Interactive position guidance apparatus and method for guiding a user to reach a predetermined target position

Claim 2

A position guidance apparatus comprising: first means for prestoring position information; second means for receiving input position information; third means for determining a target position based upon the prestored position information, for determining current position based upon the received input position information, and for determining a predicted destination position based upon the received input position information and prestored position information; and display means for displaying the target position, the current position and the predicted destination position to a user to thereby enable the user to thereafter minimize any target and predicted destination position difference.

Claim 3

The position guidance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is relatively small so as to be mountable on as appendage of the user.

Claim 4

The position guidance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display means displays the target position as a first geometric shape and displays the predicted destination position as a second geometric shape, different from the first geometric shape.

Claim 5

The position guidance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the current position is displayed as an arrow.

Claim 6

The position guidance apparatus of claim 4, wherein a direction of the arrow indicates directional information.

Claim 7

The position guidance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second means receives longitude, latitude, and altitude input position information.

Claim 8

The position guidance apparatus of claim 6, wherein the third means determines the predicted destination position based upon received input longitude, latitude and altitude position information.

Claim 9

The position guidance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third means determines a target position area surrounding the target position and determines a predicted destination area surrounding the predicted destination position and the display means displays the determined target position area and predicted destination area.

Claim 10

The position guidance apparatus of claim 8, wherein the display means displays the target position area as a first geometric shape and displays the predicted destination area as a second geometric shape, different from the first geometric shape.

Claim 11

The position guidance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first means further prestores image information of known terrain proximate to the target position and the display means displays the prestored image information.

Claim 12

The position guidance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first means prestores jump profile information, and the third means determines the predicted destination position based on the received input position information and the prestored jump profile information.

Claim 13

A position guidance method, comprising the steps of: prestoring target position information and destination prediction information; receiving input position information; determining a target position based upon the prestored target position information; determining a current position based upon the received input position information; determining a predicted destination position based upon the received input position information and the prestored destination prediction information; and displaying the determined target position, current position, and predicted destination position to a user to thereby enable the user to thereafter minimize any target and predicted destination position difference.

Claim 14

A position guidance method, comprising the steps of: prestoring target position information and destination prediction information; receiving input position information; determining a target position based upon the prestored target position information; determining a current position based upon the received input position information; determining a predicted destination position based upon the received input position information and the prestored destination prediction information; and displaying the determined target position, current position, and predicted destination position to a user to thereby enable the user to thereafter minimize any target and predicted destination position difference.

Claim 15

The position guidance method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of: determining a starting position for beginning descent to the target position, based upon the prestored target position information and prestored fight profile information; and displaying a command to begin descent upon determining that the determined starting position has been reached.

Claim 16

The position guidance method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of: determining a difference between the determined target position and predicted destination position; calculating correction information for correcting the determined difference; and displaying instruction information for instructing the user on how to minimize the determined difference based upon the calculated correction information.

Claim 17

The position guidance method of claim 14, wherein the displayed instruction information includes an instruction for varying directional information.

Claim 18

The position guidance method of claim 14, wherein the displayed instruction information includes an instruction for varying velocity information.

Claim 19

The position guidance method of claim 15, wherein the displayed instruction information includes an instruction to steer left or right.

Claim 20

The position guidance method of claim 16, wherein the displayed instruction information includes an instruction to increase or decrease velocity.

Claim 21

The position guidance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third means further determines a difference between the determined target position and predicted destination position and calculates correction information for correcting the determined difference, and wherein the display means further displays instruction information for instructing the user on how to minimize the determined difference based upon the calculated correction information.

Claim 22

The position guidance apparatus of claim 19, wherein the displayed instruction information includes an instruction for varying directional information.

Claim 23

The position guidance apparatus of claim 19, wherein the displayed instruction information includes an instruction for varying velocity information.

Claim 24

The position guidance apparatus of claim 20, wherein the displayed instruction information includes an instruction to steer left or right.

Claim 25

The position guidance apparatus of claim 21, wherein the displayed instruction information includes an instruction increase or decrease velocity.

Claim 26

The position guidance apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: fourth means for determining a starting position for beginning descent to the target position, based upon prestored target information and prestored flight profile information, wherein the first means prestores the flight profile information and the display means displays a command to begin descent upon determining that the determined starting position has been reached.

Claim 27

The position guidance method of claim 12, wherein the target position is displayed as a first geometric shape and the predicted destination position is displayed as a second geometric shape, different from the first geometric shape.

Claim 28

The position guidance method of claim 12, wherein the current position is displayed as an arrow.

Claim 29

The position guidance method of claim 12, wherein the received input information includes longitude, latitude and altitude information.

Claim 30

The position guidance method of claim 27, wherein the predicted destination position is determined based upon the received input longitude, latitude and altitude information.

Claim 31

The position guidance method of claim 12, wherein the step of determining a target position includes determining a target position area surrounding the target position and the step of determining a predicted destination position includes determining a predicted destination area surrounding the predicted destination position and wherein the target position area and predicted destination area are displayed.

Claim 32

The position guidance method of claim 29, wherein the target position area is displayed as a first geometric shape and the predicted destination area is displayed as a second geometric shape, different from the first geometric shape.

Claim 33

An interactive position guidance apparatus for aiding a parachute jumper in reaching a predetermined target position comprising: first means for prestoring target position information of the predetermined target position and for prestoring jump profile information; second means for receiving input position information at predetermined time intervals; third means for determining, after each predetermined time interval, the current position of the parachute jumper based upon the received input position information and for determining, after each predetermined time interval, the predicted destination of the parachute jumper based upon the received input position information and the prestored jump profile information; display means for displaying the predetermined target position, the current position, and the predicted destination of the parachute jumper, wherein display of the current position and predicted destination of the parachute jumper is updated after each predetermined time interval; and calculation means for calculating, after each predetermined time interval, a difference between the predetermined target position and the predicted destination of the parachute jumper, wherein the display means further displays instruction information to minimize the calculated difference between the predetermined target position and the predicted destination of the parachute jumper.

Claim 34

An interactive position guidance apparatus for aiding a parachute jumper in reaching a predetermined target position comprising: first means for prestoring target position information of the predetermined target position and for prestoring jump profile information; second means for receiving input position information at predetermined time intervals; third means for determining, after each predetermined time interval, the current position of the parachute jumper based upon the received input position information and for determining, after each predetermined time interval, the predicted destination of the parachute jumper based upon the received input position information and the prestored jump profile information; display means for displaying the predetermined target position, the current position, and the predicted destination of the parachute jumper, wherein display of the current position and predicted destination of the parachute jumper is updated after each predetermined time interval; and calculation means for calculating, after each predetermined time interval, a difference between the predetermined target position and the predicted destination of the parachute jumper, wherein the display means further displays instruction information to minimize the calculated difference between the predetermined target position and the predicted destination of the parachute jumper.

Claim 35

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 31, wherein the displayed instruction information includes an instruction for varying directional information.

Claim 36

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 31, wherein the displayed instruction information includes an instruction for varying velocity information.

Claim 37

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 32, wherein the displayed instruction information includes an instruction to steer left or right.

Claim 38

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 33, wherein the displayed instruction information includes an instruction increase or decrease velocity.

Claim 39

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 31, wherein the apparatus is relatively small so as to be mountable on an appendage of parachute jumper.

Claim 40

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 31, wherein the display means displays the target position as a first geometric shape and displays the predicted destination of the parachute jumper as a second geometric shape, different from the first geometric shape.

Claim 41

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 31, wherein the second means receives longitude, latitude, and altitude input position information.

Claim 42

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 38, wherein the third means determines the predicted destination of the parachute jumper based upon received input longitude, latitude and altitude position information.

Claim 43

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 31, wherein the third means determines a target position area surrounding the target position and determines a predicted destination area surrounding the predicted destination of the parachute jumper and the display means displays the determined target position area and predicted destination area.

Claim 44

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 40, wherein the display means displays the target position area as a first geometric shape and the predicted destination area as a second geometric shape, different from the first geometric shape.

Claim 45

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 31, wherein the first means further prestores image information of known terrain proximate to the target position and the display means displays the prestored image information.

Claim 46

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 31, further comprising: fourth means for determining a jumping position for beginning descent to the predetermined target position based upon the prestored target information and flight profile information, wherein the display means displays a jump command to begin descent upon determining that the determined starting position has been reached.

Claim 47

The position guidance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input position information is updated every predetermined time interval.

Claim 48

The position guidance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input position information includes a global positioning signal.

Claim 49

The position guidance method of claim 12, wherein the input position information is updated every predetermined time interval.

Claim 50

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 31, wherein the input position information includes a global positioning signal.

Claim 51

The position guidance method of claim 15, wherein the instruction information is further audibly output.

Claim 52

The position guidance method of claim 16, wherein the instruction information is further audibly output.

Claim 53

The position guidance apparatus of claim 20, wherein the instruction information is further audibly output.

Claim 54

The position guidance apparatus of claim 21, wherein the instruction information is further audibly output.

Claim 55

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 32, wherein the instruction information is further audibly output.

Claim 56

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 33, wherein the instruction information is further audibly output.

Claim 57

The position guidance apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: fourth means for determining longitude and latitude position information and for inputting the determined longitude and latitude position information to the second means; and fifth means for determining altitude position information and for inputting the determined altitude position information to the second means.

Claim 58

The position guidance apparatus of claim 54, wherein the fourth means includes a global positioning signal receiver and the fifth means includes an altimeter.

Claim 59

The position guidance apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: keypad means for inputting instruction information indicating a start operation and providing an instruction to the second means to begin receipt of input position information and for inputting instruction information indicating an end operation and providing an instruction to the second means to stop receipt of a portion of the input position information.

Claim 60

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 39, further comprising: fourth means for determining longitude and latitude position information and for inputting the determined longitude and latitude position information to the second means; and fifth means for determining altitude position information and for inputting the determined altitude position information to the second means.

Claim 61

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 57, wherein the fourth means includes a global positioning signal receiver and the fifth means includes an altimeter.

Claim 62

The interactive position guidance apparatus of claim 31, further comprising: keypad means for inputting instruction information indicating a start operation and providing an instruction to the second means to begin receipt of input position information and for inputting instruction information indicating an end operation and providing an instruction to the second means to stop receipt of a portion of the input position information.

Claim 63

The position guidance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the current position and predicted destination position are redetermined and redisplayed each time the second means receives input position information.

Claim 64

The position guidance method of claim 12, wherein the current position and predicated destination position are redetermined and redisplayed each time input position information is received.

Claim 65

The position guidance method of claim 12, wherein the destination prediction information is jump profile information.