Chart instrument for displaying real time vehicle position relative to information on charts
First Claim
1. A navigational instrument capable of displaying its position over a chart, including 2-sided charts, which corresponds to the instantaneous position of the instrument over ground depicted on the chart comprising:
- a housing unit having a compartment means for holding a printed chart and a window means through which said chart in said compartment means can be viewed at all times;
a transparent liquid crystal display means incorporated in said window means operable to generate an image in said window means in response to electrical signals;
a light source means associated with said window means having a transparent plate disposed between said liquid crystal display means and said compartment means with a light source positioned to direct light into an edge of said plate so it is operable to illuminate said compartment means so said chart therein is frontlighted and said liquid crystal display means is backlighted; and
,a computer means connected to said liquid crystal display and also connected to a source of signals for said instrument'"'"'s bearing and distance to at least one known ground location depicted on said chart in said compartment means, said computer means operable to convert said signals to data for generating a visible image in said liquid crystal display means above the chart which represents the instantaneous position of said instrument on said chart corresponding to its actual position over ground as depicted in said chart.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lap top navigation instrument, suitable for aircraft, includes a chart compartment covered by a transparent window containing a liquid crystal display as part of the window through which a conventional map or chart in the compartment can be viewed and a computer whereby an image can be generated in the display above the chart in the compartment and, through inputs to the computer from the aircraft'"'"'s instruments, the computer generated image in the display will be continuously repositioned above the surface of the chart so as pilot using the device has a continuous visual indication of the position of his aircraft over the topography depicted on the chart in the compartment. Directional components may be added to the image giving the pilot additional information in reference to the heading of the aircraft relative to the chart'"'"'s display of "North" showing how the image is actually tracking over the chart in the compartment. Further, in this device, the chart in the compartment is always visible to the pilot though the window. Should the instrument fail a pilot continues to have access to all the flight information contained on the chart without interruption. As a result, the instrument is very useful for instrument flight rules [IFR] procedures and instrument approaches for landings in that it is failsafe.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A navigational instrument capable of displaying its position over a chart, including 2-sided charts, which corresponds to the instantaneous position of the instrument over ground depicted on the chart comprising:
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a housing unit having a compartment means for holding a printed chart and a window means through which said chart in said compartment means can be viewed at all times; a transparent liquid crystal display means incorporated in said window means operable to generate an image in said window means in response to electrical signals; a light source means associated with said window means having a transparent plate disposed between said liquid crystal display means and said compartment means with a light source positioned to direct light into an edge of said plate so it is operable to illuminate said compartment means so said chart therein is frontlighted and said liquid crystal display means is backlighted; and
,a computer means connected to said liquid crystal display and also connected to a source of signals for said instrument'"'"'s bearing and distance to at least one known ground location depicted on said chart in said compartment means, said computer means operable to convert said signals to data for generating a visible image in said liquid crystal display means above the chart which represents the instantaneous position of said instrument on said chart corresponding to its actual position over ground as depicted in said chart. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A vehicle instrument for displaying the location of a vehicle to a vehicle operator in the form of a visible image superimposed over a chart that depicts predetermined ground locations, said vehicle having at least one instrument which produces electrical signals which define the location of the vehicle'"'"'s position relative to an external reference point, comprising:
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a chart receiver for receiving and securing a selected chart for viewing by the vehicle operator; a window means overlying said chart receiver through which a chart in said chart receiver can be viewed at all times, said window means including image generating means having a transparent liquid crystal display means overlaying said chart compartment enabling viewing there through such selected chart, while a visible image is generated in said liquid crystal display means above such chart, said window means also including a light source within the window means having a transparent plate disposed between said liquid crystal display and said compartment with a light positioned to direct light into an edge of said transparent plate so it is operable to illuminate a chart in such chart receiver and backlight said liquid crystal display means; said image generating means operable to generate a visible image in said window means over said chart which is representative of said vehicle'"'"'s position on said chart in said chart receiver; and image position control means for changing the location of said visible image of said image generating means over said chart in response to said electrical signals to maintain such image at successive locations that correspond to the successive real locations of said vehicle over terrain depicted in the chart. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An aircraft instrument for pictorially displaying the instantaneous location and heading of an aircraft having navigation instruments which produce electrical signals indicative of the location of the aircraft relative to a fixed reference and indicative of the heading of the aircraft, comprising;
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a chart receiver housing having a chart compartment therein for receiving a chart which depicts predetermined ground locations in the region over which said aircraft is flying and having a transparent window means overlaying said compartment through which said chart may be viewed at all times, said window means being formed at least in part by a transparent liquid crystal display, said window means also including a light source within the window means having a transparent plate between said liquid crystal display and said chart receiver with a light arranged to direct light into an edge of said plate whereby light therefrom is directed to said chart compartment to illuminate chart which are inserted therein and to backlight the liquid crystal display; circuit means for causing said liquid crystal display to exhibit a visible image representative of the aircraft therein; conductor means between said aircraft and said housing for transmitting electrical signals from the aircraft instruments to said housing; and
,a computer means disposed within said housing connected to said signals and operable to cause said visible image to move to successive locations over said chart in said liquid crystal display that corresponds to the successive actual locations of said aircraft over the ground depicted on said chart, said electrical signals defining the location of the instrument'"'"'s position relative to an external reference point, and having means for changing the orientation of said visible image relative to said chart to correspond to changes of the actual heading of said aircraft.
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23. An instrument for displaying its location in the form of a visible image superimposed over a chart that depicts predetermined ground locations where the instrument is being used, comprising:
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a chart receiver for receiving and securing a selected chart for viewing by the user; a window means overlaying said chart receiver through which a chart in said chart receiver can be viewed at all times, said window means also including image generating means having a transparent liquid crystal display, and said window means also including a light source within the window means having a transparent plate between said liquid crystal display and said chart receiver with a light arranged to direct light into an edge of said plate so it is operable to illuminate charts which are inserted therein and backlight said image generating means; said image generating means operable to generate a visible image in said window means over said chart which is representative of said instrument'"'"'s position on said chart in said chart receiver; and image position control means for changing the location of said visible image of said image generating means over said chart in response to external electrical signals received by said instrument to maintain said image at successive locations that correspond to the successive real locations of said instrument over terrain depicted in the chart.
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Specification