Radio navigation emulating GPS system

• US 6,163,753 A
• Filed: 11/04/1998
• Issued: 12/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Beckmann, Martin, Gunderson, Charles M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US09/186,777
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/213, 701/217, 701/215, 701/218, 701/214, 73/178 R, 395/500, 342/385, 342/399, 342/401, 342/404, 342/407, 342/46, 342/47, 342/49
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration

Abstract

The present invention provides a radio navigation emulating GPS device. In one embodiment, the radio navigation emulating GPS device receives an identifier associated with a conventional radio navaid. The present radio navigation emulating GPS device then retrieves latitude and longitude information corresponding to the received conventional radio navaid from a database. A satellite based position information system generates position information for the aircraft on which the present radio navigation emulating GPS device is disposed. The present radio navigation emulating GPS device then generates navigation information for the aircraft using the retrieved latitude and longitude information and the satellite based position information for the aircraft. The present radio navigation emulating GPS device then presents the navigation information in a manner which emulates the presentation of navigation information generated by a conventional radio navigation device. The entire emulation process is transparent to the user of the present radio navigation emulating GPS device.

Claims

1. An aircraft navigation apparatus comprising:

a GPS receiver for generating GPS based position information; and

a radio navaid emulating device coupled to the GPS receiver to receive the position information, the radio navaid emulating device configure to use the positioning information to generate emulated radio navaid guidance indications and presenting the indications without using a map mode or plan mode on a display.

4. The aircraft navigation apparatus of claim 1 wherein the GPS receiver is a differential GPS receiver.

5. The aircraft navigation apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radio navaid emulating device is configured to emulate a conventional radio navaid device user interface.

6. The aircraft navigation apparatus of claim 1 wherein the emulated conventional radio navaid device user interface includes user controls substantially similar to user controls of a conventional radio signal based aircraft navigation system.

7. The aircraft navigation apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radio navaid emulating user interface emulates a VOR aircraft navigation system.

8. The aircraft navigation apparatus of claim 6 wherein the radio navaid emulating user interface emulates a DME aircraft navigation system.

9. The aircraft navigation apparatus of claim 6 wherein the radio navaid emulating user interface emulates a TACAN aircraft navigation system.

10. The aircraft navigation apparatus of claim 6 wherein the radio navaid emulating user interface emulates an NDB aircraft navigation system.

2. In a computer system, a method of emulating a conventional radio navigation system while using satellite based position information, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

receiving an identifier associated with a conventional navaid;

retrieving coordinates corresponding to a location of the conventional navaid;

generating satellite based position information for an aircraft;

generating navigation information for the aircraft using the location of the conventional navaid and the satellite based position information for the aircraft; and

presenting the navigation information in a manner which emulates the presentation of navigation information generated by a conventional radio navigation device without using a map mode or plan mode on a display.

11. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising the computer implemented step of:

retrieving the coordinates corresponding to the location of the conventional navaid from a data storage unit.

12. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising the computer implemented step of:

retrieving the coordinates corresponding to the location of the conventional navaid from a portable memory device.

13. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising the computer implemented steps of:

calculating the bearing of the aircraft with respect to the received conventional navaid, and

displaying the bearing in a manner which emulates the presentation of navigation information generated by a conventional radio navigation device.

14. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising the computer implemented steps of:

calculating the distance of the aircraft from the received conventional navaid; and

displaying the bearing in a manner which emulates the presentation of navigation information generated by a conventional radio navigation device.

15. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the radio navaid emulating user interface emulates a VOR aircraft navigation system.

16. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the radio navaid emulating user interface emulates a DME aircraft navigation system.

17. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the radio navaid emulating user interface emulates a TACAN aircraft navigation system.

18. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the radio navaid emulating user interface emulates an NDB aircraft navigation system.

3. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

an address/data bus coupled to the processor;

a satellite based position determining system coupled to communicate with the processor;

a computer readable memory coupled to communicate with the processor, the processor for performing steps of;

receiving an identifier associated with a conventional navaid;

retrieving coordinates corresponding to a location of the conventional navaid;

generating satellite based position information for in aircraft;

generating navigation information for the aircraft using the location of the conventional navaid and the satellite based position information for the aircraft; and

presenting the navigation information including indications in a manner which emulates the presentation of navigation information generated by a conventional radio navigation device and presenting the indications without using a map mode or plan mode on a display.

19. The system as recited in claim 3 wherein the processor further performs the steps of:

retrieving the coordinates corresponding to the location of the conventional navaid from a data storage unit.

20. The system as recited in claim 3 wherein the processor further performs the steps of:

retrieving the coordinates corresponding to the location of the conventional navaid from a portable memory device.

21. The system as recited in claim 3 wherein the processor further performs the steps of:

calculating the bearing of the aircraft with respect to the received conventional navaid, and

displaying the bearing in a manner which emulates the presentation of navigation information generated by a conventional radio navigation device.

22. The system as recited in claim 3 wherein the processor further performs the steps of:

calculating the distance of the aircraft from the received conventional navaid; and

displaying the bearing in a manner which emulates the presentation of navigation information generated by a conventional radio navigation device.

23. The system of claim 3 wherein the presentation of navigation information emulates a VOR aircraft navigation system.

24. The system of claim 3 wherein the presentation of navigation information emulates a DME aircraft navigation system.

25. The system of claim 3 wherein the presentation of navigation information emulates a TACAN aircraft navigation system.

26. The system of claim 3 wherein the presentation of navigation information emulates an NDB aircraft navigation system.