Personal communication and positioning system

• US 20050128102A1
• Filed: 01/04/2005
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silver State Intellectual Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: American Calcar, Inc.
• Inventors: Obradovich, Michael L., Pirtle, John, Dusek, Corena
• Granted Patent: US 7,236,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A location tagged data provision and display system. A personal communication device (PCD) with electromagnetic communication capability has a GPS receiver and a display. The PCD requests maps and location tagged data from data providers and other for display on the PCD. The data providers respond to requests by using searching and sorting schemes to interrogate data bases and then automatically transmitting data responsive to the requests to the requesting PCD.

Claims

1. A condition reporting device comprising:

a processor;

a computer memory storing information, the computer memory being accessible by the processor and containing at least location identification information;

at least one weather condition sensor providing external information to the processor, the processor storing the external information in the computer memory;

a vehicular traffic condition sensor providing vehicular traffic information to the processor, the processor storing the vehicular traffic information in the computer memory; and

output means for transmitting information in the computer memory.

2-55. -55. (canceled)

56. A method of determining route conditions, comprising:

storing a route on a mobile personal computer device;

requesting information from an external source regarding current conditions along the route, the information determined by condition reporting devices along the route;

determining a travel time for the route;

storing an alternative route on the mobile personal computer device;

requesting information from the external source regarding current conditions along the alternative route, the information determined by condition reporting devices along the alternative route;

determining a travel time for the alternative route; and

maintaining a sequential list of locations of condition reporting devices ordered by location along either the route or the alternate route.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the current conditions comprise traffic speed information.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein the current conditions comprise current weather information.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein the current conditions comprise a digital photo.

60. The method of claim 56, wherein determining travel times comprises calculating travel times using the traffic speed information and distance information for the route or the alternative route.

61. The method of claim 56 further comprising displaying the sequential list of condition reporting devices on a display associated with the mobile personal computer device.

62. The method of claim 61 wherein the mobile personal computer device includes a GPS capability, and further comprising displaying the location of the mobile personal computer device on the display.

63. The method of claim 62 further comprising removing condition reporting devices from the sequential list when a predetermined distance from a condition reporting device is reached.