SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS

摘要

An encoding method for encoding a geographical location identified by respective latitude and longitude values comprises computing transformed latitude and longitude values by applying a linear transformation to said latitude and longitude values, and dividing the transformed latitude and longitude values into respective integer degree components and fractional degree components. A first code value is generated that uniquely encodes the numeric code comprising the integer degree components of the transformed latitude and longitude values. An additional recognition element is applied to the code value, which is selected to assist in the automated recognition of the code value when included within an electronic document. An encoded geographical location identifier is provided which includes at least the first code value and the additional recognition element, and which encodes the geographical location to a predetermined level of spatial precision. Preferred variations enable geographical locations to be encoded to varying degrees of spatial precision, and a high precision code includes, as one or more sub-identifiers, encodings of the same geographical location to lower levels of spatial precision. Geographical location identifiers generated in accordance with the encoding method may be embedded within documents, and indexed by conventional keyword-based search engines, to facilitate geographically-based searching.