Mobile device and geographic information system background and summary of the related art

• US 7,245,923 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Spatial Technologies
• Inventors: Frank, Christopher E., Egenhofer, Max
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY D
• Application Number:
  US10/995,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20050130671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457, 455/418, 455/419, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.08, 342/357.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and mobile device for providing geographic information to a user. The system includes a mobile device that is wirelessly connected to a geographic database. The mobile device includes a plurality of sensors for determining a first location and a first direction. A controller is adapted to provide information requested based on local queries and distal queries. In addition, the controller can respond to thematic queries of each variety, wherein the database search is limited to objects, entities or features that fit within a selected theme. Finally, the controller is adapted to select and order query results based upon two- and three-dimensional query windows.

Claims

1. A system for providing geographic information comprising:

a database containing geographic information, the database accessible via a network connection; and

a mobile device connectable to the database from a remote location, the mobile device having a controller and a position sensor for determining a first location referenced by an origin, the controller adapted to retrieve the geographic information from the database based upon the first location, the controller further adapted to receive a thematic query from a user and provide a response to the thematic query by restricting the geographic information presented to the user by a theme defined by the thematic query, with the thematic query further including a thematic portion and a there geospatial portion that corresponds to a particular one of an object, geographical feature or location that intersects a pointing direction of the mobile device as such pointing direction relates to the origin, and the geographic information that is retrieved from the database pertains specifically to the particular one of the object, geographical feature or location that intersects such pointing direction of such mobile device.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a wireless router for connecting the mobile device to the database.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the position sensor is a Global Positioning Sensor (GPS.).

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device includes a pitch sensor for determining a first angle usable by the controller to compute a first direction, and further wherein the mobile device includes a yaw sensor for determining a second angle usable by the controller to compute the first direction.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a display connected to the mobile device for presenting the information of interest to a user.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is adapted to define a local query window about the first location, the query window definable by the standard deviation of the position sensor.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the thematic portion includes a predetermined set of object classes from which the system may select in determining a response to a thematic query.

8. A system for providing geographic information comprising:

a database containing geographic information, the database accessible via a network connection; and

a mobile device connectable to the database from a remote location, the mobile device having a controller and a position sensor for determining a first location referenced by an origin, the controller adapted to retrieve the geographic information from the database based upon the first location, the controller further adapted to receive a thematic query from a user and provide a response to the thematic query by restricting the geographic information presented to the user by a theme defined by the thematic query, wherein the mobile device includes a pitch sensor for determining a first angle usable by the controller to compute a first direction, further wherein the mobile device includes a yaw sensor for determining a second angle usable by the controller to compute the first direction, and wherein the controller is adapted to define a distal query window about the first location and the first direction, the distal query window definable by the standard deviation of the position sensor, the pitch sensor, and the yaw sensor.

9. A mobile device for providing geographic information comprising a controller and a position sensor for determining a first location referenced by an origin, the controller adapted to retrieve the geographic information from a database based upon the first location, the controller further adapted to receive a thematic query from a user and provide a response to the thematic query by restricting the geographic information presented to the user by the theme defined by the thematic query, with the thematic query further including a thematic portion and a there geospatial portion that corresponds to a particular one of an object, geographical feature or location that intersects a pointing direction of the mobile device as such pointing direction relates to the origin, and the geographical information that is retrieved from the database pertains specifically to the particular object, geographical feature or location that intersects such pointing direction of such mobile device.

10. The mobile device of claim 9 wherein the position sensor is a Global Positioning Sensor (GPS.).

11. The mobile device of claim 9 wherein the mobile device includes a pitch sensor for determining a first angle usable by the controller to compute a first direction, and further wherein the mobile device includes a yaw sensor for determining a second angle usable by the controller to compute the first direction.

12. The mobile device of claim 9 further comprising a display connected to the mobile device for presenting the information of interest to a user.

13. The mobile device of claim 9 wherein the controller is adapted to define a local query window about the first location, the query window definable by the standard deviation of the position sensor.

14. The mobile device of claim 9 wherein the thematic portion includes a predetermined set of object classes from which the system may select in determining a response to a thematic query.

15. A mobile device for providing geographic information comprising a controller and a position sensor for determining a first location referenced by an origin, the controller adapted to retrieve the geographic information from a database based upon the first location, the controller further adapted to receive a thematic query from a user and provide a response to the thematic query by restricting the geographic information presented to the user by the theme defined by the thematic query, wherein the mobile device includes a pitch sensor for determining a first angle usable by the controller to compute a first direction, further wherein the mobile device includes a yaw sensor for determining a second angle usable by the controller to compute the first direction, and wherein the controller is adapted to define a distal query window about the first location and the first direction, the distal query window definable by the standard deviation of the position sensor, the pitch sensor, and the yaw sensor.