Web based system providing GPS waypoint information

• US 20040167706A1
• Filed: 02/25/2003
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Becker, Daniel C.
• Application Number:
  US10/372,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20040167706A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/206
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236

Abstract

A web-based system includes an interface and a searchable database providing waypoint information for use by a GPS device. The waypoint information is formatted for the GPS device and search fields allow for defining a search of the database for particular waypoint information.

Claims

1. A web-based system providing waypoint information for use by a GPS device comprising:

a database containing waypoint information and GPS formatting information; and

a web-based interface for accessing the waypoint information and GPS formatting information, and configured to provide the waypoint information to a GPS device.

2. The web-based system according to claim 1, wherein the web-based interface is further configured to convert the waypoint information to a GPS format.

3. The web-based system according to claim 2, further comprising a web-based script for converting the waypoint information.

4. The web-based system according to claim 1, wherein the waypoint information comprises business location information.

5. The web-based system according to claim 1, wherein the web-based interface comprises selectable fields for searching the waypoint information in the database.

6. The web-based system according to claim 5, wherein the selectable fields are configured to provide search criteria selected from business name, business type, GPS device manufacturer, GPS device model, street, city, state and distance.

7. The web-based system according to claim 1, wherein the web-based interface is configured to allow for downloading of selected waypoint information from a computer to the GPS device.

8. The web-based system according to claim 1, wherein the web-based interface is configured to allow for downloading of selected waypoint information to the GPS device.

9. The web-based system according to claim 1, wherein the web-based interface is configured to allow for downloading of selected waypoint information to a web-enabled cellular device.

10. The web-based system according to claim 1, wherein the database comprises record numbers with each record number corresponding to information relating to one waypoint.

11. The web-based system according to claim 1 wherein the GPS formatting information is configured as a lookup table having information therein relating to one or more GPS devices.

12. The web-based system according to claim 2 wherein the web-based interface is further configured to provide communication of the formatted waypoint information using an NMEA 0183 formatted command.

13. The web-based system according to claim 12 wherein the web-based interface is further configured to convert binary waypoint information to ASCII formatted information.

14. The web-based system according to claim 1 wherein the web-based interface is further configured to provide the waypoint information in one of (i) a text form formatted for a user selected GPS device and (ii) GPS format for direct downloading to the user selected GPS device.

15. A device for accessing waypoint information comprising:

a user input interface for inputting search criteria for use in connection with a web-based interface to access a web-based database containing waypoint information;

a processor configured to request waypoint information from the web-based database based upon the search criteria and download the requested waypoint information using the web-based interface;

a display for displaying the downloaded waypoint information; and

a GPS component using the downloaded waypoint information to provide directional information.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the GPS component is operatively connected to a PDA device having the user input interface, processor and display, and configured for wireless web-based access.

17. The device according to claim 15, wherein the waypoint information comprises business location information.

18. The device according to claim 15, wherein the search criteria is configured to provide selection from business name, business type, GPS device manufacturer, GPS device model, city, state and distance.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the display is configured to display identifying indicia relating to a business and wherein at least one of the search criteria relating to the business is fixed.

20. The device according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the search criteria is provided using a pull-down menu.

21. The device according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the search criteria is provided having a user input portion for entry of search criteria by a user.

22. A method of providing web-based waypoint information for use by a GPS device comprising:

accessing the web-based waypoint information; and

formatting the accessed web-based information for use by the GPS device.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the step of accessing comprises searching a database containing the waypoint information.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the step of searching comprises using search criteria to define a search.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the step of accessing comprises transferring the waypoint information to the GPS device.

26. A method of providing waypoint information for use by a GPS device comprising:

receiving a user input for waypoint information;

requesting the waypoint information from a web-based database based upon the user input; and

receiving the waypoint information, which is in a GPS format for use by the GPS device.

27. The method according to claim 26 wherein the requesting step requests the waypoint information using search constraints defining a search for the waypoint information.

28. The method according to claim 27 further comprising displaying the selected search constraints and search results.