Patent ID: 6738712
Filing Date: 2004-05-18
Classification: G01C,G01S

Abstract:
A system for locating an object using the Global Positioning Satellite System (GPS), the locating system comprising:a locator unit connected to the object; the locator unit including a first processor, a first transmitter for transmitting a position request signal to the GPS, and a first receiver for receiving a first position signal from the GPS indicative of the position of the object and providing the first position signal to the first processor for storage; a hand-held remote unit selected from the group laptop computer, GPS watch, cellular telephone and PDA for determining a position of the remote unit relative to the object; the remote unit including a second processor, a second transmitter for transmitting a position request signal to the GPS, a second receiver for receiving a second position signal from the GPS indicative of the position of the remote unit and providing the second position signal to the second processor for storage; means connected to the second processor for generating a request signal requesting the first location signal from the locator unit, whereupon the locator unit retrieves the first location signal from the first processor and transmits the first location signal to the remote unit, such that upon receipt of the first location signal the second processor compares the first location signal to the second position signal and determines a position of the remote unit relative to the object; and display means connected to the second processor for displaying a visual signal and issuing an audio signal to indicate the position of the remote unit relative to the object, the display means including an indicator having directional arrows showing a direction from the remote unit, and an area on the display indicating by color the relative altitudes of the remote unit and the object.