Method and computer program product for geophysicial and geologic data identification, geodetic classification, organization, updating, and extracting spatially referenced data records

Abstract

A method of geodetic information acquisition and a computer program product having computer code for performing the method are provided. The method includes identifying a file having multiple records, where the records contain spatially referenced data. The records are classified into header records and data records. Each data record is divided into fields. Patterns of fields consistent with sets of the data records are identified. The records are associated with a format based on the patterns of fields. At least some of the spatially referenced data is extracted from the records according to the format.

1 . A method of geodetic information acquisition comprising:
 identifying a file, the file comprising one or more data records, the one or more data records comprising spatially referenced data in an unknown format;   dividing each of the one or more data records into one or more fields;   deriving, from the one or more data records, one or more patterns of fields consistent with one or more sets of the one or more data records;   forming a formed template from at least some of the one or more patterns of fields;   determining if the formed template matches a matching template in a database of templates, each template in the database of templates associated with a known format; and   if the formed template matches a matching template, extracting at least some of the spatially referenced data from the one or more data records in accordance with the known format.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a pattern in the one or more patterns of fields could be modified to be consistent with additional data records in the one or more data records; and   modifying the pattern to be consistent with the additional data records.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the file comprises a plurality of records, the plurality of records comprising the one or more data records and one or more header records, and further comprising:
 classifying each of the plurality of records as either free-form or fixed format;   classifying the plurality of records into the one or more data records and the one or more header records; and   dividing each of the plurality of records into a plurality of fields; and   wherein the deriving from the one or more data records comprises deriving, from one or more data records classified as fixed format, one or more patterns of fields consistent with one or more sets of the one or more data records classified as fixed format.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 identifying one or more keyword fields in the plurality of records by comparing the fields of the plurality of records to a list of possible keyword fields;   matching each of the one or more keyword fields to a value field for that keyword; and   updating a database to store each matching of the one or more keyword fields to a value field for that keyword.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the spatially referenced data identifies a feature of a geographical location. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising creating a map showing at least one location identified by the spatially referenced data. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising creating a map showing two or more locations identified by the spatially referenced data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the extracted spatially referenced data in an index. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising querying the index. 
     
     
         10 . A computer program product for geodetic information acquisition embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising:
 computer code for identifying a file, the file comprising one or more data records, the one or more data records comprising spatially referenced data in an unknown format;   computer code for dividing each of the one or more data records into one or more fields;   computer code for deriving, from the one or more data records, one or more patterns of fields consistent with one or more sets of the one or more data records;   computer code for forming a formed template from at least some of the one or more patterns of fields;   computer code for determining if the formed template matches a matching template in a database of templates, each template in the database of templates associated with a known format; and   computer code for, if the formed template matches a matching template, extracting at least some of the spatially referenced data from the one or more data records in accordance with the known format.   
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 computer code for determining a pattern in the one or more patterns of fields could be modified to be consistent with additional data records in the one or more data records; and   computer code for modifying the pattern to be consistent with the additional data records.   
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein the file comprises a plurality of records, the plurality of records comprising the one or more data records and one or more header records, and further comprising:
 computer code for classifying each of the plurality of records as either free-form or fixed format;   computer code for classifying the plurality of records into the one or more data records and the one or more header records; and   computer code for dividing each of the plurality of records into a plurality of fields; and   wherein the computer code for deriving from the one or more data records comprises computer code for deriving, from one or more data records classified as fixed format, one or more patterns of fields consistent with one or more sets of the one or more data records classified as fixed format.   
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 computer code for identifying one or more keyword fields in the plurality of records by comparing the fields of the plurality of records to a list of possible keyword fields;   computer code for matching each of the one or more keyword fields to a value field for that keyword; and   computer code for updating a database to store each matching of the one or more keyword fields to a value field for that keyword.   
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein the spatially referenced data identifies a feature of a geographical location. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , further comprising computer code for creating a map showing at least one location identified by the spatially referenced data. 
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , further comprising computer code for creating a map showing two or more locations identified by the spatially referenced data. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , further comprising computer code for storing the extracted spatially referenced data in an index. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , further comprising computer code for querying the index.