Rugged, waterproof, navigation device with touch panel

• US 6,871,138 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2004
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Minelli, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US10/792,104
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 345/173, 345/104, 345/3.1, 156/66, 156/99, 361/681, 361/683, 349/60, 174/50.51, 174/50.54, 174/35.GC
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain

Abstract

An 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 a touch panel positioned on a surface of the housing. The display is viewable through a touch panel mounted to an opening in the housing. The housing includes a flange around the opening which has a fluid seal to prevent fluid flow past the touch panel and into the housing. A shock mount may also be included within the housing to make the touch panel drop-resistant.

Claims

1. A hand-held electronic device including a navigational component, comprising:

a housing, the housing having an opening therein;

a display viewable through a touch panel mounted in the opening of the housing, the touch panel including;

a layer of rigid material; and

a flexible substrate layer positioned near the layer of rigid material;

a mounting member circumscribing the opening for use in providing a watertight seal, the mounting member including;

a first leg positioned away from a top of the housing and attached to a first shack absorbing member; and

a second leg positioned away from the top of the housing and attached to the first shock absorbing member and an adhesive.

2. The hand-held electronic device including a navigational component of claim 1 wherein the adhesive is a flexible adhesive.

3. The hand-held electronic device including a navigational component of claim 1 wherein the adhesive is a flexible, waterproof adhesive.

4. The hand-held electronic device including a navigational component of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is curable using an ultraviolet light.

5. The hand-held electronic device including a navigational component of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is rigid.

6. The hand-held electronic device including a navigational component of claim 1, wherein the first shock absorbing member includes a viscoelastic material.

7. The hand-held electronic device including a navigational component of claim 6, wherein the first shock absorbing member includes a layer of foam material.

8. The hand-held electronic device including a navigational component of claim 1, further comprising:

a backing member that fits within the housing, the backing member having a portion positioned near the touch panel; and

a second shock absorbing member opposite the first shock absorbing member and including a portion which is sandwiched between the backing member and the layer of rigid materiel of the touch panel.

9. The hand-held electronic device including a navigational component of claim 1, wherein the mounting member is molded with the housing.

10. The hand-held electronic device including a navigational component of claim 1, wherein the mounting member is integral with the housing.

11. A hand-held electronic device including a navigational component comprising:

a housing, the housing having an opening therein;

a display viewable through a touch panel positioned in the opening of the housing, the touch panel including;

a layer of rigid material; and

a flexible substrata layer positioned near the layer of rigid material;

a mounting member circumscribing the opening, the mounting member including a pocket for holding an adhesive and applying the adhesive about the periphery of the touch panel;

a processor located within the housing;

a memory in communication with the processor, the touch panel in communication with the processor and the memory, the processor and memory capable of performing a route calculation viewable on the display; and

a fluid seal securing the touch panel to the housing, the fluid seal being disposed in front of the periphery of and around an outer edge of the touch panel and compressed toward the mounting member by a backing bracket to provide a water proof seal and a shock mount.

12. The hand-held electronic device including a navigational component of claim 11, further comprising a device capable of performing a dead reckoning calculation.

13. The hand-held electronic device including a navigational component of claim 12, wherein the device capable of performing a dead reckoning calculation includes a rate gyro.

14. A hand-held electronic device comprising:

a housing, the housing having an opening therein;

a processor located within the housing;

a memory located within the housing, the memory in communication with the processor;

a display in communication with the processor and the memory, the display viewable through a touch panel mounted in the opening in the housing;

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 including a dead reckoning component located within the housing, the dead reckoning component in communication with the processor and operable to detect a position of the hand-held electronic device when GPS signals are unavailable and an internal patch antenna adapted to acquire position signals, the housing including a flange around the opening in the housing, the flange further comprising;

a fluid seal to prevent fluid flow past the touch panel and into the housing; and

a shock mount.

15. The hand-held electronic device of claim 14, wherein the touch panel further comprises:

a layer of rigid material; and

a flexible substrate layer positioned near the layer of rigid material.

16. The hand-held electronic device of claim 14, further comprising an instruction set for controlling the processor and memory to perform a route calculation.

17. The hand-held electronic device of claim 14, further comprising an instruction set for controlling the processor and memory to perform a route calculation, the instruction set including user interface instructions to display the results of the route calculation on the display.

18. The hand-held electronic device of claim 14, wherein the mounting member includes a flexible adhesive.

19. The hand-held electronic device of claim 18, wherein the mounting member includes a groove for holding the flexible adhesive.

20. The hand-held electronic device of claim 14, wherein the fluid seal includes a gasket.

21. The hand-held device of claim 14, wherein the shock mount includes a viscoelastic material.

22. A navigation system comprising:

a mass storage device adapted to store navigation data;

a server adapted to communicate with the mass storage device; and

a portable, multi-function electronic device further comprising;

a housing having an opening therein;

a processor located within the housing;

a memory located within the housing, the memory in communication with the processor;

a display in communication with the processor and the memory, the display viewable through a touch panel mounted to the opening in the housing, the housing including a flange around the opening in the housing, the flange further comprising;

a fluid seal securing the touch panel to the housing, the fluid seal being compressed in a first direction by the touch panel and in a second direction by a backing bracket such that fluid flow past the touch panel and into the housing is prevented; and

a shock mount; and

an antenna within the housing for communicating with the server, the multi-function electronic device including a navigation device adapted to perform a route calculation.

23. The navigation system of claim 22, wherein the navigation device further comprises en instruction set for controlling the processor and memory to perform a route calculation.

24. The navigation system of claim 23, wherein the instruction set includes user interface instructions for displaying the results of the route calculation on the display.

25. The navigation system of claim 23, wherein at least a portion of the instruction sot is resides within the processor and memory.

26. The navigation system of claim 23, wherein at least a portion of the instruction set is transmitted to the portable, multi-function electronic device from the server.

27. A hand-held electronic device including a navigational component, comprising:

a housing, the housing having an opening therein;

a display viewable through a touch panel mounted in the opening of the housing, the touch panel including;

a layer of rigid material, and

a flexible substrate layer positioned near the layer of rigid material;

a mounting member circumscribing the opening for use in providing a watertight seal, the mounting member including;

a first leg positioned away from a top of the housing and attached to a first shock absorbing member, and

a second leg positioned away from the top of the housing and attached to the first shock absorbing member and an adhesive;

a backing member that fits within the housing, the backing member having a portion positioned near the layer of rigid material of the touch panel;

the first shock absorbing member including a portion which is sandwiched between the flexible member of the touch panel and the mounting member; and

a second shock absorbing member including a portion which is sandwiched between the backing member and the layer of rigid material of the touch panel.

28. A hand-held electronic device including a navigational component, comprising:

a housing, the housing having art opening therein;

a display viewable through a touch panel mounted in the opening of the housing, the touch panel including;

a layer of rigid material, and

a flexible substrate layer positioned near the layer of rigid material;

a mounting member circumscribing the opening for use in providing a watertight seal, the mounting member including;

a leg positioned away from the top of the housing and attached to a first shock absorbing member and an adhesive, and

wherein the first shock absorbing member is pressed against the flexible layer of the touch panel;

a backing member that fits within the housing, the backing member having a portion positioned near the layer of rigid materiel of the touch panel;

a second shock absorbing member including a portion which is sandwiched between the backing member and the layer of rigid material of the touch panel; and

wherein the adhesive is disposed along a periphery of the flexible layer and around an outer edge of the layer of rigid material the touch panel to provide a water proof seal and a shock mount.