions and an unselected polygonal region, wherein the one or more selected polygonal regions are displayed in a manner different from the unselected polygonal region.
number: 4
text: The method of claim 1, further comprising:
number: 5
text: The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, with the video display (305, 220), a territory label identifying one or more selected polygonal regions in the plurality of polygonal regions.
number: 6
text: The method of claim 1, further comprising:
number: 7
text: The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more polygonal regions in the plurality of polygonal regions correspond to a forward sortation area, a local delivery unit, or a combination thereof.
number: 8
text: The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more polygonal regions in the plurality of polygonal regions correspond to a zip code region, a populated place name region, a municipal amalgamated file region, an election district, a micro-neighborhood, a nano-neighborhood, a dissemination area, a user-defined region, a drivetime polygon, a flood polygon, or a combination thereof.
number: 9
text: The method of claim 1, further comprising:
number: 10
text: The method of claim 9, wherein the POI file includes an address, a longitude, a latitude, or a combination thereof.
number: 11
text: The method of claim 1, further comprising:
number: 12
text: The method of claim 11, further comprising:
number: 13
text: The method of claim 1, further comprising:
number: 14
text: The method of claim 13, wherein the data attributes originate from the territory file, a point-of-interest, or another data source.
number: 15
text: The method of claim 13, further comprising:
Office action: search_report, dated 2017-08-02
Prior art cited: ref_id: US201514610712A
ref_type: patent
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ref_id: WO03060657A2
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ref_id: - MICROSOFT: "Microsoft MapPoint - Home", 25 December 2015 (2015-12-25), XP055372463, Retrieved from the Internet <URL:https://web.archive.org/web/20151225230556/https://www.microsoft.com/mappoint/en-us/home.aspx> [retrieved on 20170512]
ref_type: npl
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ref_id: - MICROSOFT: "Bing Spatial Services - Geodata API (Preview)", 13 July 2013 (2013-07-13), XP055372165, Retrieved from the Internet <URL:https://web.archive.org/web/20130713073446/https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn306801.aspx> [retrieved on 20170512]
ref_type: npl
severity: background
ref_id: - FRED L MILLER: "Creating Sales Territories Sales territory design and balancing", 27 March 2014 (2014-03-27), pages 1 - 29, XP055369697, Retrieved from the Internet <URL:http://edcommunity.esri.com/resources/arclessons/lessons/s/sales-territory-design-creating-balanced-territories-for-the-sales-force> [retrieved on 20170504]
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ref_id: WO03060657
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ref_id: US2014164038
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ref_id: US2015113374
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ref_id: - Microsoft, "Microsoft MapPoint - Home", (20151225), URL: https://web.archive.org/web/20151225230556/https://www.microsoft.com/mappoint/en-us/home.aspx, (20170512), XP055372463 [A] 1-15 * the whole document *
ref_type: npl
severity: background
ref_id: - Microsoft, "Bing Spatial Services - Geodata API (Preview)", (20130713), URL: https://web.archive.org/web/20130713073446/https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn306801.aspx, (20170512), XP055372165 [A] 1-15 * the whole document *
ref_type: npl
severity: background
ref_id: - Fred L Miller, "Creating Sales Territories Sales territory design and balancing", (20140327), pages 1 - 29, https://web.archive.org/web/20150908052022/http://edcommunity.esri.com/resources/arclessons/lessons/s/sales-territory-design-creating-balanced-territories-for-the-sales-force, URL: http://edcommunity.esri.com/resources/arclessons/lessons/s/sales-territory-design-creating-balanced-territories-for-the-sales-force, (20170504), XP055369697 [A] 1-15 * page  1  - page  6 * * page  13  - page  16 *
ref_type: npl
severity: background
Final disposition: pending (2017-08-02)