Method and apparatus for identifying one or more territories

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for identifying one or more territories are provided. An example method includes receiving, from a data source, a territory file. The territory file can include data describing territory details such as a geographic territory name, territory geometry information, territory data attributes, and a territory color. Territory data is retrieved from a server, based on data in the territory file. A spatial fabric layer including polygonal regions is loaded from the territory data. A visual representation of one or more polygonal regions is displayed with a video display. User data indicating a selection of one or more polygonal regions can be received to create or update one or more selected territory polygonal regions. Changes made to a territory allocation can be displayed on a video display. The territory file can be updated with data identifying the one or more selected polygonal regions, and stored.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, from a data source, a territory file, wherein the territory file includes data describing a geographic territory name, territory geometry information, territory data attributes, and a territory color;   retrieving, from a server, territory data, wherein the territory data is retrieved based on data in the territory file;   loading, from the territory data, a spatial fabric layer, wherein the spatial fabric layer includes a plurality of polygonal regions; and   displaying, with a video display, a visual representation of one or more polygonal regions in the plurality of polygonal regions.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving user data indicating a selection of one or more polygonal regions in the plurality of polygonal regions to create or update one or more selected territory polygonal regions;   displaying, with the video display, changes made to a territory allocation due to the user data;   updating the territory file with data identifying the one or more selected polygonal regions; and   storing the updated territory file.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving user data indicating a selection of the territory file from a plurality of territory files. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying the one or more selected polygonal regions and an unselected polygonal region, wherein the one or more selected polygonal regions are displayed in a manner different from the unselected polygonal region. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving user data identifying a territory label for the one or more selected polygonal regions; and   updating the territory file with the data identifying the territory label.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying, with the video display, a territory label identifying one or more selected polygonal regions in the plurality of polygonal regions. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying, if the one or more selected polygonal regions are unassigned, an indication the one or more selected polygonal regions are unassigned; and   receiving user data indicating an assignment for the one or more selected polygonal regions.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more polygonal regions in the plurality of polygonal regions correspond to a forward sortation area, a local delivery unit, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising creating a seamless polygonal spatial fabric for use as the plurality of polygonal regions. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more polygonal regions in the plurality of polygonal regions correspond to a zip code region, a populated place name region, a municipal amalgamated file region, an election district, a micro-neighborhood, a nano-neighborhood, a dissemination area, a user-defined region, a drivetime polygon, a flood polygon, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving user data indicating a command to select a larger region of which the one or more polygonal regions are a constituent part. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving user data indicating a command to select a second polygonal region adjacent to the one or more selected polygonal regions. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the data source, a point-of-interest (POI) file;   loading a POI layer from POI data in the POI file; and   displaying, with the video display, a visual representation of the POI layer.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the POI file includes an address, a longitude, a latitude, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving user data identifying a point-of-interest (POI); and   displaying, with the video display, a visual representation of the POI.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving data indicating an instruction to launch a table view of a table associated with the one or more selected polygonal regions; and   displaying, with the video display, a visual representation of the table view.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 creating a revised table by receiving user data indicating an edit in a field in the table; and   storing the revised table in the updated territory file.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 calculating aggregated values of data attributes; and   displaying, with the video display, a visual representation of the aggregated values of the data attributes.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the data attributes originate from the territory file, a point-of-interest, or another data source. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 receiving user data indicating a selection of one or more polygonal regions in the plurality of polygonal regions to create or update one or more selected territory polygonal regions; and   displaying, with the video display, the aggregated values of the data attributes during the receiving the user data.