Relational and spatial database management system and method for applications having speech controlled data input displayable in a form and a map having spatial and non-spatial data

• US 6,728,708 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2000
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Datria Systems Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Bender, Daniel Eugene, Norman, Frederick Lamont, Cox, Steven Thomas, Yotka, John Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Pardo, Thuy N.
• Application Number:
  US09/603,851
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/10, 707/102, 707/104.1, 707/6, 707/104, 345/433, 701/201, 701/208, 701/211, 340/36, 704/9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A relational and spatial database management system and method designed to more accurately and efficiently generate and manage relational and spatial databases for commercial and/or personal use. The invention generally comprises one or more sensor devices, a computer, and software. The invention may be deployed on a portable computer thereby allowing a user to operate the system in the field and gather data while moving around. The software is configurable and programmable for many different applications. The software system can simultaneously take inputs from one or more sensor devices, record the inputs in a relational and/or spatial database, and display the data in a form that is easy to manipulate. The Graphical User Interface displays a visual presentation of the form alongside a map of the geographic location of interest where data is being collected.

Claims

1. A method for relational and spatial database management, the method comprising the acts of:

(a) displaying a map data representing a current geographic area on a first portion of a graphics display of a computer system, wherein said map data is associated with at least one application of a relational and spatial database management software loaded on said computer system;

(b) displaying a first form, associated with said at least one application, on a second portion of said graphics display;

(c) moving a GPS receiver in communication with said computer system to a first geographic location of interest;

(d) updating said map data displayed on said first portion of said graphics display to display a location symbol on said map data corresponding to said first geographic location of interest of said GPS receiver;

(e) searching a relational and spatial database, associated with said at least one application and stored on said computer system, for a database record matching said first geographic location of interest;

(f) if said database record matching said first geographic location of interest is found, populating at least one field, displayed on said second portion of said graphics display within said first form, with a field data from said database record associated with said at least one field;

(g) inputting at least one new field data into a one of said at least one field displayed on said graphics display within said first form, wherein said inputting act is accomplished through a voice input processed by a speech component of said relational and spatial database management software; and

(h) outputting by said speech component a spoken message in response to said inputting of said at least one new field data;

(i) moving said GPS receiver, in communication with said computer system, to a second geographic location of interest;

(j) repeating acts (d) through (g) for said second geographic location of interest;

(k) repeating acts (i) through (j) for a next geographic location of interest;

(l) storing said at least one new field data inputted through said voice input for each of said geographic locations of interest in a field database record in a field database along with a field ID tag;

(m) retrieving said at least one new field data with said field ID tag from said field database record stored in said field database for said first geographic location of interest;

(n) retrieving a reference field data having a reference ID tag matching said field ID tag from said relational and spatial database;

(o) generating a corrected field data by comparing said at least one new field data with said reference field data and associating a matching ID tag with said corrected field data;

(p) retrieving an uncorrected field data having an ID tag matching said matching ID tag from said relational and spatial database;

(g) correcting said uncorrected field data with said corrected field data creating a post processed spatial field data; and

(r) storing said post processed spatial field data in said relational and spatial database.

2. A method for relational and spatial database management according to claim 1 further comprising the acts of:

(s) repeating acts (m) through (r) for a next said at least one new field data.

3. An apparatus for relational and spatial database management, said apparatus comprising:

a processing element for running a relational and spatial database management software having at least one application;

a GPS receiver in communication with said processing element for determining GPS position data;

a graphics display in communication with said processing element for displaying a map data representing a current geographic area associated with said at least one application in a first portion of said graphics display, and for displaying a location symbol on said map data corresponding to a first location of interest of said GPS receiver, and for displaying a first form associated with said at least one application in a second portion of said graphics display;

a relational and spatial database in communication with said processing element for storing a plurality of spatial and relational database records associated with said at least one application, wherein if said relational and spatial database has at least one database record matching said first geographic location of interest, at least one field displayed on said graphics display within said first form is populated with a field data from said matching at least one database record associated with said at least one field;

a microphone in communication with said processing element for receiving voice input for at least one new field data into at least a one of said at least one field displayed on said graphics display within said first form, wherein said voice input is processed by a speech component of said relational and spatial database management software;

a speaker in communication with said processing element for outputting through said speech component of said relational and spatial database management software a spoken message in response to said voice input;

a pointing device in communication with said processing element;

a keyboard in communication with said processing element, wherein said pointing device and said keyboard provide a conventional input to said processing element;

a configuration component for providing application configuration data, for providing vocabulary definitions/speech configuration, for providing form definitions, for providing database definitions, and for providing map/user interface configuration for said at least one application;

said speech component for receiving said voice input picked up by said microphone, for providing said spoken message for output through said speaker, for providing and receiving field values/events and control, and for receiving said vocabulary definitions/speech configuration for said at least one application;

a forms component for receiving said conventional input from said pointing device and said keyboard, for providing form visual feedback to said graphics display, for providing and receiving sensor data/control, for receiving location data/user events, for providing and receiving field/names/values/events and database operations, for receiving said forms definitions, and for providing and receiving said field values/events and control for said at least one application;

a sensors component for providing and receiving raw sensor data/control, for receiving location data and status, for providing location data, and for providing and receiving said sensor data/control for said at least one application;

a map component for providing map visual feedback to said graphics display, for receiving record and location selection, for receiving map data, for receiving said map/user interface configuration, for receiving user spatial database display, for providing said location data user events, and for receiving said location data for said at least one application; and

a database component for providing and receiving said field/names/values/events and database operations, for providing said user spatial database display, for providing and receiving user database access/update, and for receiving said database definitions for said at least one application.

4. An apparatus for relational and spatial database management according to claim 3 further comprising:

a storage device in communication with said processing element for storing said relational and spatial database management software having said at least one application having said speech component, for storing said map data, for storing said first form, and for storing said relational and spatial database.

5. An apparatus for relational and spatial database management according to claim 3 further comprising:

at least one sensor device for sensing at least one field data at said first geographic location of interest; and

a communications interface in communication with said processing element and in communication with said at least one sensor device for passing said at least one field data between said at least one sensor device and said processing element.

6. An apparatus for relational and spatial database management according to claim 5 wherein said at least one sensor device is selected from the group consisting of digital cameras, video cameras, laser range finders, bar code readers, and RF scanners.

7. A computer readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a method of relational and spatial database management, the method comprising:

(a) displaying a map data representing a current geographic area on a first portion of a graphics display of the computer, wherein said map data is associated with at least one application of the program of instructions loaded on the computer;

(b) displaying a first form, associated with said at least one application, on a second portion of said graphics display;

(c) moving a GPS receiver in communication with the computer to a first geographic location of interest;

(d) updating said map data displayed on said first portion of said graphics display to display a location symbol on said map data corresponding to said first geographic location of interest determined by said GPS receiver;

(e) inputting at least one field data related to a first object at said first geographic location of interest into at least one field displayed on said graphics display within said first form, wherein said inputting step is accomplished through a voice input processed by a speech component of the program of instructions loaded on the computer;

(f) outputting by said speech component a spoken message in response to said inputting of said at least one new field data;

(g) storing said at least one field data inputted for said first object in a first field database record in a field database along with a first field ID tag;

(h) retrieving said at least one field data with said first field ID tag from said first field database record stored in said field database for said first object at said first geographic location of interest;

(i) retrieving a reference field data having a reference ID tag matching said first field ID tag from a spatial/relational database;

(j) generating a corrected field data by comparing said at least one field data with said reference field data and associating a matching ID tag with said corrected field data;

(k) retrieving an uncorrected field data having an ID tag matching said matching ID tag from said spatial/relational database;

(l) correcting said uncorrected field data with said corrected field data creating a post processed spatial field data; and

(m) storing said post processed spatial field data in said spatial/relational database.

8. The method according to claim 7 further comprising:

(n) moving said GPS receiver, in communication with the computer, to a second geographic location of interest; and

(o) repeating steps (d) through (m) for a second object at said second geographic location of interest.

9. The method according to claim 8 further comprising:

(p) repeating steps (n) and (o) for a next object at a next geographic location of interest.

10. The method according to claim 7 wherein said inputting step is accomplished through a conventional input device and processed by a forms component of the program of instructions loaded on the computer.

11. The method according to claim 7 further comprising:

(n) repeating steps (h) through (m) for a next said at least one field data.

12. The method according to claim 7 further comprising:

(n) searching a spatial/relational database, associated with said at least one application and stored on the computer, for a database record matching said first geographic location of interest; and

(o) if said database record matching said first geographic location of interest is found, populating said at least one field, displayed on said second portion of said graphics display within said first form, with a field data from said database record associated with said at least one field.

13. The method according to claim 12 further comprising:

(p) inputting at least one new field data into a one of said at least one field displayed on said graphics display within said first form;

(g) moving said GPS receiver, in communication with said computer system, to a second geographic location of interest; and

(r) repeating steps (d) through (j) for said second geographic location of interest.