Combined position locating and cellular telephone system with a single shared microprocessor

• US 5,877,724 A
• Filed: 03/25/1997
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Davis, Paul M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US08/829,828
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357, 342/457, 701/213, 379/58, 379/59
• US Class Current: 342/357.4
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/37 Hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A compact combined position locating and analog cellular telephone unit. A single processor is coupled to a position locating system and a cellular telephone system. In the present invention, the single processor controls the functions and operation of both the position locating system and the cellular telephone system. In one embodiment, the position locating system, the cellular telephone system and the single processor are all disposed on a single substrate.

Claims

1. A compact integral position locating and cellular telephone unit, said compact integral unit comprising:

a position locating system;

a cellular telephone system integral with and coupled to said position locating system; and

a single shared processor coupled to said position locating system and said cellular telephone system, said single shared processor adapted to control functioning of both said position locating system and said cellular telephone system such that only one processor is required to control functions and operations of both said position locating system and said cellular telephone system.

2. The integral position locating and cellular telephone unit of claim 1 wherein said position locating system, said cellular telephone system, and said single shared processor are disposed on a common single substrate.

3. The integral position locating and cellular telephone unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a user input device integral with and coupled to said position locating system and said cellular telephone system for manipulating said position locating system and said cellular telephone system of said integral position locating and cellular telephone unit.

4. The integral position locating and cellular telephone unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a display integral with and coupled to said position locating system and said cellular telephone system for displaying position location related information.

5. The integral position locating and cellular telephone unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a display integral with and coupled to said position locating system and said cellular telephone system for displaying cellular telephone related information.

6. The integral position locating and cellular telephone unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a display integral with and coupled to said position locating system and said cellular telephone system for displaying position location related and cellular telephone related information.

7. The integral position locating and cellular telephone unit of claim 1 wherein a position locating baseband section is integral with said single shared processor.

8. The integral position locating and cellular telephone unit of claim 1 wherein a cellular telephone baseband section is integral with said single shared processor.

9. The integral position locating and cellular telephone unit of claim 1 wherein both a position locating baseband section and a position locating baseband section are integral with said single shared processor.

10. In an integral position locating and cellular telephone unit a method for controlling the operation of an integral position locating system and a cellular telephone system with a single shared processor, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

a) generating position information indicating the position of said integral position locating and cellular telephone unit, said position information generated by said position locating system;

b) communicatively coupling said position locating system to said cellular telephone system such that said position information generated by said position locating system is accessible by said cellular telephone system; and

c) communicatively coupling a modem to said cellular telephone system, said modem disposed integral with said integral position locating and cellular telephone unit, such that said integral position locating and cellular telephone unit can receive or transmit data via said modem.

11. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 10 further including the steps of:

d) prompting the generation of said position information upon the occurrence of a predetermined event;

e) having said cellular telephone system access said position generated in step d); and

f) forwarding said position information to a location outside of said combined position locating and analog cellular telephone unit.

12. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 11 wherein step d) further comprises the step of:

prompting said generation of said position information based upon the group of predetermined events consisting of said combined position location and cellular telephone unit traveling a certain distance, a specific amount of time elapsing since a previous prompting of said generation of said position information, and said combined position locating and analog cellular telephone unit approaching or at a selected location.

13. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 11 wherein step d) further comprises the step of:

prompting said generation of said position information upon receipt at said cellular telephone system of a request for position information.

14. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 10 wherein step a) further comprises the step of:

generating position information indicating the position of said combined position locating and analog cellular telephone unit using a GPS based position location system.

15. An integral position location and cellular telephone unit comprising:

a single shared processor adapted to control operation of an integral position locating system and cellular telephone system;

an address/data bus coupled to said single shared processor;

a computer readable memory coupled to communicate with said single shared processor, said single shared processor for performing the steps of;

a) generating position information indicating the position of said integral position locating and cellular telephone unit, said position information generated by said position locating system;

b) communicatively coupling said position locating system to said cellular telephone system such that said position information generated by said position locating system is accessible by said cellular telephone system; and

c) communicatively coupling a modem to said cellular telephone system, said modem disposed integral with said integral position locating and cellular telephone unit, such that said integral position locating and cellular telephone unit can receive or transmit data via said modem.

16. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 15 further including the steps of:

d) prompting the generation of said position information upon the occurrence of a predetermined event;

e) having said cellular telephone system access said position generated in step d); and

f) forwarding said position information to a location outside of said combined position locating and analog cellular telephone unit.

17. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 16 wherein step d) further comprises the step of:

prompting said generation of said position information based upon the group of predetermined events consisting of said combined position location and cellular telephone unit traveling a certain distance, a specific amount of time elapsing since a previous prompting of said generation of said position information, and said combined position locating and analog cellular telephone unit approaching or at a selected location.

18. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 16 wherein step d) further comprises the step of:

prompting said generation of said position information upon receipt at said cellular telephone system of a request for position information.

19. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 15 wherein step a) further comprises the step of:

generating position information indicating the position of said combined position locating and analog cellular telephone unit using a GPS based position location system.

20. A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing an integral position locating and cellular telephone unit controlled by a single shared processor to perform the steps of:

a) generating position information indicating the position of said integral position locating and cellular telephone unit, said position information generated by said position locating system;

b) communicatively coupling said position locating system to said cellular telephone system such that said position information generated by said position locating system is accessible by said cellular telephone system; and

c) communicatively coupling a modem to said cellular telephone system, said modem disposed integral with said integral position locating and cellular telephone unit, such that said integral position locating and cellular telephone unit can receive or transmit data via said modem.

21. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 20 further including the steps of:

d) prompting the generation of said position information upon the occurrence of a predetermined event;

e) having said cellular telephone system access said position generated in step d); and

f) forwarding said position information to a location outside of said combined position locating and analog cellular telephone unit.

22. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 21 wherein step d) further comprises the step of:

prompting said generation of said position information based upon the group of predetermined events consisting of said combined position location and cellular telephone unit traveling a certain distance, a specific amount of time elapsing since a previous prompting of said generation of said position information, and said combined position locating and analog cellular telephone unit approaching or at a selected location.

23. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 21 wherein step d) further comprises the step of:

prompting said generation of said position information upon receipt at said cellular telephone system of a request for position information.

24. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 20 wherein step a) further comprises the step of:

generating position information indicating the position of said combined position locating and analog cellular telephone unit using a GPS based position location system.

25. A compact integral position locating and cellular telephone unit, said compact integral position locating and cellular telephone unit comprising:

a position locating system;

a cellular telephone system integral with and coupled to said position locating system;

a single shared processor coupled to said position locating system and said cellular telephone system, said single shared processor adapted to control functioning of both said position locating system and said cellular telephone system such that only one processor is required to control functions and operations of both said position locating system and said cellular telephone system;

a common single substrate, said position locating system, said cellular telephone system, and said single shared processor disposed on said common single substrate,

a user input device integral with and coupled to said position locating system and said cellular telephone system for manipulating said position locating system and said cellular telephone system; and

a display integral with and coupled to said position locating system and said cellular telephone system for displaying position location related and cellular telephone related information.