GPS location finding device

• US 7,233,863 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IDC Design Corporation
• Original Assignee: IDC Design Corporation
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/799,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20050200521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/213, 701/214, 701/215, 701/220, 701/300, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.12, 340/988, 340/989
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/08 involving use of the magnetic field of the earth
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems

Abstract

A location finder device uses a GPS (Global Positioning System) to lock in location coordinates of a user site or a stationary car and then uses GPS and the last locked-in coordinates to direct the user back to the original location. The device may use special encrypted, firm-coded language to handle each function and operation, such as to calculate all locked in coordinates and to display the distance for the user to return to the last locked-in location.

Claims

1. A portable device comprising:

a keypad being pressable by a user;

a microcontroller coupled to the keypad;

a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor coupled to the microcontroller; and

a display coupled to the microcontroller;

wherein the microcontroller is operable to (a) direct the GPS sensor to request and receive first location coordinates of a first location of the user when the user presses the keypad, (b) store the first location coordinates, (c) direct the GPS sensor to request and receive second location coordinates at a second location when the user presses the keypad, (d) compare the first and second location coordinates and cause the display to indicate information directing the user from the second location to the first location.

2. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the first location is a location of a stationary vehicle.

3. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the keypad comprises first and second buttons, the first button causing the microcontroller to direct the GPS sensor to request and receive location coordinates of the stationary vehicle location and store the stationary vehicle location coordinates;

the second button causing the microcontroller to direct the GPS sensor to request and receive second location coordinates at the second location and compare the stationary vehicle and second location coordinates and cause the display to indicate information directing the user from the second location to the stationary vehicle location.

4. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the device is implemented in a housing having a width of 1½

″

, a length of 2″

, and a height of ½

″

.

5. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the device is implemented as a key chain.

6. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a liquid crystal display.

7. The portable device of claim 1, further comprising one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) to indicate at least one of a power activated state, a location search activated state, a stationary vehicle location found state, and a low battery state.

8. The portable device of claim 1, further comprising a digital compass coupled to the microcontroller to lock in a direction reference point.

9. The portable device of claim 1, further comprising a digital compass coupled to the microcontroller to determine a direction of the stationary vehicle location coordinates relative to the second location.

10. The portable device of claim 1, further comprising a digital compass coupled to the microcontroller to determine a distance between the stationary vehicle location coordinates and the second location coordinates.

11. The portable device of claim 1, further comprising a power button to control an on/off state of the device.

12. The portable device of claim 11, wherein the microcontroller uses an encrypted, firm-coded language to perform each function.

13. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the display is operable to display a distance from the device to the stationary vehicle location.

14. The portable device of claim 1, further comprising an audio generator to emit sounds to the user indicating a distance to the stationary vehicle location.

15. A system comprising:

a Global Positioning System (GPS);

a

portable device comprising;

first and second buttons being pressable by a user;

a microcontroller coupled to

the buttons;

a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor coupled to the microcontroller, the GPS sensor being operable to transmit and receive signals with the Global Positioning System; and

a display coupled to the microcontroller;

wherein the microcontroller is operable to (a) direct the GPS sensor to request and receive first location coordinates of a first location of a stationary vehicle when the user presses the first button, (b) store the first location coordinates, (c) direct the GPS sensor to request and receive second location coordinates at a second location when the user presses the second button, (d) compare the first and second location coordinates and direct the display to display a direction from the second location to the first location.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the portable device is implemented in a key chain.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the Global Positioning System comprises a satellite.

18. A method performed by a portable locator device, the method comprising:

receiving a first input from a user at the portable La cater device;

responsive to the first input, sending a signal to a Global Positioning System (GPS) to retrieve first location coordinates of the portable locater device from the GPS;

storing the first location coordinates in the portable locater device;

receiving a second input from a user at the portable locater device;

responsive to the second input, sending a signal to the GPS to retrieve second location coordinates of the portable device from the GPS;

comparing the second location coordinates to the first location coordinates; and

displaying a direction arrow to indicate a direction from the second location coordinates to the first location coordinates.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying a distance from the second location coordinates to the first location coordinates.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing a housing for the portable device, the housing having a width of 1½

″

, a length of 2″

, and a height of ½

″

.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising indicating at least one of a power activated state, a location search activated state, a first location found state, and a low battery state of the device.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising using an encrypted, firm-coded language to handle each function of the portable device.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising emitting audio sounds to indicate a distance from the second location coordinates to the first location coordinates.