Abstract: A computer-implemented method for managing large volumes of data comprises dividing data about a number of features into a plurality of data groups, each of the groups having a plurality of features, each of the features having a plurality of properties, and each of the properties having a property value; for each of the groups, determining a number of distribution ranges for the property values for each of the properties; for each of the groups, determining a number of features having property values that are within each of the distribution ranges; and generating a summary associated with each of the groups, the summary comprising the properties of the features in the group and the number of the features that are within each of the distribution ranges for the properties.

Abstract: A digital Earth system based upon a hexagonal subdivision of a polyhedron representation of the Earth utilizes a computer-implemented method for assigning identifiers. The method comprises defining a tessellation of hexagonal cells, the tessellation having a first axis and a second axis, the first axis being perpendicular to a first side of the hexagonal cells, the second axis being 120 degrees from the first axis and being perpendicular to a second side of the hexagonal cells; selecting an origin cell for the tessellation and assigning a unique identifier comprising a first value and a second value thereto; and assigning a unique identifier to each cell other than the origin cell, the unique identifier for each of these cells comprising a first vector value and a second value, the first vector value and the second vector value being indicative of the location of the cell to the origin cell along the first and second axis respectively.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for managing large volumes of data comprises dividing data about a number of features into a plurality of data groups, each of the groups having a plurality of features, each of the features having a plurality of properties, and each of the properties having a property value; for each of the groups, determining a number of distribution ranges for the property values for each of the properties; for each of the groups, determining a number of features having property values that are within each of the distribution ranges; and generating a summary associated with each of the groups, the summary comprising the properties of the features in the group and the number of the features that are within each of the distribution ranges for the properties.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system and data structure is disclosed for mapping of spatial data to linear indexing for efficient computational storage, retrieval, integration, transmission, visual display, analysis, fusion, and modeling. These inventions are based on space being decomposed into uniform discrete closely packed (hexagonal) cell areas (85). Each resolution of close-packed cells can be further divided into incongruent but denser clusters of close-packed cells. The spatial indexing (86) is applied in such a manner as to build a relationship with the spatially close cells of any resolution.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system and data structure is disclosed for mapping of spatial data to linear indexing for efficient computational storage, retrieval, integration, transmission, visual display, analysis, fusion, and modeling. These inventions are based on plane space being decomposed into uniform discrete closely packed (hexagonal) cell areas (85). Each resolution of closely packed cells can be further divided into incongruent but denser clusters of closely packed cells. The spatial indexing (86) is applied in such a manner as to build a relationship with the spatially close cells of any resolution.