System and method for recording a note with location information derived from rangefinding and/or observer position

• US 7,908,083 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2007
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leupold & Stevens Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leupold & Stevens Incorporated
• Inventors: Goetsch, Laura, Peters, Victoria J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby; Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US11/672,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20080040036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: 701207-215, 701/224, 701/300, 701/302, 342/357.02, 342/357.03, 342/357.04, 342/118, 3423572-35725, 434/1, 434/2, 434/11
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/04 Adaptation of rangefinders for combination with telescopes or binoculars

Abstract

A method and system to record a note regarding a target observed by an observer, determine a location of at least one of the observer or the target, and associate and store the note and the location. Optionally, the method and system further measure a distance between the observer and the target, measure a direction relating the observer and the target, and calculate, based on the location of the observer, the measured distance, and the measured direction a location of the target.

Claims

1. A method of operating a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

recording via a note recorder in communication with the portable electronic device a note regarding a target observed by an observer, wherein the note comprises an observer-observed characteristic of the target;

via the portable electronic device, determining a location of at least one of the observer or the target; and

storing the location such that the note and the location are associated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring a distance between the observer and the target;

measuring a direction relating the observer and the target;

calculating, based on the location of the observer, the measured distance, and the measured direction, a location of the target; and

wherein the storing step stores the calculated location of the target.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the note recorder comprises a voice recorder and recording the note regarding the target comprises recording a voice note regarding the target.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

converting the voice note to text.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of at least one of the observer or the target comprises receiving a GPS signal at or near the observer.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wirelessly communicating at least one of the location of the observer, the location of the target, or the note to another portable electronic device.

7. A computer-readable medium on which are embedded program instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from another portable electronic device a transmitted note comprising a user-observed characteristic of an object;

displaying via a display in communication with the portable electronic device an ordered list of selectable notes, the ordered list including the transmitted note;

receiving from an input device in communication with the portable electronic device a selection of one of the selectable notes from the ordered list; and

in response to receiving the selection of one of the selectable notes, presenting the note to the observer so that the observer can listen to the note, view the note, or listen to and view the note.

8. A system comprising:

a note recorder configured to record a note regarding a target, the note entered by a user;

a portable GPS receiver configured to determine a location of the user; and

a memory in communication with the portable GPS receiver and the note recorder to store the note and data representing the location of the user such that the note and the data are associated.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a rangefinder configured to measure a distance and a direction between the user and the target; and

a processor coupled to the note recorder, the GPS receiver, the memory, and the rangefinder, the processor configured to calculate the location of the target based on the location of the user, the measured distance, and the measured direction.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a wireless transceiver to transmit to another system at least one of the location of the user, the location of the target, or the note.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a display configured to present an ordered list of user-selectable notes; and

a user input device configured to receive a user selection of one of the user-selectable notes from the list, wherein, in response to receiving the user selection of one of the user- selectable notes, the system is configured to present the user-selected note so that the user can listen to the note, view the note, or listen to and view the note.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a display configured to display a map of the local area around the user, wherein the system is configured to determine whether one or more location-tagged notes are within a predetermined distance of the location of the user as determined by the GPS receiver and if it is determined that one or more location-tagged notes are within a predetermined distance of the location of the user, the system is further configured to display on the map one or more of the location-tagged notes that are within the predetermined distance of the location of the user such that the user can select one or more of the displayed notes.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the note recorder

comprises a voice recorder configured to record a voice note, the voice recorder including a microphone and an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the microphone.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a speech-to-text converter configured to convert the voice note to a text note.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein the note comprises one of a comment about the target, an explanation regarding the target, an identification of the target, or a description of the target.

18. The system of claim 8, wherein the note recorder records the note regarding the target in response to receiving an indication that the user has depressed a button operatively coupled to the note recorder.

19. The system of claim 8, wherein the note recorder comprises a voice note recorder configured to record a user-observed voice note regarding a characteristic of the target and further comprising:

a rangefinder configured to measure a distance and a direction between the user and the target;

a display;

a user input device;

a speaker;

a transceiver configured to communicate with another system; and

a processor in communication with the voice note recorder, the GPS receiver, the memory, the rangefinder, the display, the user input device, and the transceiver, the processor configured to;

calculate the location of the target based on the location of the user as determined by the GPS receiver and the measured distance and the measured direction as determined by the rangefinder;

cause a compressed audio file constituting the voice note, date and time data regarding the date and time the voice note was entered by the user, and data representing the calculated location of the target to be stored in the memory such that the compressed audio file constituting the voice note, the date and time data, and the data representing the calculated location are associated with each other;

cause the display to present to the user an ordered list of user-selectable voice notes along with an indication of the date and time the voice notes were entered by the user;

in response to receiving via the user input device a user selection of one of the user-selectable voice notes, cause the speaker to present the selected voice note to the user so that the user can listen to the voice note; and

cause the transceiver to send the voice note to another system and to cause the transceiver to receive from another system a transmitted voice note comprising a user observed characteristic of an object.

15. A system comprising:

a means for recording a note regarding a target observed by a human observer, wherein the note comprises an observer-observed characteristic of the target;

a means for determining a location of at least one of the human observer and the target; and

a means for storing the location such that the note and the location are associated.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a means for measuring a distance between the human observer and the target;

a means for measuring a direction relating the human observer and the target;

a means for calculating, based on the location of the human observer, the measured distance, and the measured direction, a location of the target; and

wherein the means for storing stores the calculated location of the target.