Navigation aid for low-visibility environments

• US 7,598,856 B1
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FireSite LLC
• Original Assignee: FireSite LLC
• Inventors: O'Brien, Nick, Teff, Michael G., Biba, Scott I., Younger, Charles T., Schweitzer, Chad, Nick, Mitchell R., Nault, Chandler C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US11/668,017
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/321, 340/539.13, 340/286.05, 702/75, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/7034 Mounting or deployment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/7038 Signal details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2201/04 Emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/06 Emergency
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers

Abstract

A navigation system for navigating in low visibility environments includes a portable detection unit which uses position and orientation sensors and/or wireless location to track the position of the portable detection unit relative to some reference location, such as a fire truck. The relative position of the portable detection unit, and thus its user, is then output to a visual display for viewing by the user so that the user may see his/her position in a dark or smoky environment. The system may also include portable beacons which may be left at landmarks so that the relative positions of the landmarks may be seen on the visual display.

Claims

1. A navigation system including two or more portable detection units, each portable detection unit being configured to be carried or worn by a user, with each portable detection unit comprising:

a. one or more acceleration sensors, each acceleration sensor generating acceleration data representing the acceleration of the portable detection unit;

b. one or more orientation sensors, each orientation sensor generating orientation data representing the orientation of the portable detection unit;

c. a processor receiving the acceleration data and orientation data, and generating therefrom position data representing the position of the portable detection unit;

d. a visual display whereupon the position data is shown;

e. mounting means for mounting the visual display adjacent a user'"'"'s head; and

f. an input device in communication with the processor, wherein user actuation of the input device sets a reference location within the processor;

with the navigation system further including a portable initialization pad separate from the portable detection units, whereby users using the portable detection units may each actuate their input devices at the initialization pad, thereby setting at least substantially the same reference location for all portable detection units.

2. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein:

a. the acceleration sensors include an accelerometer, and

b. the orientation sensors include at least one of;

(1) a gyroscope, and

(2) a compass.

3. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein:

a. the acceleration sensors include accelerometers configured to detect acceleration along three orthogonal axes; and

b. the orientation sensors include gyroscopes configured to detect orientation with respect to three orthogonal axes.

4. The navigation system of claim 1:

a. wherein each portable detection unit further includes a wireless signal transmitter transmitting the position data from the processor;

b. further including a monitoring station receiving the position data from the wireless signal receiver of each portable detection unit,

whereby a user at the monitoring station may monitor the position of each portable detection unit and its user.

5. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein each portable detection unit further includes:

a. a wireless signal transmitter transmitting the position data from the processor;

b. a wireless signal receiver receiving the position data transmitted from the wireless signal transmitters of the other portable detection units,

whereby the portable detection units may communicate their respective position data by use of their wireless signal transmitters and wireless signal receivers.

6. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein each portable detection unit further includes a portable beacon separable from the portable detection unit, wherein:

a. the beacon is attachable to a garment worn by a user;

b. removal of the beacon from the garment is detected at the processor; and

c. the visual display displays the position at which the beacon was removed.

7. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein each portable detection unit further includes a portable beacon separable from the portable detection unit, wherein the beacon includes:

a. a lamp thereon, and

b. a switch wherein triggering of the switch activates the lamp,

whereby a user may carry and drop the beacon at a desired location to serve as a marker.

8. The navigation system of claim 1:

a. further including a portable beacon separable from one of the portable detection units, the portable beacon including a wireless signal transmitter;

b. wherein;

(1) the portable detection unit from which the portable beacon is separable further includes a wireless signal receiver receiving wireless signals transmitted from the portable beacon,

(2) the processor of the portable detection unit from which the portable beacon is separable receives the wireless signals transmitted from the portable beacon, and generates therefrom position data representing the position of the portable beacon;

whereby a user may carry and drop the beacon at a desired location and monitor the user'"'"'s position relative to the dropped beacon.

9. The navigation system of claim 8 wherein the beacon:

a. is attachable to a garment worn by a user,

b. includes a switch situated thereon, wherein the switch is triggered by detachment from the garment, and

c. triggering of the switch activates the wireless signal transmitter within the beacon.

10. The navigation system of claim 8 wherein the beacon includes a lamp thereon.

11. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein:

a. each portable detection unit;

(1) is provided in combination with one or more wireless signal transmitters separate and spaced from the portable detection unit;

(2) further includes a wireless signal receiver receiving wireless signals from the wireless signal transmitters, and

b. the processor of each portable detection unit additionally receives data from the wireless signal receiver and generates position data therefrom representing the position of the portable detection unit relative to the wireless signal transmitters.

12. The navigation system of claim 11 further including portable beacons carryable and droppable by a user, each portable beacon including one of the wireless signal transmitters, whereby a user may carry and drop the beacons at desired locations and monitor the user'"'"'s position relative to the dropped beacons.

19. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein:

a. the portable initialization pad includes a wireless signal transmitter, and

b. the processor of the portable detection unit receives wireless signals transmitted from the wireless signal transmitter, and generates therefrom position data representing the position of the portable detection unit relative to the wireless signal transmitter.

20. The navigation system of claim 1 in combination with a vehicle separate from the portable detection unit, wherein:

a. the vehicle includes a wireless signal transmitter, and

b. the processor of the portable detection unit receives wireless signals transmitted from the wireless signal transmitter, and generates therefrom position data representing the position of the portable detection unit relative to the wireless signal transmitter.

13. A navigation system including a portable detection unit configured to be carried or worn by a user, the portable detection unit comprising:

a. at least one accelerometer;

b. at least one gyroscope;

c. a wireless signal receiver receiving wireless signals from a wireless signal transmitter spaced from the portable detection unit;

d. a processor;

(1) receiving data from the accelerometer and gyroscope and generating position data therefrom representing the position of the portable detection unit, and

(2) receiving data from the wireless signal receiver and generating position data therefrom representing the position of the wireless signal transmitter relative to the portable detection unit,

e. a visual display whereupon the position data is shown, and

f. mounting means for mounting the visual display adjacent a user'"'"'s head, the navigation system further including a portable initialization pad separate from the portable detection unit, whereby a user using the portable detection unit may initialize the position data at the initialization pad, thereby setting a reference location for the portable detection unit at the location at which the user places the portable initialization pad.

14. The navigation system of claim 13 including two or more of the portable detection units of claim 13, wherein each of the portable detection units includes a wireless signal transmitter transmitting position data representing the position of the portable detection unit, whereby each portable detection unit communicates its position data to the other portable detection units.

15. The navigation system of claim 13 including at least two of the portable detection unit, wherein:

a. each portable detection unit further includes an input device in communication with the processor, and

b. user actuation of the input device sets the reference location within the processor,

whereby users using the portable detection units may each actuate their input devices at the initialization pad, thereby setting at least substantially the same reference location for all portable detection units.

16. The navigation system of claim 13 wherein the portable initialization pad includes the wireless signal transmitter.

17. The navigation system of claim 13 in combination with a vehicle separate from the portable detection unit, wherein the vehicle includes the wireless signal transmitter.

18. The navigation system of claim 13 including at least two of the portable detection unit, wherein each of the portable detection units includes a wireless signal transmitter transmitting position data representing the position of the portable detection unit, whereby each portable detection unit communicates its position data to the other portable detection units.