Rugged, waterproof, navigation device with touch panel

• US 6,751,552 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Minelli, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/186,155
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/207, 701/213, 701/214, 340/988, 345/158, 345/156, 345/162, 345/169
• 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: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236

Abstract

Systems, devices and methods are provided which include a rugged, waterproof, navigation device having a touch panel. The device includes a portable, and/or handheld navigation device. The navigation device includes a processor and a memory adapted to communicate with the processor. The memory is adapted to store navigation related data, the navigation related data including cartographic data including a number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations. The device includes a housing having an opening. A touch panel is mounted in the opening of the housing. The touch panel and housing forming a substantially waterproof enclosure. A navigation component is located within the substantially waterproof enclosure.

Claims

1. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory adapted to communicate with the processor, wherein the memory is adapted to store navigation related data, the navigation related data including cartographic data including a number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations;

a housing having an opening;

a touch panel mounted in the opening of the housing, the touch panel and housing forming a substantially waterproof enclosure; and

a navigation component within the substantially waterproof enclosure, the navigation component adapted to determine a location of the device.

2. The handheld electronic device of claim 1, wherein the navigational component includes a GPS receiver.

3. The handheld electronic device of claim 2, wherein the navigation component further includes a dead reckoning functionality.

4. The handheld electronic device of claim 1, wherein the device further includes a wireless communications component within the substantially waterproof enclosure.

5. The handheld electronic device of claim 1, wherein the device further includes a personal digital assistant (PDA) functionality within the substantially waterproof enclosure.

6. A portable electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a memory adapted to communicate with the processor, wherein the memory is adapted to store navigation related data, the navigation related data including cartographic data including a number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations;

a housing;

a touchscreen attached to the housing;

a display viewable through the touchscreen and in communication with the processor for displaying the cartographic data, a calculated route, and a location of the device; and

a dead-reckoning component within the housing, the dead-reckoning component to locate a geographical position of the portable electronic device.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the device further includes a patch antenna within the housing.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the device further includes a patch antenna within the housing.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the patch antenna is located on a top surface of the display.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the memory further includes software adapted to perform route calculations to navigate to a desired location.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the touch panel and housing form a substantially waterproof enclosure.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the dead reckoning component includes a rate gyro.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 12, wherein the dead reckoning component includes a set of software instructions for providing supplemental position information.

27. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the patch antenna is a GPS patch antenna.

14. A handheld electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a memory adapted to communicate with the processor, wherein the memory is adapted to store navigation related data, the navigation related data including cartographic data including a number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations, and wherein the memory further includes software adapted to perform route calculations;

a housing, the housing having an opening therein;

a display viewable through the opening in the housing; and

a navigation component, including a GPS patch antenna, located within the housing, the navigation component adapted to determine a position of the device.

15. The handheld electronic device of claim 14, wherein the navigation component further includes a GPS receiver and a GPS positioning functionality.

16. The handheld electronic device of claim 15, wherein the navigation component further includes a dead reckoning functionality adapted to supplement the GPS positioning functionality when the GPS positioning functionality is interrupted, degraded, or otherwise unavailable.

17. The handheld electronic device of claim 15, wherein the GPS patch antenna is located on a top surface of the display.

18. The handheld electronic device of claim 15, wherein the device further includes a touchscreen attached to the housing, the display viewable through the touchscreen.

19. The handheld electronic device of claim 18, wherein the touch panel and housing form a substantially waterproof enclosure.

20. A handheld electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a memory adapted to communicate with the processor, wherein the memory is adapted to store navigation related data, the navigation related data including cartographic data including a number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations, and wherein the memory further includes software adapted to perform route calculations;

a housing containing the processor and the memory, the housing having an opening with a transparent pane mounted therein, wherein the transparent pane and the housing form a waterproof enclosure;

a display located within the housing and viewable through the transparent pane; and

a GPS patch antenna for navigation located within the housing and adapted to communicate with the processor.

21. The handheld electronic device of claim 20, wherein the transparent pane includes a touch panel.

22. The handheld electronic navigation device of claim 21, wherein the touch panel includes a layer of rigid material and a flexible substrate layer positioned near the layer of rigid material, and wherein the device further includes a mounting member circumscribing the opening in the housing, the mounting member including a pocket for holding an adhesive and applying the adhesive about a periphery of the touch panel.

23. The handheld electronic device of claim 22, wherein the adhesive is a flexible, waterproof adhesive.

24. The handheld electronic device of claim 21, wherein the GPS patch antenna is located on a top surface of the display.

25. The handheld electronic device of claim 21, wherein the device further includes a GPS receiver within the housing, the GPS receiver adapted to communicate with the processor and provide a GPS positioning functionality.

26. The handheld electronic device of claim 25, wherein the device further includes a rate gyro within the housing, wherein the rate gyro is adapted to supplement the GPS positioning functionality when the GPS positioning functionality is interrupted, degraded, or otherwise unavailable.