Portable navigation device with instant on configuration on navigational display

• US 6,795,770 B1
• Filed: 04/02/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Hanshew, Christopher J., Walters, Thomas H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/115,611
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701/207, 701/209, 701/210-213, 342/357.13, 342/357.1, 343/702, 343/901, 455/456, 455/461, 340/944, 340/945, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end

Abstract

A multi-function, portable, electronic device includes a housing, a processor located within the housing and a memory in communication with the processor. The electronic device includes a display in communication with the processor and positioned on a surface of the housing. The electronic device includes an apparatus for performing a first function, and an apparatus for performing a second function. One of the functions includes a navigational component. The navigational component includes an antenna attached to the housing and movable between a stowed position and a signal acquisition position. A deployment indicator indicates the antenna is in the signal acquisition position. An operational component of the navigational component is activated in response to the deployment indicator indicating the antenna is in the signal acquisition position.

Claims

1. A hand-held electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a processor located within the housing;

a memory in communication with the processor;

a display in communication with the processor and the memory;

a first component adapted to perform a first function; and

a second component adapted to perform a second function, one of the first component and the second component including a navigational component, the navigational component further comprising;

an antenna attached to the housing and movable between a stowed position and a signal acquisition position;

a deployment indicator operable to indicate the antenna is in the signal acquisition position; and

an operational component which is activated in response to the deployment indicator indicating the antenna is in the signal acquisition position, wherein the operational component includes a user interface on the display associated with the navigational component, wherein the display switches to the user interface associated with the navigational component in response to the deployment indicator indicating the antenna is in the signal acquisition position.

2. The hand-held electronic device of claim 1 wherein the operational component includes a global position information acquisition component which is enabled in response to the deployment indicator indicating the antenna is in the signal acquisition position.

3. The hand-held electronic device of claim 1 wherein the operational component includes a set of instructions executable by the processor for processing signals acquired by the antenna, wherein the set of instructions is enabled in response to the deployment indicator indicating the antenna is in the signal acquisition position.

4. The hand-held electronic device of claim 3 wherein the set of instructions is disabled in response to the deployment indicator indicating the antenna has been moved from the signal acquisition position to the stowed position.

5. The hand-held electronic device of claim 1 wherein the navigational component is a positioning system using at least three signals to triangulate a position.

6. The hand-held electronic device of claim 1 wherein the other of the first component and the second component is a personal data assistant.

7. The hand-held electronic device of claim 1 wherein the other of the first component and the second component is a cell phone.

8. The hand-held electronic device of claim 1 wherein the deployment indicator is a switch which is placed in a first position when the antenna is in a stowed position and placed in a second position when the antenna is in a signal acquisition position.

9. The hand-held electronic device of claim 1 wherein the antenna is a patch antenna having a width of about 1 inch and a length of about 1 inch.

10. The hand-held electronic device of claim 1 wherein the antenna is rotatably attached to the housing along a hinge between the stowed position and the signal acquisition position, the hinge including a cam which positions the antenna in at least one preferred signal acquisition position.

11. A navigation system, comprising:

a mass storage device adapted to store navigation data;

a server adapted to communicate with the mass storage; and

a portable, multi-function electronic device further comprising;

a housing;

a processor located within the housing; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the multi-function electronic device including a navigation device adapted to perform a route calculation, the navigational device further comprising;

an antenna attached to the housing and movable between a stowed position and a signal acquisition position;

a deployment indicator which indicates the antenna is in the signal acquisition position;

an operational component which is activated in response to the deployment indicator indicating the antenna is in the signal acquisition position; and

a display in communication with the processor and the memory, wherein the operational component displays a navigational user interface in response to the deployment indicator indicating that the antenna is in the signal acquisition position.

12. The navigation system of claim 11, wherein the system further includes a wireless communication channel between the multi-function electronic device and the server.

13. The navigation system of claim 11 further comprising a display in communication with the processor and the memory, wherein the operational component is adapted to display one of a plurality of user interface and wherein the operational component displays a previously selected navigational user interface in response to the deployment indicator indicating that the antenna is in the signal acquisition position.

14. The navigation system of claim 11, wherein the operational component further comprises a power savings mode which is enabled in response to the deployment indicator indicating that the antenna position has been changed to the stowed position from the signal acquisition position.

15. The navigation system of claim 14, wherein the power savings mode includes halting a signal acquisition process.

16. The navigation system of claim 11, wherein the operational component further includes a set of software instructions executed by the processor.

17. The navigation system of claim 11, wherein the operational component further comprises combinatorial logic.

18. A hand-held electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a processor located within the housing;

a memory in communication with the processor;

a display in communication with the processor and the memory;

an operational component, wherein the operational component is adapted to display one of a plurality of user interfaces, including a navigational user interface that is activated when an antenna is moved to a signal acquisition position, and wherein the antenna is pivotally attached to the housing and movable between a first position and one or more second positions.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the first position includes a stowed position in which the antenna is seated flush within a back surface of the housing.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the one or more second positions includes one or more signal acquisition positions.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the pivotally attached antenna includes a cam member, and wherein the cam member rigidly secures the pivotally attached antenna in the one or more second positions.

22. A personal digital assistant (PDA) comprising:

a housing, the housing including a processor, a memory, and a display in communication with one another;

a PDA component operable to perform one or more PDA functions;

a navigation component operable to perform one or more navigation functions;

wherein the PDA is adapted to display one of a plurality of user interfaces and wherein the PDA displays a previously selected navigational user interface in response to an antenna being moved to a signal acquisition position;

the GPS antenna pivotally attached to the housing and movable between a first position and one or more second positions; and

a cam member operably connected to the pivotally attached antenna.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the cam member causes the GPS antenna to tend toward one or more particular positions including the first position and the one or more second positions.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein the cam member rigidly secures the pivotally attached GPS antenna in the first position and in the one or more second positions.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the one or more second positions includes at least three second positions.

26. The device of claim 22, wherein the cam member is configured to rigidly secure the pivotally attached GPS antenna in at least two distinct second positions.

27. The device of claim 22, wherein the navigation component is activated in response to actuating an input mechanism on the housing.

28. The device of claim 22, wherein the navigation component is activated in response to locating the pivotally attached GPS antenna in the one or more second positions.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the PDA component is activated in response to locating the pivotally attached GPS antenna in the first position.

30. A personal digital assistant (PDA) comprising:

a housing, the housing including a processor, a memory, and a display operably connected to one another;

a PDA component operable to perform a to-do list function, a calendar function, and an address book function;

a navigation component operable to perform a routing function, a location function, and a tracking function;

an antenna pivotally attached to the housing and movable between a first position and one or more second positions, wherein the display switches between PDA and navigational user interfaces when the antenna is moved between the first and the one or more second positions; and

a cam member operably connected to the pivotally attached antenna, wherein the cam member is operable to rigidly secure the pivotally attached antenna in the one or more second positions.

31. The PDA of claim 30, wherein the PDA further includes a cellular transceiver and a cellular antenna.

32. The PDA of claim 30, wherein the PDA further includes a wireless input/output port.

33. The PDA of claim 30, wherein the PDA includes a set of computer executable instructions operable to provide one or more selectably pre-determined navigational user interfaces to the display when the pivotally attached antenna is moved to the one or more second positions.

34. The PDA of claim 30, wherein the PDA includes a set of computer executable instructions operable to provide one or more selectably pre-determined PDA user interfaces to the display when the pivotally attached antenna is moved to the first position.

35. A personal digital assistant (PDA) comprising:

a housing, the housing including a processor, a memory, and a display operably connected to one another;

a PDA component operable to perform a to-do list function, a calendar function, and an address book function;

a navigation component operable to perform a routing function, a location function, and a tracking function; and

an antenna pivotally attached to the housing and movable between a first position and one or more second positions, wherein the display switches between PDA and navigational user interfaces when the antenna is moved between the first and the one or more second positions.

36. The PDA of claim 35, wherein the PDA further includes a cavity into which the antenna rests when the antenna is in a stowed position.

37. The PDA of claim 36, wherein the cavity is positioned on a rear face of the housing.

38. The PDA of claim 37, wherein the PDA further includes an antenna housing having a face that is flush with the rear face of the housing.