Global positioning device with alignment control of displayed information

• US 6,330,149 B1
• Filed: 09/25/1998
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Garmin Corporation (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin Corporation (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Burrell, Gary L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Field, Lynn D.
• Application Number:
  US09/160,510
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683, 361/680, 361/681, 345/905
• US Class Current: 342/357.75
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

A portable electronic device is provided which includes a housing having a front face, a base, and a back wall joined in a polyhedron configuration. The front face includes an input area having keys for data entry and a display area having a screen to illustrate information to the user. The front face, back wall, and base are joined in the polyhedron configuration, such that the front face is presented to the user at an angle to horizontal when the base is mounted upon a horizontal or vertical surface. The front face, back wall, and base are joined at rounded edges to afford a smooth contour which is easily and comfortably grasped within the hand of the user. The portable electronic device further includes a sensor to determine whether the housing is aligned upon a horizontal or vertical axis. This sensor delivers its output to a display control which realigns information displayed upon the view screen to shift the displayed information between vertical and horizontal configurations. The input keys within the input area include indicia identifying the function of each key, wherein the indicia are aligned at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the housing. Such angular alignment of the indicia enable the indicia to be easily viewed when the housing is held within the hand of a user at a vertical alignment or mounted upon a console in a horizontal alignment.

Claims

1. A portable global positioning device having a longitudinal axis, the device comprising:

a control panel for controlling the device;

a display screen for display of information;

a controller for controlling an alignment of displayed information on the display screen to convert the alignment of displayed information between a first alignment and a second alignment, wherein said controller comprises at least one alignment sensor for determining an orientation of said longitudinal axis, and wherein the controller directs the alignment of displayed information between the first alignment and the second alignment based on the orientation of the longitudinal axis;

a GPS receiver;

a housing for housing said display screen, said control panel, said GPS receiver and said controller; and

an antenna, connected to said GPS receiver and for receiving GPS satellite signals, said antenna having a length and being pivotally mounted to the device and being pivotable between a first position in which the length is parallel to the longitudinal axis when displayed information is in second alignment and a second position in which the length is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis when displayed information is in said first alignment.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a manual switch for operation by a user to direct the alignment of displayed information between the first alignment and the second alignment based on an orientation of the longitudinal axis.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the manual switch overrides the alignment sensor.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein the first alignment is horizontal and the second alignment is vertical.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said display screen includes first and second opposed sides and third and fourth opposed sides, wherein the first and second opposed sides are top and bottom sides when the housing is aligned horizontally, and the third and fourth opposed sides are top and bottom sides when the housing is aligned vertically.