Geographic location referencing system and method

1. A method of using a novel grid address as a geographical location identifier, comprising:

providing a hierarchical grid address including a specific locational address appended to general position information, the general position information representing at least one of a plurality of pre-defined grids, each of the grids corresponding to a geographical area and having a plurality of cells and sub-cells corresponding to smaller geographical areas within the grid; and

using the hierarchical grid address as a geographic location identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific locational address includes a plurality of hierarchical codes representative of a specific cell, sub-cell, and any further levels of cell subdivision.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the grids corresponds to a geographical area and has:

a plurality of cells;

a reference location;

global coordinates of said reference location; and

at least one parameter defining cell size and orientation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific locational address is a proprietary name.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the proprietary name is, at least in part, an abbreviated version of a name.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the proprietary name is, at least in part, a company's name.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the proprietary name is a company's name and a unique identifier for one of many establishments of the company.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the proprietary name is, at least in part, an individual person's name.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the geographic location is an individual person's house.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the geographic location is an establishment of a company.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the general position information includes top, second, and third level hierarchical codes for identifying countries, states/provinces, and cities.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the general position information includes a country code as a top level hierarchical code.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the country code is a two alpha character mnemonic.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the general position information includes a state/province code as a second level hierarchical code.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the state/province code is a two alpha character mnemonic.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the general position information includes a city code as a third level hierarchical code.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the city code is a two or three alpha character mnemonic.

18. A method of using a novel grid address as a geographical location identifier, comprising:

providing a hierarchical grid address including at least a top level code, a second level code, and a third level code, the top level code representing a country, the second level code representing a state/province, and the third level code representing a city; and

using the hierarchical grid address as a geographic location identifier.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the country code is a two alpha character mnemonic.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the state/province code is a two alpha character mnemonic.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the city code is a two or three alpha character mnemonic.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the hierarchical grid address includes a fourth level code representing a proprietary name.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the hierarchical grid address includes one or more alpha and/or numeric characters.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the hierarchical grid address further includes a plurality of hierarchical codes representative of a specific cell, sub-cell, and any further levels of cell subdivision of a grid.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the grid corresponds to a geographical area and has:

a plurality of cells;

a reference location;

global coordinates of said reference location; and

at least one parameter defining cell size and orientation.