Method and apparatus for a location sensitive database

• US 6,442,479 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1999
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tomtom Global Content B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: Patrick Barton
• Inventors: Barton, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US09/450,626
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/210, 701/211, 701/212, 701/213, 701/215, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 340/991, 340/996, 731/78.R, 342/352, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.12, 342/357.13
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Shown is a method and apparatus for a location sensitive database system. The database system includes a geographic positioning receiver, such as a global positioning system (GPS), and a database processor that receive the location values output by the positioning receiver. The database processor is coupled to a content database and searches the content database responsive to the current location values output by the positioning receiver. Database entries can also be obtained by the database processor sending a content query, which includes the current location values, over a wireless network link to a content server, which searches its own database for entries corresponding to the current location values and, if a matching entry is found, sends the content of the matching entry to the database processor for output to a user. Database entries can also be screened for a match on a user preference selected by a user of the device and based on the current time. The information in the database entries can take a variety of forms including audio and video data. The present system can be adapted to collect data on the user'"'"'s movements and to collect for developing database content.

Claims

1. A location sensitive method for outputting data from a database, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a current position value;

searching a database for a database entry corresponding to the current position value; and

if a corresponding database entry is found, outputting a contents of the corresponding database entry;

searching a second database for a database entry corresponding to the current position value; and

if a corresponding database entry is found in the second database, marking the corresponding database entry as visited, where the step of marking the corresponding database entry as visited further includes the steps of;

starting a timer;

monitoring the current position value;

stopping the timer when the current position value no longer matches the corresponding database entry of the second database; and

recording the timer value in the corresponding database entry of the second database.

2. A location sensitive database apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a positioning system configured to receive geographical reference signals and, responsive thereto, generate a location signal indicating a geographical position of the positioning system;

a content database configured to stored database entries, each database entry corresponding to a geographic region and including machine readable data;

an output display configured to receive the machine readable data and output the machine readable data in a human recognizable format; and

a database processor configured to receive the location signal from the positioning system and, responsive thereto, search the content database for a corresponding database entry where the geographic region of the corresponding database entry matches a current value of the location signal and, if the corresponding database entry is found, transfer the machine readable data for the corresponding database entry to the output display;

a user interface configured to receive and store a user preference value for output to the database processor, where each database entry further includes a content type value, and where the database processor is further configured to compare the user preference value to the content type value of the corresponding database entry and inhibit transfer of the machine readable data for the corresponding database entry when the user preference value does not match the content type value;

a data input interface coupled to the database processor and the content database, the data input interface being configured to receive input data and transfer the input data to the content database, where the database processor is further configured to receive a predetermined user command via the user interface and, responsive thereto, record the input data from the data input interface in the corresponding database entry in the content database; and

a timer device coupled to the database processor and configured to generate a time signal, where each database entry further includes a time interval value, and where the database processor is further configured to compare the current value of the time signal to the time interval value of the corresponding database entry and inhibit transfer of the machine readable data for the corresponding database entry when the current value of the time signal does not match the time interval value.