Geocoding services convert physical addresses into geographic coordinates. They vary by provider, with some charging for the service and others providing it for free. Universities and large institutions offer tools for geocoding, and companies use it for GPS services and advertising. Individuals can also use geocoding for hiking and adventure purposes.
Geocoding services vary by provider. Most utility companies provide services that convert physical address information into geographic latitude and longitude coordinates. Some providers charge for the conversion services and others provide the service for free. Each online mapping service has its own application programming interface for interacting directly with the online map.
Universities and other large institutions have developed tools to help individuals and groups convert physical address information into corresponding geographic coordinates. Many of these organizations allow users to use their geocoding services to geocode an address, provided in a parsed or unparsed format, or a batch of addresses at once. These services are provided online or through an application downloaded to the individual user’s computer. Each organization provides the format in which data must be provided for their services to complete data interpolation.
Individual users or specific programs can access an application programming interface to access the geocoding services of a specific mapping system. The application programming interface includes rules and specifications on how data must be supplied to the program to be processed into geographic coordinates by the program itself. Each online mapping program uses a proprietary interface for users to interact with the program and place geographic coordinates on the Internet-based map. These maps are in turn used by millions of users on a monthly basis to find specific places via the internet or global positioning systems.
Companies that sell global positioning services to consumers use geocoding services to translate information found in telephone directories into information that consumers can access from a variety of devices. Many handheld devices include location information within the device so that the user can access information related to a specific service within a set mileage radius of the user’s current location. Automobiles also include positioning devices in them to assist drivers during their journey. The companies that provide these services may also provide specific advertising to a consumer based on that person’s current geographic coordinates.
Individuals also use geocoding services on hikes or other adventures to document trails or other landmarks. These individuals could use interpolation services before embarking on an adventure to create a specific map. During the adventure, the user could mark a landmark on a portable positioning device to save the data for later use. Upon returning home, the user could use a geocoding service to reverse interpolate geographic coordinates into a physical address.
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