Input Device Patents (Class 340/995.16)
  • Publication number: 20040030490
    Abstract: An improved method and system for specifying physical locations when using applications run on navigation systems or other computer platforms that provide navigation- or map-related functions. When requesting a navigation- or map-related function from such an application, a user specifies a physical location using a keyword instead of specifying the physical location conventionally, such as by street address. A keyword database relates keywords to physical locations. The application uses the keyword database, or a copy thereof, to find data indicating the physical location associated with the keyword specified by the user. Preferably, physical locations are defined in the keyword database in terms of data in a corresponding geographic database. The application then performs the requested navigation- or map-related function using the data indicating the physical location associated with the keyword. The keyword database is built using input from users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Ildiko Hegedus, Matthias Thorner, William Gale, Lawrence M. Kaplan
  • Patent number: 6687605
    Abstract: The destination specifying method comprises: (1) configuring a database by associating a telephone number with a name, address, and position of a facility, and when a plurality of facilities share one telephone number, configuring a database by associating the one telephone number with a plurality of the facility names, (2) displaying a telephone number list on a display screen, when a destination is set by a telephone number, and (3) when a specific telephone number is selected from the list, if the telephone number is associated with a plurality of facilities, displaying a facility name list of a plurality of the facilities, and when a facility is selected from the facility name list, displaying detailed information regarding the selected facility. A system for carrying out this method is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Hikaru Wako
  • Publication number: 20030225509
    Abstract: Disclosed are a navigation system and/or a point information display method and a program. The navigation system consists mainly of: a stream receiver that receives broadcast streams; a data decoder that samples a data signal from the received streams and decodes the data signal into character string information; a matching block that performs matching to compare a predetermined keyword, which is associated with position information specified in map information data, with stored keywords and searches a keyword consistent with the keyword contained in the character string information; a position information searching block that searches position information associated with the keyword contained in the character string information and detected to be consistent with a stored keyword by the matching block; and a display unit that displays the detected position information while superimposing it on a display image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Inventor: Tadashi Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20030220734
    Abstract: Disclosed is a network accessible tool that is capable of providing map and satellite image data, as well as other photographic image data to locate, identify, measure, view, and communicate information about land over the Internet-to-Internet users. The network accessible tool includes a location tool that allows the user to locate areas on a map using geographic names, township, range and section descriptions, county names, latitude and longitude coordinates or zip codes. Network accessible tool also includes a metes and bounds tool that draws boundaries on the map and image data in response to metes and bounds descriptions that have been entered by the Internet user. The network accessible tool also includes a lat/long drawing tool that draws boundaries on the map and image data based upon latitude and longitude coordinate pairs that have been entered by the Internet user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Publication date: November 27, 2003
    Inventors: Craig D. Harrison, James J. Graham
  • Patent number: 6653948
    Abstract: A display system featuring improved operability when plural screens are displayed on a display and when many functions are provided, and a method of display for the display system. A screen is selected from plural screens displayed on a display portion 20A of a display 20. The selected screen is displayed on an entire surface of the display portion 20A together with an operation menu corresponding to the selected screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Kunimatsu, Chikao Nagasaka, Masato Nishikawa, Yoshihisa Hirano