Location detecting system

• US 5,828,321 A
• Filed: 05/05/1992
• Issued: 10/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chemtura Corporation (Lanxess AG)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuzaki, Shin-ichi
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US07/878,500
• Time in Patent Office: 2,366 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 340/996, 340/945, 364/449, 364/439, 364/424.04, 364/424.06, 353/12, 434/29, 434/62, 434/66, 434/49, 434/51, 369/21, 701/35
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments

Abstract

A location detecting system comprising a sensor unit, a main body having an operating mode consisting of a traveling mode and an simulation mode and including location detecting unit for calculating a current location of a moving body on the basis of data sensed by the sensor unit and further including a navigation controller connected to the location detecting unit, a change-over unit for changing over the operating mode to the traveling mode or the simulation mode, a storage unit detachably connected to the main body, a write unit for storing the data sensed by the sensor unit into the storage unit when the storage unit is connected to the main body and also the main body is in the traveling mode, and a read unit for inhibiting the data sensed by the sensor unit from being supplied to the location detecting unit and instead supplying the data stored in the storage unit to the location detecting unit, when the storage unit is connected to the main body and also the main body is in the simulation mode.

Claims

1. A location detecting system mounted on a vehicle, comprising:

sensor means;

a main body having an operating mode consisting of a traveling mode and a simulation mode and including location detecting means for calculating a current location of said vehicle on the basis of data sensed by said sensor means and further including a navigation controller connected to said location detecting means;

change-over means for changing over said operating mode to said traveling mode or said simulation mode;

storage means detachably connected to said main body;

write means for storing said data sensed by said sensor means into said storage means when said storage means is connected to said main body and also said main body is in said traveling mode;

read means for inhibiting said data sensed by said sensor means from being supplied to said location detecting means and instead supplying the data stored in said storage means to said location detecting means, when said storage means is connected to said main body and also said main body is in said simulation mode; and

displaying means for displaying during said traveling mode said current location of said vehicle calculated by said location detecting means,

wherein during said simulation mode, said location detecting means calculates a vehicle location based on said data supplied from said storage means, said calculated vehicle location being displayed by said displaying means during said simulation mode.

2. A location detecting system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensor means comprises a first unit for sensing a turning angle of said vehicle and a second unit for sensing a speed of said vehicle.

3. A location detecting system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensor means comprises a magnetic sensor and wheel sensors.

4. A location detecting system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensor means comprises a GPS receiver for sensing an absolute location of said vehicle.

5. A location detecting system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said change-over means is connected to said main body.

6. A location detecting system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said change-over means is provided in said main body.

7. A location detecting system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said change-over means comprises an operating mode change-over signal that is supplied to said main body from said storage means.