초록 ▼

A portable, handheld electronic navigation device includes an altimeter and a GPS unit. An internal memory stores cartographic data, for displaying the cartographic data on a display of the navigation device. Accordingly, the device is capable of displaying cartographic data surrounding a location o

A portable, handheld electronic navigation device includes an altimeter and a GPS unit. An internal memory stores cartographic data, for displaying the cartographic data on a display of the navigation device. Accordingly, the device is capable of displaying cartographic data surrounding a location of the unit as determined by GPS and altitude information as determined by the barometric altimeter and GPS. The device provides an enhancement of the calibration and hence the accuracy of barometric altimeter measurements with the aid of derived altitudes from a GPS. The device is able to determine the need for calibration and perform the subsequent computations necessary to facilitate the calibration. Furthermore, the device is able to determine a correction quantity that should be applied to barometric altitude readings, thereby allowing the device to be calibrated while in motion. Both of these features ultimately result in a more accurate determination of altitude. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the altimeter of the navigation device may be calibrated with altitude information entered by a user, with altitude information obtained from the cartographic, with altitude information derived from GPS or with any combinations thereof.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An electronic device comprising: an altimeter comprising a barometric pressure sensor and operable to determine an altitude of the electronic device; a GPS unit operable to determine an altitude of the electronic device; and a housing for housing said altimeter and said

The invention claimed is: 1. An electronic device comprising: an altimeter comprising a barometric pressure sensor and operable to determine an altitude of the electronic device; a GPS unit operable to determine an altitude of the electronic device; and a housing for housing said altimeter and said GPS unit, wherein a processor of said device is operable to calibrate said altimeter while said device is in motion, and wherein calibration of the altimeter accounts for any dynamic changes of the altitude as determined by the altimeter and the altitude as determined by the GPS unit when the altimeter and GPS unit are moved in tandem. 2. The electronic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the device continuously calibrates the altimeter. 3. The electronic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the housing is portable and handheld. 4. An electronic device comprising: an altimeter for determining a first altitude of the electronic device; a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from a plurality of satellites; and a processor coupled with the GPS receiver and the altimeter for calculating a location of the electronic device as a function of the satellite signals, the location including a second altitude reading of the electronic device, such that the processor is operable to calibrate the altimeter while the electronic device is in motion by accounting for dynamic changes between the first and the second altitude readings. 5. The electronic device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the device continuously calibrates the altimeter. 6. The electronic device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the altimeter includes a barometric pressure sensor.