`
`1
`
`METHOD OF PROVIDING A CELLULAR PHONE/PDA COMMUNICATION
`SYSTEM DESCRIPTIONESTABLISHING A CELL PHONE NETWORK OF
`PARTICIPANTS
`WITH A COMMON INTEREST
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Serial No.
`5
`11/308,648
`filed April 17, 2006 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Serial No.
`10/711,490 now U.S. Patent No. 7,031,728.
`
`1.Field of the Invention
`
`10
`
`A communications system using a plurality of cellular phones each having an
`
`This invention relates generally to an integrated
`(Para 1)
`communications system using a plurality of cellular/PDA/ and GPS
`phonesreceiver for the management of a group oftwo or more people through the use
`of a communications net and, specifically, to provide each user with a
`
`of a communications network. The method and system provide each user with an
`integrated
`
`handheld cellular/PDA/GPS/phone that has advanced communication software
`application programs and databases that permit all the users to
`continuously know each other's locations and status, to rapidly call and
`communicate voice, high speed internet data, photographs and video
`clips among the users by touching display screen symbols and to
`enable the users to easily access data concerning other users and other
`database information.
`
`programs (hereinafter referred to as ACS) and databases used in conjunction with a
`remote
`
`server that enable a user to establish a cell phone network of cell phone participants
`15
`having a
`
`common interest or relationship.
`
`2. Description of Related Art
`
`(Para 2) The purpose of a communications system is to transmit informationinfo!
`
`
`
`Page 1 of 46
`
`
`
`
`
`2
` ____________________________________________ 'alien bearing signalsdigital
`
`messages from a source, located at one point, to a user destination, located at another point
`
`20 some distance away. A communications system is generally comprised of three basic
`
`elements: transmitter, information channel and receiver. One form of communication in
`
`recent years is cellular phone telephony. A network of cellular communication systems set up
`
`around an area such as the United States allows multiple users to talk to each other, either on
`
`individual calls or on group calls. Some cellular phone services enable a cellular phone to
`
`25
`
`engage in conference calls with a small number of users. Furthermore, cellular conference
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`3
`
`calls can be established through 800 number services. Cellular telephony also now includes
`
`systems that include Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation that utilizes satellite
`
`navigation. These devices thus unite cellular phone technology with navigation information,
`
`computer information transmission and receipt of data.
`
`5 The method and operation of communication devices used herein are described in U.S.
`
`Patent 7,031,728 which is hereby incorporated by reference and pending U.S. Patent
`
`Application Serial No. 11/308,648.
`
`It would be advantageous to provide a communication network with a plurality of cell
`
`phones wherein polling could be performed by one or more users to find other remote cell
`
`10 phone participants that share a common interest or common relationship for
`
`interactive communication.
`
`Digital Smart Message Service (SMS) and TCP/IP messages can be
`(Para 3)
`transmitted using cellular technology such as various versions of GSM and
`CDMA or via a WiFi local area
`
`
`
`
`
`
`network. One implementation of these GPS location reporting cellular systems is for
`the data to go to a remote central site where the information is displayed for a person
`to monitor the locations of the cellular units that have the combined cellular GPS
`phone. Another implementation permits the cellular phone users to also view the
`location of other GPS equipped units. A drawback of the current implementation is
`that these systems are either all on or all off. There is no way to selectively activate
`participants or to stop the participants from participating in the network or for
`participants to set their reporting intervals that is based on time or distance traveled.
`The use of the current combined cellular phone/PDA technology has drawbacks when
`calling. When an operator makes a cellular phone call using the PDA to display a map
`(that also may depict geo-referenced businesses, homes and other facilities'
`locations and phone numbers), the cellular phone/PDA operator is required to display
`the numeric phone number by touching the display screen at the correct location of
`that entity on the map, memorize the numeric phone number, and select a different
`display to physically enter the phone number to make the call and then, if desired, go
`back to the map display. Needless to say, this is a cumbersome process. Sending a
`text message or an email to a location, business, home or facility that appears on a
`PDA map display or to another cellular phone can also be a cumbersome process as
`the PDA operator has to find the phone number or email address of the location on
`the map display, memorize the phone number or email address, then go to a different
`display to enter a text message, enter the text message, send the text message and
`then shift back to the map display program. Furthermore, for a phone to send data
`concerning a new entity of interest, not currently on the geo-referenced map display
`(car, person, tank, accident, or other entity), the operator must type in the information
`and the latitude and longitude of the new entity of interest.
`(Para 4)
`U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0139150 published July 24, 2003 shows
`a portable navigation and communication system. In one embodiment, the system
`combines within a single enclosure a GPS satellite positioning unit, mobile
`telephony using cellular phone technology and personal computing capable of wired
`or wireless internet or intranet access using a standard operating system. The
`purpose of this invention is to provide portable navigation for an individual.
`However, to operate the device, one still needs to utilize a keypad with the telephone
`functions. U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0139150 described a wireless
`
`
`
`
`
`communication system operating the PDA in a conventional manner.
`
`
`
`Page 5 of 46
`
`
`
`
`There is no provision for displaying the location of other similarly equipped
`systems. There is no provision to cause other similarly equipped cellular phone/PDA
`users to transmit their locations. There is no provision for entering other entities of
`interest by touching the display screen at their locations on a map. There is no
`provision for making a telephone call by touching the display screen at a net
`participant's symbol or entered facility (police station, fire station, etc.) symbol to
`initiate automatically the telephone call to that user or by touching multiple symbols
`to make conference calls. There is no provision for sending text messages,
`photographs or videos by touching the net participant(s)' symbol(s) on the display
`screen to automatically send text messages, photographs or videos to that
`participant or participants. There is no provision to go to a facility's web site or to
`automatically fill in a facility's E-mail address. There is no description or disclosure
`of a procedure to cause digital messages to be sent to a remote cellular phone that
`would cause the cellular phone to make verbal announcements, increase sound
`intensity, vibrate or to call back or to call another phone number. There is no
`description of the uses of layered soft switches which confine the switches to a
`particular vicinity of the PDA's display screen.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`15
`
`Applicant's communication system and method described herein is embodied in the
`advanced communication software (ACS) application programs developed by applicant and installed
`
`in the integrated PDA/GPS cell phones used herein.
`
`(Para 5)
`
`A plurality of cellular phone/WiFi/PDA/GPS devices each having ACS
`
`application softwareprograms and databases to provideprovides a communication network having:
`
`a)in conjunction with a remote
`
`20
`
`server with the ability to: a) selectively poll each of the other PDA/GPS phone devices with
`
`each participant to start reporting its position and status information directly to all or selected users
`
`
`
`
`
`- 3
`
`equipped with the same cellular phone/PDA communication/GPSsoftware devices in the
`
`communications net so that each of the devices that the data is transmitted to is
`
`provided a display of theexchange location, status and other information of the other
`
`users; b) the ability of each of the cellular phone/PDA devices to report
`
`to another device at an operator selected time rate or at a rate based on
`
`distance traveled; c) the ability to exchange other entities' of interest
`
`information and to assign these entities a category (car, person, tank,
`
`accident, or other event), (b) display information by touching the display screen at the
`
`entity'sremote phone's location on the displayed map,PDA display, (c) make calls to
`
`or send data to remote phones by touching their display symbol and selecting the
`
`appropriate category switch; d) the ability to make rapid voice and data
`
`call initiation to any other participant in the cellular phone/WiFi net
`
`whose phone number is
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`available in a geo-referenced database including the cellular phone/PDA/GPS devices
`
`in a communications net by touching the display screen at the appropriate map
`
`location on the PDA map display and selecting a call switch; e) the ability to make
`
`rapid voice, and conference call initiation to locations, businesses, homes and
`
`facilities whose phone numbers are available in a geo-referenced database
`
`including the cellular phone/PDA/GPS devices in a communications net by touching
`
`the display screen at the appropriate other user locations on the PDA map display
`
`and selecting a conference call switch; f) the ability to access a facility's URL or to
`
`automatically fill in their E-mail address; g) the ability to remotely control from one
`
`cellular phone/PDA/GPS any of the other cellular phone/PDA/GPS systems phones
`
`including the ability to control remote cellular phones to make verbal prerecorded
`
`announcements, place return calls, place calls to another phone number, vibrate,
`
`execute text to speech software, change sound intensity, remotely control software
`
`and functions resident on the remote phone and process and display information
`
`by touching the display screen at their location on the PDA display and selecting
`
`the appropriate switch; and g) the ability to5 appropriate soft switch; (d) layer a sufficient
`
`number of switches or buttons on the PDA display to perform the above functions without overlaying the
`
`map; and (e) to allow a polling mode in each cell phone that allows a user to contact other cell phone
`
`users that have a common interest or relationship for communication.
`
`It is an object of this invention to provide an improved cellular telephone
`(Para 6)
`communication network among a plurality of cellular phones for greatly decreasing
`the operator actions necessary to establish calling and conferencing between each of
`the cellular phones.
`(Para 7)
`And yet another object of this invention is to enable each participant
`to automatically exchange IP addresses using SMS or another digital message
`format.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`A communication server acts as a forwarder for lP communications between any
`10 combination of cell phone/PDA users and/or PC based users. Network participant location, identity and
`
`status messages are sent to the server by each user. Network participant entered tracks are also sent to
`
`the server. Because this data is of interest to all the network participants, the server forwards the data
`
`received from one participant to all other participants, thus providing the information necessary for all
`
`network participants to know the identity, location
`
`15 and status of all other network participants.
`The server also acts as a forwarder of data addressed from one participant to one or more
`
`addressed participants, thus permitting the transmission of free text, prefotinatted messages,
`
`photographs, video, E-mail and URL data from one network participant to other selected network
`
`participants.
`
`20 The above functions can also be accomplished using peer to peer WiFi, WiMax or other peer to peer
`
`communications. However, for use with cellular communications and to
`
`
`
`Page 9 of 46
`
`
`
`
`
`10
`
`assure the level of security that cell phone
`
`companies require, a centralized static
`
`IP routable server is used.
`
`The IP server also fills another role of being a database from which data can be
`
`requested by network participants (i.e. maps, satellite images, etc.) or can be pushed to
`
`5 network participants (i.e. symbology and soft switch changes, etc.).
`
`(Para 8) And yet anotherIt is an object of this invention is to enable each
`participant in the communications net to poll the other net participants to report or
`cease reporting their locations, identity and status on the communication
`net
`
`to poll the other net participants to find other cell phone users having a common
`interest or
`
`relationship.
`
`And yet anotherAnother object of this invention is to enable
`(Para 9)
`each participant in the communications
`10 net to be able to easily transmit an entity of interest to the other participants of the net by
`
`touching the display screen at the entity's location on the map and causing a symbol to
`
`be generated on the screen and entered and then entering, selecting the soft
`
`switch representative of the entity's category informationidentity, causing the
`
`symbol's location and identity to be transmitted on the network.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`(Para 10) And yet another object of this invention is to provide for initiating a
`cellular phone telephone call to another phone by touching the other phone's
`symbol on the screen of the cellular phone, which automatically activates the
`telephone call.
`(Para 11) And yet another object of this invention is to provide a cellular phone
`network that provides for instant voice conference calling and the exchange of free
`text, preformatted messages, photographs and video among a plurality of cellular
`phones by touching the display screen of specific geo-referenced map symbols for
`initiating the calls.
`(Para 12) And yet another object of this invention is to provide a cellular phone
`network that provides for instant conference voice, text, photographs and video
`exchange by preestablishing conferencing sub-nets and the subsequent activation of
`one of those sub-nets to establish a conference call.
`(Para 13) But yet still another object of the invention is to provide for a
`communication system that uses cellular telephone network that allows for
`photographs and video clips to be transferred ("pushed") between and among the
`cellular phone users across multiple cellular carriers, between smart phone and PCs.
`(Para 14)
`In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent
`
`hereinafter, the 15 instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying
`
`drawings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`Figure 1 shows a front plan view of a cellular phone/PDA/GPS having a touch screen
`(Para 15) 20
`display in accordance with the present invention.
`
`
`
`Page 11 of 46
`
`
`
`
`
`12
`
`(Para 16)
`
`Figure 2a shows a
`
`front plan view of the cellular
`
`phone/PDA of Figure 1 with a different touch screen displayflow chart of a
`
`method for providing a polling network among the network's identification, location and
`
`status reporting participants.
`
`(Para 17)
`
`Figure 32b shows a flow chart of the operation of the present
`
`inventiona method that provides an all report network among the network's
`
`identification, location and status reporting participants.
`
`Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram depicting GPS satellites, a
`(Para 18)
`plurality of cellular phone/PDA units, the cellular phone company, the
`internet and the command server that allows automatic shifting between high
`speed cellular internet communications and voice communications.
`
`(Para 19) 5 Figure 52c shows a process flow diagram of the transfer protocol in
`accordancechart of a method that provides a common interest network
`
`among the network's identification, location and status reporting participants.
`
`Figure 2d shows a flow chart of a method that provides a friends and family
`network
`
`among the network's identification, location and status reporting participants.
`
`Figure 3a shows the first segment of a flow chart that allows interested parties
`
`to
`
`with 10
`contact other people for dating or social interaction purposes using the present
`invention.
`
`Figure 3b is a continuation of the flow chart begun in Figure 3a.
`
`Figure 3c is the termination portion of the flow chart begun in Figures 3a and 3b.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Figure 6 shows a flow diagram for automatic shifting between voice and
`(Para 20)
`high speed cellular internet communications.
`
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
`
`15
`
`A method and communication system that joins a communications network of participants
`
`using handheld cell phones having integrated PDA and GPS circuitry with ACS application programs
`
`that allow a participant having an Advanced Communications Software (ACS) equipped cell phone
`
`to activate and control other participants' remote cell
`
`20 phones/PDAs that contain ACS.
`
`
`
`Page 13 of 46
`
`
`
`
`
`14
`
`A communication server acts as a
`
`forwarder
`
`for
`
`IP
`
`communications
`
`between any combination of cell phone/PDA users and/or PC based user. Network
`
`participant location, identity and status messages are sent to the server by each user.
`
`Network participant entered tracks are also sent to the server. Because this data is of
`
`interest to all the network participants,
`
`5 the server forwards the data received from one participant to all other participants, thus
`
`providing the information necessary for all network participants to know the identity,
`
`location and status of all other network participants.
`
`The server also acts as a forwarder of data addressed from one participant to one or more
`
`addressed participants, thus permitting the transmission of free text, preformatted 10
`
`messages, photographs, video, E-mail and URL data from one network participant to
`
`other selected network participants.
`
`(Para 21)
`
`Referring now to the drawings and, in particular, Figure 1, the
`
`present invention is shown generally at 10 that includes a small handheld
`
`cellular phone 10 is shown that includes a personal digital assistant (PDA) and a global
`
`positioning system receiver (GPS) communications device integrated in housing 12 that
`
`includes an on/off
`
`15
`
` power switch 19, a microphone 38, and an LCD display 16 that is also a touch screen system.
`
`The small area 16a is the navigation bar that depicts the telephone, GPS and other status data
`
`and the active software. AGIS software refers to the application software used
`
`in this invention. AGIS is a trademark of AGIS Corporation. Each cell phone
`
`includes a CPU and databases that store information useful in the communication network. The
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`CPU also includes a symbol generator for
`
`15
`
`creating touch screen display symbols
`
`discussed herein. With the touch screen 16, the screen symbols
`
`20 are entered through GPS inputs or by the operator using a stylus 14 (or operator finger) by
`
`manipulatively directing the stylus 14 to literally touch display 16. The soft switches 16d
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`16
`
`displayed on the display 16 are likewise activated by using a stylus 14 and physically and
`
`manipulatively directing the stylus to literally touch display 16. The display x, y coordinates of
`
`the touched point are known by a CPU in the PDA section of the communication system in
`
`housing 12 that can coordinate various information contained in the PDA portion relative to
`
`the x, y
`
` 5
`
`coordinate position on the display 16. Inside housing 12 is contained the conventional cellular
`
`phone elements including a modem, a CPU for use with a PDA and associated circuitry connected
`
`to speaker 24 and microphone 38. A GPS navigational receiver that receives signals from
`
`satellites that can determine the latitude and longitude of the cellular phone housing 12 can be
`
`internal or external to the housing 12. Conventional PDA/cellular phone units such as
`
`thesephones are currently
`
`10 on sale and sold as a complete unit (or with an external connected GPS) that can be used for
`
`cellular telephone calls and sending cellular SMS and TCP/IP or other messages using the PDA's
`
`display 16 and computer (CPU). The GPS system including a receiver in housing 12 is capable
`
`of determining the latitude and longitude and through SMS, TCP/IP, WiFi or other digital
`
`messaging software, to also transmit this latitude and longitude information of housing
`
`15
`
`12 to other cellular phones in the
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`communication network via cellular communications, WiFi
`
`or radio. The device 10 includes a pair of cellular phone hardware activating buttons 20 to turn the cellular
`
`phone on and 22 to turn the cellular phone off. Navigation pad actuator 18 is similar to a joy or force stick
`
`in that the actuator 18 manually provides movement commands that can be used by the PDA's software to
`
`move a cursor on display 16. Switches 26 and 28
`
`20 are designed to quickly select an operator specified network software program. Speaker 24 and
`
`
`
`Page 17 of 46
`
`
`
`
`
`18
`
`microphone 38 are used for audio messages.
`
`Switch 19 at the top left of device 10 is the
`
`power on and power off switch for the entire device.
`
`(Para 22)
`
`The heart of
`
`the
`
`invention
`
`lies
`
`in
`
`the AGIS software
`
`applicationsapplicant's ACS application programs provided in the device. The ACS
`
`programs are activated by clicking on an icon on the display to turn the
`
`
`
`5 ACS programs on or off. Mounted within housing 12 as part of the PDA is the display 16
`
`and
`
`the CPU. The internal CPU includes databases and software application programs that provide for a
`
`geographical map and georeferenced entities that isare shown as display portion 16b that includes as part of
`
`the display various areas of interest in the particular local map section.(Para 23)
`
` When looking at
`
`display 16, the software switches (soft switches) which appear at the 10 very bottom of the display 16d are
`
`used to control by touch many of the software driven functions of the cellular phone and PDA. The software
`
`drawn and controlledsoft switches are activated through the operator's use of the navigation pad 18, or a
`
`small track ball, force stick or similar hardware display cursor pointing device. Alternatively, the operator may
`
`choose to activate the software switch matrixswitches by touching the screen with a stylus 14 (or finger) at
`
`the switches' 16d locations.
`
`15 When some of the software switches are activated, different software switches appear. The bar
`
`display 16d shows the software switches "ZM IN (zoom in)," "ZM OT (zoom out)," "CENT
`
`(center)" and "GRAB (pan/grab)" at the bottom of the screen. These software switches are
`
`forenable the operator to perform these functions. The "SWITH (switch)" software switch at
`
`the lower right causes a matrix of layered software switches (soft switches) to appear above the
`
`bottom
`
`
`
`
`
`
`20
`
`row of switches. Through use of the software
`
`19
`
`switches, the operator can also manipulate
`
`the
`
`geographical map 16b or chart display. When looking at Figure 1, display symbols depict
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`20
`
`permanent
`
`geographical
`
`locations
`
`and
`
`buildings are shown. For example, the
`
`police station is shown and, when the symbol is touched by the stylus or finger, the latitude and
`
`longitude of the symbol's location, as shown in display section 16c, is displayed at the bottom
`
`left of the screen. The bottom right side of display 16c is a multifunction inset area that can
`
`contain a
`
`5
`variety of information including: a) a list of the communication link
`
`participants; b) a list of
`received messages; c) a map, aerial photograph
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`or satellite image with an indication of the zoom and off setoffset location of the main map display, which is
`
`indicated by a square that depicts the area actually displayed in the main geographical screen 16b; d)
`
`applicable status information; and e) a list of the communication net participants. Each participant user would
`
`10 have a device 10 shown in Figure 1.
`(Para 24)
`Also shown on the display screen 16, specifically the geographical display 16b, is
`
`a pair of different looking symbols 30 and 34, a small triangle and a small square, which are not labeled.
`
`These symbols 30 and 34 can represent communication net participants having cellular phones in the
`
`displayed geographical area that are part of the overall cellular phone
`
`15 communications net, each participant having the same device 10 used in this invention. The latitude and
`
`longitude of symbol 30 is associated within a database along with a specific cell phone number and, if
`
`available, its IPlP address and email address. The screen display 16b, which is a touch screen, provides x
`
`and y coordinates of the screen 16b to the CPU's software from a map in a geographical database. The
`
`software has an algorithm that relates the x and y coordinates to
`
`20
`
`latitude and longitude and can access a communications net participant's symbol or a fixed or
`
`movable entity's symbol as being the one closest to that point.
`
`
`
`Page 21 of 46
`
`
`
`
`
`- 22 -
`
`(Para 25)
`
`For
`
`describing
`
`the network,
`
`the
`
`operator's phone is cellular phone "one." In order to initiate a telephone call to the
`
`cellular phone user (communication net participant) represented by symbol (triangle) 30 at a
`
`specific latitude and longitude display on chart 16b, the operator touches the triangle 30 symbol
`
`with the stylus 14. The operator then touches a "call" software switch from a matrix of displayed
`
`soft switches that would overlay
`
`5
`
`the display area 16c.e Immediately, the cellular phone will initiate a cellular telephone call to
`
`the cellular phone user at the geographical location shown that represents symbol 30. A second
`
`cellular phone user (communication net participant) is represented by symbol 34 which is a small
`
`square (but could be any shape or icon) to represent an individual cellular phone device in the
`
`display area. The ring 32 around symbol 30 indicates that the symbol 30 has
`
`10 been touched and that a telephone call can be initiated by touching the soft switch that says "call."
`
`When this is done, the telephone call is initiated. Other types of symbolic elements on the
`
`display 16 can indicate that a cellular phone call is in effect. Additionally, the operator can
`
`touch both symbol 34 and symbol 30 and can activate a conference call between the two cellular
`
`phones and users represented by symbols 30 and 34. Again, a symbolic ring around
`
`15
`
`symbol 34 indicates that a call has been initiated.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`(Para 26)
`
`Equally important, the operator of cellular phone "one"a user can call
`
`the police station or any other specific geographical facility displayed on the map, including: (buildings,
`
`locations of people, vehicles, facilities, restaurants, etc., (whose cellular phone numbers and, if available, E-
`
`mail addresses, IP addresses and their URLs were(previously stored in the database) by touching a specific
`
`facility
`
`20 location on the map display using the stylus 14 and then touching the cellular phone call switch. As an example,
`
`the operator can touch and point to call a restaurant using a soft
`
`
`
`Page 23 of 46
`
`
`
`
`
`- 24 -
`
`switch by touching the restaurant location with hisa stylus and then touching the call soft
`
`switch. The cellular phone will then call the restaurant. Thus, using the present invention, each
`
`participant can touch and point to call to one or more other net participants symbolically
`
`displayed on the map, each of whom havehas a device as shown in Figure 1 and can also point
`
`to
`
`5 call facilities that had been previously stored in the phone's database. Furthermore, this symbol
`
`hooking and soft switch technique can be used to go to a fixed facility's website or to
`
`automatically enter the fixed facility's EmailE—mail address in an e-mail.
`
`(Para 27)
`
`Each cellular phone/PDA/GPS user device is identified on the map
`
`display of the other participant user phone devices by a display symbol that is generated on each
`
`user phone
`
`10 display to indicate each user's identity. Each symbol is placed at the correct geographical location
`
`on the user display and is correlated with the map on the display. The operator of each cellular
`
`phone/PDA/GPS device may also enter one or more other fixed entities (buildings, facilities,
`
`restaurants, police stations, etc.) and geo-referenced events such as fires, accidents, etc.) into its
`
`database. This information can be likewise transmitted to all the otherether
`
`15 participants on the communications net. The map, fixed entities, events and cellular
`
`phone/PDA/GPS device communication net participants' latitude and longitude information is
`
`related to the "x" and "y" location on the touch screen display map by a mathematical correlation
`
`When the cellular phone/PDA/GPS device user uses a stylus or finger
`
`algorithm.
`
`(Para 28)
`to touch one or
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`20 more of the symbols or a location displayed on the cellular phone map display, the system's
`
`software causes the status and latitude and longitude informationinfoti _ nation concerning
`that symbol or
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`- 26 -
`
`location to be displayed. In order to hook a symbol or "track" such as another net participant
`
`which represents an entity on the geo-referenced map display, or a fixed geographical entity
`
`such as a restaurant, police station or a new entity observed by a cell phone user which is
`
`discussed below, the operator points at or near the location of a geo-geo-referenced symbol
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`referenced symbol5 appearing on the cellular phone/PDA display that represents a specific track or specific
`
`participant or other entity. The hook application software determines that the stylus is pointed close to or at
`
`the location of the symbol and puts a circle, square or other indication around the symbol indicating that
`
`amplification information concerning the tracksymbol is to be displayed and indicating that additional data
`
`or change in data can be made to the indicated symbol. The
`
`10 hook application code then sends a message to the display application code to display the net participant,
`
`facility or entity's amplifying data. The display application code retrieves the primary data and amplification
`
`data concerning the tracksymbol or entity from the database and displays the information at the correct
`
`screen location. The operator can then read the amplification data that relates to that specific symbol at the
`
`specific location. The cell phone
`
`15 operator can also select soft switches on the touch screen display to change the primary data and amplification
`
`data or to take. Furthermore, the operator can use a similar method of hooking and selecting to
`
`activate particular soft switches to take other actions which could include: making cellular phone calls,
`
`conference calls, 800 number calls,; sending a free text message, operator selected preformatted messages,
`
`photographs or videos to the hooked symbol; or to drop thea
`
`20 entered symbol.
`
`
`
`Page 27 of 46
`
`
`
`
`
`- 28 -
`
`(Para 29)
`
`Each known net
`
`participant has a cellular phone number,
`
`IP address and, if available, E-mail address that is stored in each participant's device database.
`
`(Para 30)
`
`To use the present invention, the operator ("cellular
`
`phone one" or "phone one")communication system, a user starts the PDA/cellular
`
`phone device system by turning on the cell phone power and selecting the cell phone and
`
`network software which
`
`5 causes: a) the cellular phone to be activated (if it has not already been activated),; b) the GPS
`
`interface receiver to be established,; c) a map of the geographic area where the operator is
`
`located and operator's own unit symbol to appear at the correct latitude and longitude on the
`
`map on the display,; d) the locations of fixed facilities such as restaurants, hotels, fire
`
`departments, police stations, and military barracks, that are part of t