Patent Application
20060122800
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to compasses and more particularly, to systems and methods for adjusting compasses.
2. Description of the Related Art
In today's marketplace, consumers have numerous portable electronic devices, such as cellular telephones and personal digital assistants, from which to choose. Manufacturers are constantly adding new features to such devices. For example, many cellular telephones come equipped with compasses, which can provide a user with the direction in which he or she is traveling. As is known in the art, compasses, whether digital or analog in nature, detect the magnetic field lines of the earth to generate its directional or bearing readings. One disadvantage of a compass is that it detects the magnetic north pole of the earth, which is not positioned concentrically with true north, i.e., the North Pole of the earth. This deviation can lead to inaccurate readings for the compass.
The present invention concerns a method for providing adjustments for a compass. The method can include the steps of receiving geographical positional information from a communications network, generating a declination value based on the geographical positional information and calibrating a reading for the compass using the declination value. In one arrangement, the receiving, generating and calibrating steps can be performed at a portable electronic device containing the compass.
The method can also include the steps of assigning a grid to a geographical area, assigning a positional marking to sections of the grid, assigning a declination value to sections of the grid and transmitting to the portable electronic device the geographical positional information associated with the section of the grid in which the portable electronic device currently operates. Moreover, the step of generating a declination value can include comparing the received geographical positional information with the positional markings and selecting an assigned declination value based on the comparing step.
The step of calibrating the reading of the compass can include calibrating the reading of the compass using the selected declination value for the section of the grid in which the portable electronic device currently operates. The method can also include the steps of storing in the portable electronic device the assigned declination values for the sections of the grid and periodically updating the assigned declination values for the sections of the grid stored in the portable electronic device.
In another arrangement, the method can include the steps of storing in the portable electronic device at least one declination model and declination coefficients that are associated with at least one region of the earth and using the declination model and the declination coefficients to generate the declination value. The portable electronic device can also use this declination value to calibrate readings of the compass. The method can also include periodically updating the declination coefficients stored in the portable electronic device.
In one embodiment, the receiving, generating and calibrating steps can be performed based on at least one of the following occurrences: powering up the portable electronic device; manual requesting from a user; the portable electronic device reentering a range of the communications network; and the portable electronic device moving from a first portion of the communications network to a second portion of the communication network. The method can also include storing the declination value in the portable electronic device and when the portable electronic device leaves the range of the communication network after a predetermined amount of time, accessing the geographical positional information from a global positioning system receiver. In this embodiment, the generating and calibrating steps can be performed based on the geographical positioning information from the global positioning system receiver. As an example, the geographical positional information is based on at least one of latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates, an area code and a postal delivery code.
The present invention also concerns a system for providing compass adjustments. The system can include a compass for providing directional information, a receiver for receiving geographical information from a communications network and a processor coupled to the compass and the receiver. The processor can be programmed to generate a declination value based on the geographical positional information and to calibrate a reading for the compass using the declination value. The compass, the receiver and the processor can be part of a portable electronic device. The system can also include suitable software and circuitry for performing the processes described above.
The features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:
While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting but rather to provide an understandable description of the invention.
The terms a or an, as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term plurality, as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term another, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms including and/or having, as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term coupled, as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The terms program, software application, and the like as used herein, are defined as a sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system. A program, computer program, or software application may include a subroutine, a function, a procedure, an object method, an object implementation, an executable application, an applet, a servlet, a source code, an object code, a shared library/dynamic load library and/or other sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system.
The invention concerns a method and system for providing adjustments for a compass. In one arrangement, the method can include the steps of receiving geographical positional information from a communications network, generating a declination value based on the geographical positional information and calibrating a reading for the compass using the declination value. As an example, the receiving, generating and calibrating steps can be performed at a portable electronic device containing the compass.
There are at least two different scenarios for carrying out the method recited above. For example, a grid can be assigned to a geographical area, and geographical positional information can be assigned to one or more sections of the grid. Declination values can also be assigned to the sections of the grid. In addition, the geographical positional information associated with a section when the portable electronic device is within that section of the grid can be transmitted to the portable electronic device, which can use this information to select an appropriate declination value.
As another example, a declination model and declination coefficients that are associated with at least one region of the earth can be stored in the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device can use the declination model and the declination coefficients to generate the declination value. In either alternative, the geographical positioning information can be based on, for example, at least one of latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates, an area code and a postal delivery code.
Referring to
As will be explained below, the communications network 110 can send geographical positional information to the portable electronic devices 114. Once received, the portable electronic devices 114 can generate declination values and can use these values to calibrate the compass. This calibration can serve to provide a more accurate determination of true north or some other reference point from which the compass determines its bearings. Although the communications network 110 may be shown here as a cellular-based system, it is important to note that the invention is not so limited. In fact, the communications network 110 can be any network that can relay relevant geographical positional information to the portable electronic devices 114.
Referring to
The antenna 122 can capture wireless signals, such as those broadcast by the communications network 110, and can relay these signals to the receiver 120. The receiver 120 can process these signals in accordance with well-known principles and can transfer them to the processor 118. As explained earlier, geographical positional information can be included in these signals. The compass 126, as is known in the art, can detect the magnetic field lines of the earth and, using the magnetic north pole, can provide a direction or bearing to the processor 118. The processor 118 can then signal the display 128 to display the direction or bearing. The processor 118 can also signal the speaker 130 to broadcast the direction or bearing, if so desired.
The memory 124 can be used to store any suitable form of data, which the processor 118 can access. As will be explained below, when the processor 118 receives geographical positional information from the receiver 120, the processor 118 can generate a declination value based on the geographical positional information. The declination values can be stored in the memory 124. In addition, declination models and declination coefficients can also be stored in the memory 124, which the processor 118 can use to generate declination values. Once a declination value is generated, the processor 118 can calibrate a reading for the compass 126, which can provide a more accurate designation of true north or some other reference point. The processor 118 can cause the calibrated reading to be, for example, displayed on the display 128 or broadcast on the speaker 130.
In one arrangement, if for some reason the geographical positional information is inaccurate, unavailable or outdated, the GPS receiver 134 can provide geographical positioning information to the processor 118 to enable the processor 118 to calibrate the readings of the compass 126.
Referring to
At step 310, the method 300 can begin. At step 312, geographical positional information can be received from a communications network. For example, referring to
For purposes of the invention, the term geographical positional information can mean any suitable type of information that can provide the portable electronic device 114 with a general indication as to where the portable electronic device 114 is currently located. As an example, this term may include positional coordinates, such as latitude and longitude, of the base station 112 from which the portable electronic device 114 is currently receiving transmissions. Of course, the invention is not so limited, as other suitable examples may include an area code or a postal delivery code, e.g., a zip code, in which the base station 112 is located. In one arrangement, the base station 112 may transmit to the portable electronic device 114 the geographical positional information over any suitable communications channel, such as a broadcast control channel (BCCH).
Referring back to the method 300 of
At step 316, a grid can be assigned to a geographical area. At step 318, a positional marking can be assigned to one or more sections of the grid. In addition, a declination value can be assigned to the sections of the grid, as shown at step 320, and these declination values can be stored in a portable electronic device, as shown at step 322. At step 324, the geographical positional information associated with the section of the grid in which the portable electronic device currently operates can be transmitted to the portable electronic device. At step 325, the received geographical positional information can be compared with the positional markings, and an assigned declination value can be selected based on this comparison, as shown at step 327.
In the second process, at step 328, one or more declination models and declination coefficients that can be associated with at least one region of the earth can be stored in the portable electronic device. The declination model and the declination coefficients can be used to generate declination values, as shown at step 329.
Referring back to
In one arrangement, each section 410 can extend to the right and to the left of a particular contour 414. Each section 410 may also extend for a predetermined distance in a vertical, or north-south, direction. For example, a section 410 marked with diagonal lines can cover a portion of the grid 400 that extends for a predetermined distance in a vertical direction and to both the right and left of the contour 414 having a declination degree of zero. Thus, any portion of the geographical region 412 that is contained within this section 410 having the diagonal lines can be considered to have a declination of zero degrees.
In another arrangement, a representation of the grid 400 can be downloaded to the portable electronic device 114. For example, the representation of the grid 400 can be programmed into the memory 124 at the time the portable electronic device 114 is manufactured. Of course, the representation of the grid 400 can be transferred to the portable electronic device 114 in any other suitable fashion, such as its transmission from the communications network 110 or some other network or device.
A positional marking can be assigned to one or more of the sections 410 of the grid 400. For example, positional coordinates can be assigned to each section 410 of the grid 400. In one arrangement, the positional coordinates can be the latitude and longitude of the geographical center of the relevant section 410 or some other suitable portion(s) of such a section 410. The positional markings may be in other suitable forms, such as one or more area codes or postal delivery codes. The positional markings that are associated with the sections 410 can be downloaded to the portable electronic device 114 in a fashion similar to how the representation of the grid 400 is done, including at the time of manufacture or over the communications network 110 or some other network or device at a later time.
A declination value can also be assigned to one or more sections 410 of the grid 400. For example, the section 410 that is marked with the diagonal lines can be given a declination value of zero degrees. Other sections 410 can be assigned declination values based on, for example, the contours 414 that the sections 410 cover or are closest to. These declination values can be stored in the portable electronic device 114, such as in the memory 124. In addition, the declination values can be transferred to the portable electronic device 114 in accordance with any suitable manner, including those described above with respect to the transfer of the representation of the grid 400 and the positional markings.
When the portable electronic device 114 is in the boundary of the grid 400, the communication network 110, such as one of the base stations 112, can transmit to the portable electronic device 114 geographical positional information. As an example, this geographical positional information can be the positional coordinates of the base station 112 (or some other suitable device) transmitted over the BCCH. The area code or postal delivery code in which the base station 112 sits may also be the geographical positional information.
This received geographical positional information can be compared to the positional markings that are associated with the sections 410. For example, the processor 118 can compare the geographical positional information that is received with the positional markings associated with the sections 410 that are stored in the memory 124. The processor 118 can then, for example, determine which of the stored positional markings is geographically closest to the received geographical positional information. Based on this comparison, the processor 118 can select from the memory 124 the declination value that is associated with the section 410 of the grid 400 whose assigned positional marking was closest. At this point and as will be explained below, a calibration of a reading for the compass 126 may be performed, but first, another example of generating declination values in accordance with the steps 328 and 329 (see
Referring to
Along with the declination coefficients, a declination model or algorithm to assist in generating declination values can be downloaded into the memory 124 of the portable electronic device 114. Suitable examples include the Department of Defense World Magnetic Model and its declination coefficients and the International Geomagnetic Reference Field Model and its accompanying declination coefficients, both of which can be acquired from the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy. Of course, other suitable declination models can be obtained.
The processor 118 can use the declination coefficients and the declination model to generate declination values. For example, when the portable electronic device 114 enters a particular geographic region, the portable electronic device 114 can receive geographical positional information related to this region. As an example, a base station 112 of the communications network 110 can transmit such geographical positional information to the receiver 120 when the portable electronic device 114 is within the operating range of the base station 112. The receiver 120 can process and forward this information to the processor 118.
The geographical positional information can be positional coordinates, such as latitude and longitude, of the base station 112. As another example, the geographical positional information can be an area code or a postal delivery code in which the base station 112 is situated. It is understood, however, that the invention is not so limited, as the geographical positional information can include any information that provides at least a general indication as to the physical location of the portable electronic device 114 and can be received from any suitable source.
The processor 118 can access from the memory 124 the declination model and the declination coefficients and, using the received geographical information, can generate the declination value. The generation of the declination value can occur in virtually any part of the world so long as geographical positional information can be provided to the portable electronic device 114. Although two different ways to generate declination values have been presented, the invention is not restricted as such. Virtually any type of method can be used to generate the declination values.
Referring back to the method 300 of
Referring to
Turning to the second method of generating declination values (see steps 328 and 329 of
Referring back to
For example, referring to
Referring back to the method 300 of
To save battery life, the process of adjusting the readings from the compass 126 can be performed when certain events occur. For example, the adjustment of the readings, in accordance with the steps described above, can be performed when the portable electronic device 114 is turned on. Alternatively, a user, through the display 128, the keypad 132 or some other suitable user interface, can request the adjustment for the readings of the compass 126. Moreover, the portable electronic device 114 may leave an operating range of, for example, the communications network 110, and an adjustment of readings for the compass 126 can occur when the portable electronic device reenters the operating range of the communications network 110.
The adjustment process may also be performed when the portable electronic device 114 moves from a first portion of the communications network 110 to a second portion of the communications network 110. As an example, the first portion can be a cell 115 (see
Referring to
At step 612, the declination value can be stored in the portable electronic device. At decision block 614, it can be determined whether the portable electronic device has left the range of the communication network after a predetermined amount of time. If it has not, the method 600 can resume at decision block 614. If it has, however, the method 600 can continue at step 616, where the geographical positional information can be accessed from a global positioning system receiver. Further, at step 618, the generating and calibrating steps can be performed based on the geographical positioning information from the global positioning system receiver. The method 600 can then end at step 610.
For example, referring to
In this event, the processor 118 can obtain the geographical positional information from the GPS receiver 134. The processor 118 can then generate a new declination value in accordance with one of the examples described in relation to the method 300, for example, and can use the new declination value to calibrate the readings from the compass 126. In one arrangement, the step of generating a new declination value based on positional information from the GPS receiver 134 can be triggered after the portable electronic device 114 has been outside the range of, for example, the communications network 110 for a predetermined amount of time. It must be noted that other devices or methods can be used to supply the portable electronic device 114 with the geographical positional information when the portable electronic device moves outside the range of the communications network 110.
Where applicable, the present invention can be realized in hardware, software or a combination of hardware and software. Any kind of computer system or other apparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein are suitable. A typical combination of hardware and software can be a mobile communication device with a computer program that, when being loaded and executed, can control the mobile communication device such that it carries out the methods described herein. The present invention can also be embedded in a computer program product, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein and which when loaded in a computer system, is able to carry out these methods.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the invention is not so limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
