US6498984B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Locating positions on maps
Assignee: Yeoman Navigation Systems Ltd
•
Filing: 2001-07-06
•
Granted: 2002-12-24
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Expires: 2021-07-06
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus to enable one's position to be easily found on a traditional map having its own coordinate system distinct from a wide area coordinate system, data is associated with the map from which the relationship—between the map coordinate system and the wide area coordinate system can be determined. The apparatus has a reader for reading the data associated with the map, a memory for storing the read data, a GPS receiver for receiving transmissions from GPS satellites and determining the position of the GPS receiver in terms of the wide area coordinate system, a processor for processing the determined wide area coordinate position and the stored data to determine the position of the GPS receiver in terms of the map coordinate system, and a display or the like for annunciating to a user the determined map coordinate position. The data associated with the map preferably also includes information on the area covered by the map. The map may be one of a series of maps or part of an atlas, the data relating to all of the maps in the series or atlas.
Inventors
- 👤 Hugh John Agnew
- 👤 Gwyn David Walter Parfitt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 10:18
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/20; G01C21/22; G09; G09B; G09B29/00; G09B29/10; G09B29/106
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 57
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
A position indicating apparatus for use with a plurality of printed maps, the apparatus comprising: means for receiving a position indicating signal indicative of the geographical location of said apparatus; storage means for storing data associated with said maps which relates to the respective geographical areas covered by the respective maps of said plurality; processing means for processing said position indicating signal with said stored data for generating output data identifying which of said maps includes the geographical location indicated by said position indicating signal and identifying a portion of the identified map which contains said geographical location and wherein in the event that said geographical location is contained in a plurality of said maps, said processing means is operable to generate output data identifying the plurality of said maps which include the geographical location and identifying the portion of each of the identified maps which contains said geographical location; and output means for outputting to a user information corresponding to said output data for enabling the user to select the identified map or to select one of the identified maps and find the portion containing the geographical location on the selected map.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
193 words
A position indicating apparatus for use with a plurality of printed maps, the apparatus comprising: means for receiving a position indicating signal indicative of the geographical location of said apparatus; storage means for storing data associated with said maps which relates to the respective geographical areas covered by the respective maps of said plurality; processing means for processing said position indicating signal with said stored data for generating output data identifying which of said maps includes the geographical location indicated by said position indicating signal and identifying a portion of the identified map which contains said geographical location and wherein in the event that said geographical location is contained in a plurality of said maps, said processing means is operable to generate output data identifying the plurality of said maps which include the geographical location and identifying the portion of each of the identified maps which contains said geographical location; and output means for outputting to a user information corresponding to said output data for enabling the user to select the identified map or to select one of the identified maps and find the portion containing the geographical location on the selected map.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said output means comprises a display for graphically displaying said information corresponding to said output data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of said maps is divided into a plurality of grid blocks which are referenced by a respective grid reference, and wherein said processing means is operable to identify the portion of each of the maps by identifying the respective grid reference and thereby an identified one of the grid blocks that contains said geographical location.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
110 words
An apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said processing means is operable to generate further output data indicative of the position of said geographical location and wherein said apparatus further comprises (i) user input means for allowing user selection of one of said maps in case said geographical location is contained in a plurality of said maps; and (ii) second output means, responsive to user selection, for outputting to the user information corresponding to said further output data for the selected one of the maps, for enabling the user to find said geographical location within an identified one of the grid blocks of the selected one of said maps.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said second output means comprises a display for providing a visual indication of said geographical location within the identified grid block of the selected one of the maps.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said geographical location within the identified grid block is indicated within said display by a moveable indicator which is responsive to the further output data for the selected map.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said second output means is operable to display previous positions within the identified grid block of the selected one of the maps.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said input means comprises a push button which allows a user to cycle through each of said identified maps.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus according to claim 4 , for use with maps which are not all to the same scale and for use with conversion data which takes into account the different scales of the maps, wherein said processing means is operable to take into account the scale of the maps in generating said further output data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
A position indicating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said data relating to the respective geographical areas covered by the respective maps of said plurality includes data relating to the cartographic projection of each of the maps.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
89 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said receiving means is operable to receive signals from a positioning system in terms of a wide area coordinate system, wherein said storage means is operable to store conversion data relating said wide area coordinate system to a map coordinate system or systems of said plurality of maps and wherein said processing means is operable for generating said output data using said conversion data, which output data is in terms of the map coordinate system of the identified map or maps.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising means for receiving said data relating to the respective geographical areas covered by the respective maps of said plurality.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
A position indicating apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein said data relating to the respective geographical areas covered by the respective maps of said plurality is machine-readable and the data receiving means comprises means for reading the machine-readable data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
A position indicating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said data relating to the respective geographical areas covered by the respective maps of said plurality includes data relating to the cartographic projection of each of the maps.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each map is formed on a respective printed map sheet.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
59 words
A position indicating apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising: a digitizing surface having: means for registering a selected one of the printed map sheets with respect to the digitizing surface; a cursor which is moveable with respect to the registered map sheet; and means for determining the position of the cursor with respect to the digitizing surface.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
A position indicating apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said output means is operable to indicate a required direction of movement of the cursor towards said geographical location on a selected one of the printed map sheets.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
56 words
A position indicating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said storage means is also operable to store a target geographical location, wherein said processing means is also operable to calculate a distance between the stored geographical location and the current geographical location and wherein said output means is also operable to output the calculated distance.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
57 words
A position indicating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said storage means is also operable to store a target geographical location, wherein said processing means is also operable to calculate a bearing of the stored and current geographical location relative to each other and wherein said output means is also operable to output the calculated bearing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
In combination, a plurality of predetermined printed map sheets in combination with a position indicating apparatus according to claim 1 adapted for use with said predetermined printed map sheets.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
190 words
A method of indicating a position of a user on at least one of a plurality of maps using a position indicating apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a position indicating signal indicative of the geographical location of said apparatus; storing data associated with said maps which relates to the respective geographical areas covered by the respective maps of said plurality; processing said position indicating signal with said stored data to generate output data identifying which of said maps includes the geographical location indicated by said position indicating signal and identifying the portion of the identified map sheet which contains said geographical location and wherein in case said geographical location is contained in a plurality of said maps, generating output data identifying the plurality of said maps which include the geographical location and identifying the portion of each of the identified maps which contains said geographical location; and outputting to a user information corresponding to said output data for enabling the user to select the identified map or to select one of the identified maps and to find the portion containing the geographical location on the selected map.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
190 words
A method of indicating a position of a user on at least one of a plurality of maps using a position indicating apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a position indicating signal indicative of the geographical location of said apparatus; storing data associated with said maps which relates to the respective geographical areas covered by the respective maps of said plurality; processing said position indicating signal with said stored data to generate output data identifying which of said maps includes the geographical location indicated by said position indicating signal and identifying the portion of the identified map sheet which contains said geographical location and wherein in case said geographical location is contained in a plurality of said maps, generating output data identifying the plurality of said maps which include the geographical location and identifying the portion of each of the identified maps which contains said geographical location; and outputting to a user information corresponding to said output data for enabling the user to select the identified map or to select one of the identified maps and to find the portion containing the geographical location on the selected map.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 21 , wherein said outputting step uses a display for graphically displaying said information corresponding to said output data.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method according to claim 21 , wherein each of said maps is divided into a plurality of grid blocks which are referenced by a respective grid reference, and wherein said processing step identifies the portion of the or each map by identifying the grid reference and thereby the grid block that contains said geographical location.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
104 words
A method according to claim 23 , wherein said processing step generates further output data indicative of the position of said geographical location, wherein said method further comprises allowing user selection of one of said identified maps via a user input means in case said geographical location is contained in a plurality of said maps and wherein said method further comprises a second output step responsive to said user selection, for outputting to the user information corresponding to said further output data for the selected map, for enabling the user to find said geographical location within the identified grid block of the selected map.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 24 , wherein said second output step uses a display to provide a visual indication of said geographical location within the identified grid block of the selected map.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 25 , wherein said second output step uses a moveable indicator which is responsive to the further output data for the selected one of the maps to indicate within said display said geographical location within the identified grid block.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 25 , wherein said second output step displays previous positions within the identified grid block of the selected map.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 24 , wherein said maps are not all to the same scale, wherein said storing step stores conversion data which takes into account the different scales of the maps, and wherein said processing step takes into account the scale of the maps in generating said further output data.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
79 words
A method according to claim 21 , wherein said receiving step receives signals from a positioning system in terms of a wide area coordinate system, wherein said storing step stores conversion data relating said wide area coordinate system to the coordinate system or systems of said plurality of maps and wherein said processing step generates said output data using said conversion data, which output data is in terms of the map coordinate system of the identified map or maps.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 21 , further comprising the step of receiving said data relating to the respective geographical areas covered by the respective maps of said plurality.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 30 , wherein said data relating to the respective geographical areas covered by the respective maps of said plurality is machine-readable and the data receiving step comprises the step of reading the machine-readable data using a data reading device.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 30 , wherein said storing step stores data relating to the cartographic projection of each map.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 21 , further comprising the step of receiving signals from a wide area position transmitting system and the step of determining therefrom said position indicating signal indicative of the geographical location of said apparatus.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 21 , wherein said storing step stores a target geographical location, wherein said processing step calculates a distance between the stored geographical location and the current geographical location and wherein said output step outputs the calculated distance.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 21 , wherein said storing step stores a target geographical location, wherein said processing step calculates a bearing of the stored and current geographical location relative to each other and wherein said output step outputs the calculated bearing.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
195 words
A position indicating apparatus for use with a plurality of printed maps, the apparatus comprising: a receiver operable to receive a position indicating signal indicative of the geographical location of said apparatus; a memory for storing data associated with said maps which relates to the respective geographical areas covered by the respective maps of said plurality; a processor for processing said position indicating signal with said stored data for generating output data identifying which of said maps includes the geographical location indicated by said position indicating signal and identifying a portion of the identified map which contains said geographical location and wherein in the event that said geographical location is contained in a plurality of said maps, said processor being operable to generate output data identifying the plurality of said maps which include the geographical location and identifying the portion of each of the identified maps which contains said geographical location; and an output circuit for outputting to a user information corresponding to said output data for enabling the user to select the identified map or to select one of the identified maps and find the portion containing the geographical location on the selected map.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
195 words
A position indicating apparatus for use with a plurality of printed maps, the apparatus comprising: a receiver operable to receive a position indicating signal indicative of the geographical location of said apparatus; a memory for storing data associated with said maps which relates to the respective geographical areas covered by the respective maps of said plurality; a processor for processing said position indicating signal with said stored data for generating output data identifying which of said maps includes the geographical location indicated by said position indicating signal and identifying a portion of the identified map which contains said geographical location and wherein in the event that said geographical location is contained in a plurality of said maps, said processor being operable to generate output data identifying the plurality of said maps which include the geographical location and identifying the portion of each of the identified maps which contains said geographical location; and an output circuit for outputting to a user information corresponding to said output data for enabling the user to select the identified map or to select one of the identified maps and find the portion containing the geographical location on the selected map.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein said output circuit comprises a display for graphically displaying said information corresponding to said output data.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
58 words
An apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein each of said maps is divided into a plurality of grid blocks which are referenced by a respective grid reference, and wherein said processor is operable to identify the portion of each of the maps by identifying the grid reference and thereby the grid block that contains said geographical location.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
105 words
An apparatus according to claim 38 , wherein said processor is operable to generate further output data indicative of the position of said geographical location and wherein said apparatus further comprises (i) a user interface for allowing user selection of one of said identified maps in the event that said geographical location is contained in a plurality of said maps; and (ii) a second output circuit, responsive to said user selection, for outputting to the user information corresponding to said further output data for the selected map, for enabling the user to find said geographical location within the identified grid block of the selected map.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to claim 39 , wherein said second output circuit comprises a display for providing a visual indication of said geographical location within the identified grid block of the selected map.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 40 , wherein said geographical location within the identified grid block is indicated within said display by a moveable indicator which is responsive to the further output data for the selected map.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 40 , wherein said second output circuit is operable to display previous positions of said apparatus within the identified grid block of the selected map.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 39 , wherein said user interface comprises a push button which allows a user to cycle through each of said identified maps.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus according to claim 39 , for use with maps which are not all to the same scale and for use with conversion data which takes into account the different scales of the maps, wherein said processor is operable to take into account the scale of the maps in generating said further output data.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
36 words
A position indicating apparatus according to claim 44 , wherein said data relating to the respective geographical areas covered by the respective maps of said plurality includes data relating to the cartographic projection of each map.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
86 words
An apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein said receiver is operable to receive signals from a positioning system in terms of a wide area coordinate system, wherein said memory is operable to store conversion data relating said wide area coordinate system to the map coordinate system or systems of said plurality of maps and wherein said processor is operable for generating said output data using said conversion data, which output data is in terms of the map coordinate system of the identified map or maps.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 36 , further comprising a second receiver for receiving said data relating to the respective geographical areas covered by the respective maps of said plurality.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
39 words
A position indicating apparatus according to claim 47 , wherein said data relating to the respective geographical areas covered by the respective maps of said plurality is machine-readable and the second receiver comprises means for reading the machine-readable data.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
41 words
A position indicating apparatus according to claim 36 , further comprising a second receiver for receiving signals from a wide area position transmitting system and means for determining therefrom said position indicating signal indicative of the geographical location of said apparatus.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein each map is formed on a printed map sheet.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
56 words
A position indicating apparatus according to claim 50 , further comprising: a digitizing surface having: means for registering the selected map sheet with respect to the digitizing surface; a cursor which is moveable with respect to the registered map sheet; and a processor for determining the position of the cursor with respect to the digitizing surface.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
37 words
A position indicating apparatus according to claim 51 , wherein said output circuit is operable to indicate a required direction of movement of the cursor towards said geographical location on the selected one of the map sheets.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
54 words
A position indicating apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein said memory is also operable to store a target geographical location, wherein said processor is also operable to calculate a distance between the stored geographical location and the current geographical location and wherein said output circuit is also operable to output the calculated distance.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
54 words
A position indicating apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein said memory is also operable to store a target geographical location, wherein said processor is also operable to calculate a bearing of the stored and current geographical location relative to each other and wherein said output circuit is also operable output the calculated bearing.
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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) | 2005-12-23 | 2006-06-24 | 2006-12-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-12-23 | 2010-06-24 | 2010-12-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-12-23 | 2014-06-24 | 2014-12-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |