Combined global positioning system receiver and radio

• US 7,456,784 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Garmin Corporation (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin Corporation (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Kabler, Ronald B., Walters, Thomas H., Beason, Lawrence W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US11/955,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20080100508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 342/419, 701/207, 701/213, 701/215
• US Class Current: 342/357.34
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning

Abstract

A portable GPS/radio unit communicates over a wireless radio network with at least one other unit which is transmitting radio signals over the network indicative of that unit'"'"'s location. The GPS/radio unit comprises a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from a plurality of satellites, a radio receiver for receiving the radio signals transmitted by the other unit, a processor for calculating the unit'"'"'s location as a function of the received satellite signals and for identifying the location of the other unit based on the received radio signals, and a display for indicating the location of the other unit. The display may indicate the respective locations of multiple units and may also display unique identifiers for each of the units. A system and method for indicating the location of one portable GPS/radio unit on the display of another portable GPS/radio unit involves at least two such units communicating with one another over a wireless radio network.

Claims

1. A communication and navigation apparatus, comprising:

a navigation receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of sources;

a computing device coupled with the navigation receiver for calculating a location of the apparatus as a function of the received signals;

voice communication equipment for permitting voice communications with another communication and navigation apparatus;

a radio receiver coupled with the computing device for receiving from the other apparatus a radio signal indicative of a location of the other apparatus;

a display coupled with the computing device for indicating the location of the other apparatus; and

a radio transmitter coupled with the computing device for transmitting to the other apparatus a radio signal indicative of the location of the communication and navigation apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including an input coupled with the processor for permitting a user to select an identifier associated with the communication and navigation apparatus, wherein the radio signal transmitted by the radio transmitter includes an indication of the selected identifier.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radio transmitter is operable to transmit signals indicative of the location of the apparatus to the other apparatus in periodic bursts in association with a voice communication transmitted to the other apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to transmit to the other apparatus a radio signal indicative of a previous location of the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display also indicates the location of the communication and navigation apparatus.

6. A communication and navigation apparatus, comprising:

a navigation receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of sources;

a computing device coupled with the navigation receiver for calculating a location of the communication and navigation apparatus as a function of the received signals;

voice communication equipment for permitting voice communications with another communication and navigation apparatus;

a radio receiver coupled with the computing device for receiving from the other apparatus a radio signal indicative of a location of the other apparatus and an identifier associated with the other apparatus;

a display coupled with the computing device for indicating the location of the other apparatus;

a radio transmitter coupled with the computing device for transmitting to the other apparatus a radio signal indicative of the location of the communication and navigation apparatus and an identifier associated with the communication and navigation apparatus; and

an input coupled with the processor for permitting a user to select the identifier associated with the communication and navigation apparatus and the identifier associated with the other apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the radio transmitter is operable to transmit signals indicative of the location of the apparatus to the other apparatus in periodic bursts in association with a voice communication transmitted to the other apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is further operable to transmit to the other apparatus a radio signal indicative of a previous location of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the display also indicates the location of the communication and navigation apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the navigation receiver includes a GPS receiver.

11. A communication and navigation apparatus, comprising:

a navigation receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of sources;

a computing device coupled with the navigation receiver for calculating a location of the apparatus as a function of the received signals;

voice communication equipment for permitting voice communications with another communication and navigation apparatus;

a radio receiver coupled with the computing device for receiving from the other apparatus a radio signal indicative of a location of the other apparatus;

a display coupled with the computing device for indicating the location of the other apparatus; and

a radio transmitter coupled with the computing device for transmitting to the other apparatus a radio signal indicative of the location of the communication and navigation apparatus in periodic bursts in association with a voice communication transmitted to the other apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further operable to transmit to the other apparatus a radio signal indicative of a previous location of the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the display also indicates the location of the communication and navigation apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the navigation receiver includes a GPS receiver.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further including an input coupled with the processor for permitting a user to select an identifier associated with the communication and navigation apparatus, wherein the radio signal transmitted by the radio transmitter includes an indication of the selected identifier.