System and method of wireless downloads of map and geographic based data to portable computing devices

• US 8,195,389 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2011
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tierravision Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tierravision Incorporated
• Inventors: Cooper, Clive W. R., Wallner, Alfred M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US13/185,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20120005290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-202, 701/208, 701/211, 701213-215, 701/400, 701/408, 340/988, 340/995.1
• US Class Current: 701/400
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3629 Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech text to speech systems per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3661 Guidance output on an external device, e.g. car radio
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3676 Overview of the route on the road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems and method of managing map data on electronic devices such as portable electronic devices include systems and methods of preloading map data, managing map data storage, sharing point of interest or pushpin data with other electronic devices, and displaying map data.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving geographically referenced content from a first mobile electronic device comprising a wireless transceiver;

sending data identifying the received geographically referenced content to a second mobile electronic device comprising another wireless transceiver;

receiving, from the second mobile electronic device, an access code and a request for the geographically referenced content; and

in response to the request, sending the geographically referenced content to the second mobile electronic device after verification of the access code.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the data comprises the access code.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the data comprises a web server address.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the data comprises a user account.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the geographically referenced content identifies a geographical location of a person.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the geographically referenced content identifies a geographical location of a structure.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein receiving, from the second mobile electronic device, the access code and the request for the geographically referenced content comprises:

receiving a request for access to a user account at a web address; and

receiving the access code through the user account.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein receiving geographically referenced content from the first mobile electronic device comprises receiving an email message.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein receiving geographically referenced content from the first mobile electronic device comprises receiving an instant messaging (IM) message.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein receiving geographically referenced content from the first mobile electronic device comprises receiving a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein receiving geographically referenced content from the first mobile electronic device comprises receiving an Internet based message.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein receiving geographically referenced content from the first mobile electronic device comprises receiving an Internet Protocol (IP) message.

13. A method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile electronic device, data identifying geographically referenced content sent by another mobile electronic device and received at a web server;

sending, to the web server, an access code and a request for the geographically referenced content; and

receiving, from the web server, the geographically referenced content after verification of the access code by the web server.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the data comprises the access code.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the data comprises a web server address of the web server.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the data comprises a user account.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein sending the access code comprises:

accessing the user account on the web server using the web server address; and

providing the access code to the user account.

18. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the geographically referenced content identifies a geographical location of a person.

19. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the geographically referenced content identifies a geographical location of a structure.

20. A method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising displaying a map indicating a location indicated by the geographically referenced content.

21. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein sending, to the web server, the access code and the request for the geographically referenced content comprises:

sending a request for access to a user account at a web address; and

sending the access code through the user account.

22. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein receiving data identifying geographically referenced content sent by another mobile electronic device and received at the web server comprises receiving an email message.

23. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein receiving data identifying geographically referenced content sent by another mobile electronic device and received at the web server comprises receiving an instant messaging (IM) message.

24. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein receiving data identifying geographically referenced content sent by another mobile electronic device and received at the web server comprises receiving a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

25. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein receiving data identifying geographically referenced content sent by another mobile electronic device and received at the web server comprises receiving an Internet based message.

26. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein receiving data identifying geographically referenced content sent by another mobile electronic device and received at the web server comprises receiving an Internet Protocol (IP) message.

27. A method comprising:

retrieving, at a mobile electronic device comprising a wireless transceiver, geographically referenced content from a web server using an access code, the geographically referenced content submitted to the web server by another mobile electronic device comprising another wireless transceiver;

displaying, on a visual display of the mobile electronic device, a map indicating the geographically referenced content.

28. A method in accordance with claim 27, wherein the displaying the map comprises displaying an icon representing a location on the map.

29. A method in accordance with claim 28, wherein the location is a location of the another mobile electronic device submitting the geographically referenced content to the web server.

30. A method in accordance with claim 28, wherein the location is a location of a building.

31. A method in accordance with claim 28, wherein the location is a location of a business.