Multi-function apparatus and related method integrated with positioning/orientation mechanism

• US 7,312,749 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Original Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Inventors: Yeh, Iang-Chi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mull, Fred H.
• Application Number:
  US11/420,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20070024501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.13, 340/992.19, 701/206, 701/210, 701/213
• US Class Current: 342/357.52
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/53 Determining attitude

Abstract

Multi-function apparatus and related method integrated with positioning/orientation mechanism. The apparatus of the invention works under a forward mode for recording reference coordinates/altitudes of a departure point and passing points along a track which a user moves. When the user wants to trace back, the apparatus works under a backward mode for comparing each of the recorded reference coordinates/altitudes with a current coordinate/altitude of the user, and providing direction/altitude orientation for the user so that the user can trace back to the original departure and/or passing points.

Claims

1. A multi-function electronic apparatus with positioning/orientation mechanism capable of operating in a forward mode and a backward mode, wherein the forward mode indicates from a departure point to an end point, and the backward mode indicates from the end point to the departure point, the electronic apparatus comprising:

a position module for detecting a current coordinate and a plurality of coordinates along a track which the electronic apparatus traveled;

a memory for recording the plurality of coordinates detected by the position module into a plurality of reference coordinates when the electronic apparatus is operating in a forward mode;

an orientation module for comparing the current coordinate and the reference coordinate of the memory when the electronic apparatus is operating in a backward mode;

a terrain module for providing a terrain data to record a number of undulant terrain counts along the track which the electronic apparatus traveled, if the electronic apparatus passes an undulant terrain, the terrain module increases the terrain data in the forward mode; and

if the electronic apparatus passes the undulant terrain, the terrain module decreases the terrain data in the backward mode; and

an orientation interface for providing a directional signal being utilized to indicate direction according the difference of the current coordinate and the reference coordinate.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a control module for controlling the electronic apparatus to operate in the forward mode when the electronic apparatus begins to move, and controlling the memory to record the coordinate of the departure point and the plurality of coordinates along the track which the electronic apparatus traveled into the plurality of the reference coordinates.

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the orientation module further executes a sub-directional mode and a sub-tracking mode when the electronic apparatus operates in the backward mode, when the orientation module executes the sub-directional mode, the orientation module compares the reference coordinate of the departure point and the current coordinate to provide the directional signal, when the orientation module executes the sub-tracking mode, the orientation module compares the reference coordinates along the track traveled and the current coordinate to provide the directional signal.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the position module further detects the altitude of the current position of the electronic apparatus and the altitude of the plurality of the reference coordinates along the track that the electronic apparatus traveled, the memory is capable of recording the altitude detected by the position module, and the electronic apparatus further comprising:

an altitude indicating module for comparing the altitude of the reference coordinate of the memory and the altitude of the current position of the electronic apparatus and providing an altitude indicating signal according to a difference of the two coordinates; and

an altitude indicating interface for prompting the altitude indicating signal to display the altitude of the reference coordinate relative to the altitude of the electronic apparatus.

5. The electronic apparatus of claim 4 wherein when in the backward mode the terrain data is not yet decreased to zero, the altitude indicating interface is capable of prompting to the altitude indicating signal to indicate either to move to a higher location or a lower location;

and when the terrain data is decreased to zero, the altitude indicating interface prompts the altitude indicating signal to indicate to move to the higher location if the altitude of the reference coordinate is higher than the altitude of the current coordinate; and

the altitude indicating interface prompts the altitude indicating signal to indicate to move to the lower location if the altitude of the reference coordinate is lower than the altitude of the current coordinate.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 4 wherein the memory further records a predetermined destination altitude;

and the electronic apparatus further comprising;

a warning module for warning the user when an altitude difference of the predetermined destination altitude and the altitude of the current location of the electronic apparatus compared by the altitude indicating module is less than a predetermined value.

7. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a control module for triggering the terrain module to increase or decrease the terrain data when an undulant terrain is passed.

8. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory further records a predetermined destination coordinate, and the orientation module compares the predetermined destination coordinate and the current coordinate;

and the electronic apparatus further comprising;

a warning module for warning a user when a difference of the predetermined destination coordinate and the current coordinate compared by the orientation module is greater than a predetermined value.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a media storage module for providing a multi-media signal;

a broadcast module for broadcasting the multi-media signal; and

a control module for controlling the broadcast module to start and stop broadcasting the multi-media signal and for controlling the electronic apparatus to operate in the forward mode or the backward mode.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the reference coordinates recorded in the memory are the coordinates along the track which the electronic apparatus traveled so that the directional signal is provided without the electronic apparatus needing to download an electronic map in the backward mode.

11. A method of indicating direction, comprising:

detecting a coordinate of a departure point and a plurality of coordinates along a track traveled;

recording the coordinate of the departure point and the coordinates along a track traveled in a forward mode;

comparing the current coordinate with the reference coordinates;

providing terrain data to record a number of undulant terrain count along the track so that in the forward mode the terrain data increases progressively when an undulant terrain is passed; and

in a backward mode the terrain data decreases progressively when the undulant terrain is passed; and

transmitting a prompt for providing a direction of the reference coordinates according to a difference of the current coordinate and the reference coordinate of a departure point.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein in the backward mode the reference coordinate of the departure point and the current coordinate are compared to indicate the direction.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein in the backward mode the reference coordinates along the track traveled by a user are compared to indicate the direction.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

detecting altitudes of the departure point and the plurality of coordinates along the track traveled in the forward mode;

recording the plurality of reference coordinates and altitudes of the reference coordinates simultaneously; and

comparing the altitudes of the reference coordinates and altitude of the current coordinate in the backward procedure; and

transmitting a prompt for providing an altitude of the reference coordinate according to an altitude difference of the two coordinates.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein in the backward mode when the terrain data is not yet decreased to zero, the user can be prompted to move to a higher location or a lower location;

and when the terrain data is decreased to zero, the higher location will be moved if the altitude of the reference coordinate is higher than the altitude of the current coordinate; and

the lower location will be moved if the altitude of the reference coordinate is lower than the altitude of the current coordinate.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the reference coordinates are recorded along the track in the forward mode for providing a backward direction for a user.