WO2012085925A1

WO2012085925A1 - Incline data global positioning system

Info

Publication number: WO2012085925A1
Application number: PCT/IN2011/000113
Authority: WO
Inventors: M. Anjan CARIAPPA M.
Original assignee: Cariappa M M Anjan
Priority date: 2010-12-20
Filing date: 2011-02-25
Publication date: 2012-06-28

Abstract

A device, system and method for the derivation, display and recording of incline angles of a terrain using an accelerometer and to attach and integrate this data either onto GPS data co-ordinates or onto maps and mapping applications. This invention also warns when a certain tilt parameter is met. The term "Incline Data Global Positioning System" or ID-GPS for short is proposed for the above method/system.

Description

TITLE

Incline Data Global Positioning System

The following specification particularly describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed. Field of Invention:

This invention relates to the derivation, display and recording of incline angles of a terrain using an accelerometer and to attach and integrate this data either onto GPS data co-ordinates or onto maps and mapping applications. This invention also warns when a certain tilt parameter is met.

The term "Incline Data Global Positioning System" or ID-GPS for short is proposed for the above method/system.

A dedicated mapping application on the internet would display these ascend, descend and tilt angles along with the regular GPS data.

Background of the invention:

Navigational aids such as GPS and maps carry data such as latitude, longitude and elevation to derive locations. GPS data on a map displays the co-ordinates and the elevation above mean sea level. Though this information is enough to navigate around, needs emerge when angles of incline of the terrain are required for better planning and traversing these terrains. These data are vital for sources such as military personnel, explorers, off-roaders and anyone and everyone who needs to know the angles of climb, descend and banking to traverse or reach a certain destination. People involved in the sport of off- roading, trekking, hiking, biking etc can use these data to choose challenging terrains and people such as explorers etc' can perhaps avoid the same area to make their journey easier. These data can be used to map out 3D maps showing the inclines. This invention records incline angles of a surface or terrain and this data can either be used as a separate source for further use or integrated into GPS data to be exported to maps or mapping applications. The system also warns of a possible rollover of an automobile if it reaches a set tilt parameter.

A dedicated mapping application on the internet or other standalone system can display these ascend, descend and tilt angles along with the regular GPS data.

Prior art:

GPS devices have been around for many years now and these devices generate only co-ordinates in latitude, longitude and elevation above sea level.

Accelerometers have been used for various purposes and to find angles of surfaces. As stated in the background of the invention, a need for GPS data with incline angles is definitely foreseen. Object of the invention:

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a system for derivation, display, warning, recording and integration of incline angles such as ascend, descend and roll angles using an accelerometer to regular GPS data which only consists of latitude, longitude and elevation parameters.

Another object of the invention is to provide these incline angle parameters to persons who wish to tackle such terrains and need these data before hand to access the challenge and warn them if required if they or their automobile exceeds or meets certain tilt parameters to a possible roll-over situation.

Yet another object of the invention is to help persons to choose to avoid such obstacles if required in the terrain to traverse and reach a certain destination.

Summary of the Invention:

Accordingly , the invention provides a device that derives, records, warns and displays angles of a surface or terrain such as ascend, descend and roll angles and attaches this data to regular GPS co-ordinates and elevation and exports this data that can be used in maps and mapping applications. The device consists of a GPS device with or without a display unit into which an

accelerometer is integrated and the data from the two sources are combined and exported in a customised file format that can be displayed on maps or mapping applications.

Thus the operation of the system is the function of deducing and recording, warning and displaying various angles of the device itself when it is tilted or the tilt of the base to which the device is fixed such as an automobile and to record these parameters along with GPS data.

The system can be integrated into a GPS device adapted to accept an

accelerometer.

A dedicated mapping application on the internet would display these ascend, descend and tilt angles along with the regular GPS data. Detailed description of the invention:

It is well known in many circles such as off-roaders, explorers and military personnel that incline data of a terrain is useful or even vital. Persons who wish to experience or explore a certain terrain rely on maps which basically consists of two dimensional data and in some cases the elevation above sea level.

These parameters are insufficient in most cases when persons wish to tackle or avoid certain parts of the terrain.

This invention helps in charting out a certain terrain using the system and method mentioned, thus recording and attaching incline data to these maps so that a record or database is created which can help other persons better understand the gradient and inclines of a certain terrain explored.

A person who has this device attached to his automobile for example can traverse a certain terrain and thus record all the incline angles such as ascend, descend and roll angles and export this data and integrate the same onto a map which others can now access. The system can also warn if the automobile reaches a set roll-over angle using an audio visual alert to the user.

The system also incorporates a feature to set the base angle to zero in whichever position the device is placed so that the physical position of the device is not a hindrance for accurate data generation.

A dedicated mapping application on the internet or a standalone system would display these ascend, descend and tilt angles along with the regular GPS data providing details of the terrain, difficulty levels etc'.

Claims

1. A system for Incline data Global Positioning , the system comprising an electronic unit with a combination of a GPS receiver and an accelerometer and said electronic unit being able to output data

Characterized in that,

Said unit is able to derive, record, display and attach data of various incline angles such as ascend, descend and tilt/ pitch/ roll /yaw using an accelerometer to GPS data and output GPS data combined with accelerometer readings to an electronic display.

Said unit can output a combination of GPS and accelerometer data to other external sources/devices where this data can be further harvested for various uses and output onto internet enabled and standalone systems.

Said unit is able to derive, record, display and attach data of various incline angles such as ascend, descend and tilt/ pitch/ roll /yaw using an accelerometer to GPS data and output GPS data combined with the above mentioned accelerometer readings onto the internet and display the parameters on maps and other applications .

Said output from the unit can mean a trigger for any kind of primary and or secondary devices that can include lights, display screens, transmitters to indirectly activate other systems and communicate with online and offline external devices and other independent systems.

Said electronic unit consists of an electronic circuit that comprises of a programmable micro chip processor to enable the functioning of the unit depending upon the inputs from the GPS receiver and the accelerometer to output relevant data to another source such as an electronic display, internet connected devices and systems and or other independent systems

2. A device and method to derive, record, display and attach data on

various incline angles such as ascend, descend and tilt/ pitch/ roll /yaw etc' to GPS data as described in claim 1 using a device with an integrated accelerometer, such as a mobile phone.

3. A method to attach and use an accelerometer to a GPS processing and display device to derive, display and record ascend, Descend, Tilt, Pitch Roll, Yaw angles of a terrain and to give and attach or integrate these readings to regular GPS data and display it as co-ordinates and/or as maps and to help in navigation itself in assisted GPS when GPS satellite coverage is temporarily unavailable such as in the calculation of altitude, turning and change of direction in various axes.

This can be a dedicated device consisting of a GPS, processor and display to which an accelerometer is integrated. These can also be devices that already have accelerometers built into them such as mobile phones.

4. A system, method and device as described in claim 1 and 2 where in the system can warn of possible roll-over of the platform onto which the unit is attached when a set parameter is reached or exceeded.

5. A system, method and device as described in claim 1 where in a

dedicated mapping application on the internet or on a standalone system would display these ascend, descend and tilt angles along with the regular GPS data.