Method and device for communicating geo-coded information
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and a device for communicating geo-coded information that may be used by an individual to obtain more detailed information about his current position. In particular, the method comprises calculating the geo-position by means of an electrical device, and outputting data in form of simple geo-coded information guiding the individual to additional information sources. The present invention also pertains to a locator system allowing performing the above method.
Description of the Related Art
Maps have been used for a long time to locate an individual's approximate position in an area or to guide him to a desired location. In major cities, maps are the most important prerequisite for tourists to find the way, specifically downtown in old cities that harbor a plurality of small roads emerged from ancient times. For this reason, essentially all of the hotels in a city distribute maps for their residents, covering the inner city and occasionally giving details as regards particular sightseeing places.
In the recent past global position systems became more and more common to assist finding a way or route from one to another location. GPS is the most common system and has been developed in the US. In Europe a more recent system, Galileo, is about to be implemented.
Common to these systems is a plurality of satellites in geostationary orbits above the Earth, which transmit signals, which are received by a GPS device on the Earth's surface. GPS
devices conventionally contain a GPS receiver and a navigational appliance in combination and are designed such that the GPS receiver obtains positional information by analyzing the satellite signals, specifically the distance between the GPS satellites and the GrPS receiver and position vectors of the GPS satellites, calculating the present position of the GPS navigation device based on said information, and subsequently outputting positional data denoting the current position to the navigational appliance. This navigational appliance in turn displays the position calculated on a map stored in a data base linked to the device. The map contains data comprising the surrounding of the position as well as an icon in a given shape indicating the current position and/or orientation of the device, there~by visually indicating the present position of a user on the map.
Since GPS devices have particular requirements, such as a rather high energy supply and the prospect of a considerable data base, they have been implemented in larger equipments only, such as e.g. automotive cars. In particular, the data base to be provided comprises in most cases such an abundant volume of data, so that a CD-ROM and concurrent with it a CD- ROM player has to be made available.
However, for many occasions, such as e.g. visitors finding their way or position in a foreign city, bulky equipment or even cars is/are not preferred.
In order to meet these desires wireless navigation devices have produced, which., however, exhibit some severe deficiencies limiting their application. For the most part "the energy source made available in these devices is quite undersized, so that these device are not suitable for long term use. Moreover, the amount of data storable in these wireless devices and the possibility of displaying data on a screen is restricted, so that either the range of the map and/or its resolution is quite unpleasant for the user.
Today, even in mobile phones GPS options are provided, which allow a positional localization on a map stored in a phone's memory. In these instances, displaying toe location on the screen, which is small in a size, results in difficulties to recognize the various icons, while at the same time the data base is limited such that merely a small sized map with an
inadequate resolution is provided. Some producers tried to obviate these known deficiencies by pre-loading or down-loading in real time different amounts of data into these devices representing digitized maps of different formats. However, proceeding accordingly adds to the costs of using the mobile phones, while still the number and precision of these maps fundamentally depends on the rather restricted amount of memory available in the device.
In view of the above shortcomings of the known devices there is a need in the art for a lightweight and portable tracking locator device that allows an easy determination of "the own position in an area of interest.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above problem has been solved by providing a method, device system and computer program product such as a software tool with which the geo-position of an individual is determined/calculated by an electrical device, and said geo-position is communicated in the form of geo-coded information, guiding the user to additional information sources.
The term "geo-coded information" as used in the present invention is to be understood, as any information linked to a particular (geo-)position and associated with another information source, i.e. information that guides the user to the said additional source of information-. In its broadest sense "geo-coded information" may be considered as a reference to another source of information.
The term "electrical device" as used in the present invention relates to any appliance, capable to determine the geo-position and capable to display information about said geo-position, that guides the user to additional sources of information.
The present invention also pertains to a locator system comprising a remote mobile station preferably in communication with a E911 -enabled wireless network, which may optionally be GPS-enabled, the remote mobile station including RF connectivity, a plurality of RF transceivers deployed about a location, with the remote mobile station being configured to
obtain location information from one of said plurality of RF transceivers and/or GPS signals.
Further advantages, features and aspects of the present inventor becomme apparaent from the following description when read in conjunction with the drawings which comprise : - 5
FIG. 1 showing an embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION DRAWINGS
0 Fig 1 schematically shows a functional relationship of the components of an embodiment of the present invention.. Sending, receiving and displaying information, questions and answers on lower resolution displays connected to underpowered processing units related to at least one geographical location is based on the group of devices comprising : 1- mobile phones, 2 - central station, 3 - base stations, 4 — computer , 5 - information databases. 5
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present method and system enable a user to obtain specific guidance as to where to acquire more detailed information about the current position. 0
The electrical device that provides the above described end-user information may be any device capable of sending, receiving and communicating queries, i.e. appliances capable to communicate with base stations in a mobile phone network and/or capable to receive GPS signals, and which may generate the geo-position. It also contains processor, memory and 5 end-user guidance communication means, such as a simple display or voice generator. This device may be realized with devices such as GPS receivers, PDAs, portable computers with build-in or externally connected positioning devices and mobile phones. The device may also comprise means for inputting memory means, such as e.g. smart cards.
0 According to a preferred embodiment the device envisaged is designed as a simple stand¬ alone device with built-in GPS receiver, low cost processor, small memory size, simple
display, which allows low consumption and may provide an easy XY positioning on maps. Such device may also be produced at relatively low costs, since they lack the extensive data storage and map display equipment. Such a device merely contains data structures describing geo-coded contents and is, together with the printed geo-coded contents, completely self sufficient for the purpose of locating a specific geo-coded contents.
In a first step of the method the current geo-position is determined via the electrical device, which may be via GPS or also calculated by e.g. triangulation from base stations. In case of a GPS device this will be accomplished by the device itself. Yet, in case the determination of the geo-position is accomplished via e.g. a wireless network, such as provided by mobile phone systems, the electrical device will send queries to base stations, e.g. in form of a conventional registration of a mobile phone with a particular base station. The base station may be configured such that it determines the angle at which the query arrived based on a 360 ° co-ordinate system. At least 2 registrations, yielding 2 different angles at corresponding base stations are sufficient under normal circumstances to define a geo-position. The electrical device may be configured such that it can calculate the geo-position based on such registrations or likewise, the computer in the base stations, which may be linked, may send the geo-position to the electrical device. In this respect it may be preferred in case the device may calculate the current geo-position in either ways, i.e. via GPS and by means of positioning via base stations, which system may complement each other in case on of the two are not available at a given time.
The position as determined is then communicated to the user either by means of a display or via a voice generator or both. However, according to the present invention the information supplied is in a geo-coded form, i.e. will be given in a form that allows the user to consult a more extensive information material. In order to verify whether the geo-coded contents in use (such as a map) is the one that is represented by the data structure in use, e.g. by a gadget, for each geo-coded contents, i.e. for each map, set of maps or atlas etc., a physical position of a unique element within the contents, such as a name on the map, may be defined. The user can verify if the selected data structure represents the geo-coded contents in use by checking if the said element is actually at the reported position. This feature may be achieved e.g. at the
time of the "digitization" of each map etc., wherein in the data structure the information that the name of the map is 10 cm to the right and 2 cm down of the top left corner of the map and that the name is MAP X is stored. When the gadget is turned on the first information, it could look like "MAP X 10 2". The user can now verify what is written in the physical position 10 2. If he finds MAP X he is on the correct map.
Instead of the name one could also use the name of an island, bay, village - whatever that uniquely defines the map. If the geo-coded content is a book, an ISBN number could be used.
Referring to Fig, 1 in view of using mobile phones, a connection between mobile phones (1) and a central station (2) is known and unchanged via base stations (3). The central station (2) and the computer (4) with information databases (5) are connected. The connection inay be wired or wireless. In the databases (5) to each information its geographical position is attached. In the first place existing geo-coded information is used. The information supplier may provide his own geo-coded method. The computer (4) receives a question as prescribed by the information supplier, read it accordingly and locate it. From databases (5) the computer finds the answer which is geographically determined. According to the kmown geographical position which is integral part of the question and resulting geographical position the answer may consist of optimal route between the two. The result is shown on display of apparatus (1) according to its possibilities.
The information may be shown on low resolution display as alfa-numericals, or/and address, phone number which can be called for further information. Results may be also be stiown graphically in form of a simplified map oriented towards north for example. Other possibilities include the response being sent in the form of SMS (short message service), in the form of e-mail, in the form of WAP protocol, in the form of multimedia message (EMMS, MMS), or in forms used in advanced communication solutions (UMTS for example).
The information may genetically comprise information about the position as such but also records of the place.
In case the geo-coded Information is a geo-position, e.g. a position in a city with the user wanting to obtain information about his present location, the device will give simple informa¬ tion indicating a reference map to consider. The information provided may comprise the name of map, the page number, sector identification and position within a sector. If a given map is selected, the information will be confined to the segment of the map and where within that segment the position is. The information provided may be in a simple form, such as e.g. in form of : Map = A , Page = P, Column = C, Row = R, X = x, Y=y, which the end user will interpret as an instruction to continue in the following order:
Step 1: Look at map with the identification "A";
Step 2: Go to page with identification "P";
Step 3: Find on this page column identified by "C";
Step 4: Find on this page row identified by "R"; Step 5: The position is x units in direction X and y units in direction Y from the starting corner or reference point.(). Typically, on conventional maps x and y will be indicated in millimeters or 1/10 of inches.
It will be understood that step A, i.e. the selection of the map, will in most cases be performed prior to using the electrical device. That is, a visitor of a foreign city will define the map prior to going out of the hotel, so that he will always receive data as regards the particular map he has with him. This may be done either by loading a city map stored on a small chip or memory cards (e.g. a smart card) or by downloading the corresponding information/region from, external sources, e.g. the internet. Alternatively, mobile phone companies may also provide such services, so that the corresponding information may be downloaded from said companies.
In case of multi-paged maps, such as for example atlases, the user is given in addition information about the page of the atlas the position is on.
Since individuals are acquainted to working with conventional maps there is no requirement
for learning a new way how to operate a new device. The electrical device according to the present invention merely translates the positional data calculated into information referring to a given map, considering the peculiarities thereof, e.g. the specific grid etc.. Here, the present invention takes advantage of the end-user's experience to deal with classical printed materials which suffice to find the position on the map in the simplest possible way using latest satellite navigation technology but having to know nothing about it.
The logic that implements the technical solution as described above is the same for all sorts of geo-coded information, since merely the data structures are changed for each instance of a geo-coded information, such as e.g. for different sizes of maps of the same area or records of the place.
In the latter case, e.g. in case a visitor of a city desires to get to know additional information about a particular place or house he is in or nearby, the device will refer him to a particular informational source selected.
Here the information provided by the electrical device may take the form, such as e.g. in form of : Book = A, Page = P, Lines = C - D, which the end user will interpret as an instruction to continue in the following order: Step 1: Look at book with the identification "A";
Step 2: Go to page with identification "P";
Step 3: Go to lines "C - D";
One or more program logics and data structures may be present on the device. Typically a new data structure is transferred from external media such as smart-card to the internal memory of the device. Such cards could contain Identification of the geo-coded contents such as map so that the user could associate the two. Publishers of classical maps and atlases could add such smart cards to the maps similar as CD are added to news papers.
There is a large number of different applications for the present invention. On the one hand and as detailed above, the invention provides a simple way for determining the geographic
coordinate on a reference map. In addition, it may provide the next place of interest, such as e.g. a gas station or a restaurant, or indicate the name of a given building. According to another embodiment the present method allows a user to retrieve detailed data about a particular place, e.g. a sightseeing location, by linking the geo-position with information provided in a volume.
In case of classical maps their usefulness may be greatly increased. Classical maps provide to the end-user both the micro and macro information because the printed maps are displays of the highest possible resolution. They are also very convenient, since they may be put in the pocket and do not require any energy. Tourists tend to walk around with a map of the area, so that there is no additional load. Sailors always have their maps with them and ultimately rely on them, people in the mountains or back-packing trips in nature use them as well as military, rescue and police organisations. In this way an effective connection between classical maps and services of mobile communication networks is possible.
Public messages to the group of user can be performed as well. For example all of the users within certain area receive the information that a road is closed during a particular time interval. Thematics messages are also possible.
In general, the present invention will be of interest for the following applications:
GPS receivers (Magelan, Garmin) producers for consumer and other markets to implement the solution within existing or new GPS receivers. This may be accomplished with ease.
Mobile phone producers, integrators or companies which are writing 3rd party software for mobile phones.
Companies who are writing/selling/reselling software for existing hand helds which are equipped with GPS (Palm PC, Palm OS, PDAs, Pocket PC,...).
Companies which might start producing simple gadgets based on GPS, small processor,
smart card, etc..
Publishers of paper maps and atlases to start preparing the maps and provide relevant data structure in such a way that "everyone" could write necessary software for above mentioned gadgets with ease.
Producers of mapping software who could implement the functionality upon which each particular user will print out his planned route and printed maps will be equipped with suitable grid and data structure in such a way that "everyone" could write necessary software for above mentioned gadgets with ease.
The invention has been described in an open way such that it may include other technical possibilities of mobile phones (1) and central stations (2) which, will be available in the future. For example some mobile phones are equipped with digital maps, GPS modules, cameras, technologies to send images. All these sources which can serve to determine the position of mobile phone (1) are included in the patent without changing it.