United States Patent [19]
`Bouve et a1.
`
`[54] SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR REMOTELY
`ACCESSING A SELECTED GROUP OF
`ITEMS OF TEREST FROM A DATABA E
`IN
`S
`[75] Inventors: W. Lincoln Bouve, Milton, Mass.;
`William T. Semple, Arlington, Va.;
`Steven W. Oxman, Riva, Md.
`
`[73] Assignee: Civix Corporation, Salem, Mass.
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 371,425
`[22] Filed:
`Jan. 11, 1995
`
`GL6 .................................................... ..
`[5
`[52] US. Cl. ........................ .. 395/615; 340/995; 364/460;
`395/200.09; 395/329
`[58] Field of Search .......................... .. 395/600, 155-161,
`395/615, 329, 200.09; 340/990-995
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`U'S' PATENT DOCUMENTS
`4,974,170 11/1990 Bouve et a]. ......................... .. 395/357
`5,214,757 5/1993 Mauney et a1.
`.. 3951161
`5,239,572 2/1994 Yano a a1.
`.. 395/155
`5,424,951
`6/1995 Nobe et a1.
`.. 364/443
`
`5,543,789 8/1996 Behr et al. ............................ .. 340/995
`Primary Examiner—Thomas G. Black
`
`10 1
`
`US005682525A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,682,525
`Oct. 28, 1997
`
`Assistant Examiner—Hosain T. Alam
`Attomey, Agent, or Firm—Curtis A. Vock
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A user can access a common database from a remote
`communications port, at any quali?ed location, to generate
`a map or other positional information which locates selected
`items of interest, e.g., businesses, stores, architectural sites,
`and the like. The database contains information representing
`the items of interest, including, for each of the items of
`interest, positional coordinates, a geographic vicinity, and a
`selected category. The positional coordinates discretely
`locate the vicinity, while the vicinity speci?es the exact
`locations of the items of interest in the selected category For
`example, a user in New York can select the display of
`sporting shops in the area surrounding Chicago O’Hara
`International Airport selectively. A user can also access a
`port and display locations of items of interest within the
`same vicinity as the user and relative to the user’s position.
`The database can be modi?ed from quali?ed remote loca
`tions to change, or add to, the information therein. An
`advertisement can be tagged to the display or print out as an
`association with the selected items of interest.
`
`-
`-
`37 Chums’ 15 Dramng sheets
`
`Micro?che Appendix Included
`(1 Micro?che, 28 Pages)
`
`INFORMATION CONTROLLER 1_4
`
`7
`
`REMOTE ACCESS PORT
`l?
`
`DATABASE
`Q
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`1
`
`

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`US. Patent
`
`Oct. 28, 1997
`
`Sheet 1 of 15
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`5,682,525
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`Oct. 28, 1997
`
`Sheet 8 of 15
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`5,682,525
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`EUROPEAN REMOTE PORT
`
`‘FIG. 6A
`
`(B
`
`
`
`U.S. DATABASE
`
`9
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`
`US. Patent
`
`Oct. 28, 1997
`
`Sheet 9 of 15
`
`5,682,525
`
`94
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`Oct. 28, 1997
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 28, 1997
`
`Sheet 13 of 15
`
`5,682,525
`
`INPUT/ i
`
`RESPONSE
`
`141A
`
`USER
`
`T
`
`MAPS/
`
`INSTRUCTIONS
`
`TOUCH-TONE PHONE
`
`FAX MACHINE
`
`A PHONE LINE 142
`
`'\ PHONE LINE 143
`
`REMOTE USERS OFFICE
`
`TELEPHONIC
`INTERFACE
`CONTROLLER
`
`FAX MACHINE
`
`I TOUCH TONE DATA
`
`FAXES
`
`COMMUNICATIONS
`MANAGER
`
`FAX MANAGER
`
`FAX JOBS/STATUS
`
`INQUIRIES/REPLIES
`
`SESSION MANAGER
`
`QUERIES/RESULTS
`
`140"
`
`END USER DATA
`SERVER
`
`DATA FOR REMOTE CLIENT
`
`CITY, LOCATION, ITEM, AND
`MAP DATABASES
`
`HOST SYSTEM
`
`FIG. 10
`
`14
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Oct. 28, 1997
`
`Sheet 14 Of 15
`
`5,682,525
`
`150 »\ DISPLAY MANAGER:
`OONTROLS ALL DRAWING OF
`MAPS ON SCREEN. CONTROLS
`STATUS MESSAGES TO USER
`
`’ D'SPLAY
`
`SCREEN
`UPDATES
`
`\ DISPLAY
`MAP DATA
`MAP DATA
`MESSAGES IV REQUESTS
`A
`MAP MANAGER: MANAGES
`‘ STATUS
`MAP DATA FOR cuRRENT SESSION. A 151
`PROVIDES DATA FOR DRAWING
`MAPS TO DISPLAY MANAGER.
`
`L DATA
`
`‘\ DATA REQUESTS
`
`(\ ‘I56
`MAP
`DATABASE
`
`DATA MANAGER: HANDLES ALL
`152 N DATA REQUESTS FROM ‘KERNEL OR 155
`MAP MANAGER. INTERFACES TO
`A“, OTHER
`EXTERNAL DATA SOURCES. PASSES "TI DATABASES
`ON REMOTE DATA REQUESTS TO
`COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER.
`
`DATA
`
`DATA
`159
`7 REQUESTS
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`INPUTS AND
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`
`15
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`

`
`US. Patent
`
`0a. 23, 1997
`
`Sheet 15 of 15
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`5,682,525
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`
`1
`SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR REMOTELY
`ACCESSING A SELECTED GROUP OF
`ITEMS OF INTERFST FROM A DATABASE
`
`5,682,525
`
`A portion of the disclosure of this patent document
`contains material which is subject to copyright protection.
`The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile
`reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent
`disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark O?ice
`patent ?le or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright
`rights whatsoever.
`This application contains, for disclosure purposes, sub
`ject matter in the form of a micro?che appendix consisting
`of one micro?che slide with twenty-eight frames. The
`micro?che appendix sets forth non-limiting source code
`which is suitable for application with the invention.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`10
`
`15
`
`25
`
`30
`
`Electronic directories for identifying selected subscribers
`within a city are known in the prior art. For example, US.
`Pat. No. 4,974,170 describes one system which includes a
`?xed kiosk with an internal memory for storing locations
`such as businesses and historical sites within a predeter
`mined distance from the kiosk. An input panel on the kiosk
`provides access to the data within the memory, and a map is
`generated by the system thereby locating the selected infor
`mation from the kiosk.
`However, such a system is in?exible. The map generated
`by the system is prede?ned; and thus the user cannot access
`or select information about businesses and historical sites
`outside of the prede?ned map. A user of the system must also
`know the exact location of the kiosk in order to use the
`system. Tomists and business travelers to the city are
`unlikely to lmow of the kiosk; and thus the kiosk system is
`of little use to such users. Further, a user must be physically
`present at the kiosk in order to access the information about
`the businesses and/or sites in the surrounding area.
`In addition, the information stored within the kiosk’s
`memory must be manually updated. This requires a series of
`cumbersome steps-including the physical acts of loading
`and downloading to the memory at the kiosk—to update the
`system in the event that information about a selected busi
`ness changes, e.g., the business closes.
`It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide
`systems and methods which reduce or remove the afore
`mentioned difficulties.
`It is yet another object of the invention to provide a
`system for remotely accessing selective items of interest
`from a database; and for displaying a geographic vicinity of
`the items of interest to the user selectively and at the remote
`location.
`Still another object of the invention is to provide a system
`for remotely providing information identifying locations of
`selected items of interest at a selected destination location.
`These and other objects will be apparent in the speci?
`cation which follows.
`
`2
`access the database storing the information about the items
`of interest “Remote database” or “database” are used herein
`to denote a database, e.g., a client server, which stores
`information for access by a user of the invention from a port.
`“Communication link” is used .to denote means, including
`for example a telephone line, for communicating between
`the database and the port. “Geographic vicinity,” and “map”
`are used to denote a geographic region which includes and
`surrounds selected items of interest.
`In one aspect, the invention provides a system for
`remotely determining the position of a selected category of
`items of interest in a selected geographic vicinity from a
`database.>A database stores information about a plurality of
`items of interest, including, for each of the items of interest,
`positional coordinates, a geographic vicinity, and at least one
`associated category. A communications link facilitates com
`munications between a user of the system and the database.
`The system also provides for transmitting a portion of the
`information in the database to a user via the link upon receipt
`of a request signal representative of a selected category and
`geographic vicinity. Preferably, that transmitted portion of
`the information includes identi?cation of a position for the
`items of interest within the selected category and geographic
`vicinity. The system further provides a port for remotely
`accessing the portion of information via the link.
`Speci?cally, the port generates the request signal in response
`to inputs by a user of the system; that signal being repre
`sentative of the selected category and geographic vicinity. A
`user interface at the port accepts the inputs and communi
`cates the position of each of the items of interest in the
`selected category and geographic vicinity to the user.
`In accord with other aspects of the invention, the com
`munications link can include several technologies, including
`a telephone link, satellite link, radio-frequency link, infra
`red link, internet link, facsimile link, ?ber-optic link, coaxial
`cable link and television link. The database is, typically, a
`personal computer, mainframe, workstation, mini-computer,
`or digital data processor. To communicate the information to
`a user, the user interface can include a television, telephone,
`facsimile, audible speaker, and/or personal computer dis
`play. To accept user inputs at the port, the user interface can
`further include a television interface, telephone interface,
`facsimile interface, and/or a personal computer interface.
`Preferably, the geographic vicinity includes certain spatial
`detail of the items of interest. For example, the geographic
`vicinity can include a map of the items of interest in the
`selected category, as well as street and landmark information
`displayed relative to the user’s position at the remote port.
`As such, the set of positional coordinates generally identi?es
`either (i) a location of a user of the system, or (ii) a
`destination location within the geographic vicinity.
`In certain aspects of the invention, the information Within
`the database further includes additional detail about at least
`one of the items of interest. Such a feature is advantageous
`in that, once the port displays the geographic vicinity with
`the items of interest, a user can thereafter select further
`additional detail about one or more of the items of interest.
`In this manner, for example, an item of interest such as a
`restaurant can display a picture of the interior of the restau
`rant to the user. The additional detail can include other
`multimedia information, such as video, prerecorded music,
`and digital pictures.
`In still another aspect, the Invention also communicates at
`least one advertisement associated with at least one of the
`items of interest to the user. As such, certain advertisers that
`are connected with the selected category of items of interest
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`SUIVIMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`As used herein, “items of interest” means services,
`products, geographic sites, architectural sites, stores,
`restaurants, public services, and other items which a user of
`the invention may wish to locate. “Port,” “remote access
`port,” “terminal,” or “remote access terminal” are used
`interchangeably to denote a terminal, e.g., a personal com
`puter with modern, from which a user of the invention can
`
`65
`
`17
`
`

`
`1O
`
`20
`
`25
`
`3
`can promote a name or business. In one aspect of the
`invention, the information within the database is arranged
`hierarchically. In this aspect, there are a plurality of discrete
`geographic vicinities (each set of positional coordinates
`corresponding to one discrete location within the geographic
`vicinity). The system thus provides for hierarchically select
`ing any of the discrete vicinities from the port in a hierar
`chical manner.
`In still another aspect of the invention, database apparatus
`is provided for storing information about a plurality of items
`of interest. As above, that information includes, for each of
`the items of interest, positional coordinates, a geographic
`vicinity, and at least one associated category. A communi
`cations link provides for communicating between a user of
`the database apparatus and a remote port. The database
`apparatus further provides for transmitting a portion of the
`information to a user via the link upon receipt of a request
`signal representative of a geographic vicinity and a selected
`category of the items of interest. That transmitted portion of
`the information includes an identi?cation of a position for
`the items of interest within the selected category and geo
`graphic vicinity.
`The invention also provides, in another aspect, a remote
`access port for remotely accessing a selected category of
`items of interest in a selected geographic vicinity from a
`database such as described above. The port includes means
`for generating a request signal representative of a selected
`category and a selected geographic vicinity of the items of
`interest in response to inputs by awuser of the port. A user
`interface accepts the inputs and indicates the position of
`each of the items of interest within the selected category and
`geographic vicinity.
`In another aspect, the information includes additional
`detail for at least one of the items of interest, and the port
`further includes means for (i) generating a signal represen
`tative of a selection of at least one of the items of interest,
`and (ii) communicating the additional detail to the user.
`The invention also provides a method for remotely deter
`mining the position of a selected category of items of interest
`in a selected geographic vicinity from a database, compris
`ing the steps of: (i) storing information about a plurality of
`items of interest in the database, the information inducting,
`for each of the items of interest, positional coordinates, a
`geographic vicinity, and at least one associated category; (ii)
`accessing the database from a remote location and over a
`communication link; (iii) communicating, from the remote
`location, information representative of a selected category
`and a selected geographic vicinity to the database; and (iv)
`transmitting a portion of the information from the database
`and to the user over the link, the information including, at
`least, identi?cation of a position for the items of interest
`within the selected category and geographic vicinity.
`The invention is next described further in connection with
`preferred embodiments, and it will be apparent that various
`additions, subtractions, and modi?cations can be made by
`those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of
`the invention.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED
`EMBODIMENTS
`Amore complete understanding of the invention may be
`obtained by reference to the drawings, in which:
`FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a system constructed
`according to the invention;
`FIG. 2 shows a typical graphical illustration locating
`items of interest and which can be displayed to a user of the
`system of FIG. 1;
`
`5,682,525
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`4
`FIG. 3 shows a user interface display of various world
`Wide countries providing selectable locations according to
`the invention and which can be displayed to a user of the
`system of FIG. 1;
`FIG. 3A shows a user interface display of a map of the
`United States providing selectable locations according to the
`invention and which can be displayed to a user of the system
`of FIG. 1;
`FIG. 3B shows a user interface display of a map of
`California providing selectable locations according to the
`invention and which can be displayed to a user of the system
`of FIG. 1;
`FIG. 3C shows a user interface display of various select
`able locations within greater Los Angeles according to the
`invention and which can be displayed to a user of the system
`of FIG. 1;
`FIG. 4 illustrates a top level process ?ow, according to the
`invention, for providing information to a user at the remote
`port of FIG. 1;
`FIG. 4A shows a hierarchical structure of geographical
`vacinities, according to the invention;
`FIG. 5 shows a typical menu of categories of items of
`interest which are selectable by a user of the system of FIG.
`1;
`FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate various components and
`methods, according to the invention, for constructing a
`communications link suitable for use in the system of FIG.
`1;
`FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate various remote port display
`technologies, according to the invention, which are suitable
`for use within the remote port of the system of FIG. 1;
`FIG. 8 illustrates a system constructed according to the
`invention and which includes a mobile remote port for
`accessing the locations of the selected items of interest;
`FIG. 9 schematically illustrates system architecture, con
`structed according to the invention, which forms a database
`suitable for use as the database of FIG. 1, and which services
`both phone and fax information and internal administrative
`data;
`FIG. 10 shows one system architecture according to the
`invention, and which includes a host database and a remote
`Port;
`FIG. 11 illustrates process ?ow and system architecture
`for interfacing between user inputs and the database, in
`accord with the invention; and
`FIG. 12 shows one representative display or print-out,
`according to the invention, which includes an advertising
`?eld associated with the items of interest.
`
`35
`
`45
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`FIG. 1 illustrates a system 10 constructed according to the
`invention. A database 12 stores information about the items
`of interest, including information about locating the items of
`interest. The database 12 includes an information controller
`14 which communicates with a remote access port 16 via a
`communications link 18 and which controls the access and
`flow of information into and out of the database 12. The
`information within the database 12 is accessible by the
`remote access port 16 upon request by a user of the port 16.
`Accordingly, the port 16 preferably includes a user interface
`section 20 which provides a graphical display 22, keyboard
`24, and mouse tracker 25 (for pointing and clicking on
`selected display items within the display 22).
`Speci?cally, the information within the database 12
`includes, for each of the items of interest, positional
`
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`

`
`5
`coordinates, a geographic vicinity, and at least one associ
`ated category. Preferably, this information includes a graphi
`cal representation so that a user can easily interpret the
`information. FIG. 2 shows one exemplary display 30 of
`information locating computer products in downtown
`Boston, Mass. Accordingly, the associated category in this
`example is “computer products,” and, in the illustrated
`display 30, the geographic vicinity includes the selected
`items of interest, including (i) the two computer stores 32, 34
`at, respectively, 52 Congress Street and 101 Federal Street;
`and (ii) that area which is displayed within the display 30
`and which surrounds the items of interest, such as that area
`displayed between the streets of High Street and State Street.
`The positional coordinates, as part of the selected
`information, operate to locate the geographic vicinity.
`Brie?y, the positional coordinates locate one location within
`the geographic vicinity—such as the center of the vicinity—
`so that items of interest can be determined relative to the
`positional coordinates and within the geographic vicinity. In
`addition, the geographic vicinity is preferably a rectangle of
`information, with North situated upwards.
`In one preferred aspect of the invention, the display 30 is
`centered relative to the location of the user (as such, the
`positional coordinates of the information are set to the user’s
`present position). For example, if the hotel 36 at 25 Franklin
`Street has a port 16 therein, a user of the invention can (i)
`access that particular port and hence the information within
`the database 12, and (ii) display the items of interest relative
`to the user’s current location, i.e., at the hotel 36.
`Accordingly, in this embodiment, the display 30 is generated
`with the hotel 36 at the center of the display—corresponding
`to the positional coordinates of 25 Franklin Street—-—and the
`selected items of interest in the associated category are
`displayed on streets relative to the hotel 36. In this fashion,
`a user can easily walk or drive to the items of interest after
`leaving the hotel 36. Such a feature also gives the “appear
`ance” to the user that the hotel 36 is at the center of activity,
`a desirable marketing feature for the invention.
`With further reference to FIG. 1, the controller 14 pref
`erably includes a display 40 and a keyboard 42 so that an
`operator of the system 10 can add and modify the informa
`tion within the database 12. This is especially useful because
`information about the items of interest changes regularly;
`and thus the information within the database 12 is preferably
`updated on a regular basis so that users of the system 12
`receive accurate information. For example, in a typical
`commercial location such as illustrated in FIG. 2, new retail
`stores open and existing retail stores close throughout the
`year. The invention thus provides for updating information
`within the database 12, such as through the control of a
`system operator typing commands at the keyboard 42.
`Alternatively, the system 10 provides for remotely updat
`ing the database 12 with new information via any of the
`ports 16 or via a remote computer with a modern, described
`in more detail in connection with FIG. 6A. Speci?cally, the
`controller 14 provides access security which allows only
`authorized access for modi?cation of the database 12. As
`such, a system administrator at a remote port 16 can down
`load information to the database, or modify existing infor
`mation within the database, as needed and without physi-
`cally operating the keyboard 42.
`The communications link 18 of the invention can take
`many forms. It is generally impractical to “hard-wire” each
`remote access port 16 to the database 12; so the form of the
`communications link 18 generally includes existing com
`munication networks, such as one or more of the following:
`
`20
`
`25
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`30
`
`35
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`55
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`65
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`5,682,525
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`5
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`10
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`15
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`6
`telephone lines, ?ber-optic cabling, satellite
`communications, cellular communications, radio and
`microwave-frequency communicators, infra-red
`communicators, the facsimile mechanism, airphones,
`modems, the internet, co-axial cabling, television including
`interactive TV communications, and the like. These com
`munication networks and subsystems are readily known to
`those skilled in the art Without further reference hereto.
`Nevertheless, FIGS. 6A-6B illustrate representative com
`munication links, according to the invention, which com
`prise one or more of these communication networks.
`The displays 22 and 40 of FIG. 1 include those displays
`known to those skilled in the art, including the cathode-ray
`tube (CRT), Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), and an array of
`Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). However, the display 22 can
`also take the form of a paper or voice communication port,
`such as a facsimile output (hard-copy), printer, a voice
`communication synthesizer with automated digitized voice
`responses, a voice-driven menu systems, or as other devices
`capable of rendering digitized or analogue output signals.
`FIGS. 7A and 7B below illustrate some of these alternative
`forms of the display 22.
`The remote access port 16 is generally provided at loca
`tions of public access in a city. Accordingly, the invention
`supports a nearly unlimited number of ports 16 that are
`connected for communication with the database 12, each of
`the ports being connected to the database 12 such as shown
`in FIG. 1 and such as described in more detail below. For
`example, the port 16 of the invention is appropriately placed
`in one or more hotels, restaurants, and public facilities (such
`as a train station) in the city. In Boston, Mass._. therefore, the
`port 16 of the invention would ideally be accessible at
`several different locations, particularly at busy locations,
`such as at (i) North and South Stations, (ii) Logan Airport
`and at each of the several airport terminals, (iii) within
`several (or many, if not all) of Boston’s hotels and
`restaurants, and (iv) at car rental locations.
`The invention provides, generally, two modes of opera
`tion for a user accessing the port 16. In the ?rst mode of
`operation, the user within the desired geographic vicinity
`accesses the database through the port 16 for information
`about the items of interest located near-by. This mode was
`described in connection with FIG. 2. That is, when the user
`is located within the geographic vicinity, e.g., at the hotel 36,
`a user can locate any of the items of interest relative to the
`hotel 36 and display items of interest in the associated
`category, e.g., computer products, through a street map
`connecting streets to and from the hotel 36. In this manner,
`as described above, a user can easily locate the items of
`interest from his or her present location, which determines
`the positional coordinates of the geographic vicinity.
`In one embodiment of the invention, a user accesses this
`?rst mode of operation by selecting the “LOCAL INFO” key
`44 on the keyboard 42, FIG. 1. Upon selection, the system
`10 provides information, such as a graphical display shown
`in FIG. 2, at the port 16 to locate items of interest within the
`geographic vicinity of the user and relative to the user’s
`current location. The scope of the geographic vicinity is
`generally within walking distance.
`In‘ the second mode of operation, a user is nowhere near
`the desired ‘geographic vicinity but nevertheless desires
`information about items of interest at a destination location
`(for example, it is generally impractical to display all items
`of interest within a one hundred mileradius; rather it is more
`convenient to display locations of items of interest in a
`format that is relative to his desired destination). In one
`
`19
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`5,682,525
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`10
`
`7
`embodiment of the invention, such a user selects the
`“REMOTE INFO” key 48 to access the desired set of
`destination position coordinates. For example, a user who is
`leaving Boston Logan Airport for Los Angeles International
`Airport (LAX) can access a port 16 at Logan and display,
`selectively, items of interest in an associated category rela
`tive to LAX. For example, if a user of the invention wishes
`to locate music stores upon arrival in Los Angeles. she can
`command the display of music stores relative to LAX so that
`they are easily located.
`In order to command the display of items of interest at the
`destination location, and in accord with one embodiment of
`the invention, a user ?rst selects “USA” at the port 16 via the
`keyboard 24, then the user sequentially selects “California,”
`“Los Angeles,” and ?nally “Los Angeles International Air
`port.” Each of these selections are provided to the user in a
`menu format on the display 22, such as known to those
`skilled in the art.
`FIGS. 3-3C schematically illustrate this display and
`selection process according to one embodiment of the inven
`tion. FIGS. 3-3C show successive displays which are dis
`played on the display 22, FIG. 1. Speci?cally, the system 10
`of FIG. 1 ?rst provides information to the display 22 that
`represents a selection 50 of Various countries which can be
`selected by a user, such as shown in FIG. 3. In this example,
`a user selects the “United States” (such as shown by the
`check-mark S2). The system 10 thereafter provides infor
`mation to the display 22 that represents a map 54 of the
`United States, shown in FIG. 3A, so that a user can point and
`select “California” with a mouse pointer 56 via the mouse
`tracker 25. Upon selection, an outline 58 of California is
`displayed, including many, if not all, of its major dries, as
`shown in FIG. 3B (for illustrative purposes, only Los
`Angeles and San Francisco are identi?ed).
`With the outline of California displayed, a user can select
`“Los Angeles” by again pointing the mouse pointer 56 onto.
`the city identi?ed as Los Angeles and clicking the mouse
`tracker 35. Thereafter, an alphabetic listing 60 of well
`lmown places is provided by the system to the display 22, as
`shown in FIG. 3C, so that a user can, appropriately, select a
`geographic vicinity within which to locate the items of
`interest. In this example, a user would appropriately select
`Los Angeles International Airport, as illustrated with a
`check-mark 62.
`'
`As should be dear to those skilled in the art, the successive
`display of information within the display 22 can be accom
`plished in several ways, each of which is within the scope of
`the invention. For example, the display of information
`shown in FIGS. 3-3C can be done through menus only, and
`without the map illustrations shown in FIG. 3A and 3B. That
`is, a menu of information can replace the maps of FIGS. 3A
`and 313. such as for example provided in FIGS. 3 and 3C. A
`menu of the United States, for example, at least includes a
`listing of the several states; and a map of California at least
`includes a menu listing of its major cities.
`Likewise, the display of information on the display 22 can
`entirely be in graphical form. In such a case, the menus of
`FIG. 3 and 3C are replaced, respectively, with (i) graphical
`representations of the world, and (ii) graphical locations of
`key items of interest within the greater Los Angeles area.
`Accordingly, the default display of information to a user
`monitoring the display 22 is a mixture of graphics and
`menus, such as shown in FIGS. 3-3C. However, a user can
`select only the display of graphic information by activating
`the “GRAPHICS” key 64, FIG. 1. Likewise, a user can also
`select the “MENLP’ key 66 to display information in the
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`8
`menu (text) mode. Those skilled in the art should appreciate
`that other keys, key names, and combinations of keys can be
`used in accord with the invention to select and/or display
`other information. For example, a print key 68 provides a
`command for printing the current display of the port 16,
`which therefore preferably includes an attached printer 70
`connected via communication line 71.
`FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of the invention show
`ing a process ?ow 73 for providing information about
`selected items of interest to a user at the remote port.