Audio information apparatus for providing position information

• US 5,495,416 A
• Filed: 11/07/1994
• Issued: 02/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Muskat, David H., Buchwitz, Guy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US08/335,560
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 342/386, 342/357, 364/450, 364/443, 364/361, 364/449, 340/996, 379/59, 395/2.1
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile

Abstract

An audio information apparatus for providing position information as to theocation of a target comprising a global positioning system receiver affixed to the target for generating a string of fifty ASCII characters representing the latitude and longitude spherical coordinates of the target. The fifty ASCII characters are supplied to a microprocessor which converts a predetermined number of the fifty characters to a plurality of a four bit addresses. The four bit addresses are supplied to a digital voice module which generates an analog audio voice signal in response to the four bit addresses. The analog audio voice signal which represents the location of the global positioning system receiver is supplied to a speaker. The speaker then broadcast the exact location of the global positioning system receiver. The analog audio voice signal is also supplied to a transmitter for transmission of the signal to a ground station.

Claims

1. An audio information system for determining a present location, said audio information system comprising:

a global position system receiver for providing electrical signals representative of a plurality of ASCII data characters, said plurality of ASCII data characters including latitude and longitude spherical coordinates indicative of the present location of said global position system receiver and a first checksum;

an optical coupler coupled to said global position system receiver for receiving said electrical signals and converting said electrical signals to a serial digital format;

a microprocessor coupled to said optical coupler for receiving said electrical signals converted to said serial digital format by said optical coupler, converting a predetermined number of said electrical signals received thereby to a plurality of binary addresses representative of said latitude and longitude spherical coordinates, calculating a second checksum and generating a play signal;

said microprocessor comparing said first checksum with said second checksum, said microprocessor setting a do not transfer flag whenever said first checksum is not equal to said second checksum;

a NAND gate having a first input for receiving a logic one, a second input coupled to said microprocessor for receiving said play signal and an output;

said NAND gate inverting said play signal to provide an inverted play signal;

a digital voice module coupled to said microprocessor and the output of said NAND gate for receiving said inverted play signal, said digital voice module receiving said plurality of binary addresses from said microprocessor whenever said microprocessor does not set said do not transfer flag, said digital voice module, responsive to said plurality of binary addresses and said inverted play signal, generating an analog audio voice signal representing said latitude and longitude spherical coordinates;

a two position switch having an input connected to said digital voice module, a first output and a second output;

a transmitter coupled to the first output of said switch for receiving said analog audio voice signal through said switch from said digital voice module, said transmitter having an antenna, said transmitter responsive to said analog audio voice signal providing a plurality of position messages at a predetermined frequency, said position messages including said latitude and longitude spherical coordinates;

said antenna transmitting said plurality of position messages at said predetermined frequency to provide an indication of the present location of said global position system receiver; and

a speaker connected to the second output of said switch for receiving said analog audio voice signal through said switch from said digital voice module, said speaker means, responsive to said analog audio voice signal broadcasting position information, said position information including said latitude and longitude spherical coordinates indicative of the present location of said global position system receiver.

2. The audio information system of claim 1 wherein each of said latitude and longitude spherical coordinates transmitted by said antenna has a direction, said direction being north or south for each of said latitude spherical coordinates and east or west for each of said longitude spherical coordinates.

3. The audio information system of claim 1 wherein each of said latitude and longitude spherical coordinates broadcast by said speaker has a direction, said direction being north or south for each of said latitude spherical coordinates and east or west for each of said longitude spherical coordinates.

4. The audio information system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of ASCII data characters comprises fifty ASCII data characters.

5. The audio information system of claim 1 further comprising a microphone connected to said digital voice module.

6. The audio information system of claim 1 further comprising:

a source of direct current voltage;

a first resistor having a first terminal connected to said source of direct current voltage and a second terminal;

a normally open switch having a first terminal connected to the second terminal of said first resistor and a second terminal connected to ground;

a first Schmitt Trigger inverter having an input connected to the second terminal of said first resistor and the first terminal of said normally open switch and an output;

a two position index direction switch having an input connected to said source of direct current voltage and an output;

a four bit up/down counter having a clock input connected to the output of said first Schmitt Trigger inverter, a down/up count input connected to the output of said two position index direction switch, a not load input for receiving an external reset signal, first, second, third and fourth data inputs connected to said source of direct current voltage and first, second, third and fourth data outputs;

a second Schmitt Trigger inverter having an input connected to the first data output of said four bit up/down counter and an output;

a third Schmitt Trigger inverter having an input connected to the second data output of said four bit up/down counter and an output;

a fourth Schmitt Trigger inverter having an input connected to the third data output of said four bit up/down counter and an output;

a fifth Schmitt Trigger inverter having an input connected to the fourth data output of said four bit up/down counter and an output;

a first field effect transistor having a gate connected to the output of said second Schmitt Trigger inverter, a source connected to ground and a drain;

a second field effect transistor having a gate connected to the output of said third Schmitt Trigger inverter, a source connected to ground and a drain;

a third field effect transistor having a gate connected to the output of said fourth Schmitt Trigger inverter, a source connected to ground and a drain;

a fourth field effect transistor having a gate connected to the output of said fifth Schmitt Trigger inverter, a source connected to ground and a drain;

a second resistor having a first terminal connected to said source of direct current voltage and a second terminal connected to the drain of said first field effect transistor;

a third resistor having a first terminal connected to said source of direct current voltage and a second terminal connected to the drain of said second field effect transistor;

a fourth resistor having a first terminal connected to said source of direct current voltage and a second terminal connected to the drain of said third field effect transistor;

a fifth resistor having a first terminal connected to said source of direct current voltage and a second terminal connected to the drain of said fourth field effect transistor; and

a line driver having a first input connected to the drain of said first field effect transistor and the second terminal of said second resistor, a second input connected to the drain of said second field effect transistor and the second terminal of said third resistor, a third input connected to the drain of said third field effect transistor and the second terminal of said fourth resistor, a fourth input connected to the drain of said fourth field effect transistor and the second terminal of said fifth resistor and first, second, third and fourth outputs connected to said digital voice module.

7. The audio information system of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of binary addresses comprises four binary address bits.

8. The audio information system of claim 1 further comprising a binary coded decimal switch coupled to said microprocessor.