Personal multi-purpose navigational apparatus and method for operation thereof
First Claim
1. A multi-purpose navigational apparatus, comprising:
- a temperature sensor means for sensing the temperature of the surrounding area of said navigational apparatus;
a barometric sensor means for sensing the barometric pressure of the surrounding area of said navigational apparatus;
an infrared sensor means for sensing, in the surrounding area of said navigational apparatus, bodies exhibiting heat;
a magnetometer means for determining navigational information;
a microprocessor means for receiving, processing, and outputting information directly from said temperature sensor means, barometric sensor means, infrared sensor means and magnetometer means, and for storing said information;
keyboard means operably coupled to said microprocessor means for communicating by a user with said microprocessor means;
display means operably coupled to said microprocessor means for displaying at least one of information processed through said microprocessor means, said information being at least one of said information for determining at least a location of a user of said apparatus, said information being information from at least one of said temperature sensor means, barometric sensor means, and infrared sensor means for determining at least an environmental condition surrounding said user;
a power source means for providing power to said navigational apparatus; and
upper and lower casings for housing said temperature sensor means, barometric sensor means, infrared sensor means, magnetometer means, microprocessor means, keyboard means, display means, and power source means.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A personal multi-purpose navigational instrument which can be hand held and portable for transporting at long distances is disclosed. The navigational instrument can receive, process, display, store and interface data for navigational use, such as, bearing information, inclination and declination,temperature, barometric pressure, current and elapse times, or the like. The navigational instrument has an internal flux gate magnetometer, solid state temperature sensor, solid state barometric pressure sensor, infrared sensor, and real time clock. The navigational instrument has a foldable LCD display for outputting the desired navigational information and a keyboard for instructing or inputting information through an internal microprocessor. Numerous functions can be performed as desired by way of the operations performed by the user on the keyboard; i.e., by way of specifically operating the multiple keys or buttons on the keyboard in various specific steps in order to achieve, for display or the like, the desired navigational information. A protractor/graduated scale and a pop-up lens extend from the navigational instrument for use in orienteering, mapping or course plotting. An infrared sensor is provided for use at dark environments for detecting the presence of "hot" bodies. An optical input/output port for serially interfacing between the internal CPU of the instrument and another electronic device, computer or the like, is also provided. The internal components are effectively arranged between upper and lower casings to provide a very compact and portable navigational instrument which can withstand the worst or weather conditions.
258 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A multi-purpose navigational apparatus, comprising:
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a temperature sensor means for sensing the temperature of the surrounding area of said navigational apparatus; a barometric sensor means for sensing the barometric pressure of the surrounding area of said navigational apparatus; an infrared sensor means for sensing, in the surrounding area of said navigational apparatus, bodies exhibiting heat; a magnetometer means for determining navigational information; a microprocessor means for receiving, processing, and outputting information directly from said temperature sensor means, barometric sensor means, infrared sensor means and magnetometer means, and for storing said information; keyboard means operably coupled to said microprocessor means for communicating by a user with said microprocessor means; display means operably coupled to said microprocessor means for displaying at least one of information processed through said microprocessor means, said information being at least one of said information for determining at least a location of a user of said apparatus, said information being information from at least one of said temperature sensor means, barometric sensor means, and infrared sensor means for determining at least an environmental condition surrounding said user; a power source means for providing power to said navigational apparatus; and upper and lower casings for housing said temperature sensor means, barometric sensor means, infrared sensor means, magnetometer means, microprocessor means, keyboard means, display means, and power source means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 19)
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11. A method for operating a multi-purpose navigational instrument comprising the steps of:
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turning power on of said navigational instrument; initializing of a central processing unit of said instrument; self-testing of memory, battery voltage and real time clock of said instrument; establishing of initial values in said central processing unit of a temperature sensor and a barometric pressure sensor of said instrument, and loading of said initial values into separate buffers of a memory of said central processing unit; displaying desired initial values onto a display of said instrument; determining navigational information from an internal magnetometer; providing said navigational information to said central processing unit directly from said magnetometer; at least one of processing and storing said information in said central processing unit; communicating to said central processing unit of said instrument by a user by way of a keyboard of said instrument; operating said central processing unit by way of said keyboard to perform desired tasks; and
thereafterdisplaying desired information onto said display of said instrument, said information being at least one of said information for determining at least a location of a user of said instrument, said information being information from at least one of said temperature sensor, barometric sensor, and infrared sensor for determining at least an environmental condition surrounding said user. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification