Electronic wireless navigation system

• US 6,243,030 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2000
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alfred B. Levine
• Original Assignee: Alfred B. Levine
• Inventors: Levine, Alfred B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US09/536,129
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995, 340/990, 340/991, 364/449, 701/213
• US Class Current: 340/995.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B

Abstract

An electronic navigation system using wirelessly tranmitted video map images from one or more ground based tranmitters together with wireless receivers having visual display available to travelers, for receiving and displaying the video map images. In one embodiment a cellular system is provided using video map images covering different zones or cells of a city or other community. GPS reception is combined to additionally provide location, direction, and speed parameters on the received video maps. Transmitted video image information may also include names of streets, roads, as well as places of interest and to obtain service and assistance in emergencies. Interactive controls are provided as supplements to assist travelers in obtaining specific information as well as additional information.

Claims

1. In an electronic navigation system,

wireless tranmitter means generating a plurality of video maps covering different geographic zones of an extended area,

said transmitter means generating displaced wireless beams each directed to a different geographic zone corresponding to the video map of that zone,

and a wireless receiver having a visual display accessible to a traveler proceeding through said area, and responsive to the transmitted video map corresponding to the zone of its location, to display said video map on its screen.

2. In the navigation system of claim 1,

said transmitter means comprising a plurality of displaced transmitters, each generating a different one of said video maps corresponding to a different geographic zone.

3. In the navigation system of claim 1,

said tranmitter means comprising a plurality of short range tranmitters displosed at separated locations along a roadway, and each transmitter generating a video map covering its geographic zone.

4. In the navigation system of claim 1,

said tranmitter means being normally inactive,

and a wireless remote control means associated with said receiver to selectively activate said tranmitter means.

5. In the navigation system of claim 1

said transmitter means comprising a plurality of transmitters each generating a different video map, said transmitters being normally inactive,

and wireless remote control means associated with said receiver to selectively activate said trnasmitters individually.

6. In the navigation system of claim 5,

said plurality of tranmitters each generating a short range wireless beam directed to a different location along a roadway, and containing a video map covering its zone along said roadway.

7. In the navigation system of claim 5,

said said plural tranmitters being located at a road intersection in different directions,

each tranmitter covering a different direction of said intersecting roads,

whereby the receiver displays the geographic zone in the direction of travel of the receiver with respect to said intersection.

8. In an electronic navigation system, covering a plurality of displaced zones within an extended geographic,

wireless tranmission means generating a plurality of beams each containing a video map covering a different one of said zones,

a wireless receiver having a visual display, accessible to a traveler proceeding in said geographic area, said receiver selectively receiving and displaying said video maps,

selective control means for said receiver for enabling the traveler to manually select any desired one of said video maps for display on said receiver,

whereby a traveler proceeding within said geographic area can independantly determine the zone of his location and can select that one of the video maps for display showing said zone.

9. In the navigation system of claim of claim 8,

said tranmitter means comprising a plurality of displaced transmitters each generating a different one of said video maps corresponding to the location of that transmitter.

10. In the navigation system of claim 8,

said tranmitter means comprising a plurality of low power, short range tranmitters, displaced from each other, and each directing its wireless beam to cover a different zone corresponding to its video map.

11. In the navigation system of claim 8,

said transmitter means being normally inactive and not tranmitting said beams,

and wireless remote control means associaited with said receiver for activating said tranmitter means into generation.

12. In the navigation system of claim 8,

said tranmitter means comprising a plurality of tranmitters, each generating a different one of said video maps,

and remote control means associated with said receiver for selectively activating individual ones of said transmitters, thereby to receive and display on said receiver screen the video map corresponded to the selected tranmitter.

13. In the navigation system of claim 8,

said tranmitter means comprising a plurality of low power, short range tranmitters generating different ones of said video maps, and the transmitters directed to wirelessly transmit to different zones of said geographic area,

said tranmitters being normally inactive, and remote control means associaited with said receiver for selectively activating individual ones of said transmitters to generate their video maps.

14. In an electronic navigation system,

wireless tranmitter means for generating a plurality of video maps each covering a different zone of an extended geographic area,

a wireless receiver having a memory for receiving and storing some of the video maps in the receiver memory,

said receiver having a visual display and having manually operated selection means for downloading any of the stored video maps to the receiver visual display,

thereby enabling a user to obtain a desired video map for display.

15. In the navigation system of claim 14,

said tranmitter means tranmitting the plurality of video maps throughout the geographic area.

16. In the navigation system of claim 14,

said transmitter means comprising a plurality of displaced tranmitters with different ones of said tranmitters generating different video maps.

17. In the navigation system of claim 14,

said said tranmitter means being normally inactive,

and remote control means for activating said trsnmitter means to generate a video map.

18. In the navigation system of claim 14,

said tranmitter means comprising a plurality of tranmitters generating said video maps,

and a remote control means associated with the receiver for selectively activating a tranmitter to generate its video map.

19. In the navigation system of claim 14,

said video maps for each zone being generated in multiple parts, with one part containing a master map of that zone, and a second part containing changes in the master map that occured after the master map was made.

20. In the navigation system of claim 14,

said transmitter means comprising a plurality of tranmitters generating said plurality of video maps,

and said receiver being responsive to each one of the transmitters when it is located in the geographic zone covered by said tranmitter, thereby to display the video map of that zone,

and said receiver having means for erasing from said display any previously displayed video map.

21. A cellular navigation system subdividing an extended geographic region into a series of continguous cellular zones,

a plurality of low power, limited range wireless transmitters, with said tranmitters being displaced from one another and each located within a different cellular zone and located near a roadway,

each tranmitter generating a video map covering its cellular zone,

a wireless receiver having a visual display for receiving the cellular video map of each zone when it is located within that cellular zone,

and control means for said receiver for erasing any previously displayed video map when the receiver enters into a different cellular zone.

22. In the navigation system of claim 21,

said tranmitters being normally inactive and remote control means associated with said receiver for activating the cellular zone tranmitter when the receiver is located within the cellular zone of that tranmitter.

23. In the navigation system of claim 21

said tranmitters generating said video maps in multiple part, with one part containing a master map of that zone and a second part containing the changes in the map zone that occured after the creation of the master map part.

24. In the navigation system of claim 21

plural tranmitters being located within each cellular zone, and disposed to tranmit their video maps in different directions along road road intersections.