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US5745866A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Cardinal-up graphic map display system

Assignee: Trimble Inc
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Filing: 1996-01-09
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Granted: 1998-04-28
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Expires: 2016-01-09
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Abstract

Abstract A system, method, and apparatus for displaying map information in a cardinal direction-up setting. In one embodiment, map information is displayed on a display terminal. Next, an icon representing the position and heading of an item with respect to the displayed map information is placed over the displayed map information. In the present invention, the map information is displayed in a cardinal direction-up setting corresponding to the heading of the icon. Thus, if the heading of the icon is directed in a substantially eastern direction, the map information is displayed in an east-up orientation. The present invention further includes hysteresis logic which regulates when a different cardinal direction is oriented upward.

Inventors

  • 👤 Glenn C. Steiner

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 22:33
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/26; G01C21/34; G01C21/36; G01C21/3667; G01C21/367; G09; G09B; G09B29/00; G09B29/10; G09B29/106

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 211 words
An apparatus for graphically displaying navigational information comprising: a display; a database containing navigational information; a display generator coupled to said database and said display, said display generator generating a graphical display of said navigational information on said display; an icon generator coupled to said display, said icon generator providing on said graphical display of said navigational information an icon representing the position and heading of an item; and a cardinal direction selector coupled to said icon generator and said display generator, said cardinal direction selector causing said graphical display of said navigational information to be displayed in a cardinal direction-up setting wherein said cardinal direction-up setting corresponds to said heading of said icon, said cardinal direction selector including hysteresis logic regulating which cardinal direction is displayed in an upward orientation as said heading of said icon changes, said hysteresis logic preventing said graphical display of said navigational information from changing to a different cardinal direction-up setting until said heading of icon is directed greater than 60 degrees in a clockwise direction from the cardinal direction presently being displayed in an upward orientation or until said heading of said icon is directed greater than 60 degrees in a counter-clockwise direction from said cardinal direction presently being displayed in an upward orientation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 211 words
An apparatus for graphically displaying navigational information comprising: a display; a database containing navigational information; a display generator coupled to said database and said display, said display generator generating a graphical display of said navigational information on said display; an icon generator coupled to said display, said icon generator providing on said graphical display of said navigational information an icon representing the position and heading of an item; and a cardinal direction selector coupled to said icon generator and said display generator, said cardinal direction selector causing said graphical display of said navigational information to be displayed in a cardinal direction-up setting wherein said cardinal direction-up setting corresponds to said heading of said icon, said cardinal direction selector including hysteresis logic regulating which cardinal direction is displayed in an upward orientation as said heading of said icon changes, said hysteresis logic preventing said graphical display of said navigational information from changing to a different cardinal direction-up setting until said heading of icon is directed greater than 60 degrees in a clockwise direction from the cardinal direction presently being displayed in an upward orientation or until said heading of said icon is directed greater than 60 degrees in a counter-clockwise direction from said cardinal direction presently being displayed in an upward orientation.
Claim 3
Independent Claim 175 words
An apparatus for graphically displaying navigational information comprising: a display; a database containing navigational information; a display generator coupled to said database and said display, said display generator generating a graphical display of said navigational information on said display; an icon generator coupled to said display, said icon generator providing on said graphical display of said navigational information an icon representing the position and heading of an item; and a cardinal direction selector coupled to said icon generator and said display generator, said cardinal direction selector causing said graphical display of said navigational information to be displayed in a cardinal direction-up setting wherein said cardinal direction-up setting corresponds to said heading of said icon, said cardinal direction selector including hysteresis logic regulating which cardinal direction is displayed in an upward orientation as said heading of said icon changes, said hysteresis logic preventing said graphical display of said navigational information from changing to a different cardinal direction-up setting until said heading of icon varies by more than 2/3 of the degrees separating said selected cardinal directions.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 175 words
An apparatus for graphically displaying navigational information comprising: a display; a database containing navigational information; a display generator coupled to said database and said display, said display generator generating a graphical display of said navigational information on said display; an icon generator coupled to said display, said icon generator providing on said graphical display of said navigational information an icon representing the position and heading of an item; and a cardinal direction selector coupled to said icon generator and said display generator, said cardinal direction selector causing said graphical display of said navigational information to be displayed in a cardinal direction-up setting wherein said cardinal direction-up setting corresponds to said heading of said icon, said cardinal direction selector including hysteresis logic regulating which cardinal direction is displayed in an upward orientation as said heading of said icon changes, said hysteresis logic preventing said graphical display of said navigational information from changing to a different cardinal direction-up setting until said heading of icon varies by more than 2/3 of the degrees separating said selected cardinal directions.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 218 words
A system for displaying map information comprising: a display; a database containing map information; a display generator coupled to said database and said display, said display generator generating a visual display of said map information on said display; an icon generator coupled to said display, said icon generator providing on said visual display of said map information an icon representing the position and heading of an item with respect to said visually displayed map information; and a cardinal direction selector coupled to said icon generator and said display generator, said cardinal direction selector causing said visual display of said map information to be displayed in a cardinal direction-up setting wherein said cardinal direction-up setting corresponds to said heading of said icon, said cardinal direction selector including hysteresis logic regulating which cardinal direction is displayed in an upward orientation as said heading of said icon changes, said hysteresis logic preventing said visual display of said map information from changing to a different cardinal direction-up setting until said heading of icon is directed greater than 60 degrees in a clockwise direction from the cardinal direction presently being displayed in an upward orientation or until said heading of said icon is directed greater than 60 degrees in a counter-clockwise direction from said cardinal direction presently being displayed in an upward orientation.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 218 words
A system for displaying map information comprising: a display; a database containing map information; a display generator coupled to said database and said display, said display generator generating a visual display of said map information on said display; an icon generator coupled to said display, said icon generator providing on said visual display of said map information an icon representing the position and heading of an item with respect to said visually displayed map information; and a cardinal direction selector coupled to said icon generator and said display generator, said cardinal direction selector causing said visual display of said map information to be displayed in a cardinal direction-up setting wherein said cardinal direction-up setting corresponds to said heading of said icon, said cardinal direction selector including hysteresis logic regulating which cardinal direction is displayed in an upward orientation as said heading of said icon changes, said hysteresis logic preventing said visual display of said map information from changing to a different cardinal direction-up setting until said heading of icon is directed greater than 60 degrees in a clockwise direction from the cardinal direction presently being displayed in an upward orientation or until said heading of said icon is directed greater than 60 degrees in a counter-clockwise direction from said cardinal direction presently being displayed in an upward orientation.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 183 words
A system for displaying map information comprising: a display; a database containing map information; a display generator coupled to said database and said display, said display generator generating a visual display of said map information on said display; an icon generator coupled to said display, said icon generator providing on said visual display of said map information an icon representing the position and heading of an item with respect to said visually displayed map information; and a cardinal direction selector coupled to said icon generator and said display generator, said cardinal direction selector causing said visual display of said map information to be displayed in a cardinal direction-up setting wherein said cardinal direction-up setting corresponds to said heading of said icon, said cardinal direction selector including hysteresis logic regulating which cardinal direction is displayed in an upward orientation as said heading of said icon changes, said hysteresis logic preventing said visual display of said map navigational information from changing to a different cardinal direction-up setting until said heading of icon varies by more than 2/3 of the degrees separating said selected cardinal directions.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 183 words
A system for displaying map information comprising: a display; a database containing map information; a display generator coupled to said database and said display, said display generator generating a visual display of said map information on said display; an icon generator coupled to said display, said icon generator providing on said visual display of said map information an icon representing the position and heading of an item with respect to said visually displayed map information; and a cardinal direction selector coupled to said icon generator and said display generator, said cardinal direction selector causing said visual display of said map information to be displayed in a cardinal direction-up setting wherein said cardinal direction-up setting corresponds to said heading of said icon, said cardinal direction selector including hysteresis logic regulating which cardinal direction is displayed in an upward orientation as said heading of said icon changes, said hysteresis logic preventing said visual display of said map navigational information from changing to a different cardinal direction-up setting until said heading of icon varies by more than 2/3 of the degrees separating said selected cardinal directions.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 180 words
A method for displaying navigational information on a display comprising the steps of: displaying map information on a display; generating an icon on said display, said icon representing the position and heading of an item with respect to said displayed map information; and orienting said displayed map information in a cardinal direction-up setting, said cardinal direction-up setting corresponding to said heading of said icon, said orienting of said displayed map information in a cardinal direction-up setting further comprising the step of: applying hysteresis factors in determining which cardinal direction is displayed in an upward orientation as said heading of said icon changes, said step of applying hysteresis factors further comprising: preventing said map information displayed on said display from changing to a different cardinal direction-up setting until said heading of icon is directed greater than 60 degrees in a clockwise direction from the cardinal direction presently being displayed in an upward orientation or until said heading of said icon is directed greater than 60 degrees in a counter-clockwise direction from said cardinal direction presently being displayed in an upward orientation.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 180 words
A method for displaying navigational information on a display comprising the steps of: displaying map information on a display; generating an icon on said display, said icon representing the position and heading of an item with respect to said displayed map information; and orienting said displayed map information in a cardinal direction-up setting, said cardinal direction-up setting corresponding to said heading of said icon, said orienting of said displayed map information in a cardinal direction-up setting further comprising the step of: applying hysteresis factors in determining which cardinal direction is displayed in an upward orientation as said heading of said icon changes, said step of applying hysteresis factors further comprising: preventing said map information displayed on said display from changing to a different cardinal direction-up setting until said heading of icon is directed greater than 60 degrees in a clockwise direction from the cardinal direction presently being displayed in an upward orientation or until said heading of said icon is directed greater than 60 degrees in a counter-clockwise direction from said cardinal direction presently being displayed in an upward orientation.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 147 words
A method for displaying navigational information on a display comprising the steps of: displaying map information on a display; generating an icon on said display, said icon representing the position and heading of an item with respect to said displayed map information; and orienting said displayed map information in a cardinal direction-up setting, said cardinal direction-up setting corresponding to said heading of said icon, said orienting of said displayed map information in a cardinal direction-up setting further comprising the step of: applying hysteresis factors in determining which cardinal direction is displayed in an upward orientation as said heading of said icon changes, said step of applying hysteresis factors further comprising the step of: preventing said map information displayed on said display from changing to a different cardinal direction-up setting until said heading of icon varies by more than 2/3 of the degrees separating said selected cardinal directions.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 147 words
A method for displaying navigational information on a display comprising the steps of: displaying map information on a display; generating an icon on said display, said icon representing the position and heading of an item with respect to said displayed map information; and orienting said displayed map information in a cardinal direction-up setting, said cardinal direction-up setting corresponding to said heading of said icon, said orienting of said displayed map information in a cardinal direction-up setting further comprising the step of: applying hysteresis factors in determining which cardinal direction is displayed in an upward orientation as said heading of said icon changes, said step of applying hysteresis factors further comprising the step of: preventing said map information displayed on said display from changing to a different cardinal direction-up setting until said heading of icon varies by more than 2/3 of the degrees separating said selected cardinal directions.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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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) 2001-04-27 2001-10-27 2002-04-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2005-04-27 2005-10-27 2006-04-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2009-04-27 2009-10-27 2010-04-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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