Combined global positioning system receiver and radio with enhanced display features

• US 6,850,188 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2002
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Hammes, Gregory J., Moore, Scott T., Lovitt, John H., Lee, Wai C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mull, Fred H
• Application Number:
  US10/116,890
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 34235708-3571
• US Class Current: 342/357.52
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers

Abstract

A portable GPS/radio unit (10) communicates over a wireless radio network (12) with at least one other such unit (10A-10E). The unit (10) may transmit radio signals over the network (12) indicative of the unit'"'"'s location and receive similar radio signals from other such units. The unit (10) is operable to display an indication of the distance between two or more units, an indication of the amount of time that has elapsed since location data was last received from another unit, a track log or track back information for another unit, and an indication if the unit (10) is about to lose communications with another unit. The unit (10) also may be operated to gather and transmit to other units location data corresponding to way points. The perspective or vantage point from which location data and other information is viewed may be selected or changed by the user of the unit (10).

Claims

1. A portable GPS/radio unit capable of communicating with at least one other portable GPS/radio unit over a wireless radio network, the GPS/radio 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/radio unit as a function of the satellite signals;

a radio transceiver coupled with the processor and operable for

transmitting voice communications to and receiving voice communications from the other GPS/radio unit, and

transmitting a radio signal to the other GPS/radio unit indicative of the location of the GPS/radio unit and receiving from the other GPS/radio unit a radio signal indicative of a location of the other GPS/radio unit; and

a display coupled with the processor and operable for displaying an indication of the location of the GPS/radio unit, an indication of the location of the other GPS/radio unit, and an indication of a distance between the GPS/radio unit and the other GPS/radio unit,

wherein the indication of the distance between the GPS/radio unit and the other GPS/radio unit comprises a plurality of radii rings surrounding the indication of the location of the GPS/radio unit, wherein each of the radii rings is representative of a particular distance from the GPS/radio unit, and

wherein the distance represented by each radii ring and a number of radii rings displayed may be selected and changed.

2. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the indication of the distance between the GPS/radio unit and the other GPS/radio unit further comprises a distance legend displayed alongside the plurality of radii rings.

3. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a memory coupled with the processor.

4. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein cartographic data may be stored in the memory and displayed on the display.

5. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the wireless radio network is selected from the group consisting of a Family Radio Service (FRS) network, a cellular radio network, and a personal communications service (PCS) network.

7. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 4, wherein the display is further operable for displaying an indication of a distance between the GPS/radio unit and the other GPS/radio unit.

8. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 4, further comprising a memory coupled with the processor.

9. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 4, wherein cartographic data may be stored in the memory and displayed on the display.

10. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 4, wherein the wireless radio network is selected from the group consisting of a Family Radio Service (FRS) network, a cellular radio network, and a personal communications service (PCS) network.

11. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 4, wherein the timing device is coupled with the processor.

12. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 4, wherein the timing device is an integral component of the processor.

6. A portable GPS/radio unit capable of communicating with at least one other portable GPS/radio unit over a wireless radio network, the GPS/radio 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/radio unit as a function of the satellite signals;

a radio transceiver coupled with the processor and operable for—

transmitting voice communications to and receiving voice communications from the other GPS/radio unit, and

transmitting a radio signal to the other GPS/radio unit indicative of the location of the GPS/radio unit and receiving from the other GPS/radio unit a radio signal indicative of a location of the other GPS/radio unit;

a timing device for counting an amount of time that has elapsed since the radio signal indicative of the location of the other GPS/radio unit was last received; and

a display coupled with the processor and operable for displaying an indication of the location of the GPS/radio unit, an indication of the location of the other GPS/radio unit, and an indication of the amount of time that has elapsed since the radio signal indicative of the location of the other GPS/radio unit was last received, and

wherein the indication of the location of the GPS/radio unit and the other GPS/radio unit is displayed on a map, and the indication of the amount of time that has elapsed is a textual counter located proximate to the indication of the other GPS/radio unit.

13. A portable GPS/radio unit capable of communicating with at least one other portable GPS/radio unit over a wireless radio network, the GPS/radio 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/radio unit as a function of the satellite signals;

a radio transceiver coupled with the processor and operable for—

transmitting voice communications to and receiving voice communications from the other GPS/radio unit, and

transmitting a radio signal to the other GPS/radio unit indicative of the location of the GPS/radio unit and receiving from the other GPS/radio unit a radio signal indicative of a location of the other GPS/radio unit;

a timing device for counting an amount of time that has elapsed since the radio signal indicative of the location of the other GPS/radio unit was last received; and

a display coupled with the processor and operable for displaying an indication of the location of the GPS/radio unit, an indication of the location of the other GPS/radio unit, and an alert indicator if the amount of time that has elapsed is greater than a pre-determined time interval,

wherein the indication of the location of the GPS/radio unit and the indication of the location of the other GPS/radio unit is displayed on a map, and

wherein the alert indicator comprises a marker displayed alongside the indication of the location of the other GPS/radio unit.

14. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 13, wherein the marker comprises a flag.

15. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 13, wherein the alert indicator comprises a change in color, brightness, or other characteristic of the indication of the location of the other GPS/radio unit.

16. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 13, wherein the timing device is coupled with the processor.

17. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 13;

wherein the timing device is an integral component of the processor.

18. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 13, wherein the pre-determined time interval is between 30 seconds and 60 minutes.

19. A portable GPS/radio unit capable of communicating with at least one other portable GPS/radio unit over a wireless radio network, the GPS/radio 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/radio unit as a function of the satellite signals;

a radio transceiver coupled with the processor and operable for—

transmitting voice communications to and receiving voice communications from the other GPS/radio unit, and

transmitting a radio signal to the other GPS/radio unit indicative of the location of the GPS/radio unit and receiving from the other GPS/radio unit a radio signal indicative of a location of the other GPS/radio unit;

a timing device for counting an amount of time that has elapsed since the radio signal indicative of the location of the other GPS/radio unit was last received; and

a display coupled with the processor and operable for displaying an indication of the location of the GPS/radio unit and an indication of the location of the other GPS/radio unit, the display being further operable for removing the indication of the location of the other GPS/radio unit if the amount of time that has elapsed is greater than a pre-determined time interval, wherein the pre-determined time interval may be selectively changed.

20. The portable GPS/radio unit as set forth in claim 19, wherein the pre-determined time interval is between 30 seconds and 60 minutes.