US20150219467A1

US20150219467A1 - Geographic location coding system

Info

Publication number: US20150219467A1
Application number: US14/688,220
Authority: US
Inventors: David B. Ingerman; Jude X. Huang; Richard Earle Seeger, III
Original assignee: PLACECODES Inc
Current assignee: PLACECODES Inc
Priority date: 2012-08-27
Filing date: 2015-04-16
Publication date: 2015-08-06
Also published as: US20140074895A1; US8996299B2; US20140074394A1

Abstract

A system capable of receiving at least one location input, creating a code associated with that input, storing the code, receiving a created code, providing the location, and providing directions to or from the location.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application is a continuation of claims the benefit of priority of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/010,818, filed on Aug. 27, 2013, which claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/693,636, filed on Aug. 27, 2012.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to coding geographic locations, and in particular, to identifying specific places by easy-to-remember and easy-to-use codes, rather than other, unwieldy means of location identification.

BACKGROUND

Once used solely as classified military technology, the use of global positioning systems (GPS) is now widely used in the general populous. Some navigation devices, such as those sold under the trademark GARMIN, may be used in vehicles to direct the driver based on their global position and desired destination. Alternatively, vehicles frequently include built-in navigation systems that offer similar services. Smartphones also commonly include basic GPS capabilities for locating the user and directing him or her to a desired destination. Other smartphone applications, such as that sold under the trademark RUNKEEPER, for example, use the smartphone's GPS capabilities to track the user's path, speed, elevation, etc. . . . . Despite this broad usage of GPS technology, the problem that location identification can be unwieldy and imprecise remains.
There are several common ways to identify a location. Longitude and latitude coordinates may be extremely precise, but are extremely unwieldy to relay to a GPS device or another person. One might tell a friend to meet him at specific GPS coordinates, which may precisely indicate one's location, but the long strings of numbers are neither easily remembered, nor communicated, nor entered into a device with GPS capabilities. Physical addresses are another common way to identify a location. Again, remembering, communicating, and/or entering addresses can be difficult at times, especially when the address is long—1327 Foothill Boulevard, La Cañada Flintridge, Calif., for example. Moreover, some addresses are ambiguous and are not easily input into a GPS device. For an address such as, 1454 US RTE 22 West, Union, N.J., for example, a GPS device might not recognize the input of “Route 22” or “Rte. 22,” but may, unbeknownst to the user, instead require “US RTE 22” exactly in order to recognize the address. Finally, locations may be identified informally, such as “soccer field #3,” “parking lot B,” “the East side entrance to the Central Park reservoir,” or “the dragon ride at Alpha Amusement Park.” Such informal location identifications that don't necessarily have an address are particularly prone to confusion and miscommunication. All of these types of locations and others may need to be communicated from time to time, and all have their disadvantages as far as simple, precise location communication.
Google™ Place Pages provides a service where a business is provided with a QR code associated with that the business. One who scans such a QR code is provided with information about the business and an option to click for maps or directions to that location. Although a useful tool, this service does not appear to accept input of locations other than addresses, nor does it provide a simple process to simply scan for directions, and as such, does not address many of the situations outlined above.
Therefore there is a need for easy assignation and communication of precise coordinates of a specific location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is systems for the creation and use of codes associated with locations. Although presented as individual systems for the creation of alphanumeric, sound-based, and QR codes, respectively, it is understood that each of these systems is part of an overarching system capable of creating a code for every location in the world that may be shared and used in numerous forms, such as spoken, scanned, and typed, and that may be automatically fed into any routing system, such as those branded under the trademarks GOOGLE MAPS, APPLE MAPS, AND WAZE.
Each system of the present invention is focused around the creation and use of a different type of code associated with a location, including alphanumeric codes, QR codes, and sound-based codes. Each system includes at least one database in which the codes and locations associated with the codes are stored, at least one memory device that stores instructions, and at least one processor that executes the instructions. Many of the instructions involve receiving or transmitting various data. The main processor may be receiving or transmitting data from any device capable of transmitting data to and receiving data from the processor. Any internet-capable device, such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, or smartphone, for example, may communicate with the main processor of the present invention. Hereinafter, “device” refers to any of these examples and in some cases navigation systems, such as those sold under the trademark GARMIN or used in connection with self-driving cars, as well as comparable devices that one of ordinary skill in the art would understand to substitute for the devices listed above. Information received by the main processor may therefore be typed, scanned, spoken, tapped, clicked, or otherwise selected or input for transmission to the processor depending on the device transmitting the information. In addition, the functions of the system of the present invention may be seamlessly integrated with emerging technologies. The system may be used with new types of codes, such as the next generation of QR codes, for example. In addition, new modes of data input/output, such as eye motion with the product branded under GOOGLE GLASS, and device communication, such as Near Field Communication (NFC), may be substituted for system functions described herein. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize what new technologies may emerge that are functional equivalents to the currently developed features described herein, and how such technologies may be seamlessly integrated with the system described herein.
Some instructions are performed by a central server, which is the main processor. Some instructions are performed according to software downloaded from the central server to the device in communication with the server, such as a smartphone application downloaded to a smartphone. With such latter operations, any information transmitted from or received by the device through the software downloaded on the device is still transmitted to or received by the server even if some of the functions are being performed locally by the device. For such instructions, the device on which the software downloaded from the central server and the central server are both processors of the present invention.
The most basic instructions performed by the main processor are receiving a location input, creating a code associated with the location, and storing the code in the database.
As mentioned above, the location may be input by any device capable of transmitting the location input to the central server or processor of the system. Therefore the location may be input in several ways. The location input may be a typed address. The location input may be GPS coordinates that are typed or otherwise entered. If the device transmitting the location is GPS-enabled, the location may be input by transmitting the location of the device. A user may input a location by selecting a location on an electronic map, where an electronic map is a computerized depiction of a map where a user may select locations within the map. This could include locations that have no street address, such as a spot on a hiking trail, on a beach, or in a park. A user may input a location by first using an internet search engine to provide search results that include at least one location result and selecting a location from the search results. The location input may be typed zip code+four. The location input may be polygon points plotted by a user on an electronic map to indicate a specific area on a map, rather than a point. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that there are many ways a location may be input.
In addition, several locations may be input for association with a single code, or “master code.” For example, a chain restaurant may input all of its restaurant locations by providing a list of their GPS-coordinates or addresses. Alternatively, several locations may be input for association with a separate code for each location. In the case of alphanumeric codes or sound-based codes, the user may input a template for the codes such that while each code is distinct, each follows a certain pattern or set of rules. For example, six locations may be input for association with six separate codes, along with a template that all the codes be in the form of BRAVO#, where # is a number. Assuming BRAVO1, BRAVO2, BRAVO3, BRAVO4, BRAVO5, and BRAVO6 are all available, these may be the codes associated with the six locations in accordance with the template.
The several locations input may also refer to locations of a product or service available for purchase. Hereinafter, when referring to “products” in this context, it is understood that the product may be a good or service. For example, the owner of a specific brand of vodka may input all of the locations where that vodka is available for purchase. In preferred embodiments of the system, such locations would be updated in real time so that a location that has run out of the specific product would no longer be encoded and a new location that has brought the product into stock will be encoded even if it was not included during the initial code creation.
In addition to the location input, the system may also receive notes input and/or messaging input to be encoded along with the location input. Notes input may be additional information about the location being input. A restaurant may include notes indicating the restaurant's hours of operation; that online reservations are suggested; and that outdoor seating is available, for example. Messaging input may be additional information specifically directed at a recipient of the encoded location. A user encoding the location of an illegal poker game may only share the code with a certain number of trusted individuals and may include a message to those individuals with instructions for a secret knock to be used on the back alley door for admittance into the game.
A user inputting a location for encoding may also indicate whether she wishes for that code to be publicly available or private. In the examples given above, the restaurant will likely want the code to be publicly available and internet searchable, if applicable, so that potential diners may use the code to get information about the restaurant. The user encoding the location of an illegal poker game, however, will likely want that code to be private and only shared at her discretion. The system also provides options for a newly created code to be shared as desired by the user. The system may allow a user to share the code through various means, such as email, social media, texting, website posting, or sound recording.
Notes input may be used particularly advantageously when the location input is a business. The business location being encoded may include business offers in the notes input. The notes for a restaurant, for example, may include a happy hour offer for two for one rail drinks from 5-7 pm on Mondays through Thursdays. The system encodes this offer along with the location. The system may always display such offers along with the location, or may only display the offers at times when the offers are valid. In this example, for example, the system may only indicate the happy hour offer if the system provides the location between 5 and 7 pm on a Monday through Thursday. Alternatively, the offer may always be provided. Similarly, notes input may include business offers along with parameters for when those offers are valid. For example, a user may use notes input to indicate that if a GPS-enabled device accesses the encoded location through the code and that GPS-enabled device is within a certain distance from the encoded location, then a specific business offer will also be displayed along with the encoded location.
Once the code is created and associated with one or more locations, the code may be input back into the system. As such the code may be typed, tapped, scanned, spoken, clicked, or otherwise selected, depending on the transmitting device's capabilities, and received by the system. The system then transmits the location or locations associated with the code back to the device. The system also provides an option for the device user to request directions to or from the location. If the device is GPS-enabled, the user may request directions between the user's location and the encoded location. Alternatively, the user may input a location that may be used for providing directions between the encoded location and the input location.
Where multiple locations are encoded in a single code, and the device is GPS-enabled, the locations may be listed in ascending order based on proximity to the device. For example, if a “master code” encoding all locations for a chain restaurant is input back into the system, then the system will detect the device location and return the closest five to ten of those chain restaurants in ascending order relative to the device location. As discussed below, the system may then provide directions directly from the device location to any of the chain restaurant locations selected by the device user. Alternatively, multiple locations associated with a single code may be listed in any other order through which the device user may scroll and select.
The system provides the user with the option of receiving the directions in the form of any well-known navigation system or map application programming interface (API), such as those branded under the trademarks GOOGLE MAPS, APPLE MAPS, or WAZE. In addition, the “device” into which a code is fed and that transmits the code to the system may be a navigating device, such as those sold under the trademark GARMIN, or a self-driving or driverless car. In such situations, the directions are transmitted directly to the device, which has its own navigation system and user interface. Alternatively, the user may receive the directions in the default navigation system provided directly from the system. The system's default navigation system may include an electronic map showing the directions, listed directions, spoken directions, or some combination thereof. When the device receiving the directions is GPS-enabled and the user has requested directions to or from the device's location, the preferred user interface provided by the system shows an electronic map where the encoded destination location is indicated with a “pin” in the map, and the device's location is indicated by a dot that changes one color if the device moves closer to the pinned destination location and a different color if the device moves farther away. It is preferred that the dot changes to green when the device moves closer and red when the device moves farther away. As an example, assume a device user has used a system-created code to find the location of an ice cream shop, has chosen to get directions to the ice cream shop, and is walking toward that ice cream shop. The system will show an electronic map where the user's device location is a dot that turns green if the user gets closer to the shop and red if the user is moving farther away. The idea is similar to the children's game of“getting warmer or colder” when trying to find something.
The system also provides analytics on usage of codes created by the system. The system records an overall number of times a certain code is received by the system, as well as when a code is received, in terms of date, day, and time of day. In addition, when a code is transmitted from a GPS-enabled device, the system records the location of the device at the time of transmittal. The system then performs analyses on this recorded data having to do with usage of a specific code. Such analytics may be transmitted to a user, such as the owner of the location encoded in the code.
These analytics may be transmitted in the form of raw data. For example, the system may provide a list showing the number of times a certain code was transmitted, as well as the date and/or time of day of each transmittal. In addition, the list may indicate where the transmitting device was located for each transmittal from a GPS-enabled device. The analytics are preferably in the form of a “heat map” displaying at least two data categories against one another, where the data categories include a number of occurrences of receiving a specific code versus location of the device, time of day, day of the week, specific date, etc. . . . . Hereinafter “time of code receipt” should be understood to refer to any of the data points relating to time, such as time of day, day of the week, specific date, month, year, etc. . . . . The term “heat map” refers to any of a type of graph indicating usage in terms of colors or density. For example, on a heat map showing occurrences of a code transmittal versus geography, if there are ten transmittals, five occur within a one mile radius of a certain location, three occur within the next mile radius, and two occur within the next outer mile radius, then the mile radius with the five occurrences might be indicated in red, the next mile radius in orange, and the final mile radius in yellow. Although colors such as red and orange, which are typically associated with hot temperatures are preferred, any colors, patterns, or other indications to show relative density may be used. The heat map could also show, for example, specific dates versus number of occurrences, specific time of day versus location, etc. . . . . Heat maps may also be in more than two dimensions so as to compare more than two factors.
One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that there are many ways such usage data may be analyzed and manipulated that may be helpful in developing conclusions about code usage, and each of these ways is contemplated as being included within the scope of the present invention. For example, a restaurant chain may want to open new locations but may be unaware of where their customers or potential customers are located, and therefore doesn't know the best location for new restaurants. Usage data from the system can show them where these customers are located. The chain might also want to determine which discounts to offer at what time of day and can test different versions of mailings or online offers and see when and where customers are responding by either scanning a QR code, clicking or tapping on a link and requesting directions. Furthermore, businesses often find it difficult to attribute credit to different ads when consumers come to their locations, especially if they recently ran advertising on TV, radio and online. By including a code created by the system, businesses can see how many consumers requested turn-by-turn directions to one of their locations, which can be used as a proxy for store visit and can therefore determine which ads are generating more store traffic. The system may demand payment for the provision of analytics in any of the forms contemplated herein.
In some embodiments of the system, a preferred code is input along with the location input. For example, if the system is creating an alphanumeric code, an alphanumeric input may be provided and checked against the database for availability. For example, if a restaurant owner wants to code his location “OriginalRays” he can check to see if that code is available in a manner to similar to checking the availability of a domain name. The alphanumeric input may also be checked against a list of rules to which an alphanumeric code must adhere, such as being a certain number of characters long and including at least one capital letter, at least one lowercase letter, and at least one number. If the alphanumeric input is available and adheres to the rules, it will be saved as the alphanumeric code. The system may charge for the creation of particularly desirable alphanumeric and/or sound-based codes, such as those including generic words, trademarks, or domain names. Generic words may be common words used for products or services, such as “pizza” or “lawyer.” As QR and bar codes cannot be customized, there is no option for receiving a preferred code input when the system is tasked with creating a QR or bar code associated with a location.
Once a code is created, the system will also create a sound-based code which is the spoken equivalent of an alphanumeric code. If the text code might be pronounced different ways, the system will create “alias” versions that refer to the same code so it will be recognized either way. For example one might pronounce the code “samshouse” with a “sh” sound or with an “s” sound in the middle. The system will create alias versions so if it “hears” either “Sam's House” or “Sam Shouse” it will return the coordinates associated with the code “samshouse.” When a user requests a new code the system checks for availability of the code as well as the “sound-alikes.” In this case, it would not allow someone to claim the code “SamShous” if it sounded too similar to one of the pronunciations of the existing code “samshouse.” The process of creating a sound-based code begins with receiving a speakable input. This input may be spoken into a device. It may be a recording transmitted by a device. It may be an electronic voice rendering of an alphanumeric input. The system breaks the speakable input into a set of phonemes or audible units that are in a specific order. The system defines a phonetic tolerance around each phoneme of the speakable input and defines a set of phonemes that fall within the phonetic tolerance. In this way, similar sounding phonemes or phonemes that might sound a little differently depending on who voices them are all included in the set. The sound-based code is then defined as the set of each of the sets of phonemes within the phonetic tolerance in the order of the original speakable input. When the system receives a sound-based code, the system similarly breaks the received code into phonemes and matches them against the sets of phonemes within the phonetic tolerances of each phoneme within the sound-based code. If the received sound-based code includes all of the phonemes in the correct order, the system will recognize the received sound-based code and provide the location associated with that code.
For example, a user might want to code the spoken word “digitas.” The system receives the spoken input of the word and breaks it up into three phonemes, such as “dig,” “it,” and “as.” The system then defines a phonetic tolerance for each phoneme. As a real life example, as of this writing, the voice recognition system sold under the trademark SIRI recognizes a voice command of “digitas” as “digit oz.” As “as” and “oz” both fall within the phonetic tolerance defined for the third phoneme by the system, even if the system detects a speakable input that sounds more like “digit oz” than “digitas,” the system will recognize the sound-based code within its database and provide the associated address.
The system may also pair every sound-based code created as described above with a preceding trigger word. When a sound- or voice-recognition system detects this trigger word followed by another set of sounds, that system knows to search for the sounds in the database of the system of the present invention, rather than against all sounds available on the internet. Sound- and voice-recognition systems are common in phones and cars, for example. These systems are specifically geared to detect common commands, such as “call home,” for example. Such systems may not so easily correctly interpret more unusual commands, such as “digitas,” because they are comparing the sounds in the commands against a dictionary of words and phrases on billions of web pages. As discussed above, a system may have trouble identifying an unusual spoken word like “digitas,” and may incorrectly identify it as “digit oz,” which would not be what the user was looking for. The preferred trigger word of the present system is “placecodes.” When sound- and voice-recognition systems detect “placecodes” followed by a sound-based code, these systems immediately limit their search to the database of the system of the present invention. Therefore, whether a user is inputting the sound-based code directly into the system of the present invention, or is using a different system, the system of the present invention is activated to provide the location associated with the sound-based code created by the system. The use of the trigger word facilitates this process.
Although not all features of the system described herein are claimed, all features are considered to be a part of the present invention.
Therefore it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a system that creates alphanumeric, QR, bar, or sound-based codes associated with any location in the world.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a system that provides the location when the code is input into the system.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a system that receives input in numerous forms, such as spoken, typed, scanned, tapped, clicked, etc.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a system that provides directions to and from the encoded location.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a system that automatically feeds into other routing systems.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a system that provides analytics on code usage.
These aspects of the present invention are not meant to be exclusive and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art when read in conjunction with the following description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing communication between the system of the present invention and a device.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are block diagrams indicating instructions performed the processor of the system of the present invention and the directionality of data between the system and a device.

FIG. 4 is a sample of a heat map produced by the system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram detailing the instruction of receiving a location input.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram detailing the instruction of providing directions to the encoded location

FIG. 7 is a block diagram detailing the instructions of receiving notes input.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart demonstrating the instructions for creating a sound-based code.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Now referring to FIG. 1, a diagram showing communication between the system of the present invention and a device 106 is provided. Processor 100, which may be a server, executes instructions described herein. Processor 100 includes GPS receiver 102 that provides processor 100 with the capability to receive information from GPS Satellite 104. GPS Satellite 104 detects the location of device 106 and relays it to processor 100. Device 106 is in communication with base transceiver station (BTS) 108. Processor 100 is also in communication with BTS 108 through network 110. The user of device 106 can request that processor 100 create a code based on the location of device 106. In addition, if the user of device 106 enters a code and transmits it to server 100, processor 100 may transmit directions to device 106 to or from the encoded location based on the device's position as relayed through GPS satellite 104. Device 106 may be any internet-capable device, such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, or smartphone, as well as some navigation systems, such as those sold under the trademark GARMIN or used in connection with self-driving cars. Although device 106 shown in FIG. 1 is GPS-enabled, it is understood that non-GPS-enabled devices may also be used advantageously with the system of the present invention.
Now referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, block diagrams showing instructions executed by the processor 100 of system 10 are provided. System 10 includes at least one database 12 in which at least the created codes are stored, at least one memory device 14 that stores instructions, and at least one process 100 that executes the instructions. System 10 communicates with device 106. System 10 receives a location input 18, a preferred code 20, and notes input 22 from device 106. System 10 determines if the preferred code is available 24. If it is, system 10 creates the code 26 and stores it 28 in database 12. System 10 may create alphanumeric 76, sound-based 78, QR 80, or bar codes. It is understood that when system 10 creates a QR 80 or bar code, system 10 does not receive a preferred code 20 or determine if the preferred code is available 24.
FIG. 3 shows instructions executed once the code is created 26. System 10 receives a code 34 that the system itself created from device 106. It is understood that it is not always the same device 106 transmitting information to or receiving information from system 10 during the execution of different instructions. If the device 106 is GPS-enabled, system 10 also receives the device's location 36. System 10 provides to the device 106 the location 38 encoded in the code received 34, as well as any input notes 22. System 10 also provides the option to transmit directions 40 to or from the encoded location. The directions may be from the device's location to the encoded location; from the encoded location to the device's location; from a location input into the device to the encoded location; or from the encoded location to a location input into the device. System 10 also provides analytics 42 concerning code usage. The system 10 records how many times a specific code is transmitted to the system 10; what time the specific code is transmitted; and the location of the device when the specific code is transmitted if the device is GPS-enabled. The analytics compare any two or more of these data points against one another. It is preferred that the analytics are formulated into a heat map 44.
Now referring to FIG. 4, a sample heat map 200 produced by the system of the present invention is provided. Heat map 200 is a geographical map indicating encoded location 202 with an upside-down teardrop/asterisk icon. There are at least two areas 204, 206 indicating heightened usage of the code that encodes location 202. First area 204 indicates more significant usage of the code than second area 206. First area 204 has a large red center 208, surrounded by a middle yellow area 210, which in turn is surrounded by a green outer area 212. Second area 206 has a yellow center surrounded by green. In this heat map 200, red indicates the most usage, followed by yellow, and then green. It is logical that first area 204 indicates the most code usage as it is very near to encoded location 202. If encoded location 202 were a restaurant and the restaurant owner were considering locations for a second restaurant, however, he may use the analytics provided in heat map 200 to decide that a location near second area 206 may be a good option, as the code for his current restaurant is already being used significantly there.
Now referring to FIG. 5, details on the instructions of receiving a location input 18 are provided. Receiving a location input 18 may entail receiving an address input 46; receiving GPS coordinates 48; receiving the location of the device through GPS-enablement 50; receiving a location selected by a point on an electronic map 52; receiving a location that is an internet search result 54; receiving a zip code plus four 56; or receiving polygon points defining an area on an electronic map 58. In addition, receiving a location input 18 may entail receiving more than one location 60 at a time. When more than one location is received 60, either one code may be created for all of the locations 62 or one code may be created for each location 64. An example of providing multiple locations 60 is when all locations where a product is sold 66 are provided.
Now referring to FIG. 6, details on the instructions of providing directions 40 are provided. The default option 68 for providing directions 40 is the provision of an electronic map on which the encoded location is indicated with a pin and the location of the device is indicated with a dot that turns green as the device moves closer to the pinned destination and red as the device moves farther away. The user of a device receiving directions may also choose 70 in which navigation system to receive the directions. Possible routing systems that the user may choose include those branded under the trademarks GOOGLE MAPS, APPLE MAPS, WAZE, and others.
Now referring to FIG. 7, details on the instructions of receiving notes input 22 are provided. Input notes 22 may be business offers 72 associated with an input business location 18. The business offers 72 may include parameters that must be met for the business offers 72 to be valid. As such, the business offers 72 may only be presented with the encoded location if they are valid 74 based on the included parameters.
Now referring to FIG. 8, details on creating a sound-based code are provided. A sound-based code may be the spoken equivalent of an alphanumeric code. Therefore some sound-based codes are associated with alphanumeric codes and vice versa. The process of creating a sound-based code begins with receiving a speakable input 90. This input may be spoken into a device.
It may be a recording transmitted by a device. It may be an electronic voice rendering of an alphanumeric input. The system 10 breaks the speakable input into a set of phonemes 94 or audible units that are in a specific order. The system 10 defines a phonetic tolerance 96 around each phoneme and defines a set of phonemes 98 that fall within the phonetic tolerance. In this way, similar sounding phonemes or phonemes that might sound a little different depending on who voices them are included in the set. The sound-based code is then defined 99 as the set of each of the sets of phonemes within the phonetic tolerance in the order of the original speakable input. When the system receives a sound-based code, the system similarly breaks the received code into phonemes and matches them against the sets of phonemes within the phonetic tolerances of each phoneme within the sound-based code. If the received sound-based code includes all of the phonemes in the correct order, the system will recognize the received sound-based code and provide the location associated with that code.
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions would be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the description should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.

Claims

We claim:

1. A system comprising at least one database, at least one memory device storing instructions, and at least one processor for executing the instructions, said instructions comprising the steps of:

receiving a location input;

creating an alphanumeric code associated with the location;

storing the alphanumeric code in said at least one database;

receiving the alphanumeric code from a GPS-enabled device capable of transmitting data to and receiving information from said at least one processor;

receiving a location of the device through the GPS-enablement;

transmitting the location associated with the alphanumeric code to the device;

transmitting an option to the device to provide directions to the location associated with the alphanumeric code;

receiving a request from the device to receive directions to the location associated with the alphanumeric code; and

transmitting to the device directions to the location associated with the alphanumeric code.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting to the device directions to the location associated with the alphanumeric code comprises the steps of:

transmitting an electronic map to the device, comprising the steps of:

transmitting the location associated with the alphanumeric code;

transmitting the location of the device with a dot that turns a first color when the device moves closer to the location associated with the alphanumeric code and turns a second color when the device moves farther away from the location associated with the alphanumeric code; and

transmitting directions between the two locations.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of receiving the alphanumeric code from the device comprises receiving input that is one of a group selected from typed, tapped, clicked, and spoken from the device.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting directions further comprises the steps of:

transmitting at least two options of navigation systems in which the directions will be displayed;

receiving a selection to display the directions in one of the at least two options; and

displaying the directions in the chosen option.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting an electronic map indicating directions between the two locations comprises transmitting an electronic map that comprises a feature that is one of a group consisting of written directions; spoken directions; and written and spoken directions.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of receiving a location input comprises receiving locations of a product for sale.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of receiving a location input comprises receiving a set of at least two locations.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said step of creating an alphanumeric code associated with the location comprises creating an alphanumeric code for each location within the set of locations received.

9. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said step of transmitting the location associated with the alphanumeric code to the device comprises the step of providing at least two of the locations included in the set of locations associated with the alphanumeric code in ascending order of distance from the location of the device.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the location input is for the location of a business;

said step of receiving a location input further comprises the step of receiving business offers associated with the business at the inputted location and times during which the business offers are available; and

said step of providing the location associated with the alphanumeric code comprises providing the location and providing the business offers only during times when the business offers are available.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said instructions further comprise the steps of:

recording the location of the device when said step of receiving the alphanumeric code occurs;

recording a number of occurrences of said step of receiving the alphanumeric code; and

recording at what time of day said step of receiving the alphanumeric code occurs.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said instructions further comprise the steps of:

formulating a heat map displaying occurrences of said step of receiving the alphanumeric code based on one of a group consisting of location of the device and the time of day; and

transmitting the heat map.

13. A system comprising at least one database, at least one memory device storing instructions, and at least one processor for executing the instructions, said instructions comprising the steps of:

receiving a location input;

creating a QR code associated with the location;

storing the QR code in said at least one database;

receiving the QR code via a scan from a GPS-enabled device capable of transmitting data to and receiving information from said at least one processor;

receiving a location of the device through the GPS-enablement;

transmitting the location associated with the QR code to the device;

transmitting an option to the device to provide directions to the location associated with the QR code;

receiving a request from the device to receive directions to the location associated with the QR code; and

transmitting directions to the device to the location associated with the QR code.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said step of transmitting directions to the device associated with the QR code comprises the steps of:

transmitting an electronic map to the device, comprising the steps of:

transmitting the location associated with the QR code;

transmitting the location of the device with a dot that turns a first color when the device moves closer to the location associated with the QR code and turns a second color when the device moves farther away from the location associated with the QR code; and

transmitting directions between the two locations.

15. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said step of transmitting directions further comprises the steps of:

displaying the directions in the chosen option.

16. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said step of transmitting an electronic map indicating directions between the two locations comprises transmitting an electronic map that comprises a feature that is one of a group consisting of written directions; spoken directions; and written and spoken directions.

17. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said step of receiving a location input comprises receiving locations of a product for sale.

18. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said step of receiving a location input comprises receiving a set of at least two locations.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said step of creating a QR code associated with the location comprises creating a QR code for each location within the set of locations received.

20. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein said step of transmitting the location associated with the QR code to the device comprises the step of providing at least two of the locations included in the set of locations associated with the QR code in ascending order of distance from the location of the device.

21. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the location input is for the location of a business;

said step of providing the location associated with the QR code comprises providing the location and providing the business offers only during times when the business offers are available.

22. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said instructions further comprise the steps of:

recording the location of the device when said step of receiving the QR code occurs;

recording a number of occurrences of said step of receiving the QR code; and

recording at what time of day said step of receiving the QR code occurs.

23. The system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said instructions further comprise the steps of:

formulating a heat map displaying occurrences of said step of receiving the QR code based on one of a group consisting of location of the device and the time of day; and

transmitting the heat map.