Usage mode determination of navigation system

• US 8,583,360 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Waters, Deric W., Pande, Tarkesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US13/027,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20110202754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 701/120, 701/400, 701/461, 701/468, 701/469, 701/470, 701/472, 701/493, 701/500, 701/514, 701/531, 701/536, 342/63, 342/64, 342/357.3, 342/357.31, 342/357.24, 342/358, 342/389, 342/457, 340/109, 340/573.1, 340/990, 343/720, 343/725, 343/779
• US Class Current: 701/400
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/10 using sensors, e.g. pressure sensors, strain gauges or accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: B63J 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport

Abstract

A navigation system determines its usage mode. In some embodiments, a method comprises determining a usage mode of a navigation system based on at least one of an acceleration indicator, a speed indicator, and a magnet sensor. The usage mode is at least one of a pedestrian mode, a vehicular mode, an aerial mode, a train mode, and a marine mode. The method further comprises configuring a navigation subsystem based on the usage mode.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by a processor, a usage mode of a navigation system based on a magnet sensor being in proximity to a magnet in a carrying case, wherein said usage mode is at least one of a strapped pedestrian mode or unstrapped pedestrian mode; and

configuring a navigation subsystem based on said usage mode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the usage mode also comprises determining that the navigation system is strapped based on an externally received signal.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein determining the usage mode comprises determining a profile based on the acceleration indicator.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein determining the usage mode is based on a magnitude of the acceleration indicator.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein determining the usage mode is also based on a wireless signal from another device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the other device is a WLAN transceiver.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the other device is a GNSS transceiver.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the usage mode is based on a magnetometer measurements on each of an axis being within a prescribed range.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the strapped pedestrian mode means that the device is inside the magnetic carrying case.

10. A navigation system, comprising:

control logic; and

a first sensor coupled to said control logic, said sensor being at least one of a speed sensor and acceleration sensor and a magnet sensor;

wherein said control logic determines a usage mode of said navigation system based on a signal from said first sensor, said usage mode is at least one of a strapped pedestrian mode or an unstrapped pedestrian mode based on proximity to a carrying case having an embedded magnet.

11. The navigation system of claim 10 wherein said control logic determines the usage mode also based on a externally received wireless signal.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the other device is a WLAN transceiver.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the other device is a GNSS transceiver.

14. The navigation system of claim 10 wherein said control logic selectively enables and disables an integrity measurement process based on said usage mode.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein determining the usage mode is based on a magnetometer measurements on each of an axis being within a prescribed range.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the strapped pedestrian mode means that the device is inside the magnetic carrying case.