Navigational system for determining and displaying the position of a vessel on a navigational chart

• US 5,420,795 A
• Filed: 09/02/1994
• Issued: 05/30/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leonard M. Greene
• Original Assignee: Leonard M. Greene
• Inventors: Greene, Leonard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walker, Tyrone V.
• Application Number:
  US08/300,352
• Time in Patent Office: 270 Days
• Field of Search: 364/443, 364/444, 364/449, 340/995, 353/12
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/22 Plotting boards
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A navigational system for determining and displaying the position of a vessel on a navigational chart includes an optical projection system for establishing first and second reference points on the chart. The system also includes a computer and a keyboard or the like for entering the longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of the first and second reference points in the computer. A GPS or Loran receiver is also tied into the computer so that the present position of the vessel can be projected onto the chart.

Claims

1. A navigational system for determining and displaying the position of a vessel on a navigational chart comprising a computer including memory means, a printed navigational chart, optical scanning means including a source of light for projecting a spot of light onto said printed navigational chart separated from said navigational chart and means for positioning said navigational chart at a distance from said optical scanning means, means including said optical scanning means for establishing first and second reference points on said printed navigational chart, and means for entering the coordinates of the first and second reference points in said memory, detecting and inputting means for detecting and inputting the vessel'"'"'s position data into said memory, means including said computer for coordinating the coordinates of the first and second reference points from said navigational chart and in said memory and the vessel'"'"'s position data, and means for displaying the vessel'"'"'s position on said printed navigational chart.

2. A navigational system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said optical scanning means includes a movable mirror and means for projecting a beam of light onto said chart by way of said mirror.

3. A navigational system in accordance with claim 2 which includes control means operably connected to said computer and in which said mirror is operatively connected to said control means for projecting a light spot onto a preselected reference point on said chart.

4. A navigational system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for entering the coordinates of the first and second reference points are adapted to enter the longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of each of the reference points into said memory.

5. A navigational system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said means for inputting position data includes communication circuitry that is connectable to a navigational receiver for receiving position data signals.

6. A navigational system in accordance with claim 5 wherein said computer memory means is adapted to store a series of positional data signals over time to constitute a navigational path.

7. A navigational system in accordance with claim 6 which includes means for relating the positional data signals to the reference points on said chart.

8. A navigational system in accordance with claim 7 which includes means for applying scaling factors to the positional data signals to display the location of a vessel on the chart.

9. A navigational system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said optical scanning means is a laser.

10. A navigational system for a vessel or the like having a position input system for assisting vessel navigation and for displaying the position on a printed navigational chart comprising:

a navigational chart and optical projecting means including a source of light spaced from said printed navigational chart and constructed and arranged to project a beam of light onto said navigational chart;

means for supporting said chart in a first position with respect to said optical projecting means and at a distance from said optical projecting means for scanning with the light beam;

first input means for inputting first and second reference points on said chart as identified by said projecting means;

second input means for inputting the longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of said first and second reference points;

location information receiving means for receiving positional data for a vessel and third input means for inputting positional data of the vessel;

computer means including memory means for storing the longitudinal and latitudinal positional information on the first, and second reference points and for coordinating the positional data and the reference data and means for displaying positional data on said chart.

11. A navigational system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said optical scanning means includes a movable mirror and means for moving said mirror to thereby position a light spot on a preselected location on said chart.

12. A navigational system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said third input means is a global positioning system.

13. A navigational system in accordance with claim 10 which includes a tracking ball for positioning the light beam.

14. A navigational system in accordance with claim 10 which includes a keypad for entering the longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of the selected reference points.

15. A method for determining and displaying the position of a vessel on a printed navigational chart comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a computer including a memory, a printed navigational chart and optical scanning means including a source of light for projecting a spot of light onto the printed navigational chart;

(b) positioning the navigational chart at a distance from the optical scanning means and fixing the navigational chart in that position;

(c) establishing first and second reference points on said printed navigational chart by projecting a beam of light onto the chart;

(d) entering the coordinates of the first and second reference points from said printed navigational chart into the computer memory;

(e) detecting and inputting the vessel'"'"'s position data and coordinating the coordinates of the first and second reference points from said printed navigational chart with the vessel'"'"'s position data; and

(f) displaying the vessel'"'"'s position on the printed navigational chart.