Patents by Inventor Thomas W. Ellis

Thomas W. Ellis 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).

  • Map transmission for in-vehicle navigation system with dynamic scale/detail adjustment
    Patent number: 5699255
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing map information of varying resolution to a navigation device. In one embodiment, a position determining system is attached to a navigation device. The position determining system generates position information, such as location, of the navigation device. The position information is transmitted to a base station containing map information. Map information related to, for example, the location of the navigation device is then transmitted from the base station to the navigation device. The map information is displayed on a display of the navigation device. Therefore, the base station only transmits map information related to the position information of the navigation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventors: Thomas W. Ellis, Kiyoko M. Mura-Smith, Charles N. Branch, John F. Schipper