Locationare

Locationare is a term in geospatial information science and augmented reality describing a method to link data objects to precise geographic locations and defined spatial extents. A locationare record notes where an object exists and the area considered its influence, enabling spatial queries and context-aware display.

Etymology and scope: The word blends location and area and is used in research and industry discussions on location-based data models. It is not a standardized term across all geospatial communities and has multiple implementations.

Definition and data model: A locationare item typically includes coordinates (lat, lon, optionally altitude), an extent geometry (radius, polygon, or other shape), a coordinate reference system such as WGS84, and metadata like timestamp and accuracy. Data may be stored as GeoJSON, GML, or similar.

Applications: It supports augmented reality object placement, asset management, urban planning, and environmental monitoring where the extent of influence matters.

Standards and considerations: Locationare data often aligns with existing geospatial standards and interoperates with GIS platforms. Privacy, data quality, and precision are common concerns, especially in dense areas or rapidly updated datasets.

History: The concept appeared in GIS literature in the early 2010s and has since seen use in both academic and industry contexts, with varying levels of formal standardization.

Related topics include geospatial data, GIS, GeoJSON, location-based services, augmented reality, and spatial indexing.