System, Apparatus and Method for Mapping

Abstract

The present invention provides a novel apparatus and method for mapping of urban regions. An apparatus includes the remote sensing equipment that is connected to a computer processor. The remote sensing equipment gathers imaging data about an urban region. The computer processor interprets the imaging data to generate a map of the urban region comprising representations that identify a first set of indicia representing physiographic characteristics, a second set of indicia representing different types of built forms, and a third set of indicia representing patterns of human activity associated with both the physiographic characteristics and the built forms. The map can also include a fourth set of indicia representing an intensity level that at least one of the other types of indicia occurs.

1 . A map of an urban region comprising:
 a first set of indicia representing physiographic characteristics of said region;   a second set of indicia representing a plurality of different types of built forms, and their locations, that are located within said region; and   a third set of indicia representing patterns of human activity associated with both said physiographic characteristics and said built forms.   
     
     
         2 . The map of  claim 1  further comprising a fourth set of indicia representing an intensity level associated with at least one of said sets of indicia representing a degree to which said indicia occurs. 
     
     
         3 . A map of an urban region comprising representations that identify at least two different precincts, each of said precincts comprising a first set of indicia representing physiographic characteristics of said region; a second set of indicia representing at least three different types of built forms, and their locations, that are located within said region; a third set of indicia representing patterns of human activity associated with both said physiographic characteristics and said built forms. 
     
     
         4 . The map of  claim 3  further comprising a fourth set of indicia representing an intensity level that at least one of said sets of indicia occurs and wherein said at least a portion of said sets of indicia respective to each of said precincts are different. 
     
     
         5 . A method of generating a map comprising the steps of:
 receiving remotely sensed data of an urban region that includes a plurality of built forms;   determining a type of each said built form in said remotely sensed data based on a comparison of said built forms found in said remotely sensed data with a known database of a plurality of different types of built forms; and   generating user output containing indicia identifying said determined type of each built form in said region, said user output presented in a graphical form that represents said region and including a location of each said built form according to said determined type.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said database contains data representing at least one of a detached house, a semi-detached house, a row house, a mid-rise apartment building, a high-rise apartment building, and a single detached trailer, a mid-rise office building, a high-rise office tower, a main street shop building, a strip mall, a shopping mall, a big box store, a factory, a road, a highway, an electricity transmission right of way, a railway. 
     
     
         7 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 5  wherein said user output is in a graphical form that represents said region; said graphical form including a plurality of squares bounded by a set of coordinates on a grid; said squares representing a predominance of said determined type of built form located in each said square. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said graphical user output further includes a plurality of precincts, each said precinct formed based on groupings of substantially identical built forms within a predefined area of said region. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said precinct is formed based on at least one additional criteria in addition to built forms. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said at least one additional criteria includes at least one of a user selection, political boundaries, physiography, and human activity. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said determining step additionally includes determining said type of said built forms based on at least one artifact within said remotely sensed data; said at least one artifact corresponding to at least one identifier stored in said known database; said identifier associated with a corresponding known type of a built form. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said known type of a built form is an apartment building; said artifact including plurality of squares within a rectangular; said at least one identifier corresponding to said artifact being a pair elevator shafts. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said at least one artifact including a shadow; said at least one identifier corresponding to a first one of said artifacts being a first shadow of a first length; said at least one additional identifier corresponding to a second one of said artifacts being a second shadow of a second length greater than said first length; wherein said determining step includes corresponding said shadows to a respective one of said built form types. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said first shadow corresponds with a house and said second shadow corresponds with an apartment building. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said first shadow corresponds with an apartment building and said second shadow corresponds with an office tower. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said known type of a built form is a house; said artifact is an inclined roof; said at least one identifier corresponding to said artifact being a peak line in said roof. 
     
     
         27 - 39 . (canceled)