Simple device and method to return a user to a location

• US 20050242989A1
• Filed: 04/20/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro
• Granted Patent: US 7,432,854 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.570
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A low-power location apparatus for returning to a user to a location including a system unit configured to compute a location using radio signals, a user interface unit having a display area and first and second buttons, a memory unit, and a computational unit configured to interact with the first and second buttons. The computation unit retrieves a first location from the system unit and stores the first location in the memory unit upon selection of the first button by the user. Further, the computation unit retrieves a second location from the system unit and calculates a relative three-dimensional direction from the second location to the first location upon selection of the second button by the user. The relative three-dimensional direction is graphically represented on the low-power display area of the user interface unit.

Claims

1. A low-power location apparatus for returning a user to a location, comprising:

a system unit configured to determine a current location using radio signals;

a user interface unit having a low-power display area and first and second buttons;

a memory unit; and

a computational unit configured to interact with the first and second buttons, wherein the computation unit retrieves a first location from the system unit and stores the first location in the memory unit upon selection of the first button by the user, and the computation unit retrieves a second location from the system unit and calculates a relative three-dimensional direction from the second location to the first location upon selection of the second button by the user, and

wherein the relative three-dimensional direction is graphically represented on the low-power display area of the user interface unit.

2. The location apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radio signals comprise Global Positional System (GPS) orbiting space satellite signals.

3. The location apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the low-power display area of the user interface unit includes left, right, forward, back, up, and down indicators to represent the relative three-dimensional direction.

4. The location apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, upon selection of the second button by the user, the computation unit for a predetermined duration repeatedly retrieves the current location from the system unit, calculates a relative three-dimensional direction from the current location to the first location, and graphically represents the three-dimensional direction on the low-power display area of the user interface unit.

5. The location apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is handheld.

6. The location apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the location apparatus is incorporated into a vehicle key remote, a watch, or a bracelet.

7. The location apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the location apparatus is incorporated into a cellular telephone.

8. The location apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a self-charging unit, the self-charging unit including one of a solar panel, photovoltaic cell, and a kinetic charging device.

9. A method of returning a user to a location using a low-power radio-based location device, comprising:

first determining a first location using a system unit interacting with radio-based transmission devices upon selection by the user;

storing the first location in a memory unit;

second determining a second location using the system unit;

calculating a relative three-dimensional direction from the second location to the first location upon selection by the user; and

displaying the relative three-dimensional direction in a low-power display area.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the radio-based transmission devices comprise Global Positional System (GPS) orbiting space satellite-based devices.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the low-power display area includes left, right, forward, back, up, and down indicators to represent the relative three-dimensional direction.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein upon selection by the user the calculating step and the displaying step are repeated periodically for a predetermined duration.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the location device is handheld.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the location device is incorporated into a vehicle key remote, a watch, or a bracelet.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the location device is incorporated into a cellular telephone.

16. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

charging the location device using a self-charging unit, the self-charging unit including one of a solar panel, photovoltaic cell, and a kinetic charging device.

17. A location system for returning a user to a location using a low-power radio-based location device, comprising;

first determining means for determining a first location using a system unit interacting with radio-based transmission devices upon selection by the user;

storing means for storing the first location in a memory unit;

second determining means for determining a second location using the system unit;

calculating means for calculating a relative three-dimensional direction from the second location to the first location upon selection by the user; and

displaying means for displaying the relative three-dimensional direction in a low-power display area.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the radio-based transmission devices comprise Global Positional System (GPS) orbiting space satellite-based devices.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the low-power display area includes left, right, forward, back, up, and down indicators to represent the relative three-dimensional direction.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein upon selection by the user the calculating means and the displaying means are repeated periodically for a predetermined duration.

21. The system according to claim 17, further comprising:

self-charging means for charging the location device.

22. A low-power location apparatus for returning a user to a location, comprising:

a system unit configured to determine a current location using radio signals;

a user interface unit having a low-power display area and first, second, and third buttons;

a memory unit; and

a computational unit configured to interact with the first and second buttons, wherein the computation unit retrieves one of a plurality of locations from the system unit and stores one of the plurality of locations in the memory unit upon selection of the first button by the user, the computation unit retrieves a location from the system unit and calculates a relative three-dimensional direction from the location to one of the plurality of locations upon selection of the second button by the user,

wherein the relative three-dimensional direction is graphically represented on the low-power display area of the user interface unit, wherein the third button is configured to select one of the plurality of locations, and wherein each of plurality of locations are identified by a unique location number.

23. The location apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the radio signals comprise Global Positional System (GPS) orbiting space satellite signals.

24. The location apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the low-power display area of the user interface unit includes left, right, forward, back, up, and down indicators to represent the relative three-dimensional direction.

25. The location apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising an internal compass configured to determine a direction relative to a magnetic north,

wherein the computational unit further retrieves one of a plurality of directions from the internal compass and stores one of the plurality of directions and one of the plurality of locations in the memory unit upon selection of the first button by the user, and the computational unit further retrieves a direction from the internal compass and graphically represents the direction relative to one of the plurality of directions on the left, right, forward, and back indicators when the location and one of the plurality of locations are identical.

26. The location apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the low-power display area of the user interface unit includes a distance indicator to represent the relative three-dimensional distance from the location and one of the plurality of locations.

27. The location apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the left, right, forward, and back indicators are simultaneously activated to represent that the location and one of the plurality of locations are identical.

28. The location apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising an internal compass configured determine a direction relative to a magnetic north,

wherein the low-power display area of the user interface unit further includes a direction indicator, and wherein the computational unit further retrieves one of a plurality of directions from the internal compass and stores one of the plurality of directions and one of the plurality of locations in the memory unit upon selection of the first button by the user, and the computational unit further retrieves a direction from the internal compass and activates the direction indicator when the location and one of the plurality of locations are identical, and the direction and one of the plurality of directions are identical.

29. The location apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the left, right, forward, and back indicators are simultaneously activated to represent that the location and one of the plurality of locations are identical.

30. The location apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the low-power display area of the user interface unit further includes a location number display configured to represent the unique location number of the one of plurality of locations selected by the third button.

31. The location apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the user interface unit includes a fourth button configured to delete all of the plurality of locations and directions stored in the memory unit upon selection of the fourth button by the user.

32. The location apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising:

a self-charging unit, the self-charging unit including one of a solar panel, photovoltaic cell, and a kinetic charging device.