Navigational system
First Claim
1. A navigational system comprising:
- a plurality of transmitters for transmitting a clocking signal to a user mixer module;
the user module including;
a processor for computing the range to each of the plurality of transmitters based upon the corresponding clocking signals received therefrom, and for determining a current position relative to each of said plurality of transmitters;
designation means for sequentially designating and storing a sequence of reference points defining a route from an initial position to a selected final position said route including said current position;
memory for storing geographical data relating to at least the current position of the user module;
selection means for selecting geographical data relating to the current location of the user module based upon the determined current position;
a display for providing an audio or video display of the selected geographical data and the current location of the user module relative thereto, and for providing an indication to the user of the distance and direction to a subsequent reference point in said sequence; and
transmission means for transmitting said designated sequence of reference points to a control processor associated with at least one of said plurality of transmitters.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The navigational system, device and method of the present invention provide navigational information to the user derived from data signals received from a plurality of transmitters (20,22,24,26). The range to each of the plurality of transmitters (20,22,24,26) is then computed based upon the corresponding data signal received from the transmitters, and a current position relative to each of said plurality of transmitters is then determined. Geographical data relating to at least the current location of the user module 32 is stored in a memory 40, and selected geographical data relating to the current location of the user module 32 is retrieved from the memory 40 to provide an audio or video display 44. The computed route between the current position of the user module 32 and each of a plurality of way-points is then transmitted to a control processor which compares the determined route with routes received from other user modules and predicts traffic conditions for transmission back to the user module so that the route may be altered accordingly.
216 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A navigational system comprising:
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a plurality of transmitters for transmitting a clocking signal to a user mixer module;
the user module including;
a processor for computing the range to each of the plurality of transmitters based upon the corresponding clocking signals received therefrom, and for determining a current position relative to each of said plurality of transmitters;
designation means for sequentially designating and storing a sequence of reference points defining a route from an initial position to a selected final position said route including said current position;
memory for storing geographical data relating to at least the current position of the user module;
selection means for selecting geographical data relating to the current location of the user module based upon the determined current position;
a display for providing an audio or video display of the selected geographical data and the current location of the user module relative thereto, and for providing an indication to the user of the distance and direction to a subsequent reference point in said sequence; and
transmission means for transmitting said designated sequence of reference points to a control processor associated with at least one of said plurality of transmitters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
a transponder for polling at least one of a plurality of transceivers, for receiving geographical data from the transceiver in response thereto, and for storing received geographical data in said memory.
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9. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
coupling means for coupling said user module to an external device and for receiving geographical data therefrom.
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10. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
selection means for selecting a route between a current position and a selected position, said means assigning at least a first reference point to said current position and a second reference point to said selected position.
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11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the selection means is further arranged for selecting further locations between said current position and said selected position and for assigning reference points to said further locations.
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12. A user module for a navigational system comprising:
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a receiver for receiving clocking signals from a plurality of transmitters;
a processor for computing the range to each of the plurality of transmitters based upon the corresponding clocking signals received therefrom, and for determining a current position relative to each of said plurality of transmitters;
designation means for sequentially designating and storing a sequence of reference points defining a route from an initial position to a selected final position said route including said current position;
a memory for storing geographical data relating to at least the current position of the user module;
selection means for selecting geographical data relating to the current location of the user module based upon the determined current position;
a display for providing an audio or video display of the selected geographical data and the current location of the user module relative thereto, and for providing an indication to the user of the distance and direction to a subsequent reference point in said sequence; and
transmission means for transmitting said designated sequence of reference points to a control processor associated with at least one of said plurality of transmitters.- View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
a transponder for polling at least one of said plurality of transceivers, for receiving geographical data from the transceiver in response thereto, and for storing received geographical data in said memory.
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20. The user module as claimed in claim 12 further comprising;
coupling means for coupling said user module to an external device and for receiving geographical data therefrom.
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21. The user module as claimed in claim 12 further comprising;
selection means for selecting a route between a current location and a destination location, said means assigning at least a first reference point to said current location and a second reference point to said destination location.
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22. The user module as claimed in claim 21, wherein the selection means is further arranged for selecting further locations between said current location and said destination location and for assigning reference points to said further locations.
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23. A method of providing navigational information comprising:
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receiving data signals from a plurality of transmitters;
computing the range to each of the plurality of transmitters based upon a clocking signal received therefrom, and for determining a current position relative to each of said plurality of transmitters;
designating a sequence of reference points defining a route from an initial position to a selected final position said route including said current position;
storing geographical data relating to at least the current location in a memory;
selecting geographical data relating to the current location from said memory;
providing an audio or video display of the selected geographical data and the current position of the user relative thereto, and providing an indication to the user of the distance and direction to a subsequent reference point; and
transmitting said designated sequence of reference points to a control processor associated with at least one of said plurality of transmitters. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
polling at least one of said plurality of transceivers, receiving geographical data from the transceiver in response there to, and storing received geographical data in said memory.
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27. The method as claimed in claim 23 further comprising providing data signals comprising a geographical data component and a positional data component.
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28. The method as claimed in claim 23 further comprising;
coupling said user module to an external device and receiving geographical data therefrom.
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29. The method as claimed in claim 23 further comprising;
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selecting a route between a current location and a destination location; and
assigning at least a first reference point to said current location and a second reference point to said destination location.
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30. The method as claimed in claim 23 further comprising;
- selecting further locations between said current location and said destination location and assigning reference points to said further locations.
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31. A navigational system comprising;
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a plurality of first transmitters for transmitting a clocking signal to a user module;
the user module including;
a processor computing the range to each of the plurality of transmitters based upon the corresponding clocking signals received therefrom, determining a current position relative to each of said plurality of transmitters, and sequentially designating and storing a sequence of reference points defining a route from an initial position to a selected final position, said route including said current position;
memory storing geographical data relating to at least the current position of the user module;
said processor selecting geographical data relating to the current location of the user module based upon the determined current position;
a display for providing an audio or video display of the selected geographical data and the current location of the user module relative thereto, and for providing an indication to the user of the distance and direction to a subsequent reference point in said sequence; and
a second transmitter transmitting said designated sequence of reference points to a control processor associated with at least one of said plurality of first transmitters. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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Specification