Directional steering and navigation indicator

Claim 3

A positioning apparatus for indicating integrated directional and point of closest approach (PCA) information to a user traveling along a current course toward a desired destination, the positioning apparatus operable with a computer and a navigation system providing the user's current position data, destination position data, bearing data, and course-over-ground (COG) data, comprising: destination position means for indicating the position of the desired destination; current position means for indicating the current position of the user relative to the desired destination; PCA means for indicating a position along the current course that is closest to the desired destination; COG position means for indicating the COG data, the COG position means coupled to the current position means, wherein the COG data represents the direction of travel of the user at the user's current position, further wherein the PCA means is coupled along a line formed by the current position means and the COG position means; bearing-to-destination (BTD) means for integrally coupling the destination position means with the current position means; and alignment means for aligning the COG position means with the BTD means such that the PCA means coincides with the destination position means, wherein the user is oriented such that the COG means superimposes the BTD means, further wherein when the PCA means coincides with the destination position means, the user's current course is directed toward the desired destination.

Claim 4

A positioning apparatus for indicating integrated directional and point of closest approach (PCA) information to a user traveling along a current course toward a desired destination, the positioning apparatus operable with a computer and a navigation system providing the user's current position data, destination position data, bearing data, and course-over-ground (COG) data, comprising: destination position means for indicating the position of the desired destination; current position means for indicating the current position of the user relative to the desired destination; PCA means for indicating a position along the current course that is closest to the desired destination; COG position means for indicating the COG data, the COG position means coupled to the current position means, wherein the COG data represents the direction of travel of the user at the user's current position, further wherein the PCA means is coupled along a line formed by the current position means and the COG position means; bearing-to-destination (BTD) means for integrally coupling the destination position means with the current position means; and alignment means for aligning the COG position means with the BTD means such that the PCA means coincides with the destination position means, wherein the user is oriented such that the COG means superimposes the BTD means, further wherein when the PCA means coincides with the destination position means, the user's current course is directed toward the desired destination.

Claim 5

The positioning apparatus of claim 2, further comprising display means for displaying the destination position means, the current position means, the PCA means, the COG position means, and the BTD means, such that as the alignment means aligns the COG position means with the BTD means, the PCA means gets closer to the destination means, wherein when the PCA means matches the destination position means, the PCA means superimposes the destination position means.

Claim 6

The positioning apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an arrival indicator for indicating that the PCA means is getting closer to the destination position means.

Claim 7

The positioning apparatus of claim 4, further comprising an alarm for indicating that the PCA means has reached the arrival indicator.

Claim 8

The positioning apparatus of claim 2, further comprising numerical data means for indicating to the user numerical information regarding the COG position, the distance between the user's current position and the desired destination.

Claim 9

The positioning apparatus of claim 3, wherein the display means is a computer screen.

Claim 10

The positioning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the distance between the current position means and the PCA means varies as the COG position means is aligned with the BTD means.

Claim 11

The positioning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the navigation system comprises the global positioning system.

Claim 12

The positioning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the navigation system comprises a LORAN navigation system.

Claim 13

The positioning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the navigation system comprises an inertial navigation system.

Claim 14

An integrated steering indicator operable with a programmable computer and a navigation system, the integrated steering indicator for displaying point of closest approach (PCA), route, and position information to a traveling operator, to direct the operator from an origin to a desired destination, the origin and desired destination having an associated origin waypoint and a destination waypoint, respectively, the positions of the origin and destination waypoints being determined by the navigation system, respectively, the integrated steering indicator comprising: an origin waypoint indicator for displaying the position of the origin waypoint; a destination waypoint indicator for displaying the position of the destination waypoint relative to the origin waypoint; a current position indicator for indicating a current position of the operator; a course-over-ground (COG) indicator integrally coupled to the current position indicator for indicating a direction of travel of the operator; a PCA indicator positioned in line with the COG indicator; a bearing-to-destination (BTD) indicator defining a line between the destination waypoint and the operator's current position; means for steering the COG indicator toward the destination waypoint such that the PCA indicator moves toward the destination waypoint indicator, wherein as the PCA indicator moves toward the destination waypoint indicator, the operator travels toward and in the direction of the desired destination; and alignment means for aligning the COG indicator with the BTD indicator such that the PCA indicator superimposes the destination waypoint indicator, such that the operator is traveling directly toward the desired destination.

Claim 15

An integrated steering indicator operable with a programmable computer and a navigation system, the integrated steering indicator for displaying point of closest approach (PCA), route, and position information to a traveling operator, to direct the operator from an origin to a desired destination, the origin and desired destination having an associated origin waypoint and a destination waypoint, respectively, the positions of the origin and destination waypoints being determined by the navigation system, respectively, the integrated steering indicator comprising: an origin waypoint indicator for displaying the position of the origin waypoint; a destination waypoint indicator for displaying the position of the destination waypoint relative to the origin waypoint; a current position indicator for indicating a current position of the operator; a course-over-ground (COG) indicator integrally coupled to the current position indicator for indicating a direction of travel of the operator; a PCA indicator positioned in line with the COG indicator; a bearing-to-destination (BTD) indicator defining a line between the destination waypoint and the operator's current position; means for steering the COG indicator toward the destination waypoint such that the PCA indicator moves toward the destination waypoint indicator, wherein as the PCA indicator moves toward the destination waypoint indicator, the operator travels toward and in the direction of the desired destination; and alignment means for aligning the COG indicator with the BTD indicator such that the PCA indicator superimposes the destination waypoint indicator, such that the operator is traveling directly toward the desired destination.

Claim 16

The integrated steering indicator of claim 12, further comprising icons for representing the origin waypoint, destination waypoint, COG, BTD, PCA, and current position indicators, and a screen coupled to the computer for displaying the representative icons.

Claim 17

The integrated steering indicator of claim 13, further comprising an arrival indicator encompassing the destination waypoint indicator for indicating when the PCA indicator is within a predetermined distance to the destination waypoint.

Claim 18

The positioning apparatus of claim 14, further comprising an alarm for indicating that the PCA indicator has reached the arrival indicator.

Claim 21

A positioning apparatus for integrally displaying directional and point of closest approach (PCA) information to a user traveling along a current course toward a desired destination, the positioning apparatus operable with a computer and a navigation system providing the user's current position data, destination position data, bearing data, and course-over-ground (COG) data, wherein the user's current position data, destination position data, bearing data, and COG data are graphically represented on the computer, the positioning apparatus comprising: a display coupled to the computer; destination position means for indicating the position of the desired destination on the display; current position means for indicating the current position of the user relative to the desired destination on the display; PCA means for displaying a position along the current course that is closest to the desired destination; COG position means for indicating the COG data on the display, the COG position means coupled to the current position means, wherein the COG data represents the direction of travel of the user at the user's current position; bearing-to-destination (BTD) means for integrally coupling the destination position means with the current position means; and alignment means for enabling the COG position means to be aligned with the BTD means, the PCA means being displayed to move toward the destination position means, such that the user is oriented to cause the COG means to move closer to the BTD means, wherein when the PCA means coincides with the destination position means the display indicates that the user's current course is directed toward the desired destination.

Claim 22

A positioning apparatus for integrally displaying directional and point of closest approach (PCA) information to a user traveling along a current course toward a desired destination, the positioning apparatus operable with a computer and a navigation system providing the user's current position data, destination position data, bearing data, and course-over-ground (COG) data, wherein the user's current position data, destination position data, bearing data, and COG data are graphically represented on the computer, the positioning apparatus comprising: a display coupled to the computer; destination position means for indicating the position of the desired destination on the display; current position means for indicating the current position of the user relative to the desired destination on the display; PCA means for displaying a position along the current course that is closest to the desired destination; COG position means for indicating the COG data on the display, the COG position means coupled to the current position means, wherein the COG data represents the direction of travel of the user at the user's current position; bearing-to-destination (BTD) means for integrally coupling the destination position means with the current position means; and alignment means for enabling the COG position means to be aligned with the BTD means, the PCA means being displayed to move toward the destination position means, such that the user is oriented to cause the COG means to move closer to the BTD means, wherein when the PCA means coincides with the destination position means the display indicates that the user's current course is directed toward the desired destination.