Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Relative location
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-21
2002-08-27
Zanelli, Michael J. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Relative location
C701S200000, C702S005000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06442483
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The field of this invention is geographic location referencing system.
A geographic location system has an addressing scheme that allows a point or place to be uniquely identified. An address may be in the form of a numeric, alpha, or numeric and alpha code, a name, or a combination of a name and a code. A place is a particular portion of space, in this case Earth, whether of definite or indefinite extent. There are several commonly known address referencing systems used today that identify a location as either a specific point or an area that has both breadth and width. These addressing schemes may be categorized as: 1) Geodetic based, 2) Earth feature based, 3) Politically based, and 4) Application based. Almost all schemes use some type of systematic method, which may not be orderly, to identify a location; be it navigation, surveying, map making, neighborhood planning and zoning, market analysis, mail delivery, or census taking.
The following geodetic based identification systems are in use around the world. One of the oldest systematic methods of location is based upon the geographic coordinate system (Polar coordinates), of latitude and longitude, which is the foundation of other global and local systems used to identify or locate points or places on Earth. The most common systems in use today are actually a projection of a curved surface onto a flat plane. The Universal Transverse Mercator Grid (UTM) has been, as its name implies, imposed on the Transverse Mercator Projection. Another grid system imposed on the areas represented by the Polar Stereographic Projection is called the Universal Polar Stereographic (UPS) Grid.
The U.S. Army Military Grid Reference System is designed for use with the UTM and UPS Grids. The USAF uses a system that operates in conjunction with any map that has latitude and longitude printed on it; known as the World Geographic Reference System. The dimensions and orientation of different types of grids vary, but three properties are common to all military and civilian grid systems: 1) they are true rectangular grids; 2) they are superimposed on the geographic projection; and 3) they permit linear and angular measurement. The major goal of these systems is to: 1) reduce the length of written coordinates by substituting, in some instances, single letters for several numbers, and 2) eliminate ambiguity so no two places on Earth would have the same identifier. To accomplish this, most grid systems establish a false origin and employ the principles of northing and easting. Although these systems are known to be reliable and precise, and effective for those skilled in their use, they are too complex for many common applications useful in today's society. Their principles can be transferred to everyday use, however.
Another grid system, the State Plane-Coordinate system provides individual states the opportunity of creating local grid systems to match the size and shape of each state while at the same time being tied to the World Geodetic system. This network of zones may support control points for surveying purposes, it doesn't however, appear to provide the ideal alignment needs required for adequately cataloging and identifying places.
A more recently designed grid system, used by amateur radio clubs, can be found in the Maidenhead Locator System. This system is also based on geodesy, which requires tables for degrees and minutes conversion to grid square addresses. The granularity of this system limits the types of applications that can be adapted to this addressing scheme.
Another type of geographic reference system, one that may be classified as application based, and commonly known as a reference frame, has been devised by mapmakers for use with maps. A reference frame is the grid system usually identified by letters and numbers displayed along the edges of a map to assist map users locate information and maintain proper orientation. Local maps for the continental United States, its cities, and states are available from map makers such as, Rand McNally, National Geographic, Thomas Brothers, Trimble Atlas, H. M. Gousha, etc., as well as Major Oil Companies where the reference frame (coordinate addresses) and scale is different for each. These maps usually include an index and guide marks to aid the map user locate the desired information. Although the reference frame is of general purpose, the guide marks consisting of letters and numbers, are usually different from one map to the next. Accordingly, the map users are required to consult the map index to acclimate themselves with each map. The specific coordinate addresses identified by the guide marks are usually unique to each map and can not be used to locate information on a map provided by a different map maker. Also, if the scale of the map is changed the reference frame guides (coordinate addresses), are no longer of any use, i.e. a new set of guides must be developed.
An exception to the above generalization can be found on several maps of Arizona produced by the Phoenix Mapping Service since 1974, the Salt River Project, and the cities of Phoenix and Scottsdale. The reference frame used on Phoenix Mapping Service maps considers the entire State of Arizona whereby the origin of the grid is positioned at the most northwesterly point of the state and propagates outward in a southerly and easterly direction. Letters of the alphabet are used along the y-axis, while numbers are used along the x-axis. Each grid represents, for the most part, a section of land approximately one mile square. The use of letters along the y-axis requires repeating the alphabet by expanding the number of letters used, such as A, B, C . . . , AA, AB, AC . . . , BA, BB, BC . . . , etc. until all grids have been assigned an address. Their system, while providing a unique address for each grid is limited because of the size of each grid (one mile square), but primarily, because of the use of letters as an axis address and the downward expansion from the origin of the grid. Likewise, moving down or south from the origin is not as intuitive as moving north.
The Salt River Project's map grid maintains the cardinal points where each one-mile section is numbered moving outward, in all directions, from the point of origin. Both the cities of Phoenix and Scottsdale have devised their own numbering schemes whereby each one-half mile area has an address consisting of a number assigned to each axis of a county level coordinate system. Neither of these systems provides the capability of identifying quarter section of land beyond their particular political subdivisions.
There are some address reference systems that are application or politically based, which are not implemented with a coordinate system. These include Zip (Zone Improvement Plan) Codes, Assessor map areas, and zoning districts. Also, service and tabulation areas such as, Census Tracts and Blocks, Enumeration districts, Congressional Districts (CDs) and other voting districts, A. C. Nielsen's Designated Market Areas (DMAs), Basic Trading Areas (BTAs) & Market Trading Areas by Rand McNally, and Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), too name a few. These systems although useful for their intended purpose, do not provide scaling, stability, order, transferability or simplicity. While some are more stable than others, all of the mentioned systems from Zip Codes to MSAs, are subject to boundary changes over time. None of these systems are based on a common geographical unit and, as such, impose insurmountable obstacles when translation of data from one reference system too another is desired.
Patents for Jones, U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,524, and Hancock, et al., U.S. Pat Nos. 6,047,236 & 5,839,088 are local referencing systems that do not have a constant stable perimeter boundary for each geographical area. Consequently, tabulations or tabulation comparisons with other geographical areas is generally difficult, if not impossible. Also, map referencing is blurred due to the arbitrariness of location addresses. Another problem with
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