Direction indicator for navigation

• US 5,749,150 A
• Filed: 12/20/1996
• Issued: 05/12/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kevin Mcdermott
• Original Assignee: Kevin Mcdermott
• Inventors: McDermott, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): BENNETT, GEORGE B
• Application Number:
  US08/770,799
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 33/349, 33/355 R, 33/358, 33/359, 33/361, 340/540, 340/689, 340/686
• US Class Current: 33/361
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/28 Electromagnetic compasses with north seeking magnetic elements and having electric pick-offs G01C17/26

Abstract

An electronic audio/visual direction indicator for underwater or other types of navigation which gives unobtrusive and continuous directional feedback without the need for manual manipulation.

Claims

1. An electronic navigation device comprising:

a housing assembly; and

an electronic assembly for indicating when said housing assembly is oriented at a first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said electronic assembly further comprising a direction indicator coupled to a power source via a control circuit, said direction indicator further including a vibrating means for creating a vibration and a means to transmit said vibration to the body of a user of said electronic navigation device, said control circuit selectively energizing said direction indicator when said housing assembly attains said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

2. The electronic navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising said vibrating means having a first frequency and said direction indicator emitting said vibration at said first frequency when said housing assembly attains said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

3. The electronic navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising said vibrating means having a second frequency, said control circuit further energizing said direction indicator for emitting said vibration at said frequency when said housing assembly attains a second predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

4. An electronic navigation device comprising:

a housing assembly; and

an electronic assembly for indicating when said housing assembly is oriented at a first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said electronic assembly further comprising a direction indicator coupled to a power source via a control circuit, said direction indicator further including an audible signal of a first frequency, said control circuit selectively energizing said direction indicator when said housing assembly attains said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

5. An electronic navigation device comprising:

a housing assembly;

a magnet having a first pole and a second pole rotatably mounted in said housing assembly for maintaining an alignment with Earth'"'"'s magnetic field;

an electronic assembly means activated by said magnet for indicating when said housing assembly is oriented at a first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said electronic assembly means further comprising;

a direction indicator coupled to a power supply and selectively activated to provide a first direction signal, said direction indicator further including a vibrating means for creating a vibration and a means to transmit said vibration to the body of a user of said electronic navigation device,

a first Hall effect sensing element for sensing a proximate presence of said first pole of said magnet and

a first switch element coupled to said first Hall effect sensing element for energizing said direction indicator with said power supply upon said sensed presence of said first pole of said magnet by said first Hall effect sensing element to signal that said housing assembly has attained said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

6. The electronic navigational device according to claim 5, further comprising said vibrating means having a first frequency and said direction indicator emitting said vibration at said first frequency when said housing assembly attains said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

7. The electronic navigational device according to claim 5, further comprising said vibrating means having a second frequency, said electronic assembly means further indicating when said housing assembly attains a second predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field by said direction indicator emitting said vibration at said second frequency.

8. An electronic navigation device comprising:

a housing assembly;

a magnet having a first pole and a second pole rotatably mounted in said housing assembly for maintaining an alignment with Earth'"'"'s magnetic field;

an electronic assembly activated by said magnet for indicating when said housing assembly is oriented at a first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said electronic assembly further comprising;

a direction indicator coupled to a power supply and selectively activated to provide a first direction signal, said direction indicator further including an audible signal of a first frequency,

a first Hall effect sensing element for sensing a proximate presence of said first pole of said magnet and

a first switch element coupled to said first Hall effect sensing element for energizing said direction indicator with said power supply upon said sensed presence of said first pole to signal that said housing assembly has attained said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

9. An electronic navigation device comprising:

a housing assembly;

a power source;

an electromagnetic energy source energized by said power source;

a magnet rotatably mounted in said housing assembly for maintaining an alignment with Earth'"'"'s magnetic field and for thereby regulating electromagnetic energy from said electromagnetic energy source in accordance with an azimuthal angle of said housing assembly relative to Earth'"'"'s magnetic field; and

an electronic assembly means for indicating when said housing assembly is oriented at a first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field comprising;

a direction indicator selectively energized by said power source, said direction indicator further including a vibrating means for creating a vibration and a means to transmit said vibration to the body of a user of said electronic navigation device;

a first sensor control element for applying said power source to said direction indicator upon sensing a predetermined level of regulated electromagnetic energy from said electromagnetic energy source,

whereby said direction indicator is energized when said housing assembly is oriented at said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

10. The electronic navigational device according to claim 9, further comprising said vibrating means having a first frequency and said direction indicator emitting said vibration at said first frequency when said housing assembly attains said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

11. The electronic navigational device according to claim 9, further comprising said vibrating means having a second frequency, said electronic assembly means further indicating when said housing assembly is oriented at a second predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field by said direction indicator emitting said vibration at said second frequency.

12. An electronic navigation device comprising:

a housing assembly;

a power source;

an electromagnetic energy source energized by said power source;

a magnet rotatably mounted in said housing assembly for maintaining an alignment with Earth'"'"'s magnetic field and for thereby regulating electromagnetic energy from said electromagnetic energy source in accordance with an azimuthal angle of said housing assembly relative to Earth'"'"'s magnetic field; and

an electronic assembly means for indicating when said housing assembly is oriented at a first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field comprising;

a direction indicator selectively energized by said power source, said first direction indicator further including an audible signal of a first frequency;

a first sensor control element for applying said power source to said direction indicator upon sensing a predetermined level of regulated electromagnetic energy from said electromagnetic energy source,

whereby said direction indicator is energized when said housing assembly is oriented at a first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

13. An electronic navigational device comprising:

a housing assembly, means for selecting a first predetermined azimuthal angle of said housing assembly relative to the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field; and

an electronic assembly means disposed within said housing assembly for indicating when said housing assembly is oriented at said first predetermined azimuthal angle, said electronic assembly further comprising a direction indicator coupled to a power source via a control circuit, said direction indicator being selectively energized at the beginning of an angular bandwidth corresponding with said predetermined azimuthal angle by rotation of the electronic navigation device in a first azimuthal direction and remaining selectively energized over said angular bandwidth by continued rotation of the electronic navigation device in said first azimuthal direction beyond said first predetermined azimuthal angle; and

said direction indicator further comprising a vibrating means for creating a vibration with a means to transmit said vibration to a portion of the body of a user.

14. The electronic navigation device according to claim 13, further comprising said vibrating means having a first frequency, and said direction indicator emitting said vibration at said first frequency when said housing assembly attains said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

15. The electronic navigation device according to claim 13, further comprising said vibrating means having a second frequency, said electronic assembly means further indicating when said housing assembly attains a second predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field by said direction indicator emitting said vibration at said second frequency.

16. An electronic navigation device comprising:

a housing assembly, means for selecting a first predetermined azimuthal angle of said housing assembly relative to the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field; and

an electronic assembly means disposed within said housing assembly for indicating when said housing assembly is oriented at said first predetermined azimuthal angle, said electronic assembly means further comprising a direction indicator coupled to a power source via a control circuit, said direction indicator being selectively energized at the beginning of an angular bandwidth corresponding with said predetermined azimuthal angle by rotation of the electronic navigation device in a first azimuthal direction and remaining selectively energized over said angular bandwidth by continued rotation of the electronic navigation device in said first azimuthal direction beyond said first predetermined azimuthal angle; and

said direction indicator further including means for producing a simple audio signal of a first frequency to indicate said first azimuthal direction.

17. An electronic navigation device comprising:

a housing assembly;

means on the housing assembly for selecting a predetermined azimuthal angle of said housing assembly relative to the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field;

a magnet having a first pole and a second pole rotatably mounted in said housing assembly for maintaining an alignment with Earth'"'"'s magnetic field;

an electronic assembly means activated by said magnet for indicating when said housing assembly is oriented at said predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said electronic assembly means further comprising;

a direction indicator coupled to a power supply and selectively activated by said magnet to provide a first direction signal,

a first Hall effect sensing element for sensing a proximate presence of said first pole of said magnet, and

a first switch element coupled to said first Hall effect sensing element for energizing said direction indicator with said power supply as said first pole approaches said first sensing element to signal said housing assembly being rotated in a first azimuthal direction and attaining said first predetermined azimuthal angle corresponding to the beginning of an angular bandwidth and said switch remaining energized over said angular bandwidth upon continued rotation of said housing assembly in said first azimuthal direction, and

said direction indicator further comprising a vibrating means for creating a vibration with a means to transmit said vibration to a portion of the body of a user.

18. The electronic navigation device according to claim 17, further comprising said vibrating means having a first frequency, and said direction indicator emitting said vibration at said first frequency when said housing assembly attains said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

19. The electronic navigation device according to claim 17, further comprising said vibrating means having a second frequency, said electronic assembly means further indicating when said housing assembly attains a second predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field by said direction indicator emitting said vibration at said second frequency.

20. An electronic navigation device comprising:

a housing assembly;

means on the housing assembly for selecting a predetermined azimuthal angle of said housing assembly relative to the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field;

a magnet having a first pole and a second pole rotatably mounted in said housing assembly for maintaining an alignment with said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field;

an electronic assembly activated by said magnet for indicating when said housing assembly is oriented at said predetermined angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said electronic assembly further comprising;

a direction indicator coupled to a power supply and selectively activated by said magnet to provide a first audible direction signal,

a first Hall effect sensing element for sensing a proximate presence of said first pole of said magnet, and

a first switch element coupled to said first Hall effect sensing element for energizing said direction indicator with said power supply as said first pole approaches said first sensing element to signal said housing assembly being rotated in a first azimuthal direction and attaining said first predetermined azimuthal angle corresponding to the beginning of an angular bandwidth and said switch remaining energized over said angular bandwidth upon continued rotation of said housing assembly in said first azimuthal direction, and

said direction indicator further comprising means for producing a single audio signal of a first frequency upon being energized by said power supply to indicate said housing assembly being oriented at said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

21. An electronic navigation device comprising:

a housing assembly;

a magnet having a first and a second pole rotatably mounted in said housing assembly for maintaining an alignment with Earth'"'"'s magnetic field;

an electronic assembly means activated by said magnet for indicating when said housing assembly is oriented at a predetermined angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said electronic assembly means further comprising;

a first direction indicator coupled to a power supply and selectively activated by said magnet to provide a first direction signal,

a first Hall effect sensing element for sensing a proximate presence of said first pole of said magnet, and

a first switch element effect sensing element for energizing said first direction indicator with said power supply upon said sensed presence of said first pole, thereby energizing said first direction indicator to signal that said housing assembly has attained a first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, wherein said electronic assembly means further comprises;

a second direction indicator coupled to said power supply and selectively activated by said magnet to provide a second direction signal;

a second Hall effect sensing element for sensing a proximate presence of said second pole of said magnet; and

a second switch element coupled to said Hall effect sensing element for energizing said second direction indicator with said power supply upon said sensed presence of said second pole, thereby energizing said second direction indicator to signal that said housing assembly has attained a second predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, and

said first direction indicator further including a first vibrating means for creating a first vibration with a means to transmit said first vibration to the body of a user, said second direction indicator further including a second vibrating means for creating a second vibration with a means to transmit said second vibration to the body of a user.

22. The electronic navigation device according to claim 21, further comprising said first vibrating means having a first frequency, and said first direction indicator emitting said first vibration at said first frequency when said housing assembly attains said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

23. The electronic navigation device according to claim 21, further comprising said second vibrating means having a second frequency, and said direction indicator emitting said second vibration at said second frequency when said housing assembly attains said second predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

24. An electronic navigation device comprising:

a housing assembly;

a magnet having a first and a second pole rotatably mounted in said housing assembly for maintaining an alignment with Earth'"'"'s magnetic field;

an electronic assembly means activated by said magnet for indicating when said housing assembly is oriented at a first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said electronic assembly means further comprising;

a first direction indicator coupled to and selectively activated by said magnet to provide a first audible direction signal,

a first Hall effect sensing element for sensing a proximate presence of said first pole of said magnet, and

a first switch element effect sensing element for energizing said first direction indicator with said power supply upon said sensed presence of said first pole, thereby energizing said first direction indicator to signal that said housing assembly has attained said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, wherein said electronic assembly means further comprises;

a second direction indicator coupled to said power supply and selectively activated by said magnet assembly to provide a second audible direction signal;

a second Hall effect sensing element for sensing a proximate presence of said second pole of said magnet; and

a second switch element coupled to said second Hall effect sensing element for energizing said second direction indicator with said power supply upon said sensed presence of said second pole, thereby energizing said second direction indicator to signal that said housing assembly has attained a second predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

25. The electronic navigation device according to claim 24, wherein said first audible direction signal is a single audible signal of a first frequency.

26. The electronic navigation device according to claim 24, wherein said second audible direction signal is an audible signal of a second frequency.

27. An electronic navigation device comprising:

a housing assembly;

a magnet with a first and a second pole and rotatably mounted in said housing assembly for maintaining an alignment with Earth'"'"'s magnetic field;

an electronic assembly means activated by said magnet for indicating when said housing assembly is oriented at a first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said electronic assembly means further comprising;

a direction indicator coupled to a power supply and selectively activated by said magnet to provide a first direction signal,

a first Hall effect sensing element for sensing a proximate presence of said first pole of said magnet and

a first switch element coupled to said first Hall effect sensing element for energizing said first direction indicator with said power supply upon said sensed presence of said first pole, thereby energizing said direction indicator to signal that said housing assembly has attained a first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field,

wherein said power supply comprises a battery enclosed within said housing assembly, and said electronic assembly means further comprises a circuit board assembly which includes;

said direction indicator mounted on said circuit board and selectively connectable to said battery for providing a first direction signal;

said first Hall effect sensing element on said circuit board for sensing alignment with said first pole of said magnet; and

said switch element for connecting said battery to said first direction indicator upon said first Hall effect sensing element sensing said alignment, thereby activating said first direction indicator to signal that said housing assembly has attained said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, and

said direction indicator further including a vibrating means for creating a vibration with a means to transmit said vibration to the body of a user.

28. The electronic navigation device according to claim 27, further comprising said vibrating means having a first frequency, and said direction indicator emitting said vibration at said first frequency when said housing assembly attains said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

29. The electronic navigation device according to claim 27, further comprising said vibrating means having a second frequency, said electronic assembly means further indicating when said housing assembly attains a second predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field by said direction indicator emitting said vibration at said second frequency.

30. An electronic navigation device comprising:

a housing assembly;

a magnet with a first and a second pole rotatably mounted in said housing assembly for maintaining an alignment with Earth'"'"'s magnetic field;

an electronic assembly means activated by said magnet for indicating when said housing assembly is oriented at a predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, said electronic assembly means further comprising;

a first direction indicator coupled to a power supply and selectively activated by said magnet to provide a first audible direction signal,

a first Hall effect sensing element for sensing a proximate presence of said first pole of said magnet, and

a first switch element coupled to said first Hall effect sensing element for energizing said first direction indicator with said power supply upon said sensed presence of said first pole, thereby energizing said first direction indicator to signal that said housing assembly has attained a first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field,

wherein said power supply comprises a battery enclosed within said housing assembly, and said electronic assembly means further comprises a circuit board assembly which includes;

said first direction indicator mounted on said circuit board and selectively connectable to said battery for providing a first direction signal;

said first Hall effect sensing element on said circuit board for sensing alignment with said first pole of said magnet; and

said switch element for connecting said battery to said first direction indicator upon said first Hall effect sensing element sensing said alignment, thereby activating said first direction indicator to signal that said housing assembly has attained said first predetermined azimuthal angle relative to the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

31. The electronic navigation device according to claim 30, wherein said first audible direction signal is a single audible signal of a first frequency to indicate a first direction.

32. The electronic navigation device according to claim 30, wherein said electronic assembly means further indicating when said housing assembly attains a second predetermined azimuthal angle relative to said Earth'"'"'s magnetic field by said direction indicator emitting a second audible signal of a second frequency.