Patent ID: 7158079
Filing Date: 2007-01-02
Classification: G01S,G08B

Abstract:
1. A handheld location apparatus for returning a user to a location, comprising: a system unit configured to determine a current location using Global Positional System (GPS) signals; a user interface unit having a display area and first, second, and third buttons, and up, down, left, right, forward, and back indicators; a memory unit; an internal compass configured to determine a direction relative to a magnetic north; and a computational unit configured to interact with the first and second buttons, wherein the computation unit retrieves one of a plurality of locations from the system unit and stores the one of the plurality of locations in the memory unit upon selection of the first button by the user, the computation unit receives the current location from the system unit and calculates a relative three-dimensional direction from the current location to the one of the plurality of locations upon selection of the second button by the user, wherein the relative three-dimensional direction is graphically represented on the display area of the user interface unit using the up and down direction indicators independent of the left, right, forward, and back indicators, wherein the third button is configured to select the one of the plurality of locations, and wherein each of the plurality of locations are identified by a unique location number, and the computational unit is configured to store location information only in response to the selection of the first button by the user; and wherein the left, right, forward, and back indicators are simultaneously activated to represent that the location and one of the plurality of locations are identical.