GPS device with compass and altimeter and method for displaying navigation information

• US 6,845,323 B1
• Filed: 02/10/2003
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Garmin Corporation (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin Corporation (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Laverick, David J., Olivier, Tracy, Beason, Lawrence W., Burgett, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/361,531
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/208, 701/213, 701/214, 340/988, 340/995, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.08
• 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: G01C 25/00 Manufacturing, calibrating, cleaning, or repairing instruments or devices referred to in the other groups of this subclass testing, calibrating or compensating compasses G01C17/38
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/06 by using barometric means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/45 by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement

Abstract

A portable, handheld electronic navigation device includes an altimeter, a compass, and a GPS unit. An internal memory stores cartographic data, for displaying the cartographic data on a display of the navigation device. Accordingly, the device is capable of displaying cartographic data surrounding a location of the unit as determined by GPS, heading information as determined by the compass, and altitude information as determined by the altimeter. Additionally, through operation of an input, a user can cause the display to move, and thus display additional cartographic information, in the direction of the compass heading even when the user of the device is standing still. Furthermore, through utilization of a clock, such as the GPS clock, a user can determine altitude changes over time. Also, the altimeter of the navigation may be calibrated with altitude information entered by a user, with altitude information obtained from the cartographic or with altitude information derived from GPS.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising:

a memory for storing cartographic information, including altitude information;

an input operable to receive indication from a user of a first location and a second location;

a processor adapted to create an elevation profile of changes in elevation between the first location and the second location based upon the cartographic information; and

a display for displaying the elevation profile, wherein the input from the user further includes information defining a contemplated route between the first location and the second location, wherein the elevation profile is of changes in elevation along the contemplated route.

2. The navigation device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the memory is adapted to store the elevation profile for future display.

3. The navigation device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processor is adapted to create a first elevation profile of changes in elevation between the first location and the second location along a contemplated first route, and to create a second elevation profile of changes in elevation between the first location and the second location along a contemplated second route, and the display is adapted to display the first elevation profile and the second elevation profile substantially simultaneously so as to facilitate comparison.

4. A navigation device comprising:

a memory for storing cartographic information, including altitude information;

an input operable to receive indication from a user of a first location, a second location, a contemplated first route between the first location and the second location, and a contemplated second route between the first location and the second location;

a processor adapted to create a first elevation profile of changes in elevation along the contemplated first route based upon the cartographic information, and to create a second elevation profile of changes in elevation along the contemplated second route based upon the cartographic information, wherein the first elevation profile and the second elevation profile can be stored in the memory; and

a display operable to display the first elevation profile and the second elevation profile substantially simultaneously so as to facilitate comparison.

5. The navigation device as set forth in claim 4, further including a GPS receiver adapted to determine a current location of the navigation device, wherein the current location of the navigation device is used as the first location.

6. The navigation device as set forth in claim 5, further including an altimeter adapted to determine a current altitude of the navigation device at the current location.

7. A method of providing navigation information, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing cartographic information, including altitude information;

(b) receiving an input from a user identifying a first location and a second location;

(c) creating an elevation profile of changes in elevation between the first location and the second location based upon the cartographic information without requiring the user to move form the first location to the second location; and

(d) displaying the elevation profile, wherein the input from the user further includes information defining a contemplated route between the first location and the second location, and wherein the elevation profile is of changes in elevation along the contemplated route.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein step (c) includes—

creating a first elevation profile of changes in elevation between the first location and the second location along a contemplated first route, and

creating a second elevation profile of changes in elevation between the first location and the second location along a contemplated second route.

9. The method as set for in claim 8 wherein step (d) further includes displaying the first elevation profile and the second elevation profile simultaneously so as to facilitate comparison.

10. A method of providing navigation information, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing cartographic information, including altitude information;

(b) receiving an input from a user identifying a first location and a second location;

(c) creating an elevation profile of changes in elevation between the first location and the second location based upon the cartographic information without requiring the user to move from the first location to the second location;

(d) displaying the elevation profile; and

(e) storing the elevation profile for future display.

11. A method of providing navigation information, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing cartographic information, including altitude information;

(b) receiving an input from a user identifying a first location, a second location, a contemplated first route between the first location and the second location, and a contemplated second route between the first location and the second location;

(c) creating a first elevation profile of changes in elevation between the first location and the second location along the contemplated first route based upon the cartographic information, and

(d) creating a second elevation profile of changes in elevation between the first location and the second location along the contemplated second route based upon the cartographic information; and

(e) displaying the first elevation profile and the second elevation profile simultaneously so as to facilitate comparison.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11, further including the step of (f) allowing the user to store the first elevation profile and the second elevation for future display.

13. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein step (b) further includes determining a current location of the navigation device, and using the current location of the navigation device as the first location.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein step (b) further includes the step of determining a current altitude of the navigation device at the current location.