FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a data format conversion, and more particularly to a method and system for automatically converting global positioning system coordinate data represented in multiple formats into a decimal degree format.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various organizations that provide mapping and location data related services store their global positioning system (GPS) coordinates data in any format such as degrees, minutes and seconds format, decimals and minutes format or in any other format known in the art.

In order to present the GPS coordinates data, existing software such as ArcGIS, leaflet, and Google Maps use longitude and latitude to represent the GPS coordinates data on a map. As the GPS coordinate data stored in a data source can be stored in various formats, manual effort is required to determine the type of formal used by the GPS coordinate data. From the determined format, the GPS coordinate data has to be converted into a readable fonn by the application litis is also a tedious process especially when there are many GPS coordinate data points for locations that contain various types of information, the developer has to manually determine the format of the GPS coordinate data and then determine which set of conversion rules are required.

There are several prior arts disclosing the global positioning system data format conversion, some of which are listed below for reference. The Korean granted patent number K.R 10I320023B1 discloses a GPS/GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) data receiving part receives integrated GPS/GLONASS data through a GPS/GLONASS transmission/reception module which wirelessly transmits/reeeives data to/from GPS satellites and GLONASS satellites. A data conversion part converts the received integrated GPS/GLONASS data into data complying with a GPS format. A GPS data transmission part provides the GPS format data converted at the data conversion part to a GPS device.

Another cited prior art, a United States Patent for application number US20150355335 A 1 discloses a system and method to decompress the GPS data, the method includes steps, obtain a relative latitude value and a relative longitude value. Then, shift each of the relative latitude and relative longitude values by a plurality of bits. Next, truncate the shifted relative latitude and relative longitude values by a predetermined amount. Then, generate a compressed data comprising the truncated relative latitude and relative longitude values, and incorporate the compressed data in a set of relative GPS positions associated with an initial GPS position to be sent in a GPS update packet.

None of the above-cited prior arts discloses a method and system to identify the format of the GPS coordinate data and to convert it into a decimal degree format which can be used to map the data onto the computer system. SUMMARY QF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a computer implemented method for use in a geographical positioning system to convert coordinate data of any format type into a decimal degree format, the method comprises tiite steps to: retrieve, by a data retrieval module, the coordinate data from a data source, characterised by the step to process the retrieved data comprises the steps: identify, by a format identification module, the format of the retrieved data, by reading a character sequence of the retrieved data; determine, by a data format conversion module, conversion rules required for the identified format; apply, by the data format conversion module, the determined conversion rules on the retrieved data for converting the identified format of the retrieved data into the decimal degree format; and store, in a knowledge database, the converted data. Preferably, the steps to convert the Identified format of the retrieved data into decimal degree format, by the data format conversion module includes: calculate decimal values for minutes or seconds in the identified format, whereby the identified format of the retrieved data is represented in degrees, minutes and seconds format or in degree and decimal minutes format; and compute a sum of the calculated decimal values and a degree value in the identified format to determine decimal degree value for the retrieved data. Preferably, the steps to identify the format type of the retrieved data, by the format identification module includes: compare whether the character sequence of the retrieved data matches with the character sequence of the decimal degree format to be stored in the knowledge database. Preferably, the steps to identify die format type of the retrieved data by the format identification module further include: compare whether sequence of a column name in the retrieved data matches with the sequence of the column name of the decimal degree format to be stored in the knowledge database. Preferably, the method further includes the steps to load the conversion rules from the knowledge database by the data format conversion module, if the column name of the retrieved data matches with the column name of the decimal degree format to be stored in the knowledge database. The present invention also provides a system for use in a geographical positioning system to convert coordinate data of any format type into a decimal degree format, the system comprises a data retrieval module configured to retrieve the coordinate data from a data source, characterised in that, the system further comprises: a format identification module configured to identify the format of the retrieved data, by reeling a character sequence of the retrieved data; a data format conversion module configured to determine conversion rules required for the identified formal and to apply the determined conversion rules on the retrieved data for converting the identified formal of the retrieved data into the decimal degree format; and a knowledge database configured to store the converted data.

Preferably, the data format conversion module is configured to calculate decimal values for minutes or seconds in the identified format, whereby the identified format of the retrieved data is represented in degrees, minutes and seconds format or in degree and decimal minutes format; and compute a sum of the calculated decimal values and a degree value in the identified format to determine decimal degree value for the retrieved data.

Preferably, the format identification module is further configured to compare whether the character sequence of the retrieved data matches with the character sequence of the decimal degree format to be stored in the knowledge database. Preferably, the format identification module is further configured to compare whether sequence of a column name in the retrieved data matches with the sequence of the column name of the decimal degree format to be stored in the knowledge database.

Preferably, the data format conversion module is further configured to load the conversion rules from the knowledge database, if the column name of the retrieved data matches with the column name of the decimal degree format to be stored in the knowledge database.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood, when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a block diagram of a system to convert coordinate data represented in any format into a decimal degree format, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating the steps to automatically convert the coordinate data represented in any format into the decimal degree format, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a system and method for use in a geographical positioning system (GPS) to automatically convert coordinate data (hereafter mentioned as“GPS coordinate data”) represented in any format type into a decimal degree format. Further, the present invention also provides a system and method to detect the GPS coordinate data format and convert it into the decimal degree format which can then be used to map foe data onto a computer system.

Figure 1 illustrates a system for the GPS coordinate data format conversion which comprises a data source (110), a data retrieval module (120), a format identification module (130), a data format conversion module (140) and a knowledge database (150).

The data source (110), preferably a GPS data source (110), is configured to store the GPS coordinate data related to various locations. Preferably, foe GPS coordinate data is provided as latitude and longitude coordinates which can be represented in any format type such as degree, minutes and seconds (DMS) format, degree and decimal minutes (DMM) format or in any other format known in the art.

The present invention is now explained with respect to conversion of the GPS coordinate data represented in the DMS format into the decimal degree format However, the present invention is also applicable for conversion of the GPS coordinate data represented in the DMM format into foe decimal degree format.

Preferably, the data retrieval module (120) is configured to retrieve the GPS coordinate data from the GPS data source (110) irrespective of the format. The retrieved GPS coordinate data can be represented in DMS format A and B as shown as examples in Tables l and 2. The retrieved GPS coordinate data is compiled in a tabular format with a column name representing format of the GPS coordinate data as shown in Tables 1 and 2.

Iaken a first example from Table 1 shows that the longitude and latitude of the GPS coordinate data represented in DMS format A are respectively read as: 102 Degree, 01 Minutes & 47.4 Seconds and 2 Degree, 47 Minutes & 53.3 Seconds. On the other hand, a first example taken from Table 2 shows that the longitude and latitude of the GPS coordinate data represented in DMS format B are respectively read as: North 4 Degree, 57 Minutes & 29.0 Seconds and East 100 Degree, 39 Minutes & 17.1 Seconds.

"Die main purpose of the format identification module (130) is to identify format of the retrieved GPS coordinate data. The format identification module (130) can be configured to perform the following: read a character sequence of the retrieved GPS coordinate data to identify the format of the retrieved GPS coordinate data, in which the retrieved GPS coordinate data may include numbers, alphabets, symbols and decimals and detect column name of the retrieved GPS coordinate data to identify the format of the retrieved GPS coordinate data as shown as example in Tables 3 and 4, wherein Table 3 shows the column names for the DMS format A of the Table 1 and Table 4 shows the column name for the DMS format B of the Table 2. The format identification module (130) further configured to compare whether sequence of the column name of the retrieved GPS coordinate name matches with the sequence of die column name to be stored in the knowledge database (150) and compare whether the character sequence of the retrieved OPS coordinate data matches with the character sequence of the GPS coordinate data represented in the decimal degree formal to be stored in knowledge database (150).

Based on the comparison result in Tables 3 and 4, if the sequence of the both column names match, then the data format conversion module (140) is configured to normalize the GPS coordinate data. If the sequence of both column names do not match, then the data format conversion module (140) is configured to recognize the format of the GPS coordinate data and represent the GPS coordinate data in the DMS format.

Tables 5 and 6 respectively show examples of the normalized GPS coordinate data for the DMS format A ofTable 1 and (he DMS format B of Table 2.

Preferably, the data format conversion module ( 140) is configured to load conversion rules from the knowledge database (150) to convert the format of the normalized GPS coordinate data into the decimal degree format. Tables 7 and 8 respectively show examples of the GPS coordinate data in the DMS format A and the DMS format B is converted into the decimal degree format.

By way of example, the steps to convert the normalized GPS coordinate data in the DMS format into the decimal degree format include calculate the decimal values for the minutes and seconds of the normalized GPS coordinate data using formulas below:

Decimal minutes = minutes/60

Decimal seconds = seconds/3600 Then, calculate the decimal degree value of the latitude and longitude using the formula below:

Decimal degrees - degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600.

Preferably, the knowledge database (150) is configured to store the converted GPS coordinate data in the decimal degree format as shown as example in Table 9. Table 9 shows a decimal degree format of the GPS coordinate data stored in the knowledge database. Preferably, the converted data is normalized to build the knowledge database (150). This converted data can be used for mapping.

Figure 2 is the flow chart illustrating the processing steps (210 to 270) implemented by the system ( 100) to convert the GPS coordinate data of any format type into the decimal degree format. The processing steps (210 to 270) may comprise: (Step 210) retrieve the GPS coordinate data by the data retrieval module (120) from the GPS data source (1 10), in which the GPS data source (110) stores the GPS coordinate data represented in various formats. Then, (Step 220) compare whether the sequence of the column name of the retrieved GPS coordinate data matches with the sequence of the column name in the knowledge database (150), by the format identification module (130), in order to identify the format type of the retrieved GPS coordinate data. Then, (Step 230) based on comparison result, if the sequence of the both column names match, then the data format conversion module (140) loads the conversion rules from the knowledge database (150) and applies those conversion rules on the retrieved GPS coordinate data, Else, (Step 240) the format identification module (130) identifies the format of the retrieved GPS coordinate data by reading the character sequence of the retrieved GPS coordinate data. Then, the format identification module ( 130), represents the retrieved GPS coordinate data in the DMS formal. Next, (Step 250) apply the conversion rules on the DMS format to convert the GPS coordinate data into the decimal degree format, by the data format conversion module ( 140). Then, (Step 260) record the converted data according to the sequence of the columns in the decimal degree format to build the knowledge database (150), by the data format conversion module (140). And (Step 270) store the converted data in the decimal degree format in the knowledge database (150).

The present disclosure includes as contained in the appended claims, as well as that of the foregoing description. Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangements of parts may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention.