Method and system for upgrading a legacy cellular device

• US 8,068,848 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2007
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: James, Bruce Stephen, Frye, Michelle Lynn, France, Peter Glen, Rogers, John Francis, Manson, Paul Robin, Allan, Robert Murie
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar; Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): MATHARU, MANPREET S
• Application Number:
  US11/895,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20080258967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/451, 455/507, 455/521, 455/458, 701/117, 701/118, 701/213
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention recite a method and system for upgrading a legacy cellular device. In one embodiment, a GIS data collector application for enabling a cellular telephone to perform GIS data collector functions is installed upon a cellular telephone which is not originally intended to be used as a GIS data recording device. The method further comprises selecting a data dictionary comprising at least one desired GIS feature type which was not originally intended for use by the cellular telephone based upon an assigned membership of the cellular telephone to a workgroup. The method further comprises sending the data dictionary to the cellular telephone via a wireless communication network.

Claims

1. A method for updating a cellular telephone into Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data collector, said method comprising:

installing upon a cellular telephone, a GIS data collector application for enabling said cellular telephone to perform GIS data collector functions and wherein said cellular telephone is not originally intended to be used as a GIS data recording device;

selecting a data dictionary based upon an assigned membership of said cellular telephone to a workgroup and wherein said data dictionary comprises at least one desired GIS feature type which was not originally intended for use by said cellular telephone;

sending said data dictionary to said cellular telephone via a wireless communication network,

determining that said GIS data collector application is not a current version of said GIS data collector application; and

automatically sending said current version of said GIS data collector application to said cellular telephone via said wireless communication network.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

determining that said data dictionary is not yet resident upon said cellular telephone; and

automatically sending said data dictionary to said cellular telephone.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

generating a query to determine whether said data dictionary is a current version of said data dictionary; and

automatically sending said current version of said data dictionary to said cellular telephone when communications are established therewith via said wireless network.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

sending collected GIS data from said cellular telephone wherein said GIS data collector application initiates automatically sending the collected GIS data via said wireless network when communicatively coupled therewith; and

automatically storing the collected GIS data.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 further comprising:

determining that said cellular telephone is not communicatively coupled with said wireless network;

storing said collected GIS data upon said cellular telephone; and

automatically sending said collected GIS data when communications are established with said wireless network.

6. The method as recited in claim 4 further comprising:

receiving a confirmation message that the collected GIS data has been received.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 further comprising:

automatically deleting the collected GIS data from said cellular telephone by said GIS data collector application in response to said confirmation message.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

utilizing a cellular telephone selected from the group consisting essentially of a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a legacy cellular telephone.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

formatting said data dictionary in a pre-defined manner which is selected based upon said cellular telephone.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 further comprising:

formatting said data dictionary based upon the display capabilities of said cellular telephone.

11. A system for updating a cellular telephone into Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data collector, said system comprising:

a GIS data collector application installer for installing a GIS data collector application upon a cellular telephone which enables said cellular telephone to perform GIS data collector functions and wherein said cellular telephone is not originally intended to be used as a GIS data recording device;

a data dictionary selector which selects a data dictionary for said cellular telephone based upon an assigned membership of said cellular telephone to a workgroup and wherein said data dictionary comprises at least one desired GIS feature type which was not originally intended for use by said cellular telephone;

a data dictionary forwarder for sending said data dictionary to said cellular telephone via a wireless communication network; and

a data dictionary detector for determining that said data dictionary is not yet resident upon said cellular telephone and initiating the sending of said data dictionary via said data dictionary forwarder.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a query generator for generating a query to determine whether said data dictionary is a current version of said data dictionary and wherein said data dictionary forwarder automatically sends said current version of said data dictionary to said cellular telephone when communications are established therewith via said wireless network.

13. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a GIS data collector application verifier for determining whether said GIS data collector application is a current version of said GIS data collector application; and

a GIS data collector application forwarder for automatically sending said current version of said GIS data collector application to said cellular telephone via said wireless communication network.

14. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a GIS data sender for sending collected GIS data from said cellular telephone wherein said GIS data collector application initiates automatically sending the collected GIS data via said wireless network when communicatively coupled therewith; and

a GIS data storage component for automatically storing said collected GIS data.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a communication tester for determining that said cellular telephone is not communicatively coupled with said wireless network; and

a second GIS data storage device resident upon said cellular telephone for storing said collected GIS data upon said cellular telephone and wherein said GIS data collector application initiates automatically sending said collected GIS data when communications are established with said wireless network.

16. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a confirmation message receiver for receiving a confirmation message that the collected GIS data has been received.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

a GIS data deletion initiator for automatically initiating the deletion of the collected GIS data from said cellular telephone by said GIS data collector application in response to said confirmation message.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein said cellular telephone is selected from the group consisting essentially of a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a legacy cellular telephone.

19. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a data dictionary formatter for formatting said data dictionary in a pre-defined manner which is selected based upon said cellular telephone.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said data dictionary formatter formats said data dictionary based upon the display capabilities of said cellular telephone.

21. A method for implementing a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) network, said method comprising:

determining an assigned membership of said cellular telephone in a workgroup using a unique identification;

selecting a data dictionary based upon said assigned membership of said cellular telephone in said workgroup and wherein said data dictionary comprises at least one desired GIS feature type which was not originally intended for use by said cellular telephone;

automatically sending said data dictionary to said cellular telephone via a wireless network;

determining that a cellular telephone does not comprise a current version of a GIS data collector application for enabling said cellular telephone to perform GIS data collection functions; and

installing said current version of said GIS data collector application upon said cellular telephone;

determining that said data dictionary is not yet resident upon said cellular telephone; and

automatically sending said data dictionary to said cellular telephone.

22. The method as recited in claim 21 further comprising:

receiving configuration data comprising said unique identification, said data dictionary, and said assigned membership; and

storing said configuration data.

23. The method as recited in claim 22 further comprising:

receiving a modification of said data dictionary for said workgroup; and

automatically sending said modification of said data dictionary to said cellular telephone when communications are established therewith via said wireless network.

24. The method as recited in claim 21 further comprising:

formatting said data dictionary in a pre-defined manner which is selected based upon said cellular telephone.

25. The method as recited in claim 24 further comprising:

formatting said data dictionary based upon the display capabilities of said cellular telephone.

26. The method as recited in claim 21 further comprising:

determining that communications with said wireless network are not established; and

storing collected GIS data upon said cellular telephone.

27. The method as recited in claim 21 further comprising:

determining that communications with said wireless network have been established; and

automatically sending collected GIS data from said cellular telephone wherein said GIS data collector application initiates said automatically sending via said wireless network.

28. The method as recited in claim 27 further comprising:

automatically deleting the collected GIS data in response to a confirmation message.

29. The method as recited in claim 21 further comprising:

utilizing a cellular telephone selected from the group consisting essentially of a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a legacy cellular telephone.