Patents by Inventor David J. Cowl
David J. Cowl has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 6411899Abstract: A task description is stored in a database accessible by a mobile computer system. The mobile computer system receives positioning information corresponding to its geographic location and indexes the database based on the positioning information when the information indicates that the mobile computer system is in a geographic location that facilitates completion of a task associated with the task description. The database may be resident in the mobile computer system or accessible in other ways, for example, via the Internet. The task description preferably includes a geocode which corresponds to the geographic location at which completion of the task may be facilitated. The task description may also include textual, voice or other message which can be displayed and/or played back to a user. The positioning information may be obtained from a GPS satellite, a GLONASS satellite or a pseudolite. The mobile computer system may be a portable unit, such as a PDA, or integrated within a vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2001Date of Patent: June 25, 2002Assignee: Trimble Navigation Ltd.Inventors: William O. Dussell, James M. Janky, John F. Schipper, David J. Cowl
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Patent number: 6353796Abstract: A system for monitoring location and speed of a vehicle, using a location determination system such as GPS, GLONASS or LORAN and an optional odometer or speedometer, for determining and recording the locations and times at which vehicle speed is less than a threshold speed for at least a threshold time (called a “vehicle arrest event”). Vehicle arrest event locations, times and time intervals are stored and/or printed to provide trip and mileage records and for efficiency monitoring. A vehicle odometer and/or speedometer can also be calibrated and/or corrected using this approach.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2000Date of Patent: March 5, 2002Assignee: Trimble Navigation LimitedInventors: John F. Schipper, Eric B. Rodal, James M. Janky, David J. Cowl
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Publication number: 20010018663Abstract: A task description is stored in a database accessible by a mobile computer system. The mobile computer system receives positioning information corresponding to its geographic location and indexes the database based on the positioning information when the information indicates that the mobile computer system is in a geographic location that facilitates completion of a task associated with the task description. The database may be resident in the mobile computer system or accessible in other ways, for example, via the Internet. The task description preferably includes a geocode which corresponds to the geographic location at which completion of the task may be facilitated. The task description may also include textual, voice or other message which can be displayed and/or played back to a user. The positioning information may be obtained from a GPS satellite, a GLONASS satellite or a pseudolite. The mobile computer system may be a portable unit, such as a PDA, or integrated within a vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2001Publication date: August 30, 2001Inventors: William O. Dussell, James M. Janky, John F. Schipper, David J. Cowl
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Patent number: 6266612Abstract: A task description is stored in a database accessible by a mobile computer system. The mobile computer system receives positioning information corresponding to its geographic location and indexes the database based on the positioning information when the information indicates that the mobile computer system is in a geographic location that facilitates completion of a task associated with the task description. The database may be resident in the mobile computer system or accessible in other ways, for example, via the Internet. The task description preferably includes a geocode which corresponds to the geographic location at which completion of the task may be facilitated. The task description may also include textual, voice or other message which can be displayed and/or played back to a user. The positioning information may be obtained from a GPS satellite, a GLONASS satellite or a pseudolite. The mobile computer system may be a portable unit, such as a PDA, or integrated within a vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 1999Date of Patent: July 24, 2001Assignee: Trimble Navigation LimitedInventors: William O. Dussell, James M. Janky, John F. Schipper, David J. Cowl
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Patent number: 6088650Abstract: A system for monitoring location and speed of a vehicle, using a location determination system such as GPS, GLONASS or LORAN and an optional odometer or speedometer, for determining and recording the locations and times at which vehicle speed is less than a threshold speed for at least a threshold time (called a "vehicle arrest event"). Vehicle arrest event locations, times and time intervals are stored and/or printed to provide trip and mileage records and for efficiency monitoring. A vehicle odometer and/or speedometer can also be calibrated and/or corrected using this approach.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 1999Date of Patent: July 11, 2000Assignee: Trimble Navigation, Ltd.Inventors: John F. Schipper, Eric B. Rodal, James M. Janky, David J. Cowl
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Patent number: 5987378Abstract: A system for monitoring location and speed of a vehicle, using a location determination system such as GPS, GLONASS or LORAN and an optional odometer or speedometer, for determining and recording the locations and times at which vehicle speed is less than a threshold speed for at least a threshold time (called a "vehicle arrest event"). Vehicle arrest event locations, times and time intervals are stored and/or printed to provide trip and mileage records and for efficiency monitoring. A vehicle odometer and/or speedometer can also be calibrated and/or corrected using this approach.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 1996Date of Patent: November 16, 1999Assignee: Trimble Navigation LimitedInventors: John F. Schipper, Eric B. Rodal, James M. Janky, David J. Cowl
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Patent number: 5938721Abstract: A task description is stored in a database accessible by a mobile computer system. The mobile computer system receives positioning information corresponding to its geographic location and indexes the database based on the positioning information when the information indicates that the mobile computer system is in a geographic location that facilitates completion of a task associated with the task description. The database may be resident in the mobile computer system or accessible in other ways, for example, via the Internet. The task description preferably includes a geocode which corresponds to the geographic location at which completion of the task may be facilitated. The task description may also include textual, voice or other message which can be displayed and/or played back to a user. The positioning information may be obtained from a GPS satellite, a GLONASS satellite or a pseudolite. The mobile computer system may be a portable unit, such as a PDA, or integrated within a vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 1996Date of Patent: August 17, 1999Assignee: Trimble Navigation LimitedInventors: William O. Dussell, James M. Janky, John F. Schipper, David J. Cowl