Umted States Patent [191
`Shah et a1.
`
`I
`
`[54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`TRACKING VEHICLE LOCATION AND
`CONIPUTER AIDED DISPATCH
`
`
`
`_ [75] Inventors‘ gla'llgshpgbiih’mkgaonsmgobgrgg" _
`
`
`
`[73] Assignee: Mobile Information Systems, Inc,
`Sunnyvale, Calif,
`'
`
`_
`[21] AP p 1' N0" 443’o62
`[22] Flled:
`May 17’ 1995
`-
`-
`elated U S App ea on ata
`. .
`R
`h t1 D
`
`IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
`
`US005636122A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`9
`
`5 636 122
`Jun. 3, 1997
`
`9
`
`5,155,689 10/1992 Wortham ............................... .. 364/460
`5,243,530
`9/1993 Sianifer et a1
`5,272,638 12/1993 Martin et a1. ..
`5,334,974
`8/1994 Simms et a1. ..
`
`
`
`5,428,546 5,487,139
`
`
`
`6/1995 Shah et a1. 1/1996 Saylor et a1. ......................... .. 395/135
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`.
`
`. ,” CD-ROM
`
`Allen, David R, “Here Be Dragons .
`EndUser, Mar. 1990.
`Sena, Michael L., “Computer-Aided Dispatching,” Cam
`puter Graphics World. PennWell (pubL), May 1990.
`Primary Examiner——Michae1 Zanelli
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Townsend and Townsend and
`Crew LLP
`
`[63] ggntgnéitizagigll-én-pan of Ser. No. 961,736, Oct 16, 1992, Pat.
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`[51] Im. CI.6 ............................. .. G08G 1/13-G01s 7/10-
`’G06F 17/66
`[521 Us. (:1. ...................... .. 364/449.1- 364/400- 340/990
`[58] Fi d d f S mh
`’
`364/2149 460
`(3647200
`991' 342’B57’
`’
`’ 457’. 395/153 606
`’
`’
`
`’
`
`[56]
`
`.
`References Clted
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`1:21:23“ a1‘ """""""""" "
`$33223;
`364/449
`9,1990 MOIoto ct
`4’954’959
`342/457
`3/1991 Gray m1. .... ..
`5,003,317
`364/444
`5,067,08l 11/1991 Person ................... ..
`5,140,532
`8/1992 Beckwith, Jr. et a1. .............. .. 395/101
`
`A "WHIPutelr aided dispatch ‘*PP‘“atus including a a ?rst
`memory portion. a second memory portion, and a third
`mem‘y Pmion' Thc “Input” aided dispatch aPPa‘ams
`also includes a display 510, 626 with a ?rst display segment
`530. The ?rst display segment includes a digitized repre
`sentation of a selected geographical area 530, street data,
`and a user locatable mark 520. The user locatable mark 520
`de?nes a mobile unit position for a mobile unit based upon
`a ?rst value and a second value. The computer aided
`dispatch apparatus includes a dispatch system 811 operably
`coupled to the display 510, 62.6. The dispatch system
`includes order data from customers. A portion of the order
`data is transferred fromadata acquisition device 801, 808 to
`the mobllc “mt 610
`
`20 Claims, 10 Drawing Sheets
`
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`E] RADIO LINKS
`E] DIRECT ACCESS
`
`GOOGLE 1011
`Page 1
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`

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`US. Patent
`
`Jun. 3, 1997
`
`Sheet 1 of 10
`
`5,636,122
`
`F/GZ /.
`
`PRIOR ART
`
`200
`
`220
`
`RASTER
`UTILITY
`LIBRARY
`
`INTERFACE
`
`LIBRARY
`
`FIG? 2. PRIOR ART
`
`GOOGLE 1011
`Page 2
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`

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`US. Patent
`
`Jun. 3, 1997
`
`Sheet 2 of 10
`
`5,636,122
`
`CHRO N05
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`ROEOPECT 0A0
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`MOBILE
`POSITION
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`FIG. 3. PRIOR ART
`
`,412
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`MOBILE
`POSITION
`UTILITY
`LIBRARY
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`[M6
`VECTOR
`UTILITY
`LIBRARY
`
`INTERFACE
`UTILITY
`LIBRARY
`
`FIG 4. PRIOR ART
`
`GOOGLE 1011
`Page 3
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 3, 1997
`
`Sheet 3 of 10
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`5,636,122
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`GOOGLE 1011
`Page 4
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`

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`US. Patent
`
`Jun. 3, 1997
`
`Sheet 4 of 10
`
`5,636,122
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`35
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`3553
`
`GOOGLE 1011
`Page 5
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`

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`US. Patent
`
`Jun. 3, 1997
`
`Sheet 5 0f 10
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`5,636,122
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`GOOGLE 1011
`Page 6
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`

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`US. Patent
`
`Jun. 3, 1997
`
`Sheet 6 0f 10
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`5,636,122
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`GOOGLE 1011
`Page 7
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`

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`US. Patent
`
`Jun. 3, 1997
`
`Sheet 7 of 10
`
`5,636,122
`
`900
`1‘
`
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`ORDER ENTRY /
`
`90s
`'
`DISPATCH /
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
`1200
`
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`
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`
`TRANSMIT DELIVERY DATA
`
`1
`
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`
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`
`GOOGLE 1011
`Page 8
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`

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`US. Patent
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`Jun. 3, 1997
`
`Sheet 8 of 10
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`5,636,122
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`GOOGLE 1011
`Page 9
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`

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`US. Patent
`
`Jun. 3, 1997
`
`Sheet 9 0f 10
`
`5,636,122
`
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`GOOGLE 1011
`Page 10
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`

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`US. Patent
`
`Jun. 3, 1997
`
`Sheet 10 0f 10
`
`5,636,122
`
`/1300
`
`1301
`\ INPUT ROUTE DATA
`
`4
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
`TRANSFER ORDER DATA
`
`FIG. 14
`
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`

`
`5,636,122
`
`1
`METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`TRACKING VEHICLE LOCATION AND
`COMPUTER AH)ED DISPATCH
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`This application is a continuation-in-part of application
`Ser. No. 07/961,736, ?led Oct. 16, 1992, now US. Pat. No.
`5,428,546, in the name of the present assignee. This appli
`cation is also related to application Ser. No. 08/443063,
`?led May 17, 1995, in the name of the present assignee.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`20
`
`25
`
`35
`
`The present invention relates to a system for ?eet man
`agement. The present invention is illustrated as an example
`with regard to a method and apparatus for presenting loca
`tions of a ?eet of vehicles to a ?eet manager by way of a
`display, but it will be recognized that the invention has a
`wider range of applicability. Merely by way of example, the
`invention can be applied to other types uses with
`transportation. mapping, and the like.
`In the ?eet management business, knowledge of vehicle
`location is a powerful tool for the manager or dispatcher to
`e?iciently operate the ?eet. Assimilating the locations of the
`?eet as quickly as possible is important for e?icient decision
`making. Various navigational systems, including the
`LORAN system and the global positioning systems, (GPS),
`are used to determine vehicle location. Both the LORAN
`and the GPS navigation systems rely on externally trans
`mitted radio frequency signals to determine the location of
`a receiving antenna mounted on the vehicle. The vehicle
`position is de?ned in terms of a latitude and longitude value.
`In order for the latitude and longitude values to be easily
`utilized by the dispatcher, latitude and longitude information
`is typically displayed in a map format. The two most
`common map formats for displaying vehicle position are 1)
`a raster map and 2) a vector map display. FIG. 1 illustrates
`a raster map display. A raster map is a digitized version of
`the type of road maps or paper maps most dispatchers are
`familiar with. A raster map is formed by digitally scanning
`a standard road map or paper map. Like the standard road
`map, raster maps typically contain visual features, such as
`natural and manmade features of the land, contour lines
`featuring shape and elevation and speci?c features such as
`roads, towns, water areas and vegetation.
`One prior art raster display system is the MapStation
`developed by Spatial Data Sciences. MapStation is capable
`of displaying an icon representative of vehicle position
`moving along a raster map as the vehicle changes its latitude
`and longitude position. Since the latitude and longitudinal
`position of the icon corresponds to a street location, the icon
`moves along a particular street on the raster map display.
`Because the raster map is merely a digitized representation
`of the street, no interrelationship between di?’erent street
`locations or landmarks exists. Thus, although the MapSta
`tion can display latitude and longitude information, it cannot
`display intelligent street information such as the particular
`street the vehicle is traveling on or the proximity of the
`vehicle to a particular street or landmark.
`FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a prior art raster map
`display system 200 which includes a mobile position data
`base 210, a mobile position utility library 212, a raster
`database 214, a raster map utility library 216, an interface
`utility library 218. and a raster display 220. The mobile
`position library 212 contains routines which access the
`mobile database 210 retrieving vehicle identi?cation, lati
`
`2
`tude and longitude information. The latitude and longitude
`values of the vehicle are transmitted to the raster utility 216
`via bus 222. In response, the raster utility 216 accesses the
`raster database 214 and extracts a latitude and longitude
`value for the particular vehicle. The latitude, longitude and
`vehicle identi?cation values are passed to the interface
`utility 218 where they are used for display of an icon on the
`raster display 220. In addition, the raster utility 216 extracts
`digitized information for a de?ned area based on the ?eet
`location and zoom level for display as a raster map on the
`raster display 220.
`FIG. 3 illustrates a vector map display. FIG. 4 illustrates
`a block diagram of the display system for implementing the
`vector map display shown in FIG. 3. Unlike the raster map
`database shown in FIG. 2, the vector map database 414
`contains intelligent street and address information that pro
`vides the computer with the capability to identify the address
`of a vehicle location. The address information could consist
`of the block number, street name, county information. The
`vector display is generated in a similar manner to the raster
`display previously discussed Streets in the vector map
`database 414 are de?ned in terms of segments. Segments are
`interconnected so that streets are interrelated to each other.
`However, although the vector map contains street
`information. it does not contain visual features. Thus. such
`as natural features of the land, contour lines featuring shape
`and elevation and speci?c features such as towns, water
`areas and vegetation which are typically displayed on a
`raster map are not shown on a vector display map.
`Because visual features are so important to the dispatcher,
`one vector map display system created by Etak Corporation
`has tried to simulate the visual features such as landmarks
`commonly found in raster type display systems. The Etak
`system creates a stick-like outline of the landmark. Although
`the landmark is represented, the quality of the representation
`is inferior to the representation of the raster display.
`Assimilating vehicle location as quickly as possible for
`e?icient decision making is of prime importance. The major
`ity of users are familiar with the road-map type display of
`raster displays and prefer digitized raster maps for being
`able to quickly recognize vehicle position. Because raster
`maps include geographic landmarks and visual features not
`found in the stick-like interconnection presented by vector
`maps, it is often easier to find or to designate a vehicle
`position. Additionally, users are accustomed to describing
`vehicle location as being a certain distance from a school,
`building or other landmark. However, although users are
`often more comfortable determining vehicle position using
`a raster map. raster maps are incapable of providing intel
`ligent street information valuable in decision making. For
`example, a dispatcher would not be provided with informa
`tion related to the distance between the current vehicle
`position and the vehicle destination using information pro
`vided by a raster data display system.
`A further limitation with the aforementioned systems is a
`lack of computer aided dispatching. In fact, conventional
`computer aided dispatching often relies upon conventional
`two-way radios to provide communication between a dis
`patcher and a courier. The conventional two-way radio
`simply lacks the capability without substantial effort by a
`driver to continuously relate location, time, pick-up, and
`delivery information. The conventional two-way radio often
`causes inef?ciencies in voice transfer and lacks data transfer.
`An integrated system for providing a raster map display
`which also provides intelligent address information and
`computer aided dispatching is needed.
`
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`3
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`According to the present invention, an integrated system
`which simultaneously displays a raster map and vectorized
`street information corresponding to a vehicle position oper
`ably coupled to a computer aided dispatch system is pro
`vided. The present system provides an easy to view display
`with easy to use computer aided dispatch system for ?eet
`management and the like applications.
`In a speci?c embodiment. the present invention provides
`an apparatus for computer aided dispatching. The present
`apparatus includes a plurality of mobile units, each of the
`plurality of mobile units having a navigation tracking
`device. The navigation tracking device includes a radio. The
`present apparatus also includes a data acquisition device
`operably coupled to the navigation tracking device. The data
`acquisition device is adapted to capture a ?rst value and a
`second value from the navigation tracking device to de?ne
`a mobile unit position. The mobile position database is
`operably coupled to the data acquisition device, and the
`mobile position database has the ?rst value and the second
`value. The present apparatus further includes a raster data
`base. The raster database includes a digitized representation
`of a raster map. A vector database having street information
`and vector text information to de?ne the mobile unit position
`for each of the plurality of mobile units is also included. The
`present apparatus uses a display has a ?rst display segment
`and a second display segment. The ?rst display segment
`includes a digitized representation of the raster map and a
`plurality of user locatable marks. Each of the plurality of
`user locatable marks represents one of the plurality of
`mobile units at the mobile unit position. The second display
`segment has the vector text information for each of the
`plurality of mobile units. A computer aided dispatch system
`operably coupled to the display is also included. The com
`puter aided dispatch system has order data from customers
`where a portion of the order data is transferred from the data
`acquisition device to the radio in one of the plurality of
`mobile units.
`An alternative speci?c embodiment provides an apparatus
`for computer aided dispatching. The present apparatus
`includes a ?rst memory portion which has a ?rst value and
`a second value. The ?rst value and the second value de?ne
`a mobile unit location for a mobile unit at a selected time.
`The present apparatus also includes a second memory por
`tion having raster map data. The raster map data de?ne a
`digitized representation of a selected geographical area. The
`present apparatus further includes a third memory portion
`having street data. The street data de?ne the raster map in
`vector form. A display having a ?rst display segment where
`the ?rst display segment includes the digitized representa
`tion of the selected geographical area, street data, and user
`locatable mark is also included. The user locatable mark
`de?nes the mobile unit position based upon the ?rst value
`and the second value. The present apparatus also uses a
`dispatch system operably coupled to the display, the dispatch
`system having order data from customers. A portion of the
`order data is transferred from a data acquisition device to the
`mobile unit.
`A further speci?c embodiment provides a method for
`computer aided dispatching. The present method includes a
`step of providing a ?rst memory portion, a second memory
`portion, and a third memory portion. The ?rst memory
`portion has a ?rst value and a second value to de?ne a
`mobile unit position for a mobile unit at a selected time. The
`second memory portion includes raster map data to de?ne a
`digitized representation of a selected geographical area. The
`
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`5,636,122
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`4
`third memory portion includes street data to de?ne the
`digitized representation of the selected geographical area in
`vector form. The present method also includes steps of
`retrieving from the second memory portion the raster map
`data and displaying in a ?rst display segment the digitized
`representation of the selected geographical area. The present
`method also includes steps of retrieving from the third
`memory portion the street data, and superimposing the street
`data onto the digitized represented of the selected geographi
`cal area, and retrieving from the ?rst memory portion the
`mobile unit data and displaying the mobile unit data as a user
`locatable mark on a ?rst display portion. The user locatable
`mark de?nes the mobile unit position. The present method
`also includes transmitting a customer order retrieved from a
`memory of a dispatch system to a mobile unit where the
`dispatch system is operably coupled to the ?rst display
`portion.
`A further understanding of the nature and advantages of
`the present invention may be realized by reference to the
`latter portions of the speci?cation and attached drawings.
`BRlEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`The novel features characteristic of the invention are set
`forth in the appended claims. The invention, however, as
`well as other features and advantages thereof, will be best
`understood by reference to the detailed description which
`follows, when read in conjunction with the accompanying
`drawings, wherein:
`FIG. 1 illustrates a raster map display;
`FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the raster map
`display system for implementing the raster display shown in
`FIG. 1;
`FIG. 3 illustrates a vector map display;
`FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of the vector map
`display system for implementing the vector display shown in
`FIG. 3;
`FIG. 5 illustrates a simpli?ed integrated raster map dis
`play and vector information display according to the present
`invention;
`FIG. 6 illustrates a simpli?ed block diagram of the
`integrated raster map display and information display shown
`in FIG. 5 according to an embodiment of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 7 illustrates a simpli?ed block diagram of a mobile
`radio of FIG. 6 according to an embodiment of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 8 illustrates a simpli?ed block diagram of the
`integrated raster map display and information display shown
`in FIG. 5 according to an alternative embodiment of the
`present invention;
`FIG. 9 is a simpli?ed ?ow diagram of a computer aided
`dispatch system according to the present invention;
`FIG. 10 is a simpli?ed order entry screen of the system of
`FIG. 9 according to the present invention;
`FIG. 11 is a simpli?ed dispatch screen of the system of
`FIG. 9 according to the present invention;
`FIG. 12 is a simpli?ed ?ow diagram of a schedule
`selection method according to the present invention;
`FIG. 13 is a simpli?ed ?ow diagram of a route selection
`method according to the present invention; and
`FIG. 14 is a simpli?ed ?ow diagram of an on-line
`dispatching method according to the present invention.
`DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC
`EMBODIMENT
`In accordance with the present invention, an integrated
`system for simultaneously displaying a user locatable mark
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`representative of a vehicle position on a raster map on a ?rst
`display segment and intelligent street information on a
`second display segment is provided. The integrated system
`extracts information from the mobile position, vector and
`raster databases, interrelates the database information by a
`common vehicle position information, and displays the
`information in a format which can be easily utilized by the
`dispatcher.
`FIG. 5 illustrates an integrated raster map display and
`vector information display according to an embodiment of
`the present invention. The raster map 510 includes natural
`features such as marshlands 512, creeks 514, and the like.
`The raster map 510 also includes manmade features such as
`the Auto Assembly Plant 516, Agnews Hospital 518, and
`others. The raster map is, for example, a digitally scanned
`road map, a digitally scanned automobile road map, a raster
`image in digital form, a pre-exiting digital map without
`intelligent information, a digital map in TIFF format, a
`digitized video image, a digitized satellite image, or the like.
`Of course, the raster map can also generally be almost any
`type of digital map with substantially clear features Without
`intelligent street information or the like.
`Icons 520 show the position of the vehicles identi?ed in
`the vector information table 528. But it will be recognized
`that the icons can also represent any mobile entities such as
`automobiles, vans, trucks, ambulances, animals, people,
`boats, ships, motorcycles, bicycles, tractors, moving
`equipment, trains, courier services, container ships, shipping
`containers, airplanes, public utility vehicles, telephone com
`pany vehicles, taxi cabs, buses, milk delivery vehicles,
`beverage delivery vehicles, ?re trucks and vehicles, hazard
`ous waste transportation vehicles, chemical transportation
`vehicles, long haul trucks, local haul trucks, emergency
`vehicles, and the like. The icons can represent any mobile or
`potentially mobile entity or the like.
`The vector information table 528 indicates selected geo
`graphic and cartographic information retrieved from, for
`example, the vector database. The vector information table
`528 provides intelligent street information such as block
`number, address information, nearest cross-section of major
`streets, and the like with reference to the vehicle position.
`The vector table can also provide information about vehicle
`speed, vehicle heading, an activity status, a time status, and
`the like.
`The display shown in FIG. 5 can be divided into at least
`two regions or segments such as a raster display segment
`530, a vector information display segment 532, and others.
`The raster display segment 530 includes a ?rst and second
`axis 534, 536 representing the latitudinal and longitudinal
`position of the vehicle position, respectively. Alternatively,
`the raster display segment may be in cylindrical or polar
`coordinates, and may not be limited to two dimensions.
`A digitized map of the region through which the vehicle
`travels is displayed in the ?rst segment of the display 530,
`adjacent to the ?rst and second axis 534, 536. As noted
`above, each vehicle is represented as an icon. The icons may
`be color coded relative to a status chart and the like. Of
`course, the shape and color of each icon depend upon the
`particular application.
`FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of the ?eet tracking
`system 600 for automatic vehicle location according to the
`present invention. Each vehicle 610a-610n includes a navi
`gational tracking device hereafter called a ?eet mobile data
`suite (MDS) 611a—611n. The ?eet MDS 611 includes a
`microprocessor-controlled circuit coupled to a GPS naviga
`tional sensor, a mobile radio modem, and a specialized
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`mobile radio (SMR) operational in the 800-900 MHz fre
`quency range. The ?eet MDS 611 continuously compiles
`latitude and longitude position data from the GPS sensor.
`Latitude and longitude position data is periodically trans
`mitted to the data acquisition system 612.
`The mobile position block 616 processes vehicle location
`information typically on a UNIX based computer. The
`mobile position block 616 includes a data acquisition system
`612, a mobile position database 614, a UNIX process
`DBFUPDA'I'E 618, a disk database 622, and a UNIX
`process DBREQSRV 624. The data acquisition system 612
`includes a personal computer coupled to both a base data
`link controller, and a specialized mobile radio (SMR) opera
`tional in the 800-900 Mhz frequency range. The data
`acquisition system 612 receives latitude and longitude posi
`tion data from the ?eet MDS 611, attaches a vehicle iden
`ti?er to the navigational position data, and transmits the data
`block 613 (vehicle identi?cation, latitude, longitude) to the
`mobile position database 614. Vehicle position is de?ned in
`terms of a latitude and longitude value during a predeter
`mined time period.
`The UNIX process DBFUPDA'I'E 618 scans the mobile
`position database 614, preferably every 5 seconds, for any
`new information from the ?eet MDS. The new data 620 is
`permanently stored in the disk database 622 for subsequent
`retrieval of historical information. Another UNIX process
`DBREQSRV 624 processes requests by the user from the
`mobile tracking station 626 for navigational position infor
`mation. The mobile tracking station 626 can be a high
`resolution color UNIX workstation. User requests 628 are
`originated by mobile information data process 630. a UNIX
`process running on the mobile tracking station 626.
`The mobile information data process 630 receives latitude
`and longitude position data for a particular vehicle. The
`mobile information data process 630 accesses the vector
`database 631 using the vector utilities 632. The vector
`utilities 632 match the latitude and longitude position infor
`mation 634 to the latitude and longitude of street segment
`information 636 from the vector database 631. In addition,
`the vector utilities 632 match the latitude and longitude
`position information 634 to the latitude and longitude infor
`mation of the cross-section of major streets 636 in the
`cross-section vector database 638. The cross-section vector
`database 638 can be a subsection of the vector database 631.
`The nearest matching street segment, its street name and
`block number range, and the nearest cross-section of major
`streets, and its street name 640 are transmitted to the mobile
`information data process 630. The mobile information data
`process 630 attaches the street text information to the mobile
`position information and sends this data packet 642 to the
`?eet process 644.
`The ?eet process 644, a UNIX based process or the like,
`is the user interface display process. The ?eet process 644
`receives mobile position information and street text infor
`mation from the mobile information data process 630. In
`addition, the ?eet process 644 accesses the raster database
`645 through the raster map utilities 646.
`The raster map utilities 646 match the latitude and lon
`gitude mobile position 648 from the ?eet MDS 611 to the
`various digitized raster maps data 650 in the raster map
`database 645. By specifying the zoom level option, using as
`an example, the X22/Motif graphical user interface on the
`mobile tracking station 626, the digitized raster map is
`displayed in one display window segment 530 and the
`corresponding street text information on another display
`Window segment 532. A user locatable mark 520 represents
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`the ?eet MDS position for a particular vehicle. The icon 520
`is positioned at the corresponding latitude and longitude
`location on the raster map display 530.
`Historical data requests may be made by specifying a
`particular time period and a particular ?eet MDS 611. ‘The
`data request is sent by the ?eet process 644 to the mobile
`information data process 630. The mobile information data
`(MID) process 630 in turn sends a request 628 to the
`DBRQSRV 624 process. The DBRQSRV 624 process
`accesses the disk database 622 and retrieves reports for the
`speci?c time period and ?eet MDS 611. For every historical
`report sent back to the MID process 630, the above
`described process ?ow for accessing and displaying the
`raster map, vector street information, and displaying the user
`locatable mark representing the position of the navigational
`system is followed.
`The vehicle display system includes at least three data
`bases (a mobile position database 614, a raster database 645
`and a vector database 631). The database information is
`interrelated by common latitude and longitude position data.
`A mobile tracking station 626 displays the position, raster
`and vector information in a format easily understood by the
`dispatcher or ?eet manager.
`The ?rst database, the mobile position database 614, is a
`positional information database for storing vehicle position
`information received from the navigation systems. Naviga
`tional data transmitted from systems such as LORAN and
`GPS (Global Positioning System) is stored into data records
`indicating the latitude and longitude of a particular vehicle
`during a predetermined time interval. The DAQ process 612
`is used to format position data received from the naviga
`tional system into the mobile position database 614. The
`vehicle identi?cation is used as locator ?eld to access the
`database for a particular vehicle. Vehicle position data is
`stored related to the vehicle identi?er.
`The second database, the raster database 645, is generated
`by digitally scanning a standard road map or paper map. The
`raster database 645 contains a digitized version of the visual
`features of the land for a speci?ed region. Digitized raster
`information is stored in the raster database 645 in data
`records. Each data record corresponds to a digitized region
`having a particular latitude and longitude value. The latitude
`and longitude values are used as a locator ?eld for accessing
`the raster database 645.
`Data from both the raster database 645 and the mobile
`position database 614 are used in displaying the raster map
`and icon 520 in the ?rst segment 530 of the display shown
`in FIG. 5. The ?eet process 644 in combination with the
`raster map utilities 646, MID process 630, and vector map
`utilities 632 contains routines to access the mobile position
`database 614 and the raster map database 612. Both the
`mobile position database 614 and the raster map database
`645 include a latitude and longitude ?eld identi?er. The
`raster map utility 646 in combination with the ?eet process
`644 and MD) 630 matches the longitude and latitude values
`from the mobile position database 614 and the raster map
`database 645 and displays an icon 520 (representative of a
`particular vehicle) moving along the raster map as it changes
`its latitude and longitude position. The icon 520 moves
`according to the navigational data extracted from the mobile
`position database 614 for a particular vehicle. The icon 520
`is also displayed in the ?rst display segment 530. Since the
`latitude and longitudinal position of the icon 520 corre
`s