Method of identifying geographical location using hierarchical grid address ...

1. A method of using a 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, the specific locational address includes a predefined alpha code representing a specific object associated with said hierarchical grid address to further identify a specific characteristic of said hierarchical grid address; and

using the hierarchical grid address as a geographic location identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined alpha code represents a specific object in a third dimension.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the third dimension relates to a vertical or height dimension.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined alpha code includes one or more of the following said specific characteristics:

aisle, apartment, address, box, bin, bay, column, case, door, depth, day, elevator, entry, elevation, escalator, floor, field, garage, gate, height above ellipsoid, height above geoid, height orthometric, height above sea level, height above topographical surface, house, locker, level, number, P.O. box, phone, room, row, road, street, suite, security code, section, seat, time, tram, train, track, unit, intersection and zip code.

5. 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.

6. 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.

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

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the general position information includes top, second, and third level hierarchical codes for identifying countries, states/provinces, and cities.

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

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the country code is a two alpha character mnemonic.

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

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the state/province code is a two alpha character mnemonic.

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

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the city code is a two or three alpha character mnemonic.

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

providing a hierarchical grid address including at least a top level code, a second level code, a third level code, and a predefined alpha code, the top level code representing a country, the second level code representing a state/province, the third level code representing a city, and the predefined alpha code representing a specific object associated with said hierarchical grid address to further identify a specific characteristic of said hierarchical grid address; and

using the hierarchical grid address as a geographic location identifier.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the predefined alpha code represents a specific object in a third dimension.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the third dimension relates to a vertical or height dimension.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the predefined alpha code includes one or more of the following said specific characteristics:

aisle, apartment, address, box, bin, bay, column, case, door, depth, day, elevator, entry, elevation, escalator, floor, field, garage, gate, height above ellipsoid, height above geoid, height orthometric, height above sea level, height above topographical surface, house, locker, level, number, P.O. box, phone, room, row, road, street, suite, security code, section, seat, time, tram, train, track, unit, intersection and zip code.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the country code is a two alpha character mnemonic.

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

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the city code is a two or three alpha character mnemonic.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the hierarchical grid address includes a fourth level code representing a proprietary name.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the proprietary name includes at least one of alpha and numeric characters.

24. The method of claim 15, 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 15, wherein the hierarchical grid address includes general position information representing at least one of a plurality of pre-defined grids, each 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.

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

providing a hierarchical grid address including a predefined alpha code representing a specific object associated with said hierarchical arid address to further identify a specific characteristic of said hierarchical grid address; and

using the hierarchical grid address as a geographic location identifier.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the predefined alpha code represents a specific object in a third dimension.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the third dimension relates to a vertical or height dimension.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the predefined alpha code includes one or more of the following said specific characteristics:

aisle, apartment, address, box, bin, bay, column, case, door, depth, day, elevator, entry, elevation, escalator, floor, field, garage, gate, height above ellipsoid, height above geoid, height orthometric, height above sea level, height above topographical surface, house, locker, level, number, P.O. box, phone, room, row, road, street, suite, security code, section, seat, time, tram, train, track, unit, intersection and zip code.