Method of triggering an event

• US 6,259,381 B1
• Filed: 07/02/1998
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Locata LBS LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: David A. Small
• Inventors: Small, David A
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US09/068,047
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/995, 340/996, 340/970, 340/961, 340/994, 340/905, 701/200, 701/211, 701/207, 701/208, 701/300
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 13/00 Proximity fuzes; Fuzes for remote detonation F42C9/148 takes precedence; constructional details F42C19/00; mounting of antennas F42B30/006
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 9/00 Traffic control systems for craft where the kind of craft is irrelevant or unspecified

Abstract

A method and device for triggering an event in a roving apparatus is disclosed, whereby an event is triggered when the calculated position of the roving apparatus falls within a predetermined area and at least one other triggering criteria specified for the event is met, such that if the calculated position of the roving apparatus is at a position where predetermined areas overlap, events from any of the overlapping predetermined areas may be triggered in accordance with the triggering criteria of those areas.

Claims

1. A method of triggering an event in a roving apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

a) defining a plurality of predetermined areas;

b) associating one or more events with each of said predetermined areas;

c) specifying at least one triggering criteria for each of said one or more events;

d) calculating the position of (the) said roving apparatus;

e) (evaluating) performing an evaluation of the status and position of (the) said roving apparatus in comparison to said at least one triggering criteria and the position of said predetermined areas; and

i) if (the) said evaluation determines the roving apparatus is outside all predetermined areas, the roving apparatus maintains (said calculating) performing the evaluation of the status and position of the roving apparatus, without triggering an event;

ii) if (the) said evaluation determines the roving apparatus is within one of (the) said predetermined areas, and said (the) at least one (said) triggering criteria specified for (an) a particular event is met, (the) said particular event is triggered;

iii) if (the) said evaluation determines the roving apparatus is within (the) an overlapping portion of any overlapping predetermined areas, and (the) said at least one (said) triggering criteria specified for an event is met, events from any of the overlapping predetermined areas may be triggered in accordance with any one of said at least one triggering criteria for said overlapping predetermined areas;

such that there is no requirement to specify triggering criteria for every area which the roving apparatus may traverse.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is satisfied when there is an increase in distance from a predetermined point within (the) a predetermined area by the roving apparatus, with respect to a previously determined minimum distance.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is satisfied when the bearing of the roving apparatus relative to a predetermined point falls within a predetermined range of bearings.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is satisfied when the bearing of a predetermined point relative to the heading of the roving apparatus falls within a predetermined range of bearings.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is satisfied when the roving apparatus is travelling in a predetermined direction, or range of directions.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is satisfied when the calculated position of the roving apparatus falls within a smaller overlapping predetermined area within (the) any of said predetermined areas.

7. A method of triggering an event in a roving apparatus, the method comprising:

a) defining a plurality of predetermined areas, where;

i) the predetermined areas are irregularly distributed according to predetermined points-of-interest; and

ii) some predetermined areas may overlap;

b) associating one or more events with each predetermined area;

c) specifying at least one triggering criteria for each event;

d) calculating the position of the roving apparatus; and

e) triggering an event if;

i) the calculated position of the roving apparatus falls within a predetermined area; and

ii) the at least one triggering criteria specified for the event is met such that if the calculated position of the roving apparatus is at a position where the predetermined areas overlap, events from any of the overlapping predetermined areas may be triggered in accordance with any one of said triggering criteria of those areas.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is satisfied when there is an increase in distance from the predetermined point-of-interest within (the) a predetermined area by the roving apparatus, with respect to a previously determined minimum distance.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is satisfied when the bearing of the roving apparatus relative to the predetermined point-of-interest falls within a predetermined range of bearings.

10. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is satisfied when the bearing of the predetermined point-of-interest relative to the heading of the roving apparatus falls within a predetermined range of bearings.

11. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is satisfied when the roving apparatus is travelling in a predetermined direction, or range of directions.

12. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is satisfied when the calculated position of the roving apparatus falls within a smaller overlapping predetermined area within (the) any of said predetermined areas.

13. A roving apparatus, comprising:

(a) means for determining the position of the roving apparatus;

(b) means for associating one or more events with at least one specified triggering criteria within a predetermined area;

(c) means for evaluating the status and position of the roving apparatus in comparison to said specified triggering criteria and the position of (said) any predetermined area(s);

(d) means to trigger an event responsive to said means for evaluating (means), whereby;

i) if said means for evaluating (means) determines the roving apparatus is outside all predetermined areas, the roving apparatus maintains (said) evaluating (of) the status and position of the roving apparatus, without triggering an event;

ii) if said means for evaluating (means) determines the roving apparatus is within (one of the said) any predetermined area(s), and said (the) at least one specified (said) triggering criteria (specified) for an event is met, the event is triggered;

iii) if said means for evaluating (means) determines the roving apparatus is within (the) an overlapping portion of any overlapping predetermined areas, and said (the) at least one specified (said) triggering criteria (specified) for an event is met, events from any of the overlapping predetermined areas may be triggered in accordance with any one of said at least one specified triggering criteria for said overlapping predetermined areas.

14. A roving apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one specified triggering criteria is satisfied when there is an increase in distance from a predetermined point within said any predetermined area by the roving apparatus, with respect to a previously determined minimum distance.

15. A roving apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one specified triggering criteria is satisfied when the bearing of the roving apparatus relative to a predetermined point falls within a predetermined range of bearings.

16. A roving apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one specified triggering criteria is satisfied when the bearing of a predetermined point relative to the heading of the roving apparatus falls within a predetermined range of bearings.

17. A roving apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one specified triggering criteria is satisfied when the roving apparatus is travelling in a predetermined direction, or range of directions.

18. A roving apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is satisfied when the calculated position of the roving apparatus falls within a smaller overlapping predetermined area within said any predetermined area.

19. A roving apparatus for triggering an event, the apparatus comprising:

a) means for storing information specifying a plurality of predetermined areas which are irregularly distributed according to predetermined points-of-interest;

b) means for storing information specifying events for each predetermined area;

c) means for storing information specifying at least one triggering criteria for each event;

d) means for calculating the position of the roving apparatus; and

e) means for triggering an event responsive to the calculated position and the information of each of said storing means, the event being triggered if;

i) the calculated position of the roving apparatus falls within a predetermined area; and

ii) the at least one triggering criteria specified for the event is met, such that if the calculated position of the roving apparatus is at a position where the predetermined areas overlap, events from any of the overlapping predetermined areas may be triggered in accordance with any one of said triggering criteria of those areas.

20. A roving apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is an increase in distance from a predetermined point within said one of a plurality of predetermined areas by the roving apparatus, with respect to a previously determined minimum distance.

21. A roving apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is that the bearing of the roving apparatus relative to a predetermined point falls within a predetermined range of bearings.

22. A roving apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is that the bearing of a predetermined point relative to the heading of the roving apparatus falls within a predetermined range of bearings.

23. A roving apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is that the roving apparatus is travelling in a predetermined direction, or range of directions.

24. A roving apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the at least one triggering criteria is that the calculated position of the roving apparatus falls within a smaller overlapping predetermined area within said one of a plurality of predetermined areas.