System and method of wireless downloads of map and geographic based data to portable computing devices

Abstract

A system and method of managing map data on electronic devices such as portable electronic devices which includes a system and method of preloading map data, managing map data storage, sharing point of interest or pushpin data with other electronic devices, and displaying map data is disclosed.

1 . A method of sharing geographically referenced content, the method comprising: 
 receiving geographically referenced content from a first mobile electronic device for a second mobile electronic device, wherein each of the first and second mobile electronic devices comprises a wireless communications transceiver;    sending data identifying the received geographically referenced content to the second mobile electronic device;    processing a request from the second mobile electronic device for the received geographically referenced content; and    sending the received geographically referenced content to the second mobile electronic device in response to the request from the second mobile electronic device.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the geographically referenced content is associated with at least one of a location, a person, a vehicle, an organization, or an object and comprises at least one of a name, street address, a postal address, data indicative of an icon, a displayable layer, user comments, an Internet address, an email address, an identifier, geographic index, or a geographic coordinate range.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending data identifying the received geographically referenced content to the second electronic device comprises sending an access code.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing comprises verifying the access code.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the geographic map data comprises at least one of a name, an address, and a map coordinate.  
   
   
       6 . A network for transmitting data, the network comprising: 
 a first communications link configured to communicate geographically referenced content between a first and second wireless device; and    a second communications link configured to communicate the geographically referenced content between the second wireless device and a third wireless device,    wherein the geographically referenced content comprises geographic coordinate data of a location which is adapted to be selectively displayed as an icon on a map.    
   
   
       7 . The network of  claim 6 , wherein the geographically referenced content is associated with at least one of a location, a person, a vehicle, an organization, or an object and comprises at least one of a name, street address, a postal address, data indicative of an icon, a displayable layer, user comments, an Internet address, an email address, an identifier, geographic index, or a geographic coordinate range.  
   
   
       8 . The network of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first communications link and the second communications link comprises the Internet.  
   
   
       9 . The network of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first communications link and the second communications link comprises a wireless communications link.  
   
   
       10 . The network of  claim 6 , wherein the location is associated with at least one of an address, a vehicle, a moving object, a mobile electronic device, or a person.  
   
   
       11 . A method of sharing geographically referenced content, the method comprising: 
 receiving a request for geographically referenced content from a first mobile electronic device on a second mobile device;    determining whether the first mobile device is authorized to receive the geographically referenced content;    sending the requested geographically referenced content to the first mobile electronic device in response to the request.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the geographically referenced content is associated with at least one of a location, a person, a vehicle, an organization, or an object and comprises at least one of a name, street address, a postal address, data indicative of an icon, a displayable layer, user comments, an Internet address, an email address, an identifier, geographic index, or a geographic coordinate range.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 receiving geographically referenced content information comprising at least one of an address or a telephone number;    translating the address information into the geographically referenced content.    
   
   
       14 . A system for sharing geographically referenced content, the method comprising: 
 means for communicating with a second mobile electronic device; and    means for processing comprising means for receiving a request for geographically referenced content from the second mobile electronic device; 
 means for determining whether the first mobile electronic device is authorized to receive the geographically referenced content; and  
 means for the received geographically referenced content to the first mobile electronic device in response to the request.  
   
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the geographically referenced content is associated with at least one of a location, a person, a vehicle, an organization, or an object and comprises at least one of a name, street address, a postal address, data indicative of an icon, a displayable layer, user comments, an Internet address, an email address, an identifier, geographic index, or a geographic coordinate range.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the means for communicating is configured to communicate via the Internet.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the means for communicating comprises a wireless transceiver.