111111
`
`1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
`US007630724B2
`
`c12) United States Patent
`Beyer, Jr. et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7 ,630, 724 B2
`Dec. 8, 2009
`
`(54) METHOD OF PROVIDING A CELLULAR
`PHONE/PDA COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Malcolm K. Beyer, Jr., Jupiter Inlet
`Colony, FL (US); Christopher R. Rice,
`Monroe, WA (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Advanced Ground Information
`Systems, Inc., Jupiter Inlet Colony, FL
`(US)
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 450 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 11/308,648
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Apr. 17, 2006
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2006/0199612Al
`
`Sep. 7,2006
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 10/711,490,
`filed on Sep. 21, 2004, now Pat. No. 7,031,728.
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`H04W 24100
`(2009.01)
`(52) U.S. Cl. ........................ 455/457; 455/416; 455/417
`(58) Field of Classification Search .............. 455/452.3,
`455/416, 457
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`6,204,844 B1 * 3/2001 Fumarolo eta!. ........... 715/736
`6,662,016 B1 * 12/2003 Buckham eta!. ............ 455/457
`
`3/2005 Muramatsu
`7/2003 Rodriguez eta!.
`10/2003 Tsuge
`........................ 709/203
`9/2004 Gorday eta!.
`........... 455/456.1
`10/2004 August et al ................ 455/557
`12/2004 Bostrom eta!.
`2/2006 Mizuno eta!. ................ 726/11
`
`6,868,337 B2
`2003/0139150 A1
`2003/0200259 A1 *
`2004/0192331 A1 *
`2004/0204070 A1 *
`2004/0266456 A1
`2006/0031927 A1 *
`* cited by examiner
`Primary Examiner-Nick Corsaro
`Assistant Examiner-Amanuel Lebassi
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Malin Haley DiMaggio
`Bowen & Lhota, P.A.
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A cellular, PDA communication device and communication
`system for allowing a plurality of cellular phone users to
`monitor each others' locations and status, to initiate cellular
`phone calls by touching a symbol on the touch screen display
`with a stylus which can also include point to call conferencing
`calling. Each participant's cellular phone PDA device
`includes GPS navigation receiver with application software
`for point to call cellular phone initiation to participants and
`geographical entities including vehicles, persons or events,
`conference calls and video transfers. The method and system
`also includes automatic shifting from GPRS/EDGE/CDMA/
`lXEVDO to SMS when any of the cellular phones in the
`communication network is in the voice mode and in use and
`for automatic shifting back to GPRS/EDGE/CDMA/lXE(cid:173)
`VDO upon completion of the voice phone call. In addition,
`using the system, a full transfer of photographs, video clips
`and high speed data can be used between any cellular phones
`regardless of who the cellular phone vendors or cellular
`phone companies are and in either CDMA, GSM, WiFi or a
`combination of the two.
`
`16 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets
`
`10
`
`/
`
`Apple Inc. 1012
`U.S. Patent No. 9,445,251
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 8, 2009
`Dec. 8, 2009
`
`Sheet 1 of 6
`Sheet 1 of 6
`
`US 7,630,724 B2
`US 7,630,724 B2
`
`10
`1 0
`
`~
`
`
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`14
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`~
`
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`
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`K4wm.m
`
`FIG. 1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 8, 2009
`
`Sheet 2 of 6
`
`US 7,630,724 B2
`
`10
`
`_,}
`
`16
`
`I
`
`~
`
`14
`
`12
`
`81SQD C1SQD D1SQD
`A1SQD
`A2SQD B2SQD C2SQD D2SQD
`A3SQO B3SQD C3SQD D3SQD
`A4SQD
`84SQD C4SQD D4SQD
`ZM
`IN
`ZM OT
`CENT
`GRAB
`
`NET1
`SWITH
`
`I
`I
`I
`~
`
`FIG. 2
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 8, 2009
`
`Sheet 3 of 6
`
`US 7,630,724 B2
`
`PROVIDE PARTICIPANTS EACH A CELLPHONE/PDA/GPS
`WITH TOUCH SCREEN DISPlAY
`~
`PROVIDE GEOGRAPHICAL DISPlAY
`IN EACH PHONE
`t
`PROVIDE A DATABASE OF FIXED LOCATIONS
`AND THEIR lATITUDE - LONGITUDE
`AND THEIR PHONE NUMBERS
`t
`PROVIDE A DATABASE HAVING A LIST OF
`PARTICIPANTS AND CORRESPONDING CELLPHONE NUMBERS
`t
`PROVIDE A SYMBOL GENERATOR THAT CREATES A
`DISPlAY SYMBOL REPRESENTING A PARTICIPANT
`ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISPLAY OF EACH CELLPHONE
`t
`PROVIDE A MEANS TO CONTROL THE
`DISPlAY THROUGH THE USE OF
`lAYERED SOFT SWITCHES
`
`'
`
`PROVIDE SOFlWARE THAT PERMITS
`THE EXCHANGE OF GPS POSITION
`DATA, MESSAGES, PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEOS
`t
`SET UP CONFERENCE
`PROVIDE SOFlWARE THAT AUTOMATICALLY
`CALLS BY TOUCHING
`A PLURALITY OF ~ INITIATES A CALL TO A PARTICIPANT BY TOUCHING
`SYMBOLS OR
`THE PARTICIPANT SYMBOL ON THE DISPlAY
`SYMBOL IDENTIFIERS
`t
`PROVIDING SOFTWARE HAVING PRESTORED
`AUDIO, TEXT, OR VIDEO MESSAGES IN EACH
`CELLPHONE THAT CAN BE TURNED ON OR OFF
`REMOTELY BY ANOTHER PARTICIPANT
`
`FIG. 3
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 8, 2009
`
`Sheet 4 of 6
`
`US 7,630,724 B2
`
`~7
`I
`\
`
`\
`\
`\
`\
`\
`\
`\
`\
`\
`
`I
`I
`I
`I
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`I
`I
`I
`I
`
`FIG. 4
`
`52
`
`L54
`TCP/IP
`- SERVER
`
`

`

`I Se~er I
`b
`
`listen Port 81
`
`Handset Receivina
`
`'
`
`~-----
`
`Connect Port 81
`
`1
`
`11FileAvail11 msg with AVAilABLE status on port 80
`
`I _,
`:send "AGIS PUT <FROM><TO><FILENAME><FILESIZ~~
`I
`I
`Send 11AGIS [OK I ERROR] 11
`I Send Data in 1 K blocks. Throttling if needed. 1
`I
`Close socket to indicate EOF
`Send new AGIS
`!
`I
`~~nd 11AGIS PUT <FROM><TO><FILENAME><FILESIZE~
`I
`I
`Send 11AGIS [OK I ERROR] 11
`1 Send Data in 1 K blocks. Throttling if needed.
`Close socket to indicate EOF
`
`Connect Port 81
`
`D Notification via Ul
`c:=:::> User Picks download in Ul
`
`1
`
`_ I
`"FileAvail" msg with COMPLETED status on port 80
`
`~I
`
`Timer waiting for COMPLETED Auto delete file if timer expires
`I
`I
`I
`1
`
`FIG. 5
`
`~
`00
`•
`~
`~
`~
`
`~ = ~
`
`c ('D
`
`~
`~CIO
`N
`0
`0
`\0
`
`rFJ =(cid:173)
`
`('D
`('D
`.....,..
`Ul
`0 ......
`0\
`
`d
`rJl
`-....l
`0..,
`
`N
`
`w = ~
`~ = N
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 8, 2009
`
`Sheet 6 of 6
`
`US 7,630,724 B2
`
`OPERATOR TURNS
`PHONE ON
`~
`OPERATOR SELECTS
`AGIS SOFTWARE
`
`AGIS SOFTWARE PUTS PHONE
`IN DIGITAL DATA TRANSFER MODE
`
`'
`'
`
`'
`
`AGIS OPERATES EXCHANGING POSITION,
`TRACKS, TEXT, PHOTOS, VIDEO CLIPS
`+
`AGIS OPERATOR DECIDES TO MAKE A PHONE CALL
`EITHER BY HOOKING A MAPSYMBOL OR AGIS
`UNIT AND SELECTING CALL, CONFERENCE CALL,
`800 CALL OR DIALING
`
`PHONE SOFnNARE PUTS PHONE
`IN VOICE AND SMS MODE
`+
`OPERATOR HANGS PHONE UP
`t
`AGIS SOFTWARE DETECTS HANGUP
`AND AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTS BACK
`TO DIGITAL DATA TRANSFER MODE
`
`FIG. 6
`
`

`

`US 7,630,724 B2
`
`1
`METHOD OF PROVIDING A CELLULAR
`PHONE/PDA COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates generally to an integrated connnu(cid:173)
`nications system using a plurality of cellular/PDA/GPS
`phones for the management of a group of people through the
`use of a connnunications net and, specifically, to provide each
`user with a cellular/PDA/GPS/phone that has software appli- 10
`cation programs and databases that permit all the users to
`continuously know each other's locations and status, to rap(cid:173)
`idly call and connnunicate 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 infor-
`mation.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
`
`The purpose of a communications system is to transmit
`information bearing signals from a source, located at one
`point, to a user destination, located at another point some
`distance away. A connnunications system is generally com(cid:173)
`prised of three basic elements: transmitter, information chan(cid:173)
`nel and receiver. One form of connnunication in recent years
`is cellular phone telephony. A network of cellular connnuni(cid:173)
`cation 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 engage in conference calls with a small
`number of users. Furthermore, cellular conference calls can
`be established through 800 number services. Cellular tele(cid:173)
`phony also now includes systems that include Global Posi(cid:173)
`tioning System (GPS) navigation that utilizes satellite navi(cid:173)
`gation. These devices thus unite cellular phone technology
`with navigation information, computer information transmis(cid:173)
`sion and receipt of data.
`Digital Smart Message Service (SMS) and TCP/IP mes(cid:173)
`sages can be transmitted using cellular technology such as
`various versions ofGSM and CDMA or via a WiFi local area
`network. One implementation of these GPS location report(cid:173)
`ing 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 45
`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 selec(cid:173)
`tively activate participants or to stop the participants from 50
`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 tech(cid:173)
`nology has drawbacks when calling. When an operator makes
`a cellular phone call using the PDA to display a map (that also 55
`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 num(cid:173)
`ber by touching the display screen at the correct location of
`that entity on the map, memorize the numeric phone number, 60
`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 65
`another cellular phone can also be a cumbersome process as
`the PDA operator has to find the phone number or email
`
`2
`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.
`U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0139150 published Jul.
`24, 2003 shows a portable navigation and connnunication
`system. In one embodiment, the system combines within a
`single enclosure a GPS satellite positioning unit, mobile tele(cid:173)
`phony using cellular phone technology and personal comput-
`15 ing capable of wired or wireless internet or intranet access
`using a standard operating system. The purpose of this inven(cid:173)
`tion is to provide portable navigation for an individual. How(cid:173)
`ever, to operate the device, one still needs to utilize a keypad
`with the telephone functions. U.S. Patent Application No.
`20 2003/0139150 described a wireless connnunication system
`operating the PDA in a conventional manner. There is no
`provision for displaying the location of other similarly
`equipped systems. There is no provision to cause other simi(cid:173)
`larly equipped cellular phone/PDA users to transmit their
`25 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
`30 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 vid(cid:173)
`eos by touching the net participant(s)' symbol(s) on the dis(cid:173)
`play screen to automatically send text messages, photographs
`35 or videos to that participant or participants. There is no pro(cid:173)
`vision to go to a facility's web site or to automatically fill in a
`facility's E-mail address. There is no description or disclo(cid:173)
`sure of a procedure to cause digital messages to be sent to a
`remote cellular phone that would cause the cellular phone to
`40 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
`
`A plurality of cellular phone/WiFi/PDA/GPS devices each
`having application software and databases to provide a com(cid:173)
`munication network having: a) the ability to selectively poll
`each of the other PDA/GPS phone devices with each partici(cid:173)
`pant to start reporting its position and status information
`directly to all or selected users equipped with the same cel(cid:173)
`lular phone/PDA connnunication!GPS devices in the com(cid:173)
`munications net so that each of the devices that the data is
`transmitted to is provided a display of the 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, per(cid:173)
`son, tank, accident, or other event) by touching the display
`screen at the entity's location on the displayed map, and
`selecting the appropriate category switch; d) the ability to
`make rapid voice and data call initiation to any other partici(cid:173)
`pant in the cellular phone/WiFi net whose phone number is
`available in a geo-referenced database including the cellular
`
`

`

`3
`phone/PDA/GPS devices in a communications net by touch(cid:173)
`ing 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 touch(cid:173)
`ing 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 automati- 10
`cally 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 abil-
`ity to control remote cellular phones to make verbal prere(cid:173)
`corded armouncements, place return calls, place calls to 15
`another phone number, vibrate, execute text to speech soft(cid:173)
`ware, change sound intensity, remotely control software and
`functions resident on the remote phone and process and dis(cid:173)
`play information by touching the display screen at their loca(cid:173)
`tion on the PDA display and selecting the appropriate switch; 20
`and g) the ability to layer a sufficient number of switches or
`buttons on the PDA display to perform the above functions
`without overlaying the map.
`It is an object of this invention to provide an improved
`cellular telephone communication network among a plurality 25
`of cellular phones for greatly decreasing the operator actions
`necessary to establish calling and conferencing between each
`of the cellular phones.
`And yet another object of this invention is to enable each
`participant to automatically exchange IP addresses using 30
`SMS or another digital message format.
`And yet another 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, iden(cid:173)
`tity and status on the communication net.
`And yet another object of this invention is to enable each
`participant in the communications 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 40
`entered and then entering the entity's category information.
`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 eel-
`lular phone, which automatically activates the telephone call.
`And yet another object of this invention is to provide a
`cellular phone network that provides for instant voice confer(cid:173)
`ence calling and the exchange of free text, preformatted mes(cid:173)
`sages, photographs and video among a plurality of cellular
`phones by touching the display screen of specific geo-refer(cid:173)
`enced map symbols for initiating the calls.
`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 pre-establish- 55
`ing conferencing sub-nets and the subsequent activation of
`one of those sub-nets to establish a conference call.
`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.
`In accordance with these and other objects which will
`become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now
`be described with particular reference to the accompanying
`drawings.
`
`50
`
`45
`
`US 7,630,724 B2
`
`4
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 shows a front plan view of a cellular phone/PDA
`having a touch screen display in accordance with the present
`invention.
`FIG. 2 shows a front plan view of the cellular phone/PDA
`of FIG. 1 with a different touch screen display.
`FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of the operation of the present
`invention.
`FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram depicting GPS satel(cid:173)
`lites, a plurality of cellular phone/PDA units, the cellular
`phone company, the internet and the command server that
`allows automatic shifting between high speed cellular inter(cid:173)
`net communications and voice communications.
`FIG. 5 shows a process flow diagram of the transfer proto(cid:173)
`col in accordance with the present invention.
`FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram for automatic shifting
`between voice and high speed cellular internet communica(cid:173)
`tions.
`
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`Referring now to the drawings and, in particular, FIG. 1,
`the present invention is shown generally at 10 that includes a
`small handheld cellular phone that includes a personal digital
`assistant (PDA) and a global positioning system receiver
`(GPS) communications device in housing 12 that includes an
`on/off power switch 19, a microphone 38, and an LCD dis-
`play 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
`35 CPU and databases that store information useful in the com-
`munication network. The CPU also includes a symbol gen(cid:173)
`erator for creating touch screen display symbols discussed
`herein. With the touch screen 16, the screen symbols 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 dis-
`played 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 coordi(cid:173)
`nates 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 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. PDA/cellular phone units such as
`these are currently 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).
`60 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 ofhousing 12
`to other cellular phones in the communication network via
`65 cellular communications, WiFi or radio. The device 10
`includes a pair of cellular phone hardware activating buttons
`20 to tum the cellular phone on and 22 to tum the cellular
`
`

`

`US 7,630,724 B2
`
`5
`phone off. Navigation pad actuator 18 is similar to a joy or
`force stick in that the actuator 18 manually provides move(cid:173)
`ment commands that can be used by the PDA's software to
`move a cursor on display 16. Switches 26 and 28 are designed
`to quickly select an operator specified software program.
`Speaker 24 and 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.
`The heart of the invention lies in the AGIS software appli(cid:173)
`cations provided in the device. Mounted within housing 12 as 10
`part of the PDA is the display 16 and the CPU. The internal
`CPU includes databases that provide for a geographical map
`and georeferenced entities that is shown as display portion
`16b that includes as part of the display various areas of inter(cid:173)
`est in the particular local map section.
`When looking at display 16, the software switches (soft
`switches) which appear at the 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 controlled switches are activated through the operator's 20
`use of the navigation pad 18, or a small track ball, force stick
`or similar hardware display cursor pointing device. Alterna(cid:173)
`tively, the operator may choose to activate the software switch
`matrix by touching the screen with a stylus 14 (or finger) at
`the switches' 16d locations. When some of the software 25
`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 soft(cid:173)
`ware switches are for the operator to perform these functions.
`The "SWITH (switch)" software switch at the lower right
`causes a matrix oflayered software switches (soft switches)
`to appear above the bottom row of switches. Through use of
`the software switches, the operator can also manipulate the
`geographical map 16b or chart display. When looking at FIG.
`1, 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 variety of information including: a) a list of the
`communication link participants; b) a list of received mes(cid:173)
`sages; c) a map, aerial photograph or satellite image with an
`indication of the zoom and off set 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 communi(cid:173)
`cation net participants. Each participant user would have a
`device 10 shown in FIG. 1.
`Also shown on the display screen 16, specifically the geo(cid:173)
`graphical 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 communica(cid:173)
`tion net participants having cellular phones in the displayed
`geographical area that are part of the overall cellular phone
`communications net having the same device 10 used in this
`invention. The latitude and longitude of symbol30 is associ(cid:173)
`ated within a database along with a specific phone number
`and, if available, its IP address and email address. The screen 60
`display 16b, which is a touch screen, provides x andy coor(cid:173)
`dinates 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 andy coordinates to 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.
`
`6
`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 dis(cid:173)
`play 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 the display area 16c. Immediately, the cellular phone
`will initiate a cellular telephone call to the cellular phone user
`at the geographical location shown that represents symbol30.
`A second cellular phone user (communication net partici-
`pant) is represented by symbol34 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
`15 30 indicates that the symbol 30 has 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 indi-
`cate 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 symbol 34 indicates that a call has been initiated.
`Equally important, the operator of cellular phone "one" can
`call the police station or any other specific geographical facil(cid:173)
`ity 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 data-
`30 base) by touching a specific facility 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 switch by touching the
`restaurant location with his stylus and then touching the call
`35 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 sym(cid:173)
`bolically displayed on the map each of whom have a device as
`shown in FIG. 1 and can also point to call facilities that had
`40 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 E-mail address in an e-mail.
`Each cellular phone/PDA/GPS user device is identified on
`45 the map display of the other participant user phone devices by
`a display symbol that is generated on each user phone display
`to indicate each user's identity. Each symbol is placed at the
`correct geographical location on the user display and is cor(cid:173)
`related with the map on the display. The operator of each
`so 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, acci(cid:173)
`dents, etc.) into its database. This information can be likewise
`transmitted to all the other participants on the communica-
`55 tions 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" loca(cid:173)
`tion on the touch screen display map by a mathematical
`correlation algorithm.
`When the cellular phone/PDA/GPS device user uses a sty-
`lus or finger to touch one or 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 infor(cid:173)
`mation concerning that symbol or location to be displayed. In
`65 order to hook a symbol or "track" such as another net partici(cid:173)
`pant which represents an entity on the geo-referenced map
`display, or a fixed geographical entity such as a restaurant,
`
`

`

`US 7,630,724 B2
`
`7
`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-referenced symbol 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 track is to be displayed and indicating that
`additional data or change in data can be made to the indicated 10
`symbol. The 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 con(cid:173)
`cerning the track or entity from the database and displays the 15
`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 operator can
`also select soft switches on the touch screen display to change
`the primary data and amplification data or to take actions 20
`which could include making cellular phone calls, conference
`calls, 800 number calls, sending a free text message, operator
`selected preformattedmessages, photographs or videos to the
`hooked symbol or to drop the symbol.
`Each known net participant has a cellular phone number, IP 25
`address and, if available, E-mail address that is stored in each
`participant's device database.
`To use the present invention, the operator ("cellular phone
`one" or "phone one") starts the PDA/cellular phone device
`system by selecting the software which causes: a) the cellular 30
`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 longi(cid:173)
`tude on the map on the display, d) the locations of fixed 35
`facilities such as restaurants, hotels, fire departments, police
`stations, and military barracks, that are part of the database to
`appear as symbols on the map, e) the device selected item read
`out area (which provides amplification information for the
`communications net participant or object that has been 40
`touched on the display screen) to appear on the display, f) an
`insert area that contains various data including: the list of net
`participants, a list of messages to be read, an indication of
`what portion of the map is being displayed in major area and
`other information to appear on the display, and g) a row of 45
`primary software created "soft switches" that are always
`present on the