Abstract: Methods and apparatus reduce data transmission in a wireless client-server navigation system. A request for data representative of a map-related feature is received at a server from a mobile unit. Data describing the feature is obtained in the form of line segments interconnecting points having coordinates. An operation is performed on the data to generate data representing the feature in a data-reduced format, and the reduced-format data is forwarded to the mobile unit. The operation may include receiving map data; partitioning the map into tiles; designating a reference point within each tile; representing data points as offsets from the reference points. Alternatively, the operation may include approximating the feature with a curve. In a further alternative embodiment, the operation may include removing one or more of the points such that the feature is represented with line segments interconnecting the remaining points.

Abstract: The present invention is a modular indoor farm lighting system. The lighting system is comprised of a frame comprising two or more retaining members and one or more support members. The retaining members are adapted to retain corrugated panels. The corrugated panels have light emitting diode (LED) bars disposed within their troughs. Each LED bar will be provided onto a combiner board. The combiner boards will provide each LED bar with power, and hold 4 LED bars in the preferred embodiment. The system may be hung by a carabiner and rope system to be attached to the vertical components of the support members.

Abstract: In a vehicle navigation system, advertising content is provided in a way that is noticeable, does not interfere with the navigation function of the device, and is relevant to the user's desires. If, after being provided with advertising content, the user indicates a desire to travel to a location relevant to the advertising content, the navigation system will guide him to the location with minimal further user input. In response to a user request for locations fitting certain criteria, icons indicating the position of locations fitting the criteria are displayed. Locations for which advertising information is available are indicated with an icon visually differentiable from icons for which no such information is available. When the user selects a location for which advertising content is available, the advertising content is presented. A control is also presented with which the user can command the navigation system to guide him to the selected location.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to reduce data transmission in a wireless client-server navigation system. A request for data representative of a map-related feature is received at a server from a mobile client. Data describing the feature is obtained in the form of coordinates of line segments. An operation is performed on the data to generate data representative of the feature in a data-reduced format, and the reduced data is forwarded to the client. The operation responsible for producing the data-reduced format includes the steps of: receiving map data; partitioning the map into a plurality of tiles; designating a reference point within each tile; representing the feature in the form of offsets from the reference points; and wherein the data-reduced format is based upon the reference points and offsets. The embodiment may also include sending precalculated turn instruction to the client rather than sending data necessary to generate turn instructions.

Abstract: A wireless client-server (WCS) navigator provides routes optimized for travel time based on traffic flow rate and incident data, inexpensively and in a timely manner. A server, having a database of geographical information including road segments at a server, receives information representing traffic flow rates or traffic incidents along the road segments. This allows a route to be generated that is optimized to minimize travel time along the road segments based upon the traffic flow rates or traffic incidents. The route is then transmitted to a mobile client. Typically, though not necessarily, the route is generated in response to a request from a mobile client. Some travel time estimates may be based on historical traffic flow rate data or speed limit data rather than current information. Traffic flow rate or traffic incident data associated with the transmitted route may be transmitted to a client along with the route.

Abstract: The present invention is a modular indoor farm lighting system. The lighting system is comprised of a frame comprising two or more retaining members and one or more support members. The retaining members are adapted to retain corrugated panels. The corrugated panels have light emitting diode (LED) bars disposed within their troughs. Each LED bar will be provided onto a combiner board. The combiner boards will provide each LED bar with power, and hold 4 LED bars in the preferred embodiment. The system may be hung by a carabiner and rope system to be attached to the vertical components of the support members.

Abstract: A lighting controller has one or more output channels connected to the lighting, each channel comprising a lighting driver circuit, and having independently controllable intensity of the lighting from off to full power, a microcontroller containing instructions to control the intensity of the lighting by direct current or pulse width modulation, a communication connection adapted to communicate wirelessly with a control program, in communication with the microprocessor. A method of operating a lighting controller is also described, having the steps of the app connecting to the lighting controller by a communication connection, wherein the lighting controller is connected to a plurality of channels connected to lights, a user adjusting an intensity control on the app, wherein the lighting controller adjusts the output of one of the channels accordingly, between off and full-power, a user inputting a light schedule.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are directed to the use and customization of user interfaces associated with vehicle navigation systems, including “skins,” selection of context for clarification, and autocompletion functions. The navigator may be a wireless client server navigation system comprising mobile clients used for requesting and receiving guidance from a central server that houses databases of geographical information. Customization may include images, icons, controls, menus, colors, symbols, or shapes that are added, removed, or moved on the display. Options may be selected using equipment external to the navigation system. If a word, or phrase is not understood, the method proceeds with the steps of: searching a database for potential matching letters, words, or phrases; querying the user with the potential matching words, or phrases; and, if the user selects one of the potential matching words, or phrases: performing an operating associated with the potential matching words, or phrases.

Abstract: Methods and associated apparatus allow a vehicle navigator to more efficiently search for locations in a database. According to one such method, a map is divided into tiles, and locations are associated within each tile with the tile the user is in. When queried by a user for a location, the system checks the tile currently occupied by the user to determine if it contains any of the desired locations. The system then checks the tile(s) adjacent to the currently occupied tile to determine if it contains any of the desired locations. The system then checks the tile(s) adjacent to b) to determine if it contains any of the desired locations, and the process is repeated, as necessary, until all tiles adjacent to tiles that have been checked are themselves checked that are to determine if locations matching the query are present. The position of the location(s) can then be communicated to the user. Alternative methods and system-level aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to nanoparticulate compositions comprising glipizide. The glipizide particles of the composition preferably have an effective average particle size of less than about 2 microns.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for conducting searches and generating routes to selected points of interest using a wireless client-server (WCS) navigator. A method includes the step of requesting, at a mobile unit, information about one or more locations meeting certain criteria. Locations meeting the criteria are displayed on the display screen at the location of the user and, if a location is selected, a route to include the selected location is automatically generated. Guidance regarding how to travel to the selected location may also be provided. If the user is already en route to a destination when a route to a selected location is requested, the navigator may generate a route that includes both the original destination and the selected new location.

Abstract: A navigation system and method uses loops as opposed to existing search techniques to more expeditiously find routes on a map from a starting point to a destination. Roads on a map are traced to form one or more continuous loops. Information regarding the loops is stored for future reference. A starting point and at least one destination are specified, and loops that connect the loops containing the starting point and destination are determined. A route is then formulated from the starting point to the destination using road segments or intersections where the identified loops are mutually contiguous. A list is generated including the loops and the road segments associated therewith. The road segments of an initial loop are examined and, if a road segment or intersection common to a next loop is identified, the road segments of that loop are examined, and so on, until a route from the starting point to the destination is found.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus reduce data transmission in a wireless client-server navigation system. In the preferred method, reduction of data sent is made possible by giving the user control over rerouting decisions. In many navigation systems, the navigator automatically generates a new route if a user strays from the route it provided. In a wireless client-server this is undesirable because of the increased cost or rerouting due to data transmission costs. On the other hand, providing an easy to use rerouting method is very important to customer satisfaction. In order to provide both data reduction and user satisfaction, when a user strays from the route provided, the navigator accepts user instructions as to how to handle rerouting. In this method the user is given the options of rerouting, suspending the current route until the user returns to it, or canceling the route. Only one of these options results in additional transmission of data.

Abstract: In a vehicle navigation system, advertising content is provided in a way that is noticeable, does not interfere with the navigation function of the device, and is relevant to the user's desires. If, after being provided with advertising content, the user indicates a desire to travel to a location relevant to the advertising content, the navigation system will guide him to the location with minimal further user input. In response to a user request for locations fitting certain criteria, icons indicating the position of locations fitting the criteria are displayed. Locations for which advertising information is available are indicated with an icon visually differentiable from icons for which no such information is available. When the user selects a location for which advertising content is available, the advertising content is presented. A control is also presented with which the user can command the navigation system to guide him to the selected location.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus reduce data transmission in a wireless client-server navigation system. A request for data representative of a map-related feature is received at a central server from a mobile unit. Data describing the feature is obtained in the form of line segments interconnecting points having coordinates such as a shapefile or other format. An operation is performed on the data describing the feature to generate data representative of the feature in a data-reduced format, and the data representative of the feature in the data-reduced format is forwarded to the mobile unit issuing the request. The operation responsible for producing the data-reduced format includes the steps of: receiving data describing a map; partitioning the map into a plurality of tiles; designating a reference point within each tile; representing the feature in the form of offsets from the reference points; and wherein the data-reduced format is based upon the reference points and offsets.

Abstract: A wireless client-server (WCS) navigator provides routes optimized for travel time based on traffic flow rate and incident data, inexpensively and in a timely manner. A server, having a database of geographical information including road segments at a server, receives information representing traffic flow rates or traffic incidents along the road segments. This allows a route to be generated that is optimized to minimize travel time along the road segments based upon the traffic flow rates or traffic incidents. The route is then transmitted to a mobile client. Typically, though not necessarily, the route is generated in response to a request from a mobile client. Some travel time estimates may be based on historical traffic flow rate data or speed limit data rather than current information. Traffic flow rate or traffic incident data associated with the transmitted route may be transmitted to a client along with the route.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are directed to the use and customization of user interfaces associated with vehicle navigation systems. Aspects of this customizability may include selection of interface “skins,” selection of context for clarification, and autocompletion functions. The navigator may be a wireless client server navigation system comprising mobile clients used for requesting and receiving guidance from a central server that houses databases of geographical information. The options to be customized may include images, icons, controls, menus, colors, symbols, or shapes that are added, removed, or moved on the display. The options may be selected using equipment external to the navigation system; for example, the options may be selected using a computer connected to the Internet. The options may also be entered by way of a spoken command.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for conducting searches and generating routes to selected points of interest using a wireless client-server (WCS) navigator. A method includes the step of requesting, at a mobile unit, information about one or more locations meeting certain criteria. Locations meeting the criteria are displayed on the display screen at the location of the user and, if a location is selected, a route to include the selected location is automatically generated. Guidance regarding how to travel to the selected location may also be provided. If the user is already en route to a destination when a route to a selected location is requested, the navigator may generate a route that includes both the original destination and the selected new location.

Abstract: Methods and associated apparatus allow a vehicle navigator to more efficiently search for locations in a database. According to one such method, a map is divided into tiles, and locations are associated within each tile with the tile the user is in. When queried by a user for a location, the system checks the tile currently occupied by the user to determine if it contains any of the desired locations. The system then checks the tile(s) adjacent to the currently occupied tile to determine if it contains any of the desired locations. The system then checks the tile(s) adjacent to b) to determine if it contains any of the desired locations, and the process is repeated, as necessary, until all tiles adjacent to tiles that have been checked are themselves checked that are to determine if locations matching the query are present. The position of the location(s) can then be communicated to the user. Alternative methods and system-level aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus reduce data transmission in a wireless client-server navigation system. Data is transmitted from a mobile client to a central server explicitly or implicitly requesting the transmission of map data from the central server. At the same time or previously, the mobile client forwards to the central server, a summary of map data already present at the mobile client. The central server compares the received request to the map data already present at the mobile client based upon the information received from the mobile client, and if there is overlap, the central server downloads the map data requested by the client, but excludes map data determined by the server to be already present in the client based on the previously transmitted summary information, thereby reducing data transmission requirements. The summary of map data present in the client may be transmitted to the central server in a reduced-data format.