Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g. – Directive – Including a satellite
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-22
2001-10-16
Issing, Gregory C. (Department: 3662)
Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g.,
Directive
Including a satellite
C701S208000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304212
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to position data display/control apparatus and methods which use position data received from GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites to display data on the present position.
A GPS is an accurate navigation system which selects at any position on the earth four ones from a plurality of artificial satellites which move around the earth, receives signals from those selected artificial satellites and obtains data on a latitude and longitude of that position on the earth. This GPS constitutes a single built-in navigation aiding apparatus by which an airplane can navigate anywhere in the world and accurate position data is obtained at once, so that the number of airplanes can increase secondarily in one air route, advantageously.
The GPS is further used in each of other fields of navigation of ships/automobiles, control of services of vehicles such as taxis/trucks, map/building measurement, fish finding, leisure activities such as fishing/mountain climbing, study and sciences such as diastrophism, earthquake prediction, etc.
For example, in the navigation of an automobile using a GPS, a present position of the automobile is indicated on a map displayed usually on a display for the user's benefits. Maps in various countries in the world are produced based on respective different techniques for expressing the spherical earth in a plane map, and different geodetic systems different in elements including a central point in making a map. Thus, when a geodetic system is set in the conventional GPS, the user selects a required geodetic system from among preset ones in the whole world, and sets it to correct the position indication accurately. In addition, also when the present position is set to reduce an initial position measuring time, the user inputs data on the latitude and longitude of the user's present position.
As described above, when the latitude and longitude of the user's position measured by the GPSs are adjusted to those of a corresponding position in a map, the user is required to select a required geodetic system from among many preset ones in the whole world and to set it. Thus, the user is required to perform many key-in operations to locate the desired geodetic system, which is a problem to operability of the GPS.
Also, when the user's present position is set to reduce the initial position measuring time, the user is required to input data on the latitude and longitude of the user's present position. Thus, the user is required to beforehand know a rough latitude and longitude of the user's present position and further required to input numerical values of the latitude and longitude one by one, which is also a problem to the operability of the GPS.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a position information display/control apparatus and method in which the user selects the nearest area to the user's present position from among main areas (countries, cites, local areas) of the world whose various information is preset to perform various setting and other required operations to improve the operability of the apparatus.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a position data display/control apparatus comprising:
receiving means for receiving position data;
storage means containing area data including in corresponding relationship a plurality of name of areas and a plurality of data on measurement of positions of the areas;
area name selecting means for selecting any particular name of area from among the plurality of names of areas of the area data contained in the storage means; and
converting means for converting position data received by the receiving means to position data suitable for measurement of a position of the area whose particular name is selected by the area name selecting means on the basis of data on measurement of the position of that area.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a position data display/control apparatus and method which displays a map which the user can recognize the user's present position rapidly without being influenced by a display area concerned, and a recording medium which contains a computer readable program which causes a computer to control display of a map to allow the user to recognize the present position rapidly.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5546092 (1996-08-01), Kurokawa et al.
patent: 5596500 (1997-01-01), Sprague et al.
patent: 6047236 (2000-04-01), Hancock et al.
Aoki Nobuhiro
Okuyama Masayoshi
Casio Computer Co. Ltd.
Frishauf, Holtz Goodman, Langer & Chick, P.C.
Issing Gregory C.
LandOfFree
Position data display/control apparatus and methods does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Position data display/control apparatus and methods, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Position data display/control apparatus and methods will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2573443