System and method for displaying geographical information
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for audio-visual display of geographic information, comprising:
- voice input means for receiving vocal operating instructions specifying one of a plurality of geographic features including at least cities and countries;
storage means for storing data associated with said geographic features for retrieval, said data including at least location identifying data which specifies geographic coordinates of said geographic features;
map display means for displaying said specified geographic features, said map display means comprising a permanent visible globe displaying a fixed map of said geographic features; and
highlighting means for selectively visually highlighting portions of said globe corresponding to said specified geographic features in response to control signals, where said highlighted portions of said permanent visible map display are solely determined by said control signals, said highlighting means including at least one directed light beam generator located in an interior area of said globe which selectively directs a light beam onto an interior surface of said globe which is visible at an exterior surface of said globe to highlight said specified geographic feature, and rotating means for relatively moving said globe and said light beam generator in response to said control signals to align said specified geographic feature on the exterior surface of the globe with the light beam visible thereat to highlight the specified geographic feature;
processing means connected to said voice input means, said storage means, said highlighting means and said map display means for receiving said operating instructions, processing said operating instructions, identifying the specified geographic feature, retrieving at least said location identifying data associated with said geographic feature, retrieving at least said vocal location identifying data associated with said geographic features, and generating said control signals to cause said highlighting means to highlight said geographic feature.
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Abstract
A computer-aided geographic system highlights a specified area of a map based on operator input. In a preferred embodiment, a voice recognition system receives the operator input in voice form and determines the area to be highlighted. In the preferred form, the map used is a globe, and computerized controls turn and tilt the globe in response to the voice command so that one or more spotlights inside the globe illuminate the area of interest. Information related to the geographic location selected may be retrieved and simultaneously displayed on a computer monitor, video screen, slide screen, and/or narrated by synthesized voice.
176 Citations
35 Claims
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1. Apparatus for audio-visual display of geographic information, comprising:
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voice input means for receiving vocal operating instructions specifying one of a plurality of geographic features including at least cities and countries; storage means for storing data associated with said geographic features for retrieval, said data including at least location identifying data which specifies geographic coordinates of said geographic features; map display means for displaying said specified geographic features, said map display means comprising a permanent visible globe displaying a fixed map of said geographic features; and highlighting means for selectively visually highlighting portions of said globe corresponding to said specified geographic features in response to control signals, where said highlighted portions of said permanent visible map display are solely determined by said control signals, said highlighting means including at least one directed light beam generator located in an interior area of said globe which selectively directs a light beam onto an interior surface of said globe which is visible at an exterior surface of said globe to highlight said specified geographic feature, and rotating means for relatively moving said globe and said light beam generator in response to said control signals to align said specified geographic feature on the exterior surface of the globe with the light beam visible thereat to highlight the specified geographic feature; processing means connected to said voice input means, said storage means, said highlighting means and said map display means for receiving said operating instructions, processing said operating instructions, identifying the specified geographic feature, retrieving at least said location identifying data associated with said geographic feature, retrieving at least said vocal location identifying data associated with said geographic features, and generating said control signals to cause said highlighting means to highlight said geographic feature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 33, 34)
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25. A method for computer-aided voice interactive learning of geography using an automatic system including a microprocessor, a storage component, a retrieval component, a display component including a permanent map display, and a speech recognition circuit with a microphone for voice input, comprising the steps of:
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storing geographic information using the storage component, said geographic information relating to a plurality of specific geographic features and including, for each such specific feature, location information and one or more stored key words identifying said specific geographic feature; electronically receiving a command from an operator in the form of a voice input using the microphone, said command including one or more spoken key words; using said speech recognition circuit, electronically processing said voice input to identify said one or more spoken key words; electronically comparing said spoken key words to said one or more stored key words to identify a commanded geographic feature having stored key words corresponding to the spoken key words; electronically extracting the stored geographic information relating to the commanded geographic feature using the retrieval component; providing at least one directed light beam generator located in an interior area of said permanent map display which selectively directs a light beam onto an interior surface of said permanent map display which is visible at an exterior surface of said permanent map display to highlight said specified geographic feature; electronically controlling the display component to physically highlight the commanded geographic feature identified by the one or more spoken key words, on the permanent map display, by relatively moving said permanent map display and said light beam generator in response to said control signals to align said specified geographic feature on the exterior surface of the permanent map display with the light beam visible thereat to highlight the specified geographic feature. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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35. Apparatus for audio-visual display of geographic information, comprising:
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input means for receiving operating instructions specifying one of a plurality of geographic features; storage means for storing data associated with said geographic features for retrieval, said data including at least location identifying data which specifies geographic coordinates of said geographic features; map display means for displaying and highlighting said specified geographic features, said map display means comprising a permanent visible map display with a display surface; highlighting means associated with said map display means for selectively visually highlighting a coordinate location anywhere on said display surface by controlling relative movement between the display surface and a light beam generator aimed at the display surface in direct response to a control signal specifying said geographic coordinates of said geographic feature to be highlighted on the permanent visible map display; processing means connected to said input means, said storage means, and said highlighting means for receiving said operating instructions, processing said operating instructions, identifying the specified geographic feature, retrieving at least said location identifying data associated with said geographic feature, and generating said control signals to cause said map display means to highlight said coordinate location.
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Specification