Mile post location display system

• US 4,068,307 A
• Filed: 05/06/1976
• Issued: 01/10/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David Floyd
• Original Assignee: David Floyd
• Inventors: Gorman, Lee V., Floyd, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrison, Malcolm A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Krass, Errol A.
• Application Number:
  US05/683,759
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 235/151.32, 235/150.2, 235/150.27, 235/92 DN, 235/92 TC, 235/95 R, 235/97, 235/61 J, 340/56, 340/366 R, 340/22, 340/23, 73/490, 116/28 R, 116/29
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/00 Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers, using pedometers

Abstract

This specification discloses a mile post location system particularly useful with a vehicle having a citizens band radio. The system includes a keyboard having switches which are representative of numbered digits, such that the vehicle operator may input an initial mile post designation indicative of the present location of the vehicle. The keyboard further includes switches to enable the vehicle operator to input incrementing or decrementing instructions. A computer circuit is responsive to the operation of the keyboard switches in order to store the initial mile post designation and the incrementing or decrementing instructions. A transducer is responsive to the distance traveled by the vehicle in order to generate and apply signals to the computer circuit. In response thereto, the computer circuit causes the initial mile post designation to be incremented or decremented in accordance with the stored instructions. A display is responsive to the computer circuit for displaying to the vehicle operator the last mile post passed by the vehicle in order to enable the vehicle operator to broadcast his present location on the citizens band radio.

Claims

1. A mile post location system for a vehicle having citizens band radio comprising:

input means having switches representative of a number of digits to enable the vehicle operator to selectively input any one of a plurality of initial mile post designationss indicative of an initial loction of the vehicle,

said input means further including a switch to enable incrementing or decrementing instructions to be input by the vehicle operator,

distance determining means responsive to the distance traveled by the vehicle, and

a display responsive to said switches and said distance determining means for displaying to the vehicle operator the number of the last mile post passed by the vehicle to enable the vehicle operator to broadcast his present location on the citizens band radio.

2. A location display system for a vehicle comprising:

transducer means for generating an electrical output signal which varies in accordance with rotation of a wheel of the vehicle;

mileage setting means accessible to the vehicle operator and including numerical digit and function keys operable for generating input signals representative of a mile post designation and incrementing or decrementing instructions;

calculator means responsive to said input signals and said transducer electrical output signal for performing arithmetic calculation on said signals and for generating an electrical output signal representing the position of the vehicle relative to said mile post designation; and

a display coupled to said calculator means for visually displaying said output signal generated by said calculator means.

3. The location display system of claim 2 wherein said display for visually displaying said output signal generated by said calculator means comprises an array of light emitting diodes.

4. The location display system of claim 3 wherein said calculator means arithmetically adds said input signals and said transducer output signal.

5. The location display system of claim 3 wherein said calculator means arithmetically substracts said transducer output signal from said input signals.

6. A mile post location display system for a vehicle comprising:

computing circuit means;

input means connected to said computing circuit means for entering digits of numbers representing an initial mile post designation and incrementing or decrementing commands into said computing circuit means;

means for generating a distance signal responsive to a predetermined distance traveled by the vehicle and for entering said distance signal into said computing circuit means, said computing circuit means incrementing or decrementing said initial mile designation in response to said distance signal to generate an output signal representing the location of the vehicle with respect to subsequent mile posts; and

means for visually displaying said output signal generated by said computing circuit means.

7. The mile post location display system of claim 6 wherein said means for visually displaying said output signal generated by said computing circuit means comprises an array of light emitting diodes.

8. The mile post location display system of claim 7 wherein said means for generating a distance signal is responsive to a predetermined fraction of a mile traveled by the vehicle.

9. The mile post location display system of claim 8 wherein said computing circuit means arithmetically adds said distance signal to said initial mile post designation.

10. The mile post location display system of claim 8 wherein said computing circuit means arithmetically subtracts said distance signal from said initial mile post designation.