Automatic scaling of GPS field maps

A system configured to sample at least one characteristic relating to a geographic area at a plurality of locations within the geographic area, the system comprising:

• a vehicle moveable over the geographic area;
• location means supported by the vehicle for generating location signals representative of the plurality of locations within the geographic area;
• sensing means supported by the vehicle for generating characteristic signals representative of a characteristic sampled at the plurality of locations within the geographic area;
• control means coupled to the location means and sensing means for correlating location data representative of the location signals generated at the plurality of locations with characteristic data representative of the characteristic signals generated at the respective plurality of locations, wherein the geographic area is defined by and changes with the location data;
• and
• display means supported by the vehicle and coupled to the control means for generating a visual representation of the characteristic data in a map display area of the display means, the control means scaling the defined geographic area to substantially correspond to a portion of the map display area and producing a display signal which, when applied to the display means, generates visible indicia of the characteristic data at corresponding locations of the portion of the map display area;
• wherein the map display area includes a border, the control means rescaling the defined geographic area when the visible indicia of the characteristic data substantially reach the border of the map display area.

A method for sampling at least one characteristic relating to a geographic area at a plurality of locations within the geographic area and generating an image in a map display area of an electronic display representative of the characteristic, the method comprising the steps of:

• moving a vehicle over the geographic area;
• generating location signals representative of the plurality of locations of the vehicle within the geographic area;
• generating characteristic signals representative of a characteristic sampled at the plurality of locations of the vehicle within the geographic area;
• correlating location data representative of the location signals generated at the plurality of locations within the geographic area with characteristic data representative of the characteristic signals generated at the respective plurality of locations, wherein the geographic area is defined by and changes with the location data;
• scaling the defined geographic area to substantially correspond to a portion of the map display area;
• generating visible indicia of the characteristic data at corresponding locations of the portion of the map display area;
• and
• rescaling the defined geographic area when the visible indicia of the characteristic data substantially reach a border of the map display area.