GPS controlled marine speedometer unit with multiple operational modes

• US 6,353,781 B1
• Filed: 07/05/2000
• Issued: 03/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intellitronix Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nordskog Publishing Incorporated
• Inventors: Spivak, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/609,963
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 701/21, 701/200, 701/213, 340/851, 731/78.R
• US Class Current: 701/21
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/50 for measuring linear speed G01P3/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/64 Devices characterised by the determination of the time taken to traverse a fixed distance

Abstract

A speedometer unit that uses a standard output of a position determining navigation unit such as a LORAN, GPS, SAT/NAV, OMEGA, or other type navigation unit. The speedometer includes a processor, such as a conventional microprocessor, that has an input for receiving speed information from the navigation unit, which speed information preferably is outputted according to the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) 0183 interface standard. The speed information, which according to such standard is outputted in knots per hour, may be converted to miles per hour for display on an analog or digital display disposed in a housing containing the processor. A push button switch or other input device may be provided for controlling an operational mode of the speedometer, for selecting the information displayed on the display and/or for resetting the speedometer.

Claims

1. A marine speedometer unit for use with a marine navigation unit that repetitively provides a coded signal indicating calculated speed, comprising a housing suitably configured for mounting on an operating panel of a boat;

an indicator located at a face of the housing for displaying boat speed; and

a processor located in the housing, the processor having an output connected to the indicator and an input for receiving the coded signal from the navigation unit, and the processor being operative to monitor and process the coded signal for display of the calculated speed on the indicator, wherein the processor converts the calculated speed from knots per hour to miles per hour.

2. A marine speedometer unit as set forth in claim 1, including a top speed memory for storage of a top speed processed by the processor.

3. A marine speedometer unit as set forth in claim 2, including a reset device for resetting the top speed memory.

4. A marine speedometer unit as set forth in claim 1, including a signal conditioner for conditioning the coded signal before the coded signal is supplied to the input of the processor.

5. A marine speedometer unit as set forth in claim 1, including a tachometer input for receiving a tachometer input signal having relation to engine revolutions, and the processor is operative to process the tachometer input signal for display of engine revolutions per minute (RPM) on the indicator.

6. A marine speedometer unit as set forth in claim 5, including a top RPM memory for storage of a top RPM processed by the processor.

7. A marine speedometer unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the indicator includes a scale and pointer.

8. A marine speedometer unit as set forth in claim 1, including a voltage input for receiving a voltage input signal corresponding to engine voltage, and the processor is operative to process the voltage input signal for display of engine voltage on the indicator.

9. A marine speedometer unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the indicator includes a digital display.

10. A marine speedometer unit for use with a marine navigation unit that repetitively provides a coded signal indicating calculated speed, comprising a housing suitably configured for mounting on an operating panel of a boat;

an indicator located at a face of the housing for displaying boat speed; and

a processor located in the housing, the processor having an output connected to the indicator and an input for receiving the coded signal from the navigation unit, and the processor being operative to monitor and process the coded signal for display of the calculated speed on the indicator, wherein the processor is operative to process directional information carried by the coded signal for display on the indicator, and wherein the processor has a mode selector input for connecting to a pushbutton that is used to toggle the unit between different operational modes for display of boat speed and boat direction.

11. A marine speedometer unit for use with a marine navigation unit that repetitively provides a coded signal indicating calculated speed, comprising a housing suitably configured for mounting on an operating panel of a boat;

an indicator located at a face of the housing for displaying boat speed; and

a processor located in the housing, the processor having an output connected to the indicator and an input for receiving the coded signal from the navigation unit, and the processor being operative to monitor and process the coded signal for display of the calculated speed on the indicator including a tachometer input for receiving a tachometer input signal having relation to engine revolutions, and the processor is operative to process the tachometer input signal for display of engine revolutions per minute (RPM) on the indicator, wherein the indicator has a multiple digit display for displaying RPM, and a setting device is provided for setting the number of active digits to be displayed on the multiple digit display and the update rate at which the active digits are updated.

12. A marine speedometer unit for use with a marine navigation unit that repetitively provides a coded signal indicating calculated speed, comprising a housing suitably configured for mounting on an operating panel of a boat;

an indicator located at a face of the housing for displaying boat speed; and

a processor located in the housing, the processor having an output connected to the indicator and an input for receiving the coded signal from the navigation unit, and the processor being operative to monitor and process the coded signal for display of the calculated speed on the indicator including a tachometer input for receiving a tachometer input signal having relation to engine revolutions, and the processor is operative to process the tachometer input signal for display of engine revolutions per minute (RPM) on the indicator, wherein the processor has a mode selector input for connecting to a pushbutton that is used to toggle the unit between different operational modes for display of boat speed and RPM.