Electronic automotive compass and display
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electronic compass adapted for installation on a vehicle having a frontal display means for indicating vehicle direction relative to the major compass points and comprising:
- dynamic indicia means including an array of reference bar means angularly spaced apart and extending radially from a common center point and associated letter legend means for indicating the four major compass points adjacent said reference bar means said letter legend means being located between said reference bar means so that each letter legend means can be activated in combination with one adjacent reference bar means on either side thereof;
fixed indicia means superimposed on said dynamic indicia means including means indicating the actual direction of travel of the vehicle;
flux gate compass means providing digital outputs proportional to the actual orientation of the vehicle with respect to the earth'"'"'s magnetic North;
microprocessor means connected to said compass means for converting said digital compass outputs to directional control signals to activate computed combinations of said reference bar means and associated letter legend means of said dynamic indicia means, thereby making said computed combinations visible and indicating the present orientation of the vehicle relative to the major compass points.
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Abstract
An electronic display device for presenting directional information to the operator of a motor vehicle. The display simultaneously shows current vehicle direction of travel as well as the relative directions of the 4 major compass axes by converting the direction information from an electronic flux gate compass. The device is further optimized to reduce the number of pin connections to the display and associated driver complexity and is readily applicable to LED, LCD or vacuum fluorescent type display elements.
44 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An electronic compass adapted for installation on a vehicle having a frontal display means for indicating vehicle direction relative to the major compass points and comprising:
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dynamic indicia means including an array of reference bar means angularly spaced apart and extending radially from a common center point and associated letter legend means for indicating the four major compass points adjacent said reference bar means said letter legend means being located between said reference bar means so that each letter legend means can be activated in combination with one adjacent reference bar means on either side thereof; fixed indicia means superimposed on said dynamic indicia means including means indicating the actual direction of travel of the vehicle; flux gate compass means providing digital outputs proportional to the actual orientation of the vehicle with respect to the earth'"'"'s magnetic North; microprocessor means connected to said compass means for converting said digital compass outputs to directional control signals to activate computed combinations of said reference bar means and associated letter legend means of said dynamic indicia means, thereby making said computed combinations visible and indicating the present orientation of the vehicle relative to the major compass points. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In an electronic compass adapted for installation on a vehicle and having sensor means for producing output signals proportional to the actual orientation of the vehicle with respect to the earth'"'"'s magnetic North and including electronic means for processing said output signals to provide digitized driving signals, a display device connected to said electronic means for utilizing said driving signals and comprising:
a dynamic indicia means comprised of a plurality of angularly equally spaced apart reference bars extending radially from a center point and a series of letter legends between said bars for indicating the four major compass points, said letter legends N E and S W being located alternately between said reference bars so that single letter legends can be activated in combination with one reference bar either side thereof, said display means being controlled by said driving signals to activate certain of said reference bars and letter legends in combination relative to the present orientation of the vehicle; and
a fixed indicia means extending over said dynamic indicia means and including means for indicating the actual direction of the vehicle which passes through said center point.- View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
Specification