Navigational device with improved user interface

• US 20070016360A1
• Filed: 07/14/2005
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Moore, Ryan, Reeson, Joshua, Moore, Scott, Lee, Choy, Burrell, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US11/181,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016360A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures

Abstract

A navigational device comprising navigational electronics and an improved menu-driven user interface. The navigational electronics are operable for receiving navigation signals from a source, for calculating a position of the device as a function of the signals, and for providing directions to a desired location. The user interface is operable for controlling certain functions of the device and includes a rotary wheel that may be moved in two directions with no mechanical limits for selecting at least one of the functions. In preferred forms, the rotary wheel is rotated up or down to highlight functions and then pushed in to selected a highlighted function.

Claims

1. A navigational device comprising:

navigational electronics operable for receiving navigation signals from a source thereof and for performing navigational functions; and

a user interface including a manual input that may be moved in two directions with no mechanical limits and operable for selecting at least one of the navigational functions.

2. The navigational device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the navigational functions include calculating a position of the device as a function of the signals, providing directions to a desired location, displaying a map showing the position of the device, looking up directions to destinations, looking up addresses for the destinations, marking waypoints, marking home locations, and navigating between two or more positions.

3. The navigational device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the manual input is a rotary wheel that may be rotated up or down to highlight or otherwise mark one of the navigational functions and pushed to execute the highlighted or marked function.

4. The navigational device as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a display screen for displaying information relating to the navigational functions and a housing for housing the navigational electronics, the user interface, and the display screen.

5. The navigational device as set forth In claim 4, wherein the rotary wheel is positioned on a front face of the housing below the display screen.

6. The navigational device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the rotary wheel is positioned on a front face of the housing above the display screen.

7. The navigational device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the rotary wheel Is positioned on a side wall of the housing.

8. The navigational device as set forth in claim 3, the user interface further including a manually selectable input that may be operated to return to a previously selected or viewed navigational function.

9. The navigational device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the manually selectable input is a pushbutton switch.

10. The navigational device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the pushbutton switch is positioned on one side of the rotary wheel.

11. The navigational device as set forth in claim 3, the user interface further including a power switch.

12. The navigational device as set forth in claim 11, wherein the power switch is positioned on one side of the rotary wheel.

13. The navigational device as set forth in claim 1, further including a TransFlash card slot for receiving removable TransFlash cards for use in transferring cartographic data to the navigational electronics.

14. The navigational device as set forth in claim 1, further including a USB port for transferring cartographic data to and from the navigational electronics.

15. The navigational device as set forth in claim 4, further including a speaker for providing audible feedback to a user of the navigational device.

16. The navigational device as set forth in claim 15, wherein the rotary wheel is operable to increase the volume of the speaker when rotated up and to decrease the volume of the speaker when rotated down.

17. The navigational device as set forth in claim 16, wherein the speaker provides an audible indication of its volume that becomes progressively louder as the rotary wheel is rotated up and progressively quieter when the rotary wheel is rotated down.

18. The navigational device as set forth in claim 17, wherein the display screen provides a visual indication of the volume of the speaker as the rotary wheel is rotated up or down.

19. The navigational device as set forth in claim 3, wherein the rotary wheel is operable to increase the brightness of the display screen when rotated up and to decrease the brightness when rotated down.

20. The navigational device as set forth in claim 3, wherein the navigational electronics is operable to display a map on the display screen and wherein the rotary wheel is operable to zoom-in on the map when rotated up and zoom-out when rotated down.

36. The navigational device as set forth In claim 1, further including a wireless communications transceiver.

21. A navigational device comprising:

a housing having a front face;

navigational electronics enclosed within the housing for receiving navigational signals from a source thereof and for performing navigational functions including calculating a position of the device as a function of the signals and providing directions to a desired location;

a display screen positioned on the front face of the housing for displaying an indication of the position of the device and the directions to the desired location; and

a user interface for selecting the navigational functions, the user interface including;

a rotary wheel that may be rotated to highlight or otherwise mark one of the navigational functions and then pushed to select the highlighted or marked navigational function, and

a pushbutton switch that may be operated to return to a previously selected or viewed navigational function.

22. The navigational device as set forth in claim 21, wherein the rotary wheel and the pushbutton switch are positioned on the front face of the housing below the display screen.

23. The navigational device as set forth in claim 21, the user interface further including a power switch.

24. The navigational device as set forth in claim 23, wherein the power switch is positioned on one side of the rotary wheel.

25. The navigational device as set forth in claim 21, further including a TransFlash card slot for receiving removable TransFlash cards for use in transferring cartographic data to the navigational electronics.

26. The navigational device as set forth in claim 21, further including a USB port for transferring cartographic data to and from the navigational electronics.

37. The navigational device as set forth in claim 21, further including a wireless communications transceiver.

27. A navigational device comprising:

a housing having a front face;

navigational electronics enclosed within the housing for receiving navigational signals from a source thereof, for calculating a position of the device as a function of the signals, and for providing directions to a desired location; and

a display screen positioned on the front face of the housing for displaying an indication of the position of the device and the directions, wherein the 25 navigational electronics and display screen are operable for displaying a main page with information relating to only two primary navigational functions when the navigational device is turned on.

28. The navigational device as set forth in claim 27, wherein a first of the two primary navigational functions permits selection of a desired destination and provides directions to go to the desired destination.

29. The navigational device as set forth in claim 28, wherein a second of the two primary navigational functions permits viewing of a map showing the location of the device and directions to go to the desired destination.

30. The navigational device as set forth in claim 27, further including a user interface for controlling navigational functions of the device, the user interface including:

a rotary wheel that may be rotated to highlight or otherwise mark a navigational function and pushed to select the highlighted or marked function, and

a pushbutton switch that may be operated to return to a previously selected or viewed navigational function.

31. The navigational device as set forth in claim 30, wherein the rotary wheel and the pushbutton switch are positioned on the front face of the housing below the display screen.

32. The navigational device as set forth in claim 27, the user interface further including a power switch.

33. The navigational device as set forth in claim 32, wherein the power switch is positioned on one side of the rotary wheel.

34. The navigational device as set forth in claim 27, further including a TransFlash card slot for receiving removable TransFlash cards for use in transferring cartographic data to the navigational electronics.

35. The navigational device as set forth in claim 27, further including a USB port for transferring cartographic data to and from the navigational electronics.

38. The navigational device as set forth in claim 27, further including a wireless communications transceiver.