Wireless communication system that uses keywords to find and display map graphic data

• US 6,584,328 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2000
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Kung, Shao-Tsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ GUTIERREZ, RAFAEL
• Application Number:
  US09/479,658
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/517, 455/575, 455/550, 455/414, 455/456, 455/457, 455/344, 455/345, 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/210, 701/209, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 342/357.13, 342/357.1, 342/357.09, 340/7.51, 340/7.55, 340/7.56, 340/989, 340/990, 340/995, 707/1, 707/3, 707/4
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A wireless communication system comprises a wireless handset, a base station comprising an antenna, and a communication server. The wireless handset comprises a key circuit for inputting telephone numbers or key data, a radio frequency (RF) communication circuit for receiving and transmitting wireless signals, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel for displaying text or images, and a processor for controlling the operations of the wireless handset. The communication server comprises a memory, and a processor. The memory comprises a map database for storing map graphic data, a keyword data file comprising a plurality of keywords and map coordinates corresponding to the keywords, and a searching program for searching the keyword data file for a target keyword to find the target map coordinate that corresponds to the target keyword and then searching the map database using the target map coordinate to find the target map graphic data that corresponds to the target map coordinate. When a user uses the key circuit to input a target keyword, the wireless handset will use the RF communication circuit to transmit the target keyword to the communication server through the base station. The searching program will find the target map graphic data and transmit the target map graphic data to the wireless handset. The wireless handset will then display the target map graphic data onto the liquid crystal display panel.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system comprising:

a wireless handset comprising;

a key circuit for inputting telephone numbers or key data;

a radio frequency (RF) communication circuit for receiving and transmitting wireless signals;

a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel for displaying text or images; and

a processor for controlling the operations of the wireless handset;

a base station comprising an antenna for establishing wireless communications between the base station and the wireless handset; and

a communication server connected to the base station comprising;

a memory comprising;

a map database for storing map graphic data;

a keyword data file comprising a plurality of keywords and map coordinates corresponding to the keywords; and

a searching program for searching the keyword data file for a target keyword to find the target map coordinate that corresponds to the target keyword and then searching the map database using the target map coordinate to find the target map graphic data that corresponds to the target map coordinate; and

a processor for executing the searching program;

wherein when a user uses the key circuit to input a target keyword, the processor of the wireless handset will use the RF communication circuit to transmit the target keyword to the communication server through the base station, the searching program of the communication server will find the target map graphic data that corresponds to the target keyword and transmit the target map graphic data to the wireless handset, and the processor of the wireless handset will display the target map graphic data on the liquid crystal display panel.

2. The wireless communication system of claim 1 wherein the wireless handset further comprises:

a microphone for converting an acoustic sound into analog signals;

an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter for converting the analog signals into digital signals that are transmitted to the base station through the RF communication circuit;

a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter for converting the digital signals generated by the RF communication circuit into analog signals; and

a speaker for converting the analog signals generated by the digital-to-analog converter into an acoustic sound.

3. The wireless communication system of claim 1 wherein the key circuit comprises a plurality of scrolling keys for generating corresponding scrolling key signals for scrolling the image displayed on the LCD panel in various directions;

wherein when the communication server receives any of the scrolling key signals transmitted from the wireless handset, the communication server will transmit corresponding map graphic data to the wireless handset, and the processor of the wireless handset will display the new map graphic data on the liquid crystal display panel.

4. The wireless communication system of claim 1 wherein the key circuit further comprises a zoom-in key for generating a zoom-in signal, and a zoom-out key for generating a zoom-out signal;

wherein when the processor of the wireless handset receives the zoom-in or zoom-out signal, the processor will process the map graphic data transmitted from the communication server according to the zoom-in or zoom-out to shrink or enlarge the image displayed on the LCD panel.

5. The wireless communication system of claim 1 wherein each keyword of the keyword data file comprises a telephone number, and the map coordinate corresponding to the keyword is used to look up the map graphic data in the map database that corresponds to the telephone number of the keyword.