Interactive automated mapping system

• US 5,214,757 A
• Filed: 09/29/1992
• Issued: 05/25/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael Baker Jr Incorporated (Michael Baker International LLC)
• Original Assignee: GeoResearch, Inc. (Michael Baker International LLC)
• Inventors: Kong, Aglaia C. F., Richardson, Douglas B., Mauney, Thad
• Primary Examiner(s): Harkcom, Gary V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US07/953,761
• Time in Patent Office: 238 Days
• Field of Search: 395/161, 395/160, 395/155, 395/140, 395/600 MS, 364/449, 364/452, 364/424.02, 340/990, 340/995, 340/988, 434/150, 434/153, 434/151
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3844 Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3867 Geometry of map features, e.g. shape points, polygons or for simplified maps
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

An automated, fully transportable mapping system utilizes position information gathered from a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) capture program to create new maps or annotate existing maps contained in a Geographic Information System (GIS) database in real time. In addition, the present invention displays position information captured by GPS in real-time, enabling users to track the path on which they are travelling. Attributes related to the position information may also be entered in real time, and are stored in a file for subsequent inclusion in a GIS database.

Claims

1. A mobile mapping system, comprising:

means for transporting the mapping system along a path to be mapped;

input means for capturing satellite based position information at various positions of the mapping system along the path to be mapped;

means for storing the position information;

means for entering and encoding attribute information into a plurality of attribute data packets, and recording the attribute data packets into the mapping system in real time as the input means is moved along the path to be mapped;

means for storing the attribute information;

means for representing a plurality of geographic features and the spatial relationships of the features through the encoding of graphical entities selected from a set of graphical entities including points, lines, arcs, polygons, and nodes, and relating the position information and the plurality of attributes to the graphical entities to further characterize and distinguish between the plurality of geographic features;

means for managing and organizing data in a geographic information system;

conversion means for conversion of the position information, the graphical entities, and the attribute information into a form for use by the geographic information system; and

means for accessing the position information, the graphical entities, and the attribute information in the geographic information system so that previously entered geographic information can be updated.

2. A mobile mapping system according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying in real time a graphical representation of captured position information and attribute information as the input means is moved along the path to be mapped.

3. A mobile mapping system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising means for assigning and relating attributes to graphical entities representing geographical area features located at a coordinated offset distance from the location of the transporting means.

4. A mobile mapping system, comprising:

means for transporting the mapping system along a path to be mapped;

input means for capturing satellite based position information at various positions along the path to be mapped;

first computing means connected to the input means comprising;

means for storing the position information;

means for conversion of the position information into a form for use by a geographic information system;

means for entering and encoding attribute information into a plurality of attribute data packets, and recording the attribute data packets into the mapping system in real time, wherein the attribute data packets are related to the position information;

means for storing the attribute information;

means for conversion of the attribute information into a form for use by the geographic information system; and

means for encoding entities symbolizing a plurality of geographic features and the spatial relationships of the features through the encoding of graphical entities selected from a set of graphical entities including points, lines, arcs, polygons, and nodes, and relating the position information and the plurality of attributes to the graphical entities to further characterize and distinguish between the plurality of geographical features; and

second computing means operably connected to the first computing means for receiving the position information, the graphical entities, and the attribute information from the first computing means and for storing the position information, the graphical entities, and the attribute information in the geographic information system.

5. In a mobile mapping system containing a computer, data storage, a geographic information system, a display, and a position sensor, a method for mapping comprising the steps of:

moving the position sensor along a path to be mapped, while sensing position at various intervals;

storing position information from the position sensor in data storage;

receiving attribute information entered in real time;

encoding attribute information into a plurality of data packets;

storing the attribute packets in data storage;

encoding graphical entities to represent a plurality of geographical features;

relating the position information and the plurality of attributes to the graphical entities;

converting the position information, the graphical entities, and the attribute information into a format for use by the geographic information system;

storing the position information, the graphical entities, and the attribute information in the geographic information system to create a new map; and

displaying the new map on the display so that the attribute information can be interactively entered in relation to the position information.

6. A mobile mapping system, comprising:

means for transporting the mapping system along a path to be mapped;

input means for capturing satellite based position information at various positions of the mapping system along the path to be mapped;

means for recording the position information;

means for managing and organizing data in a geographic information system;

means for encoding graphical entities to be mapped such as points, lines and polygons, symbolizing geographic feature types, including location, graphic and spatial relationships of the physical characteristics of geographic features;

means for entering and recording unlimited attribute information into the mapping system and relating the position and the attribute information to the graphical entities in real time as the input means is moved along the path to be mapped;

means for storing the attribute information; and

conversion means for real time conversion of the position information, the entities, and the attribute information into a form for use by the geographic information system to create a map while the transportable mapping system is transported along the path to be mapped.

7. A mobile mapping system according to claim 6, further comprising display means for displaying in real time a graphical representation of the captured position and the attribute information as the input means is moved along the path to be mapped.

8. In a mobile mapping system containing a computer, data storage, a display, and a position sensor, a method for updating a map comprising the steps of:

moving the position sensor along a path to be mapped, while sensing position at various intervals;

storing position information from the position sensor in data storage;

receiving attribute information entered in real time;

encoding attribute information into a plurality of data packets;

storing the attribute packets in data storage;

encoding graphical entities to represent a plurality of geographical features;

relating the position information and the plurality of attribute data packets to the graphical entities;

converting the position information, the graphical entities, and the attribute information into a format for use by a geographic information system;

sending the position information, the entities, and the attribute information to the geographic information system to update a previously created map; and

displaying on the display the updated map.

9. In a mobile mapping system containing an operator controlled computer, data storage, a geographic information system, a display, and a position sensor, a method for updating a map comprising the steps of:

displaying on the display a previously created map stored in the geographic information system;

moving the position sensor along a path to be mapped, while sensing position information at various intervals;

storing position information from the position sensor in data storage;

displaying on the display the position information by overlaying the position information on the previously created map;

encoding graphical entities to be mapped such as points, lines and polygons, symbolizing geographic feature types, including location, graphic and spatial relationships of the physical characteristics of geographic features;

storing the graphical entities in data storage;

receiving unlimited attribute information entered in real time;

relating the position information and attribute information to the graphical entities;

storing the attribute information in data storage;

displaying on the display the attribute information and the graphical entities by overlaying the attribute information and the graphical entities on the previously created map;

converting the position information, the graphical entities, and the attribute information into a format for use by the geographic information system; and

sending the position information, the graphical entities, and the attribute information to the geographic information system to update the previously created map.

10. In a mobile mapping system comprising an operator controlled computer, data storage, a geographic information system, a display, and a position sensor, a method for creating a map consisting of a plurality of entities comprising the steps of:

designating each entity and geographic feature of each entity to be mapped;

encoding entry commands with computer function keys;

collecting position information from the position sensor;

associating initial position information to an attribute corresponding to the time of the attribute creation;

entering textual attribute information describing each entity;

indicating a database field destination;

achieving the entry of the entity and attribute information with the computer function keys wherein an operator dialog is established for entry of the entity and attribute information which maintains correspondence with feature type and database field destination for each entry;

building attribute data packets comprising the geographic position at the time of the attribute creation with each attribute data packet comprising an identification number, text of attribute item, the entity type, and the database field destination code;

storing attribute data packets in data storage; and

converting the position information geographic feature and attribute data packets to a form for use by the geographic information system.