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US4891761A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for accurately updating positional information provided on a digital map
Assignee: METS Inc A FL CORP
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Filing: 1988-03-31
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Granted: 1990-01-02
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Expires: 2008-03-31
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for updating a digitized map. An operator-controlled vehicle provided with an onboard computer and a navigational transmitter unit is dispatched to a location provided on the map near to an unknown location. The vehicle would then traverse the segment between the known intersection and an unknown intersection while it is being tracked by the navigational tracking unit. When the unit reaches the unknown intersection, the address range as well as the street names of the intersection are verbally inputted into the system. The information collected by the computer is then inputted to the central computer which edits this information and updates its central file to produce a new updated version of the digital map.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald R. Gray
- 👤 Anthony J. Spadafora
- 👤 Lawrence R. Green, III
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 21:41
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/38; G01C21/3804; G01C21/3833; G01C21/3844; G01C21/3841; G01C21/3863; G01C21/387; G01C21/3878
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
288 words
A method for updating a digitized street and terrain map to be displayed on a visual display screen in communication with a central computer provided with a memory, said map provided with address information related to geographical information provided on said map, said map displayed on the screen utilizing a digital data baser stored in the memory of said central computer including the steps of: first, determining geographical, street and address information for one or more locations which must be added to the digital data base; second, determining positional location provided in said digital data base proximate to one piece of geographical, street or address information generated by said first determining step; dispatching a vehicle controlled by an operator, said vehicle provided with an onboard computer and navigational tracking system, both of which are in communication with a central facility to said position determined in said second determining step; initiating computer communication between said vehicle and said central facility wherein reference coordinates related to said positional location determined in said second determining step are logged into said onboard computer; driving said vehicle to one location generated by said first determining step proximate to the location determined by said second determining step, while coordinate data utilizing said navigational tracking system is logged by the central facility as said vehicle traverses from the location determined in said second determining step to the location determined by said first determining step; inputting information to said onboard computer from said operator indicating that said vehicle has reached the location generated by said first determining step; transferring information collected by said onboard computer to said central computer; and incorporating said data collected by said onboard computer of said vehicle to said digital data base.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
288 words
A method for updating a digitized street and terrain map to be displayed on a visual display screen in communication with a central computer provided with a memory, said map provided with address information related to geographical information provided on said map, said map displayed on the screen utilizing a digital data baser stored in the memory of said central computer including the steps of: first, determining geographical, street and address information for one or more locations which must be added to the digital data base; second, determining positional location provided in said digital data base proximate to one piece of geographical, street or address information generated by said first determining step; dispatching a vehicle controlled by an operator, said vehicle provided with an onboard computer and navigational tracking system, both of which are in communication with a central facility to said position determined in said second determining step; initiating computer communication between said vehicle and said central facility wherein reference coordinates related to said positional location determined in said second determining step are logged into said onboard computer; driving said vehicle to one location generated by said first determining step proximate to the location determined by said second determining step, while coordinate data utilizing said navigational tracking system is logged by the central facility as said vehicle traverses from the location determined in said second determining step to the location determined by said first determining step; inputting information to said onboard computer from said operator indicating that said vehicle has reached the location generated by said first determining step; transferring information collected by said onboard computer to said central computer; and incorporating said data collected by said onboard computer of said vehicle to said digital data base.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of updating a digitized street and terrain map in accordance with claim 1, further including the step of entering the address range of the location between said location determined in said second determining step and the location determined in said first determining step when said vehicle has reached said location determined in said first determining step.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of updating a digitized street and terrain map in accordance with claim 2, further including the step of said operator repeatedly entering information into said onboard computer for each of the locations determined by said first determining step.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of updating a digitized street and terrain map in accordance with claim 1, further including the step of said operator repeatedly entering information into said onboard computer for each of the locations determined by said first determining step.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
297 words
A method for updating a digitized street and terrain map to be displayed on a visual display screen in communication with a central computer provided with a memory, said map displayed on the screen utilizing a first digital data base stored in the memory of a central computer including the steps of: conflating said street and terrain map with a digitized second map provided with address ranges to create a second digital data base; first, determining geographical, street and address information for one or more locations which must be added to the second digital data base; second, determining positional location provided in second data base proximate to one piece of geographical, street or address information generated by said first determining step; dispatching a vehicle controlled by an operator, said vehicle provided with an onboard computer and navigational tracking system, both of which are in communication with a central facility to said position determined in said second determining step; initiating computer communication between said vehicle and said central facility wherein reference coordinates related to said positional location determined in said second determining step are logged into said onboard computer; driving said vehicle to one location generated by said first determining step proximate to the location determined by said second determining step, while coordinate data utilizing said navigational tracking system is logged by the central facility as said vehicle traverses from the location determined in said second determining step to the location determined by said first determining step; inputting information to said onboard computer from said operator indicating that said vehicle has reached the location generated by said first determining step; transferring information collected by said onboard computer to said central computer; and incorporating said data collected by said onboard computer of said vehicle to said digital data base.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
297 words
A method for updating a digitized street and terrain map to be displayed on a visual display screen in communication with a central computer provided with a memory, said map displayed on the screen utilizing a first digital data base stored in the memory of a central computer including the steps of: conflating said street and terrain map with a digitized second map provided with address ranges to create a second digital data base; first, determining geographical, street and address information for one or more locations which must be added to the second digital data base; second, determining positional location provided in second data base proximate to one piece of geographical, street or address information generated by said first determining step; dispatching a vehicle controlled by an operator, said vehicle provided with an onboard computer and navigational tracking system, both of which are in communication with a central facility to said position determined in said second determining step; initiating computer communication between said vehicle and said central facility wherein reference coordinates related to said positional location determined in said second determining step are logged into said onboard computer; driving said vehicle to one location generated by said first determining step proximate to the location determined by said second determining step, while coordinate data utilizing said navigational tracking system is logged by the central facility as said vehicle traverses from the location determined in said second determining step to the location determined by said first determining step; inputting information to said onboard computer from said operator indicating that said vehicle has reached the location generated by said first determining step; transferring information collected by said onboard computer to said central computer; and incorporating said data collected by said onboard computer of said vehicle to said digital data base.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of updating a digitized street and terrain map in accordance with claim 5, further including the step of entering the address range of the location between said location determined in said second determining step and the location determined in said first determining step when said vehicle has reached said location determined in said first determining step.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of updating a digitized street and terrain map in accordance with claim 5, further including the step of repeatedly said operator entering information into said onboard computer for each of the locations determined by said first determining step.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of updating digitized street and terrain map in accordance with claim 6, further including the step of repeatedly said operator entering information into said onboard computer for each of the locations determined by said first determining step.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of updating a digitized street and terrain map in accordance with claim 5, further including the steps of: inputting one or more addresses into the central computer; and displaying the location of each of said addresses on the visual display screen.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method for updating digitized street and terrain map in accordance with claim 5, further including the steps of: inputting one or more addresses into the central computer, and visually displaying the location of one or more vehicles visually on the display map.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method of updating a digitized street and terrain map in accordance with claim 5, further including the steps of: moving a cursor to a particular position on the display screen, and displaying address information corresponding to the location of the cursor in tabular form on the display screen.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of updating a digitized street and terrain map in accordance with claim 5, further including the steps of: inputting a particular vehicle identification number into the computer for a tracked vehicle, and visually displaying the location of said tracked vehicle on the display map.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method of updating a digitized street and terrain map in accordance with claim 12 including the further step of displaying address information in tabular form with respect to the location of said tracked vehicle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of updating a digitized street and terrain map in accordance with claim 5, further including the steps of: inputting information relating to particular landmarks into the central computer, and visually displaying the location of said landmarks on the display screen.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of updating a digitized street and terrain map in accordance with claim 14, further including the step of displaying information relating to said landmarks in tabular form on the display screen.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-01-01 | 1993-07-03 | 1994-01-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-01-01 | 1997-07-03 | 1998-01-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-01-01 | 2001-07-03 | 2002-01-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |