Device and method for displaying track characteristics

• US 6,798,378 B1
• Filed: 11/22/2002
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Walters, Thomas H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Dao
• Application Number:
  US10/302,386
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 342/120, 342/419, 701/213, 701/214, 701/215
• US Class Current: 342/357.57
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/00 Measuring height; Measuring distances transverse to line of sight; Levelling between separated points; Surveyors' levels G01C3/20, G01C3/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/047 Displays or indicators G01S1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications

Abstract

A portable, handheld GPS unit (10) is operable to generate a track log corresponding a track traversed by a user and display a track display representative of the track traversed. The track display includes at least one track characteristic indicative of a feature sensed by at least one sensor (26) coupled with the GPS unit (10). The track characteristic of the track display varies in response to a change in the feature sensed by the sensor. For example, the track display may display a track of varying width, such that an increase in the track'"'"'s width corresponds to an increase in the feature, and a decrease in the track'"'"'s width corresponds to a decrease in the feature. Alternatively, the characteristic may be a track color change or a symbol indicating a predetermined amount change in the feature. The sensed feature may include altitude, distance, heart rate, temperature, light intensity, and oxygen content. In a first preferred embodiment, the sensor (26) is an altimeter (26) for determining an altitude of the GPS unit (10). In a second preferred embodiment, the sensor (126) is a sonar transducer (126) for determining a depth of a body of water. In a third preferred embodiment, the sensor (226) is a heart rate monitor (226)for determining a heart rate of the user. Additionally, the GPS unit (10) may be combined with a plurality of sensors (26, 126,226) for determining and displaying an indication of multiple features sensed by the sensors (26, 126,226).

Claims

1. A portable GPS unit comprising:

a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from a plurality of satellites;

a processor coupled with the GPS receiver for calculating a location of the GPS unit as a function of the satellite signals; and

a display, coupled with the processor, for displaying a single track display which itself indicates both a user'"'"'s recent and present location and a track characteristic representing at least one feature sensed by at least one sensor, wherein the track characteristic of the track display varies in response to a change in the feature as sensed by the sensor.

2. The portable GPS unit as set forth in claim 1, further comprising memory that stores cartographic data.

3. The portable GPS unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sensor is an altimeter adapted to sense an altitude of the GPS unit.

4. The portable GPS unit as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a barometric pressure sensor for sensing atmospheric information from which the processor calibrates altitude information obtained from the altimeter.

5. The portable GPS unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a heart rate monitor, a sonar transducer, a thermometer, a light intensity sensor, and an oxygen content sensor.

6. The portable GPS unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the track characteristic is a line of varying width.

7. The portable GPS unit as set forth in claim 6, wherein an increase in line width corresponds to an increase in the feature sensed by the sensor, and a decrease in line width corresponds to a decrease in the feature sensed by the sensor.

8. The portable GPS unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the track characteristic is a symbol representing a change in the feature sensed by the sensor.

9. The portable GPS unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the track characteristic is a plurality of varying-sized symbol, and an increase in the symbol'"'"'s size corresponds to an increase in the feature sensed by the sensor, and a decrease in the symbol'"'"'s size corresponds to a decrease in the feature sensed by the sensor.

10. The portable GPS unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the track display changes color in response to the change in the feature sensed by the sensor.

11. The portable GPS Unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the track characteristic is a line style representing a change in the feature sensed by the sensor, and the line style is selected from the group consisting of:

dashes, dots, arrows, hatched liens, and symbols.

12. The portable GPS unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the track display dynamically changes to compensate for variations in the feature sensed.

13. A portable GPS unit comprising:

a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from a plurality of satellites;

a processor coupled with the GPS receiver for calculating a location of the GPS unit as a function of the satellite signals;

an altimeter for determining an altitude of the GPS unit; and

a display, coupled with the processor, for displaying a single track display which itself indicates both a user'"'"'s recent and present location and a track characteristic representing a change in the altitude of the GPS unit, wherein the change in the altitude of the GPS unit is represented by a line of varying width.

14. The portable GPS unit as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a barometric pressure sensor for sensing atmospheric information from which the processor calibrates the altitude obtained from the altimeter.

15. The portable GPS unit as set forth in claim 13, wherein an increase in line width corresponds to an increase in the altitude of the GPS unit, and a decrease in line width corresponds to a decrease in the altitude of the GPS unit.

16. A portable GPS unit comprising:

a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from a plurality of satellites;

a processor coupled with the GPS receiver for calculating a location of the GPS unit as a function of the satellite signals;

an altimeter for determining an altitude of the GPS unit;

a barometric pressure sensor for sensing atmospheric information from which the processor calibrates the altitude obtained from the altimeter; and

a display coupled with the processor and operable for displaying a single track display which itself indicates both a user'"'"'s recent and present location and a track characteristic representing an indication of changes in the altitude of the GPS unit.

17. The portable GPS unit as set forth in claim 16, wherein the indication of changes in the altitude is selected from the group consisting of:

a line of varying width, symbols, and a line of varying color.

18. A portable GPS unit comprising:

a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from a plurality of satellites;

a processor coupled with the GPS receiver for calculating a location of the GPS unit as a function of the satellite signals;

a sonar transducer for determining a distance between the sonar transducer and a solid surface; and

a display coupled with the processor and operable for displaying a single track display which itself indicates both a user'"'"'s recent and present location and a track characteristic representing the distance determined by the sonar transducer, wherein the track characteristic varies in response to a change in the distance determined by the sonar transducer.

19. The portable GPS unit as set forth in claim 18, wherein the characteristic of the track display is a line of varying width.

20. The portable GPS unit as set forth in claim 19, wherein an increase in the line'"'"'s width corresponds to an increase in depth as determined by the sonar transducer, and a decrease in the line'"'"'s width corresponds to a decrease in depth as determined by the sonar transducer.

21. A portable GPS unit comprising:

a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from a plurality of satellites;

a processor coupled with the GPS receiver for calculating a location of the GPS unit as a function of the satellite signals;

a heart rate monitor for determining a heart rate of a user of the GPS unit; and

a display coupled with the processor and operable for displaying a single track display which itself indicates both a user'"'"'s recent and present location and a track characteristic representing the heart rate of the user as determined by the heart rate monitor at a particular location as determined by the GPS unit.

22. The GPS unit as set forth in claim 21, wherein the track characteristic is a line, and the line changes color in response to a change in the heart rate of the user.

23. A method for displaying on a GPS unit display a track display having at least one track characteristic indicative of at least one feature sensed by a sensor, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving satellite signals from a plurality of satellites;

calculating a location of the GPS unit as a function of the satellite signals;

sensing at least one feature using at least one sensor;

displaying on the display a single track display which itself indicates both a user'"'"'s recent and present location and a track characteristic representing at least one feature sensed by at least one sensor, wherein the track characteristic varies in response to a change in the feature as sensed by the sensor.

24. The method as set forth in claim 23, further comprising the step of storing cartographic data in a memory.

25. The method as set forth in claim 24, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

an altimeter, a barometric pressure sensor, a sonar transducer, a heart rate monitor, a thermometer, a light intensity sensor, and an oxygen content sensor.

26. The method as set forth in claim 25, further comprising the steps of sensing atmospheric pressure using the barometric pressure sensor and then calibrating an altitude sensed by the altimeter using the atmospheric pressure information.

27. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the track characteristic is a line of varying width.

28. The method as set forth in claim 27, wherein an increase in line width corresponds to an increase in the feature sensed by the sensor, and a decrease in line width corresponds to a decrease in the feature sensed by the sensor.

29. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the track characteristic is a symbol representing the change in sensed feature.

30. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the track characteristic is a plurality of varying-sized symbol.

31. The method as set forth in claim 30, wherein an increase in the symbol'"'"'s size corresponds to an increase in the feature sensed by the sensor, and a decrease in the symbol'"'"'s size corresponds to a decrease in the feature sensed by the sensor.

32. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the track display changes color in response to the change in the feature sensed by the sensor.