Mapping and geographic locator system
First Claim
1. A map system in which points within a map for geographic orienteering are uniquely defined by a pair of coordinates and wherein each of said coordinates consists of values between zero and one and including a table listing selected locations within said map and an associated pair of coordinates between and including zero and one.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for locating geographic points on maps, charts and the like uses a rectangular grid with sides tangent to the corresponding geographical extremities of the area (city, county, state, nation, etc.) represented on the chart. Two decimal scales extend from the zero ordinate of the grid, with unit ordinates at their opposite ends. Thus, a feature along either scale and therefore a line of position across the enclosed geographical area represented, may be defined by a decimal number between zero and one and the intersection of the lines of position representing a point on the represented area may be defined by a two decimal array. Tables of the decimal arrays for specific points may be provided, and the system is extendible to different maps and/or insets of dissimilar scale, so long as the decimal scales are consistently used between each map. The system may be further extended to provide point feature within three dimensional volumes by using a three decimal array. The advantages of the system are numerous, including ease of visualization and ease of reading maps and charts of all types in general; ease of teaching geography and related subjects; and wide spread applicability to other areas.
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Citations
22 Claims
- 1. A map system in which points within a map for geographic orienteering are uniquely defined by a pair of coordinates and wherein each of said coordinates consists of values between zero and one and including a table listing selected locations within said map and an associated pair of coordinates between and including zero and one.
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5. A map comprising:
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a) a representation of geographic characteristics; b) a first axis positioned tangent to a first boundary of said representation, said first axis being marked as a progression consisting of and including values from zero to a unit value and wherein a perpendicular line from said unit value would be tangent to a boundary of said representation; and
,c) a second axis positioned perpendicular to said first axis and positioned tangent to a second boundary of said representation, said second axis being marked as a progression consisting of and including values from zero to a unit value and wherein a perpendicular line from said unit value would be tangent to a boundary of said representation. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A map system comprising:
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a) a representation of selected geographic characteristics and designed for geographical orienteering; and
,b) a rectangular grid composed of a first and second axis and surrounding said representation, said first and second axis consisting of gradations from, and including zero to one. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of pin-pointing a specific feature on a map comprising the steps of:
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a) finding a name of a specific feature on a table having a listing of selected features within said map, each feature having associated therewith a unique set of coordinates, each element of said unique set of coordinates having a value consisting of values from and including zero to one; b) using a first element of said set of coordinates to create a first mental line perpendicular to a first axis along one edge of said map; c) using a second element of said set of coordinates to create a second mental line perpendicular to a second axis, said second axis being perpendicular to said first axis and along a second edge of said map; and
,d) identifying the intersection of said first mental line and said second mental line, said intersection being said specific feature.
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16. A method of creating a map comprising the steps of:
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a) selecting an area to be represented by a map; b) creating a two-dimensional representation of said area; c) drawing a rectangle around said two-dimensional representation such that boundary lines of said rectangle are tangent to extremities of said two-dimensional representation; and
,d) for each feature within said two-dimensional representation, 1) identifying a unique set of coordinates consisting of values from, and including, zero to one based upon two orthogonal extremities of said rectangle, and 2) recording an identifier of the feature and said unique set of coordinates.
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17. A method of identifying features within a map comprising the steps of:
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a) creating a two-dimensional representation of an area to be mapped for geographical orienteering and having a northernmost, easternmost, southernmost, and westernmost points thereon; b) drawing a rectangle around the edges of the representation such that the sides of the rectangle are tangent to the northernmost, easternmost, southernmost, and westernmost points of said representation; c) selecting a selected feature within said representation; d) determining a first proportionate value being a perpendicular proportionate distance from a west side of said representation to said selected feature consisting of a value from zero to one inclusive; e) determining a second proportionate value being a perpendicular proportionate distance from a north side of said representation to said selected feature consisting of a value from zero to one inclusive; f) recording the first proportionate value and the second proportionate value in an index in association with an identifier of said selected feature; and
,g) repeating steps c, d, e, and f for all selected features within said representation. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification