Method and system for creating a flexible GIS data collection network

• US 20080262733A1
• Filed: 04/19/2007
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Rogers, John Francis, Manson, Paul Robin, Allan, Robert Murie, James, Bruce Stephen, France, Peter Glen, Bergen, Michelle Lynn
• Granted Patent: US 8,032,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/2919 with a principal constituent of the material being a polymer, e.g. polyester, phenolic based polymer, epoxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0665 Epoxy resin
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention recite a method and system for creating a flexible Geographic Information Systems (GIS) network. In one embodiment, a data dictionary is assigned to a mobile electronic device. In one embodiment, the data dictionary comprises a definition of at least one desired GIS feature type which was not originally intended to be recordable by the mobile electronic device. The method further comprises uploading the data dictionary onto the mobile electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for creating a flexible Geographic Information Systems (GIS) network, said method comprising:

assigning a data dictionary comprising a definition of at least one desired GIS feature type to a mobile electronic device and wherein said definition of said desired GIS feature type was not originally intended to be recordable by said mobile electronic device; and

uploading said data dictionary onto said mobile electronic device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

conveying a request for said desired GIS feature type using said mobile electronic device.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

using a wireless communication network to convey said request and to upload said data dictionary.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

determining that said data dictionary is not yet resident upon said mobile electronic device; and

automatically uploading said data dictionary onto said mobile electronic device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

uploading a GIS data collector application onto said mobile electronic device for enabling said mobile electronic device to perform GIS data collection functions.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising:

forwarding collected GIS data in real-time from said mobile electronic device wherein said GIS data collector application initiates automatically sending the collected GIS data via said wireless network in response to an indication to save the collected GIS data on said mobile electronic device;

storing the collected GIS data on a data storage device; and

deleting the collected GIS data from said mobile electronic device in response to a confirmation message.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 further comprising:

automatically generating a message to a recipient of said collected GIS data in response to said storing the collected GIS data;

sending said collected GIS data to said recipient in response to a message therefrom; and

receiving a confirmation from said recipient that said collected GIS data has been received.

8. The method as recited in claim 6 wherein said deleting further comprises:

automatically deleting the collected GIS data from said mobile electronic device in response to said confirmation message.

9. The method as recited in claim 6 further comprising:

determining that communications via said wireless communication network are not established;

storing the collected GIS data on said mobile electronic device;

establishing communications with a storage and forwarding server; and

initiating said forwarding in response to said establishing.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

uploading said data dictionary onto a dedicated GIS data collector.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

uploading said data dictionary onto a mobile electronic device selected from the group consisting essentially of a legacy cellular telephone, a legacy personal digital assistant (PDA), and a legacy mobile computer system.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

formatting said data dictionary in a pre-defined manner which is selected based upon said mobile electronic device.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising:

formatting said data dictionary based upon the display capabilities of said mobile electronic device.

14. A storage and forwarding system configured to facilitate the creation of a flexible Geographic Information Systems (GIS) network, said storage and forwarding system comprising:

a data dictionary verifier for determining which version of a data dictionary is resident upon a mobile electronic device and wherein said data dictionary comprises at least one feature type which was not originally intended for use by said mobile electronic device; and

a data dictionary forwarder for sending a second data dictionary comprising a definition of at least one desired GIS feature type to said mobile electronic device and wherein said definition of said at least one desired GIS feature type was not originally intended to be recordable by said mobile electronic device .

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said mobile electronic device and said storage and forwarding system are communicatively coupled via a wireless communication network.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said mobile electronic device comprises a legacy mobile electronic device selected from the group consisting essentially of a legacy cellular telephone, a legacy personal digital assistant (PDA), and a legacy mobile computer system.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said mobile electronic device further comprises:

a data collector application which configures said legacy mobile electronic device to perform GIS data collector functions.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said data collector application automatically sends recorded GIS data to said storage and forwarding system and deletes the recorded GIS data in response to a confirmation message from said storage and forwarding system.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said data collector application automatically deletes the recorded GIS data in response to said confirmation message from said storage and forwarding server.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein said data dictionary verifier is further for automatically initiating the updating said data dictionary if said second data dictionary has been identified for said mobile electronic device.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein said storage and forwarding system further comprises:

a feature inserter for forwarding GIS data recorded by said mobile electronic device to a GIS data network.

22. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a management application configured to select said at least one desired GIS feature type in response to a request conveyed by said mobile electronic device.

23. The system of claim 14 wherein said storage and forwarding system deletes said GIS data in response to a confirmation message generated by said GIS data network.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein said data dictionary forwarder is further for formatting said data dictionary in a pre-defined manner which is selected based upon said mobile electronic device.

25. The system claim 24 wherein said data dictionary forwarder formats said data dictionary based upon the display capabilities of said mobile electronic device.

26. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a data collector application forwarder for determining whether a data collector application resident upon said mobile electronic device is a current version and for conveying said current version to a mobile electronic device.

27. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a data dictionary feature selector for creating a second data dictionary wherein at least one desired GIS feature type is selected from a superset of feature types based upon an assigned membership of said mobile electronic device to a workgroup.

28. A method for creating a flexible Geographic Information Systems (GIS) network, said method comprising:

determining an assigned membership of a mobile electronic device to a workgroup;

determining that a first data dictionary resident upon said mobile electronic device does not comprise a definition of at least one desired GIS feature type, and wherein said first data dictionary is selected based upon said workgroup;

receiving a request for a second data dictionary comprising said definition of said at least one desired GIS feature type which was not originally intended for said workgroup; and

sending said second data dictionary to said mobile electronic device.

29. The method as recited in claim 28 further comprising:

establishing communications with said mobile electronic device via a wireless network; and

automatically sending said second data dictionary to said mobile electronic device via said wireless.

30. The method as recited in claim 28 further comprising:

determining that said second data dictionary is not yet resident upon said mobile electronic device; and

automatically sending said second data dictionary to said mobile electronic device.

31. The method as recited in claim 28 further comprising:

receiving a modification of said first data dictionary for said workgroup to create said second data dictionary; and

automatically sending said second data dictionary to said mobile electronic device when communications are established therewith via said wireless network.

32. The method as recited in claim 28 further comprising:

conveying a request for said desired GIS feature type using said mobile electronic device.

33. The method as recited in claim 28 further comprising:

receiving collected GIS data from said mobile electronic device in real-time wherein said GIS data collector application initiates automatically sending the collected GIS data via said wireless network; and

storing the collected GIS data.

34. The method as recited in claim 33 further comprising:

generating a confirmation message to said mobile electronic device wherein said GIS data collector application deletes the collected GIS data in response to said confirmation message.

35. The method as recited in claim 33 further comprising:

automatically generating a message to a recipient of the collected GIS data in response to said storing the collected GIS data.

36. The method as recited in claim 35 further comprising:

sending said collected GIS data to said recipient in response to a message therefrom;

receiving a confirmation from said recipient that said collected GIS data has been received; and

automatically deleting the collected GIS data in response to said confirmation from said recipient.

37. The method as recited in claim 28 further comprising:

utilizing a mobile electronic device selected from the group consisting essentially of a legacy cellular telephone, a legacy personal digital assistant (PDA), and a legacy mobile computer system.

38. The method as recited in claim 28 further comprising:

formatting said data dictionary in a pre-defined manner which is selected based upon said mobile electronic device.

39. The method as recited in claim 38 further comprising:

formatting said data dictionary based upon the display capabilities of said mobile electronic device.