diff --git a/lib/Geocode.php b/lib/Geocode.php
index 58bc3bfc..a6baa96b 100644
--- a/lib/Geocode.php
+++ b/lib/Geocode.php
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 
 namespace Nominatim;
 
-require_once(CONST_BasePath.'/lib/NearPoint.php');
 require_once(CONST_BasePath.'/lib/PlaceLookup.php');
 require_once(CONST_BasePath.'/lib/ReverseGeocode.php');
 require_once(CONST_BasePath.'/lib/SearchDescription.php');
+require_once(CONST_BasePath.'/lib/SearchContext.php');
 
 class Geocode
 {
@@ -888,6 +888,8 @@ class Geocode
     {
         if (!$this->sQuery && !$this->aStructuredQuery) return array();
 
+        $oCtx = new SearchContext();
+
         $sNormQuery = $this->normTerm($this->sQuery);
         $sLanguagePrefArraySQL = getArraySQL(
             array_map("getDBQuoted", $this->aLangPrefOrder)
@@ -926,20 +928,12 @@ class Geocode
         }
 
         // Do we have anything that looks like a lat/lon pair?
-        $oNearPoint = false;
-        if ($aLooksLike = NearPoint::extractFromQuery($sQuery)) {
-            $oNearPoint = $aLooksLike['pt'];
-            $sQuery = $aLooksLike['query'];
-        }
+        $sQuery = $oCtx->setNearPointFromQuery($sQuery);
 
         $aSearchResults = array();
         if ($sQuery || $this->aStructuredQuery) {
             // Start with a single blank search
-            $aSearches = array(new SearchDescription());
-
-            if ($oNearPoint) {
-                $aSearches[0]->setNear($oNearPoint);
-            }
+            $aSearches = array(new SearchDescription($oCtx));
 
             if ($sQuery) {
                 $sQuery = $aSearches[0]->extractKeyValuePairs($sQuery);
@@ -1166,7 +1160,7 @@ class Geocode
                         }
                     } elseif (!$oSearch->isNamedSearch()) {
                         // looking for a POI in a geographic area
-                        if (!$bBoundingBoxSearch && !$oSearch->isNearSearch()) {
+                        if (!$bBoundingBoxSearch && !$oCtx->hasNearPoint()) {
                             continue;
                         }
 
@@ -1319,11 +1313,7 @@ class Geocode
             $oReverse = new ReverseGeocode($this->oDB);
             $oReverse->setZoom(18);
 
-            $aLookup = $oReverse->lookup(
-                $oNearPoint->lat(),
-                $oNearPoint->lon(),
-                false
-            );
+            $aLookup = $oReverse->lookupPoint($oCtx->sqlNear, false);
 
             if (CONST_Debug) var_dump("Reverse search", $aLookup);
 
diff --git a/lib/NearPoint.php b/lib/NearPoint.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 30845b76..00000000
--- a/lib/NearPoint.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,158 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Nominatim;
-
-/**
- * A geographic point with a search radius.
- */
-class NearPoint
-{
-    private $fLat;
-    private $fLon;
-    private $fRadius;
-
-    private $sSQL;
-
-
-    public function __construct($lat, $lon, $radius = 0.1)
-    {
-        $this->fLat = (float)$lat;
-        $this->fLon = (float)$lon;
-        $this->fRadius = (float)$radius;
-        $this->sSQL = 'ST_SetSRID(ST_Point('.$this->fLon.','.$this->fLat.'),4326)';
-    }
-
-    public function lat()
-    {
-        return $this->fLat;
-    }
-
-    public function lon()
-    {
-        return $this->fLon;
-    }
-
-    public function radius()
-    {
-        return $this->fRadius;
-    }
-
-    public function distanceSQL($sObj)
-    {
-        return 'ST_Distance('.$this->sSQL.", $sObj)";
-    }
-
-    public function withinSQL($sObj)
-    {
-        return sprintf('ST_DWithin(%s, %s, %F)', $sObj, $this->sSQL, $this->fRadius);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Check that the coordinates are valid WSG84 coordinates.
-     *
-     * @return bool True if the coordinates are correctly bounded.
-     */
-    public function isValid()
-    {
-        return ($this->fLat <= 90.1
-                && $this->fLat >= -90.1
-                && $this->fLon <= 180.1
-                && $this->fLon >= -180.1);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Extract a coordinate point from a query string.
-     *
-     * If a coordinate is found an array of a new NearPoint and the
-     * remaining query is returned or false otherwise.
-     *
-     * @param string $sQuery Query to scan.
-     *
-     * @return array|false If a coordinate was found, an array with
-     *                     `pt` as the NearPoint coordinates and `query`
-     *                      with the remaining query string. False otherwiese.
-     */
-    public static function extractFromQuery($sQuery)
-    {
-        // Do we have anything that looks like a lat/lon pair?
-        // returns array(lat,lon,query_with_lat_lon_removed)
-        // or null
-        $sFound    = null;
-        $fQueryLat = null;
-        $fQueryLon = null;
-
-        if (preg_match('/\\s*([NS])[ ]+([0-9]+[0-9.]*)[° ]+([0-9.]+)?[′\']*[, ]+([EW])[ ]+([0-9]+)[° ]+([0-9]+[0-9.]*)[′\']*\\s*/', $sQuery, $aData)) {
-            /*               1         2                   3                    4         5            6
-             * degrees decimal minutes
-             * N 40 26.767, W 79 58.933
-             * N 40°26.767′, W 79°58.933′
-             */
-            $sFound    = $aData[0];
-            $fQueryLat = ($aData[1]=='N'?1:-1) * ($aData[2] + $aData[3]/60);
-            $fQueryLon = ($aData[4]=='E'?1:-1) * ($aData[5] + $aData[6]/60);
-        } elseif (preg_match('/\\s*([0-9]+)[° ]+([0-9]+[0-9.]*)?[′\']*[ ]+([NS])[, ]+([0-9]+)[° ]+([0-9]+[0-9.]*)?[′\' ]+([EW])\\s*/', $sQuery, $aData)) {
-            /*                     1            2                         3          4            5                      6
-             * degrees decimal minutes
-             * 40 26.767 N, 79 58.933 W
-             * 40° 26.767′ N 79° 58.933′ W
-             */
-            $sFound    = $aData[0];
-            $fQueryLat = ($aData[3]=='N'?1:-1) * ($aData[1] + $aData[2]/60);
-            $fQueryLon = ($aData[6]=='E'?1:-1) * ($aData[4] + $aData[5]/60);
-        } elseif (preg_match('/\\s*([NS])[ ]([0-9]+)[° ]+([0-9]+)[′\' ]+([0-9]+)[″"]*[, ]+([EW])[ ]([0-9]+)[° ]+([0-9]+)[′\' ]+([0-9]+)[″"]*\\s*/', $sQuery, $aData)) {
-            /*                     1        2            3              4                 5        6            7              8
-             * degrees decimal seconds
-             * N 40 26 46 W 79 58 56
-             * N 40° 26′ 46″, W 79° 58′ 56″
-             */
-            $sFound    = $aData[0];
-            $fQueryLat = ($aData[1]=='N'?1:-1) * ($aData[2] + $aData[3]/60 + $aData[4]/3600);
-            $fQueryLon = ($aData[5]=='E'?1:-1) * ($aData[6] + $aData[7]/60 + $aData[8]/3600);
-        } elseif (preg_match('/\\s*([0-9]+)[° ]+([0-9]+)[′\' ]+([0-9]+)[″" ]+([NS])[, ]+([0-9]+)[° ]+([0-9]+)[′\' ]+([0-9]+)[″" ]+([EW])\\s*/', $sQuery, $aData)) {
-            /*                     1            2              3             4          5            6              7             8
-             * degrees decimal seconds
-             * 40 26 46 N 79 58 56 W
-             * 40° 26′ 46″ N, 79° 58′ 56″ W
-             */
-            $sFound    = $aData[0];
-            $fQueryLat = ($aData[4]=='N'?1:-1) * ($aData[1] + $aData[2]/60 + $aData[3]/3600);
-            $fQueryLon = ($aData[8]=='E'?1:-1) * ($aData[5] + $aData[6]/60 + $aData[7]/3600);
-        } elseif (preg_match('/\\s*([NS])[ ]([0-9]+[0-9]*\\.[0-9]+)[°]*[, ]+([EW])[ ]([0-9]+[0-9]*\\.[0-9]+)[°]*\\s*/', $sQuery, $aData)) {
-            /*                     1        2                               3        4
-             * degrees decimal
-             * N 40.446° W 79.982°
-             */
-            $sFound    = $aData[0];
-            $fQueryLat = ($aData[1]=='N'?1:-1) * ($aData[2]);
-            $fQueryLon = ($aData[3]=='E'?1:-1) * ($aData[4]);
-        } elseif (preg_match('/\\s*([0-9]+[0-9]*\\.[0-9]+)[° ]+([NS])[, ]+([0-9]+[0-9]*\\.[0-9]+)[° ]+([EW])\\s*/', $sQuery, $aData)) {
-            /*                     1                           2          3                           4
-             * degrees decimal
-             * 40.446° N 79.982° W
-             */
-            $sFound    = $aData[0];
-            $fQueryLat = ($aData[2]=='N'?1:-1) * ($aData[1]);
-            $fQueryLon = ($aData[4]=='E'?1:-1) * ($aData[3]);
-        } elseif (preg_match('/(\\s*\\[|^\\s*|\\s*)(-?[0-9]+[0-9]*\\.[0-9]+)[, ]+(-?[0-9]+[0-9]*\\.[0-9]+)(\\]\\s*|\\s*$|\\s*)/', $sQuery, $aData)) {
-            /*                 1                   2                             3                        4
-             * degrees decimal
-             * 12.34, 56.78
-             * 12.34 56.78
-             * [12.456,-78.90]
-             */
-            $sFound    = $aData[0];
-            $fQueryLat = $aData[2];
-            $fQueryLon = $aData[3];
-        } else {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        $oPt = new NearPoint($fQueryLat, $fQueryLon);
-
-        if (!$oPt->isValid()) return false;
-
-        $sQuery = trim(str_replace($sFound, ' ', $sQuery));
-
-        return array('pt' => $oPt, 'query' => $sQuery);
-    }
-}
diff --git a/lib/ReverseGeocode.php b/lib/ReverseGeocode.php
index 1de0893c..9b43a3e3 100644
--- a/lib/ReverseGeocode.php
+++ b/lib/ReverseGeocode.php
@@ -66,15 +66,22 @@ class ReverseGeocode
         );
     }
 
+    public function lookup($fLat, $fLon, $bDoInterpolation = true)
+    {
+        return $this->lookupPoint(
+            'ST_SetSRID(ST_Point('.$fLon.','.$fLat.'),4326)',
+            $bDoInterpolation
+        );
+    }
+
     /* lookup()
      * returns { place_id =>, type => '(osm|tiger)' }
      * fails if no place was found
      */
 
 
-    public function lookup($fLat, $fLon, $bDoInterpolation = true)
+    public function lookupPoint($sPointSQL, $bDoInterpolation = true)
     {
-        $sPointSQL = 'ST_SetSRID(ST_Point('.$fLon.','.$fLat.'),4326)';
         $iMaxRank = $this->iMaxRank;
 
         // Find the nearest point
diff --git a/lib/SearchContext.php b/lib/SearchContext.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a6b63586
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/SearchContext.php
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Nominatim;
+
+require_once(CONST_BasePath.'/lib/lib.php');
+
+
+/**
+ * Collects search constraints that are independent of the
+ * actual interpretation of the search query.
+ *
+ * The search context is shared between all SearchDescriptions. This
+ * object mainly serves as context provider for the database queries.
+ * Therefore most data is directly cached as SQL statements.
+ */
+class SearchContext
+{
+    private $fNearRadius = false;
+
+    // cached SQL
+
+    public $sqlNear = '';
+
+    public function hasNearPoint()
+    {
+        return $this->fNearRadius !== false;
+    }
+
+    public function nearRadius()
+    {
+        return $this->fNearRadius;
+    }
+
+    public function setNearPoint($fLat, $fLon, $fRadius = 0.1)
+    {
+        $this->fNearRadius = $fRadius;
+        $this->sqlNear = 'ST_SetSRID(ST_Point('.$fLon.','.$fLat.'),4326)';
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Extract a coordinate point from a query string.
+     *
+     * @param string $sQuery Query to scan.
+     *
+     * @return The remaining query string.
+     */
+    public function setNearPointFromQuery($sQuery)
+    {
+        $aResult = parseLatLon($sQuery);
+
+        if ($aResult !== false
+            && $aResult[1] <= 90.1
+            && $aResult[1] >= -90.1
+            && $aResult[2] <= 180.1
+            && $aResult[2] >= -180.1
+        ) {
+            $this->setNearPoint($aResult[1], $aResult[2]);
+            $sQuery = trim(str_replace($aResult[0], ' ', $sQuery));
+        }
+
+        return $sQuery;
+    }
+
+    public function distanceSQL($sObj)
+    {
+        return 'ST_Distance('.$this->sqlNear.", $sObj)";
+    }
+
+    public function withinSQL($sObj)
+    {
+        return sprintf('ST_DWithin(%s, %s, %F)', $sObj, $this->sqlNear, $this->fNearRadius);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/lib/SearchDescription.php b/lib/SearchDescription.php
index 42e5af30..7073186b 100644
--- a/lib/SearchDescription.php
+++ b/lib/SearchDescription.php
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 namespace Nominatim;
 
 require_once(CONST_BasePath.'/lib/SpecialSearchOperator.php');
+require_once(CONST_BasePath.'/lib/SearchContext.php');
 
 /**
  * Description of a single interpretation of a search query.
@@ -33,15 +34,20 @@ class SearchDescription
     private $sHouseNumber = '';
     /// Postcode for the object.
     private $sPostcode = '';
-    /// Geographic search area.
-    private $oNearPoint = false;
+    /// Global search constraints.
+    private $oContext;
 
     // Temporary values used while creating the search description.
 
-    /// Index of phrase currently processed
+    /// Index of phrase currently processed.
     private $iNamePhrase = -1;
 
 
+    public function __construct($oContext)
+    {
+        $this->oContext = $oContext;
+    }
+
     public function getRank()
     {
         return $this->iSearchRank;
@@ -58,11 +64,6 @@ class SearchDescription
         return $this->sPostcode;
     }
 
-    public function setNear(&$oNearPoint)
-    {
-        $this->oNearPoint = $oNearPoint;
-    }
-
     public function setPoiSearch($iOperator, $sClass, $sType)
     {
         $this->iOperator = $iOperator;
@@ -78,12 +79,7 @@ class SearchDescription
     public function isCountrySearch()
     {
         return $this->sCountryCode && sizeof($this->aName) == 0
-               && !$this->iOperator && !$this->oNearPoint;
-    }
-
-    public function isNearSearch()
-    {
-        return (bool) $this->oNearPoint;
+               && !$this->iOperator && !$this->oContext->hasNearPoint();
     }
 
     public function isPoiSearch()
@@ -400,8 +396,8 @@ class SearchDescription
             if ($sCountryList) {
                 $sSQL .= ' JOIN placex USING (place_id)';
             }
-            if ($this->oNearPoint) {
-                $sSQL .= ' WHERE '.$this->oNearPoint->withinSQL('ct.centroid');
+            if ($this->oContext->hasNearPoint()) {
+                $sSQL .= ' WHERE '.$this->oContext->withinSQL('ct.centroid');
             } else {
                 $sSQL .= " WHERE ST_Contains($sViewboxSQL, ct.centroid)";
             }
@@ -413,23 +409,23 @@ class SearchDescription
             }
             if ($sViewboxCentreSQL) {
                 $sSQL .= " ORDER BY ST_Distance($sViewboxCentreSQL, ct.centroid) ASC";
-            } elseif ($this->oNearPoint) {
-                $sSQL .= ' ORDER BY '.$this->oNearPoint->distanceSQL('ct.centroid').' ASC';
+            } elseif ($this->oContext->hasNearPoint()) {
+                $sSQL .= ' ORDER BY '.$this->oContext->distanceSQL('ct.centroid').' ASC';
             }
             $sSQL .= " limit $iLimit";
             if (CONST_Debug) var_dump($sSQL);
             return chksql($oDB->getCol($sSQL));
         }
 
-        if ($this->oNearPoint) {
+        if ($this->oContext->hasNearPoint()) {
             $sSQL = 'SELECT place_id FROM placex WHERE ';
             $sSQL .= 'class=\''.$this->sClass."' and type='".$this->sType."'";
-            $sSQL .= ' AND '.$this->oNearPoint->withinSQL('geometry');
+            $sSQL .= ' AND '.$this->oContext->withinSQL('geometry');
             $sSQL .= ' AND linked_place_id is null';
             if ($sCountryList) {
                 $sSQL .= " AND country_code in ($sCountryList)";
             }
-            $sSQL .= ' ORDER BY '.$this->oNearPoint->distanceSQL('centroid')." ASC";
+            $sSQL .= ' ORDER BY '.$this->oContext->distanceSQL('centroid')." ASC";
             $sSQL .= " LIMIT $iLimit";
             if (CONST_Debug) var_dump($sSQL);
             return chksql($oDB->getCol($sSQL));
@@ -526,9 +522,9 @@ class SearchDescription
             }
         }
 
-        if ($this->oNearPoint) {
-            $aTerms[] = $this->oNearPoint->withinSQL('centroid');
-            $aOrder[] = $this->oNearPoint->distanceSQL('centroid');
+        if ($this->oContext->hasNearPoint()) {
+            $aTerms[] = $this->oContext->withinSQL('centroid');
+            $aOrder[] = $this->oContext->distanceSQL('centroid');
         } elseif ($this->sPostcode) {
             if (!sizeof($this->aAddress)) {
                 $aTerms[] = "EXISTS(SELECT place_id FROM location_postcode p WHERE p.postcode = '".$this->sPostcode."' AND ST_DWithin(search_name.centroid, p.geometry, 0.1))";
@@ -545,8 +541,8 @@ class SearchDescription
             $aTerms[] = 'centroid && '.$sViewboxSmall;
         }
 
-        if ($this->oNearPoint) {
-            $aOrder[] = $this->oNearPoint->distanceSQL('centroid');
+        if ($this->oContext->hasNearPoint()) {
+            $aOrder[] = $this->oContext->distanceSQL('centroid');
         }
 
         if ($this->sHouseNumber) {
@@ -765,8 +761,8 @@ class SearchDescription
                     $fRange = 0.05;
 
                     $sOrderBySQL = '';
-                    if ($this->oNearPoint) {
-                        $sOrderBySQL = $this->oNearPoint->distanceSQL('l.centroid');
+                    if ($this->oContext->hasNearPoint()) {
+                        $sOrderBySQL = $this->oContext->distanceSQL('l.centroid');
                     } elseif ($sPlaceIDs) {
                         $sOrderBySQL = "ST_Distance(l.centroid, f.geometry)";
                     } elseif ($sPlaceGeom) {
@@ -804,13 +800,13 @@ class SearchDescription
 
                     $aClassPlaceIDs = array_merge($aClassPlaceIDs, chksql($oDB->getCol($sSQL)));
                 } else {
-                    if ($this->oNearPoint) {
-                        $fRange = $this->oNearPoint->radius();
+                    if ($this->oContext->hasNearPoint()) {
+                        $fRange = $this->oContext->nearRadius();
                     }
 
                     $sOrderBySQL = '';
-                    if ($this->oNearPoint) {
-                        $sOrderBySQL = $this->oNearPoint->distanceSQL('l.geometry');
+                    if ($this->oContext->hasNearPoint()) {
+                        $sOrderBySQL = $this->oContext->distanceSQL('l.geometry');
                     } else {
                         $sOrderBySQL = "ST_Distance(l.geometry, f.geometry)";
                     }
@@ -878,14 +874,6 @@ class SearchDescription
         echo "<td>".$this->sPostcode."</td>";
         echo "<td>".$this->sHouseNumber."</td>";
 
-        if ($this->oNearPoint) {
-            echo "<td>".$this->oNearPoint->lat()."</td>";
-            echo "<td>".$this->oNearPoint->lon()."</td>";
-            echo "<td>".$this->oNearPoint->radius()."</td>";
-        } else {
-            echo "<td></td><td></td><td></td>";
-        }
-
         echo "</tr>";
     }
 }
diff --git a/lib/lib.php b/lib/lib.php
index 969d58a3..b5fbee3e 100644
--- a/lib/lib.php
+++ b/lib/lib.php
@@ -489,9 +489,8 @@ function _debugDumpGroupedSearches($aData, $aTokens)
     }
     echo "<table border=\"1\">";
     echo "<tr><th>rank</th><th>Name Tokens</th><th>Name Not</th>";
-    echo "<th>Address Tokens</th><th>Address Not</th><th>country</th>";
-    echo "<th>operator</th><th>class</th><th>type</th><th>postcode</th><th>house#</th>";
-    echo "<th>Lat</th><th>Lon</th><th>Radius</th></tr>";
+    echo "<th>Address Tokens</th><th>Address Not</th><th>country</th><th>operator</th>";
+    echo "<th>class</th><th>type</th><th>postcode</th><th>housenumber</th></tr>";
     foreach ($aData as $iRank => $aRankedSet) {
         foreach ($aRankedSet as $aRow) {
             $aRow->dumpAsHtmlTableRow($aWordsIDs);
@@ -546,6 +545,81 @@ function addQuotes($s)
     return "'".$s."'";
 }
 
+function parseLatLon($sQuery)
+{
+    $sFound    = null;
+    $fQueryLat = null;
+    $fQueryLon = null;
+
+    if (preg_match('/\\s*([NS])[ ]+([0-9]+[0-9.]*)[° ]+([0-9.]+)?[′\']*[, ]+([EW])[ ]+([0-9]+)[° ]+([0-9]+[0-9.]*)[′\']*\\s*/', $sQuery, $aData)) {
+        /*               1         2                   3                    4         5            6
+         * degrees decimal minutes
+         * N 40 26.767, W 79 58.933
+         * N 40°26.767′, W 79°58.933′
+         */
+        $sFound    = $aData[0];
+        $fQueryLat = ($aData[1]=='N'?1:-1) * ($aData[2] + $aData[3]/60);
+        $fQueryLon = ($aData[4]=='E'?1:-1) * ($aData[5] + $aData[6]/60);
+    } elseif (preg_match('/\\s*([0-9]+)[° ]+([0-9]+[0-9.]*)?[′\']*[ ]+([NS])[, ]+([0-9]+)[° ]+([0-9]+[0-9.]*)?[′\' ]+([EW])\\s*/', $sQuery, $aData)) {
+        /*                     1            2                         3          4            5                      6
+         * degrees decimal minutes
+         * 40 26.767 N, 79 58.933 W
+         * 40° 26.767′ N 79° 58.933′ W
+         */
+        $sFound    = $aData[0];
+        $fQueryLat = ($aData[3]=='N'?1:-1) * ($aData[1] + $aData[2]/60);
+        $fQueryLon = ($aData[6]=='E'?1:-1) * ($aData[4] + $aData[5]/60);
+    } elseif (preg_match('/\\s*([NS])[ ]([0-9]+)[° ]+([0-9]+)[′\' ]+([0-9]+)[″"]*[, ]+([EW])[ ]([0-9]+)[° ]+([0-9]+)[′\' ]+([0-9]+)[″"]*\\s*/', $sQuery, $aData)) {
+        /*                     1        2            3              4                 5        6            7              8
+         * degrees decimal seconds
+         * N 40 26 46 W 79 58 56
+         * N 40° 26′ 46″, W 79° 58′ 56″
+         */
+        $sFound    = $aData[0];
+        $fQueryLat = ($aData[1]=='N'?1:-1) * ($aData[2] + $aData[3]/60 + $aData[4]/3600);
+        $fQueryLon = ($aData[5]=='E'?1:-1) * ($aData[6] + $aData[7]/60 + $aData[8]/3600);
+    } elseif (preg_match('/\\s*([0-9]+)[° ]+([0-9]+)[′\' ]+([0-9]+)[″" ]+([NS])[, ]+([0-9]+)[° ]+([0-9]+)[′\' ]+([0-9]+)[″" ]+([EW])\\s*/', $sQuery, $aData)) {
+        /*                     1            2              3             4          5            6              7             8
+         * degrees decimal seconds
+         * 40 26 46 N 79 58 56 W
+         * 40° 26′ 46″ N, 79° 58′ 56″ W
+         */
+        $sFound    = $aData[0];
+        $fQueryLat = ($aData[4]=='N'?1:-1) * ($aData[1] + $aData[2]/60 + $aData[3]/3600);
+        $fQueryLon = ($aData[8]=='E'?1:-1) * ($aData[5] + $aData[6]/60 + $aData[7]/3600);
+    } elseif (preg_match('/\\s*([NS])[ ]([0-9]+[0-9]*\\.[0-9]+)[°]*[, ]+([EW])[ ]([0-9]+[0-9]*\\.[0-9]+)[°]*\\s*/', $sQuery, $aData)) {
+        /*                     1        2                               3        4
+         * degrees decimal
+         * N 40.446° W 79.982°
+         */
+        $sFound    = $aData[0];
+        $fQueryLat = ($aData[1]=='N'?1:-1) * ($aData[2]);
+        $fQueryLon = ($aData[3]=='E'?1:-1) * ($aData[4]);
+    } elseif (preg_match('/\\s*([0-9]+[0-9]*\\.[0-9]+)[° ]+([NS])[, ]+([0-9]+[0-9]*\\.[0-9]+)[° ]+([EW])\\s*/', $sQuery, $aData)) {
+        /*                     1                           2          3                           4
+         * degrees decimal
+         * 40.446° N 79.982° W
+         */
+        $sFound    = $aData[0];
+        $fQueryLat = ($aData[2]=='N'?1:-1) * ($aData[1]);
+        $fQueryLon = ($aData[4]=='E'?1:-1) * ($aData[3]);
+    } elseif (preg_match('/(\\s*\\[|^\\s*|\\s*)(-?[0-9]+[0-9]*\\.[0-9]+)[, ]+(-?[0-9]+[0-9]*\\.[0-9]+)(\\]\\s*|\\s*$|\\s*)/', $sQuery, $aData)) {
+        /*                 1                   2                             3                        4
+         * degrees decimal
+         * 12.34, 56.78
+         * 12.34 56.78
+         * [12.456,-78.90]
+         */
+        $sFound    = $aData[0];
+        $fQueryLat = $aData[2];
+        $fQueryLon = $aData[3];
+    } else {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    return array($sFound, $fQueryLat, $fQueryLon);
+}
+
 
 function geometryText2Points($geometry_as_text, $fRadius)
 {