Method of producing maps and other objects configured for presentation of spatially-related layers of data

• US 20030128865A1
• Filed: 12/12/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Urban Mining Corp B.V.
• Original Assignee: Urban Mining Corp B.V.
• Inventors: White, Ian H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,611,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/113
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/02 Maps; Sea or meteorological charts
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/004 Map manufacture or repair; Tear or ink or water resistant maps; Long-life maps printing processes for maps B41M3/02; by permanently attaching map sections to sheets B42B7/00

Abstract

A method of fabricating maps and other objects presenting multiple sets of spatially related information. Spatial alignment data, such as geographical boundaries is selected. First and second images are created by aligning or mapping first and second sets of information to the spatial alignment data. A lens sheet or lenticular material is fabricated, and based on the lens sheet configuration, the first and second images are combined to create an interlaced image including alternating strips from the first and second images. The interlaced image is printed on a substrate or the reverse side of the lens sheet, and the substrate is bonded to the lens sheet such that the interlaced image is sandwiched between the lens sheet and substrate. The first image is visible when the map or object is in a first position and the second image when the map or object is rotated to a second position.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a map or other object useful for presenting multiple sets of information to a user in a spatially-related fashion, comprising:

creating a first image including a first layer data set aligned to a set of spatial alignment data;

creating a second image including a second layer data set aligned to the set of spatial alignment data;

providing a lens sheet comprising a plurality of parallel lenticules;

based on the provided lens sheet, combining the first and second images to form an interlaced image comprising image strips from the first and second images;

printing the interlaced image; and

bonding a substrate to the lens sheet on a side distal to the lenticules, whereby the printed interlaced image is between the substrate and the lens sheet.

2. The method of claim 1, further including creating a third image including a third layer data set aligned to the set of spatial alignment data and wherein the combining comprises combining the first, second, and third images to form the interlaced image.

3. The method of claim 1, further including prior to the first image creating, selecting data to include in the set of spatial alignment data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected data is a set of mapping coordinates.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the lens sheet and the printed image are configured such that the first image is visible to a viewer at a first viewing angle and the second image is visible to the viewer at a second viewing angle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the printed image is configured such that at least a portion of the first image and at least a portion of the second image are visible concurrently to the viewer at a transition viewing angle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transition viewing angle is an angle between the first and second viewing angles.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first, the second, and the transition viewing angles are each a range of angles measured relative to an initial position of the bonded lens sheet, printed image, and substrate.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the lenticules of the lens sheet are adapted to have viewing angles of less than about 40 degrees and a viewing distance of less than about 15 inches.

10. A map adapted for presenting multiple layers of spatially-related to a viewer, comprising:

a substrate;

a lenticular layer formed of a clear plastic and including a plurality of parallel elongate lenses; and

a printed image positioned between the substrate and the lenticular layer such that the lenses produce a first image at a first position of the map, a second image at a second position of the map, and a third image at a third position of the map,

wherein the printed image comprises a series of interlaced strips corresponding to the first, second, and third images and wherein the first, second, and third images comprise information from first, second, and third layer data sets that is all spatially aligned with a single set of spatial alignment data.

11. The map of claim 10, wherein the set of spatial alignment data defines a geographical boundary.

12. The map of claim 10, wherein the information in the first, second, and third layer data sets are of a defined type and wherein the types of information in each the data sets is different.

13. The map of claim 12, wherein the types of information are selected from the group of information types consisting of street information, public transportation information, traffic flow information, parking information, fuel source information, neighborhood information, restaurant information, cultural attraction information, outdoor activity information, landmark information, lodging information, shopping information, topographic information, emergency services information, utilities information, police precinct information, voting precinct information, building structure information, building system information, evacuation route information.

14. The map of claim 10, wherein folds are provided between a first and a second section of the lenticular layer and a corresponding first and second section of the printed image, whereby the map can be folded upon itself at the folds and the first and second sections of the printed image can be viewed individually by a viewer.

15. The map of claim 10, wherein the lenses produce at a fourth position at least a portion of the first image concurrently with the second image.

16. The map of claim 15, wherein the interlaced strips in the printed image corresponding to the first and the second images are adjacent.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the lenses produce at least a portion of the first image concurrently with the third image at the third position of the map.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the data sets includes information that is temporally related to at least a portion of at least one other of the data sets.

19. The method of claim 10, further including an electronic display device configured to provide the printed image and the substrate.

20. A portable information sheeting, comprising:

a layer of lenticular material with a series of elongate lenses on a first surface and a substantially planar second surface;

an ink layer abutting the planar second surface of the lenticular material layer comprising a plurality of interlaced strips of a first image and a second image, the first and second images corresponding to first and second sets of information that are aligned spatially to a shared set of alignment data; and

a substrate covering the ink layer.

21. The sheeting of claim 20, further including an additional ink layer abutting the substrate on a side opposite the other ink layer, the additional ink layer comprising a plurality of interlaced strips of a third image and a fourth image, the third and fourth images corresponding to third and fourth sets of information that are aligned spatially to an additional set of alignment data and further including an additional layer of lenticular material covering the additional ink layer.

22. The sheeting of claim 21, wherein the first and second sets of information are selected from the group consisting of identification information and security information and the third and fourth sets of information are selected from the group consisting of emergency information, building information, evacuation route information, public transportation information, geographical information, street information, and office location information.