AU2002233053B2 - An apparatus and method for providing local geographical information to remote communication devices - Google Patents

Description

WO 02/071777 PCT/AU02/00219 An Apparatus And Method For Providing Local Geographic Information To Remote Communication Devices.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing to a user details of the local area within which they are located and/or have been located. In particular the present invention provides for an apparatus that enables a user to be able to store and update their current geographical information and display it in a usable format.

Background Of The Invention It is well known to provide vehicles and the like with geographical information apparatus such as computers and hand held equipment with navigation systems, that provide geographical information to the driver, or user such as road maps. The user generally programmes their location and the navigation system, which has different maps stored within, provides the user with a map in relation to their location. In addition, some navigation systems work on the principle of using starting and finishing co-ordinates whereby a driver and/or user enters the relevant co-ordinates and the navigation system provides the driver with information on how to reach their finaldestination.

Those navigation systems, which are built into vehicles, lack portability and which are not removable from the vehicle and are therefore limited in use as they cannot accompany the user out of the vehicle. A user leaving the vehicle and moving some distance from it may become disoriented and thus not be entirely sure of their location, done Portable navigation systems, which may be contained within a laptop computer, may address some of these portability issues but are cumbersome and not robust or =ruggedised". It is therefore limited in its portability and quite useless to hikers, backpackers or others in a harsh environment.

Handheld navigation systems may be interfaced with a computer but the problems outlined above are not resolved.

Other handheld navigation systems may mate with different technologies such as digital cameras, PDAs and handheld personal computers and the like but this necessitates the user carrying 2 pieces of equipment for information to be usefully displayed on a relatively large display screen.".

PCT/AU02/00219 2 Received 12 May 2003 Some navigations systems manual or electronic may incorporate a form of compass and may require local information or a system of triangulation to be able to provide accurate geographical data in relation to the position of the user and/or vehicle In addition, maps continually change and it is difficult, time-consuming and even not practicable for systems, such as those mounted in vehicles, to be continually updated. Not only would this take time, but would be an additional expense.

Even if some of the systems are able to display the information, the displays themselves are fixed in a spatial position and may not at times be easily viewed by the user. Further still, the map provided cannot generally be displayed at alternative sites. It is therefore envisaged that the present application may be used in conjunction with remote display device the subject of a co-pending application, Australian patent application No. PR3068 entitled "A remote communication device with image projection capabilities".

It is an therefore an object of the present invention to propose an apparatus and a method for the provision of geographical data, such as maps, or an apparatus and method that provides a useful alternative to those currently known or at least provides the public with a useful alternative.

Summary Of The Invention Therefore in one form of the invention there is proposed a portable apparatus for the display of geographical information including: a remote communication device having a global positioning system adapted to provide information about the position of said device and transmit it to a remote database; said remote database including geographical data related to various positions, said remote database adapted to receive and process said transmitted information in response to which it transmits to said remote communication that geographical data corresponding to the position of said device; said remote communication device including a display to display said geographical data to a user and further including a projection means adapted to project an image of said geographical data onto an exterior surface.

In preference said geographical data is a map.

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PCT/AU02/00219 3 Received 12 May 2003 In preference said global positioning system is both removable from and attachable to the remote communication device and may be used on different remote communication devices.

In preference said remote communication device is a mobile or cellular phone.

In preference said geographical data may be provided at different resolution levels, said resolution level able to be controlled by the user.

In preference said device includes an input means enabling said user to select another position to be sent to said remote database independent of the actual position of said device.

In a further form of the invention there is proposed a portable apparatus for the display of geographical information including: a global positioning system adapted to provide information about the position of said apparatus; a database including geographical data related to various positions, said database adapted to select geographical data corresponding to the position of said apparatus; said apparatus including a display to display said geographical data to a user and further including a projection means adapted to project an image of said geographical data onto an exterior surface.

In preference said geographical data is a map.

In preference said database may be stored on smart media cards.

In preference said apparatus is further adapted to include a download means adapted to download geographical data to said apparatus.

In preference said geographical data is downloaded at pre-determined times.

Brief Description Of The Drawings The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several implementations of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the advantages and principles of the invention. In the drawings, AMENED SHE PCT/AU02/00219 Received 12 May 2003 Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 is an illustration of the map-providing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; is an illustration of a map-providing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention; is an illustration of a map providing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention; and AMENDED SHEET

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WO 02/071777 PCT/AU02/00219 4 Figure 4 is an illustration of a Smart Media Card being inserted into an embodiment of the present invention.

Description Of The Preferred Embodiments The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings.

Although the description includes exemplary embodiments, other embodiments are possible, and changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts.

Thus there is shown in Figure 1 a remote communication device such as mobile phone The mobile phone has integrally attached to it a location device 12 that is able to calculate its position and provide the phone information as to its location. Such information may be calculated by the use of the well-known Global Positioning Satellites system (GPS) that is able to provide the physical location of the device within a few meters. However it is to be understood that other positioning systems may equally well be used.

Since the apparatus knows or can calculate where it is located, the remote communication device then transmits a signal 14 to an antenna 16 providing the co-ordinates as to where the device is located. The antenna receives that information and sends it to a central database 18. The central database then processes that information finds the appropriate geographical data or maps that corresponds to that location. That information is then and relayed back to the communication device through the antenna 16, signal 20 providing the graphical data in relation to the area where is located the communication device. That map can then be displayed on display 22 that is generally found on remote communication devices such as mobile or cellular phones.

The apparatus may be adapted so that the information provided by the central database is updated every pre-determined period of time. For example it may be desired that the information be updated every 30 seconds or it may be desired that the information be updated every 10 minutes.

The advantage of the present system is that the remote communication device knows its exact position. It then is able to display to the user a geographical map surrounding that exact position.

WO 02/071777 PCT/AU02/00219 Remote communicati6n devices generally do not have the capability to store large amounts of information. Accordingly the use of an off-site database that is able to store significantly more data, or even access to it, enable the maps that are ultimately displayed to the user to be of very good quality and high resolution.

Figure 2 shows a further embodiment where the present invention is combined with a remote communication device that has the capability to project the information away from the remote communication device. The present applicant in Australian patent application referred to above has described such a device. In brief, the remote communication device, such as a mobile phone, includes an internal LCD 24 that projects an image through a lens system 26 so as to project the displayed image 28 away from the phone and typically onto a display screen. Since such devices can be manufactured with a large number of pixels, the resolution of the data is of very good quality indeed. Thus the image may be displayed both on display screen 22 and at a screen spatially away from the device.

The above two embodiments envisage a location positioning component that is adapted to be attachable to an existing remote communication device such as a mobile phone. Such a device may therefore be removable from any one phone and attachable to another.

Obviously this would require a universal connection adapter for different phones.

Alternatively, and as illustrated in Figure 3, the positioning system may very well be integral within the phone.

It is to be noted that the device may provide data of different resolution. Thus whilst a global map is shown in Figure 2, the device may be used to display much more detail such as a street directory Other advantages may equally well be present. For example whilst the present system included the ability to provide geographical information as to the current location of the phone, it may also be possible to be able to enter specific co-ordinates into the device so as to display a map of a different area.

Thus one can see that the present invention provides for a device that is able to provide detailed geographical information in relation to the area where the device is located, the device then preferably includes a positioning system that is adapted to project that image onto a suitable surface such as a screen or even a wall.

Accordingly one can understand that the user can personally take the device of the present invention to a different location, not just a vehicle. The portability and the ability of the device WO 02/071777 PCT/AU02/00219 6 to project the data or the map onto a suitable surface area overcome many of the problems of existing navigation systems. Further, the data may be both contained within the device via Smart Media Card as illustrated in figure 4 or may be not contained within the device itself but remotely accessible. This means that the data is updated at a single site and that the individual devices do not need to be updated. Accordingly, various features of interest may be provided in conjunction with the different maps for the appropriate time. One example of this is where a certain area or town may be having a festival or the like. As soon as the device downloads a new map it may also include other information such as activities in the area that the user is in. Other information may include details about accommodation, restaurants, events, place and things to see etc.

Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope and spirit of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Claims (11)

1. A portable apparatus for the display of geographical information including: a remote communication device having a global positioning system adapted to provide information about the position of said device and transmit it to a remote database; said remote database including geographical data related to various positions, said remote database adapted to receive and process said transmitted information in response to which it transmits to said remote communication that geographical data corresponding to the position of said device; said remote communication device including a display to display said geographical data to a user and further including a projection means adapted to project an image of said geographical data onto an exterior surface.

2. A portable apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said geographical data is a map.

3. A portable apparatus as in claimi, wherein said global positioning system is both removable from and attachable to the remote communication device and may be used on different remote communication devices.

4. A portable apparatus for the display of geographical data as in claim 1 wherein said remote communication device is a mobile or cellular phone.

A portable apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said geographical data may be provided at different resolution levels, said resolution level able to be controlled by the user.

6. A portable apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said device includes an input means enabling said user to select another position to be sent to said remote database independent of the actual position of said device.

7. A portable apparatus for the display of geographical information including: a global positioning system adapted to provide information about the position of said apparatus; a database including geographical data related to various positions, said database adapted to select geographical data corresponding to the position of said apparatus; said apparatus including a display to display said geographical data to a user and further including a projection means adapted to project an image of said geographical data onto an exterior surface. AMENDED SHEET IPEAAU PCT/AU02/00219 Received 12 May 2003

8. A portable apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said geographical data is a map.

9. A portable apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said database may be stored on smart media cards.

A portable apparatus as in claim 7 further adapted to include a download means adapted to download geographical data to said apparatus.

11. A portable apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said geographical data is downloaded at pre-determined times. AMENDED SHEET IPEAVAU