What is LoCode™?
LoCode is a geographic coding scheme that converts latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates into an eight digit code (e.g. T8R5-RTJU) for a particular region of the world. LoCode works by exploiting the fact that many less characters are required to specify a number using a high base than a lower base. Normally it takes between 16 to 20 characters to accurately specify a location on the Earth using latitude and longitude, LoCode can do it in 8.
Why is LoCode useful?
LoCode works much like a telephone number. It is short, easy to remember, and easy to convey in conversation, voice messages, emails, text messages, etc. Currently there are various ways to specify locations on the Earth. Addresses, landmarks, and Lat/Long are various ways to specify points on the Earth. LoCode gives individuals the ability to specify a location within 10 feet of a specific point. Identification using addresses requires a massive database that indexes each address to a latitude and longitude. Locations marked by latitude and longitude require a large number of digits that cannot be easily remembered and are prone to transcription errors when conveyed.
How to use LoCode?
The LoCode website (www.locode.com) gives users the ability to search for given locations using addresses, points of interest, and latitude and longitudes. Simply click a point of interest on the map and the LoCode will appear.
If you want to send someone the LoCode of a location click on the LoCode in the balloon and right mouse click on “copy link location”. The link will be copied in the form www.locode.com/XXXX-XXXX. This url can be emailed to other users and when clicked on will take the user to the specific location on the map.
For example, suppose you want to specify the exact location of the Washington Monument to meet someone. A landmark as popular as the Washington Monument might be stored in a database in your GPS unit so all you would have to do is look it up and have your device take you there, easy enough. You could also specify the latitude and longitude of the monument; the coordinates would be N 38.889471 °, W 77.035242. It has taken 18 digits to specify this location on the Earth, most human beings cannot remember more than 7±2 digits. Latitude and Longitude are not easily amenable for specifying exact locations. The LoCode for the Washington Monument is L2JB-81Q7, only eight digits. Any GPS device equipped with the proper deciphering algorithm could easily translate this to standard latitude and longitude with an accuracy of approximately 10 feet. What’s more, using www.locode.com, you could easily send the link www.locode.com/L2JB-81Q7 and the website will show you a map and a satellite image of the exact location.
The Washington Monument is probably easiest enough to find. However, let’s suppose you want to meet a friend at your favorite park bench in Central Park, New York City. Will this be in your GPS database, I think not. Suppose your favorite park bench is located at N 40.780361 ° , W 73.965320, how easy is this to give to your friend? The LoCode for this bench is NLMG-692H, these 8 digits will get your friend within 10 feet of the bench, www.locode.com/NLMG-692H will show them a satellite image of the bench.
Soon LoCode will be available on handheld GPS units and GPS-enabled cell phones. You will be able to determine the LoCode of your locations of interest: house, apartment, favorite hang out spots, heck your favorite park bench at your local city park has a LoCode.
Who will love LoCode?
Anybody that uses it! Have you ever plugged in an address into your GPS unit for directions and found that once your get to your destination you cannot find the place. Your unit keeps screeching “you have reached your destination”, you know you are close but you just can quite find it. LoCode will take you to within 10 feet of your destination.
If you have ever visited a college campus and tried to find a particular building you know how frustrating this can be. Sure the college website gives your great directions for getting to the campus; they even provide you with a campus map. However, once you arrive there, all bets are off. Invariably you end up asking directions for that building from some student that looks at you weird. With LoCode, each building, each entrance to each building has a LoCode. We haven’t even begun to talk about parking and once you are parked how to get from the parking lot to the building. With LoCode a specific parking spot in the lot could be identified, taking about convenient!
If you drive a truck for a living, you are going to absolutely love LoCode. Loading docks and shipping terminals will each have there own unique LoCode. Once the receiving company has determined the Locodes for their loading docks using their own GPS units or www.locode.com, finding and navigating to these locations will be a breeze.
LoCode can even be used by local governments to index things such as street lights, bridges, water meters, etc. The uses for LoCode are endless (ok, maybe not endless but there are a lot).
Will LoCode create world peace?
No, but it will make places easier to find.