Portable GPS methods and devices
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Devices and Methods are disclosed for portable devices having a GPS receiver for obtaining location data, a memory for retrieving map data, and which display integrated map and location data. In certain embodiments the device is based upon a generic portable host chassis, such as a PDA having an expansion bus interface such as a CompactFlash interface, and the GPS receiver and map storage functionality are provided by a removable expansion module that serves to customize the portable host as a GPS system. In such removable expansion module embodiments, the GPS receiver location data and the memory may data are transferred from the removable expansion module to the portable host over the expansion interface. In certain removable expansion module embodiments, the expansion interface is a first-level expansion interface, the removable expansion module is a first-level removable expansion module, and the memory is a second-level removable expansion module coupled to the first-level removable expansion module via a second-level expansion interface.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. (canceled)
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2. A method of using a general-purpose portable host having integral display and input devices and an integral expansion interface compatible with industry standard removable expansion cards, the method comprising:
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attaching and operatively coupling a removable expansion device to the portable host via the expansion interface, the removable expansion device being adapted to include application-specific circuitry, an application-specific I/O device, and a memory, the removable expansion device being adapted such that when attached to the portable host the removable expansion device and portable host combination handles physically as a single piece of equipment, and executing application-specific software on the portable host, the software using the display and input devices to create a user interface including application-specific virtual controls; and
wherein the specific application is a GPS application, the I/O device is a GPS receiver providing location data, map data is stored in the memory, and at least some of the map data and at least some of the location data is displayed in combination. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification