System for determining and tracking changes in location

• US 6,360,169 B1
• Filed: 09/07/2000
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Umesh Dudaney
• Original Assignee: Umesh Dudabey
• Inventors: Dudaney, Umesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US09/657,099
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200-215, 701/220, 340/990, 340/995, 340/988, 340/989, 342/357.02, 342/357.01, 342/357.09, 342/357.13, 705/5, 705/417, 705/418, 705/400, 709/218, 709/217, 709/219
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters

Abstract

A handheld locator device is prompted to determine and store a first, Home location, and to determine a Return location, and to visually display the relative positions of the Home and Return locations. An input device, for example having one or more push button keys, is pressed by the operator and causes a GPS determined the Home and Return locations. Intermediate locations are also determined, automatically and at predetermined intervals. A curve showing the relative positions of the Home and Return locations is displayed, along with a constantly updated arrow corresponding to the most recent intermediate location. An elevation arrow showing the relative elevations between the Home and Return is also displayed.

Claims

1. A handheld locator device for guiding an operator from a Return location to a Home location, the locator device comprising:

a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver;

input means for prompting the GPS receiver to determine the location of the locator device at the Home and Return locations without resort to a remote database, based on input from the operator at the Home and Return locations;

memory for storing a plurality of locations determined by the GPS receiver, including the Home location, and for automatically storing one or more intermediate locations;

a display device; and

a processor for retrieving stored locations, including the Home location and the one or more intermediate locations, from memory and for causing the display device to display a graphical representation of the relative positions of the retrieved stored locations, the graphical representation including a curve plotting at least some of the stored locations, including the Home location, such that a path traveled by the locator device is visually displayed.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor determines the relative elevations of the Home and Return locations and causes the display to display an indication of the relative elevations.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor causes the display device to display an indication of the direction and location of a most recent of the intermediate locations relative to the Home location.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor determines the relative elevations of the Home location and a most recent of the intermediate locations, and causes the display to display an indication of the relative elevations.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor performs an authentication protocol before prompting the display device to display a graphical representation of the relative positions of the intermediate locations.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the authentication protocol includes password verification.

7. A method for guiding an operator from a Return location to a Home location, the method comprising:

determining the Home location using Global Positioning System (GPS) based on an input prompt from the operator;

storing the home location;

determining the Return location using GPS based on an input prompt from the operator;

determining one or more intermediate locations at predetermined intervals after determining the Home location; and

visually displaying the relative positions of the Home, Return and intermediate locations using a graphical representation including a curve plotting at least some of the stored locations, including the Home location, such that a path traveled by the locator device is indicated,

wherein determining the Home, Return and intermediate locations is conducted without resort to a remote database.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining relative elevations of the Home location and/or the intermediate locations.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising displaying an indication of the direction and location of a most recent of the intermediate locations relative to the Home location.

10. The method of claims 7, further comprising performing an authentication protocol before visually displaying the relative positions of the Home, Return and intermediate locations.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the authentication protocol includes password verification.