Combined global positioning system receiver and radio

• US 7,330,150 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Garmin Corporation (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin Corporation (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Kabler, Ronald B., Beason, Lawrence W., Walters, Thomas H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Dao
• Application Number:
  US11/425,961
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 342/419, 342/455, 701/207, 701/213, 701/215, 701/301
• US Class Current: 342/357.34
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning

Abstract

A portable GPS/radio unit communicates over a wireless radio network with at least one other unit which is transmitting radio signals over the network indicative of that unit'"'"'s location. The GPS/radio unit comprises a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from a plurality of satellites, a radio receiver for receiving the radio signals transmitted by the other unit, a processor for calculating the unit'"'"'s location as a function of the received satellite signals and for identifying the location of the other unit based on the received radio signals, and a display for indicating the location of the other unit. The display may indicate the respective locations of multiple units and may also display unique identifiers for each of the units. A system and method for indicating the location of one portable GPS/radio unit on the display of another portable GPS/radio unit involves at least two such units communicating with one another over a wireless radio network.

Claims

1. A system in which a plurality of portable navigation units wirelessly communicate with one another, the system comprising:

a first portable navigation unit having a navigation receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of sources, a processor coupled with the navigation receiver for calculating a location of the first unit as a function of the received signals, a radio transmitter coupled with the processor for transmitting a radio signal including information indicative of the location of the first unit, a radio receiver, a microphone, a speaker, and a display; and

a second portable navigation unit having a navigation receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of sources, a processor coupled with the navigation receiver for calculating a location of the second unit as a function of the received signals, a radio receiver coupled with the processor for receiving the radio signal from the first unit, a display coupled with the processor, a microphone and a speaker for permitting voice communications with the first unit, and a radio transmitter coupled with the processor for transmitting a radio signal including information indicative of the location of the second unit;

wherein the processor of the second unit is operable to transmit to the first unit location information indicative of a previous location of the second unit.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display of the first unit displays the location of the first unit and the location of the second unit.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the displays of both units display the location of the first unit and the location of the second unit.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first unit further includes a memory coupled with the processor.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the memory stores cartographic data and the display displays at least a portion of the cartographic data.

8. The system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the memory stores historical location data for the first unit.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein each unit further includes a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memories of both units store cartographic data and the displays of both units display at least a portion of the cartographic data, and wherein the memories of both units store historical location data for at least their respective units.

10. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the memories of both units store historical location data for both units.

11. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the radio signal from each unit further includes an identifier identifying the respective unit.

12. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein radio receivers and radio transmitters operate on the Family Radio Service.

2. A system in which a plurality of portable navigation units wirelessly communicate with one another, the system comprising:

a first portable navigation unit having a navigation receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of sources, a processor coupled with the navigation receiver for calculating a location of the first unit as a function of the received signals, a radio transmitter coupled with the processor for transmitting a radio signal including information indicative of the location of the first unit, a radio receiver, a microphone, a speaker, and a display coupled with the processor;

a second portable navigation unit having a navigation receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of sources, a processor coupled with the navigation receiver for calculating a location of the second unit as a function of the received signals, a radio receiver coupled with the processor for receiving the radio signal from the first unit, a display coupled with the processor, a microphone and a speaker for permitting voice communications with the first unit, and a radio transmitter coupled with the processor for transmitting a radio signal including information indicative of the location of the second unit; and

a third portable navigation unit having a navigation receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of sources, a processor coupled with the navigation receiver for calculating a location of the third unit as a function of the received signals, a radio receiver coupled with the processor for receiving the radio signal of at least one of the first and second units, a display coupled with the processor, a microphone and a speaker for permitting voice communications with at least one of the first and second units, and a radio transmitter coupled with the processor for transmitting a radio signal including information indicative of the location of at least one of the first, second, and third units;

wherein the second unit is operable to receive the location information indicative of the location of the first unit and transmit such information to the third unit.

13. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the displays of all three units display the locations of all three units.

14. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein each unit further includes a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memories of all three units store cartographic data and the displays of all three units display at least a portion of the cartographic data, and wherein the memories of all three units store historical location data for at least their respective units.

15. The system as set forth in claim 14, wherein the memories of all three units store historical location data for all three units.

16. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the radio signal from each unit further includes an identifier identifying the respective unit.

17. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein radio receivers and radio transmitters operate on the Family Radio Service.

3. A first portable communication and navigation unit comprising:

a navigation receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of sources;

a computing device coupled with the navigation receiver for calculating a first location of the first communication and navigation unit as a function of the received signals;

voice communication equipment for permitting voice communications with a second communication and navigation unit;

a radio receiver coupled with the computing device for receiving from the second unit a radio signal indicative of a location of the second unit;

a memory for storing historical location information of both the first and second units;

a display coupled with the computing device for indicating the location of at least one of the first and second units;

a radio transmitter coupled with the computing device for transmitting to the second unit a radio signal indicative of the first location of the first communication and navigation unit; and

a portable, handheld housing for housing the navigation receiver, the computing device, the voice communication equipment, the radio receiver, the display, and the transmitter;

wherein the first unit is operable to store in the memory the first location of the first unit such that when the first unit is at a second location, the first unit is operable to transmit the first location to the second unit.

18. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the display of the first unit displays the location of the first unit and the location of the second unit.

19. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the memory further stores cartographic data and the display displays at least a portion of the cartographic data.

20. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein radio receiver and radio transmitter operate on the Family Radio Service.