Abstract:
A parachutist navigation system includes a display attached to a side vision area of a parachutist&#39;s goggles, a navigation pod attached to the parachutist&#39;s helmet, and a remotely located controller. The navigation pod supports therein a GPS receiver and a processor provided with mission data supplied by the controller. The processor uses the mission data and GPS signals to generate a plurality of display-formatted data sets. Coupled to the processor is an user-controlled input device used to select at least one of the plurality of display-formatted data sets for output to the display.

Description:
ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention described herein was made in the performance of official duties by employees of the Department of the Navy and may be manufactured, used, licensed by or for the Government for any governmental purpose without payment of any royalties thereon. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to portable navigation systems, and more particularly to a helmet-mounted parachutist navigation system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Military parachutists frequently carry a navigation computer/system that provides the parachutist with information (e.g., altitude, wind speed, ground speed, etc.) which can then be used by the parachutist as he controls his parachute. These navigation systems are either hand-held or chest-mounted. The obvious drawback of the hand-held systems is that they must be held while simultaneously attempting to control the parachute. The chest-mounted systems include a display that the parachutist must look downward to view. However, inclement weather can make such viewing difficult or impossible. Furthermore, the chest region of a parachutist is generally considered to be a valuable location for the mounting of other mission-essential equipment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a parachutist navigation system that requires minimal use of the parachutist&#39;s hands. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a parachutist navigation system having an easily viewable display that is unaffected by adverse weather conditions. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a parachutist navigation system maintained at a location on the parachutist that does not interfere with parachute control operations or mission operations. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious hereinafter in the specification and drawings. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a parachutist navigation system utilizes a display adapted to be attached to a side vision area of a parachutist&#39;s goggles such that upward and downward fields of view through the goggles are unobstructed. A housing, adapted to be attached to a parachutist&#39;s helmet, supports therein a plurality of components to include a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for receiving GPS signals and a processor coupled to the GPS receiver. The processor is provided with mission data to include a landing zone, wind speed as a function of altitude and a preferred altitude at the landing zone. The processor uses the mission data and GPS signals to generate a plurality of display-formatted data sets to include a display-formatted data set of the mission data, a display-formatted data set of location data indicated by the GPS signals, and a display-formatted data set of computed data generated by the processor using the mission data and location data. Coupled to the processor is a user-controlled input device used to select at least one of the plurality of display-formatted data sets for output to the display. Located remotely with respect to the housing is a means for up loading the mission data to the processor. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reference to the following description of the preferred embodiments and to the drawings, wherein corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side schematic view of a helmet-based parachutist navigation system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 2  is a head-on view of the parachutist&#39;s helmet illustrating the position of the navigation system&#39;s display. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a helmet-based parachutist navigation system is shown. The navigation system includes elements that are attached to a parachutist&#39;s helmet  100  and goggles  102 , both of which are shown in phantom. The helmet and goggle designs are not limitations of the present invention. 
     The navigation system of the present invention includes the following three essential elements: a goggle-mounted display  10 , a helmet-mounted navigation pod  20 , and a controller  30  that is either temporarily hardwired to navigation pod  20  or able to be coupled thereto in a wireless fashion as will be explained further below. As is best seen in  FIG. 2 , goggle-mounted display  10  (which can be a monochrome or color display device) is mounted to a side or peripheral vision area (i.e., left or right side) of goggles  102 . It is preferred that display  10  be located approximately midway between the top and bottom of the viewing area of goggles  102  so as not to obstruct the parachutist&#39;s upward or downward views. In this way, display  10  will not interfere with the parachutist&#39;s ability to see his parachute, shroud lines, release buckles, chest worn equipment, or the ground during landing. The particular type of display  10  and features thereof are not limitations of the present invention. Thus, display  10  can utilize any standard night/day display technology such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode display (OLED), or a field emission display (FED), just to name a few. Further, display  10  could be mounted to goggles  102  in such a way that display  10  could be rotated slightly up/down and/or left/right to accommodate a particular user&#39;s needs. Still further, magnifying optics (not shown) could be included or added to display  10  as needed. 
     Display  10  receives display data from navigation pod  20 . The display data can include one or more of the following types of data: (i) location of the parachutist wearing helmet  100 , (ii) mission-specific data such as the location of landing zone, environmental conditions, navigation waypoints, parachute characteristics, and preferred altitudes at waypoints and/or the landing zone, and (iii) locations of other parachutists on the same mission. The display data can be assembled in a variety of display views that are not limitations of the present invention. 
     Navigation pod  20  includes a housing  21  attached to helmet  100 . It is preferred that housing  21  be mounted to the rear portion of helmet  100  and have a streamlined exterior to minimize drag and prevent entanglement with parachute lines. Supported in housing  21  are a number of components used to collect, assemble and/or generate the various types of display data being supplied to display  10 . A Global Positioning System (GPS) antenna/receiver  22  is mounted in the upper portion of housing  21  to receive GPS signals in ways that are well understood in the art. The GPS signals are provided to an onboard processor  23  that is programmed to process the GPS signals to develop a location of the person wearing helmet  100 . 
     Processor  23  is further provided with the current mission-specific data by controller  30 . Such mission-specific data can be provided via a hardwire link  32  that is temporarily coupled to processor  23  prior to the parachutist&#39;s mission. More preferably, navigation pod  20  includes a wireless receiver/transceiver  24  that can receive wireless transmissions  34  from controller  30 . In this way, a single controller  30  could be used to simultaneously provide mission-specific data to a plurality of navigation pods  20  (i.e., a plurality of parachutists) about to embark on the same mission. Furthermore, mission-specific data could be updated after the parachutist(s) jump to accommodate last minute changes or changing environmental conditions. Still further, if a wireless transceiver  24  is used, the location of the parachutist wearing helmet  100  can be broadcast for monitoring at controller  30  or by other parachutists on the same mission. 
     Also coupled to processor  23  is one or more user controls  25  (e.g., buttons, dials, slides, etc., mounted on the side of housing  21 ) that can be used to select one of the various type of displays. For example, a display view could illustrate just mission-specific data or just (GPS) location data. Another option is to combine different types of data such as a GPS location of the parachutist, the desired landing zone, the parachutist&#39;s altitude and current wind speeds at that altitude. Still another option is for processor  23  to be programmed with navigation software that computes information for the parachutist using the collected GPS data and the provided mission-specific data. For example, the GPS and mission-specific data could be used to calculate whether or not the parachutist was “on track” to achieve the desired landing zone. This computation could be provided in a simple “YES/NO” display format or in a display format that indicated how far “off track” the parachutist is. Navigation algorithms that perform such computations are well known in the art. 
     Power for each of the above-described components of navigation pod  20  is typically provided by an onboard power supply  26  which can be rechargeable. Accordingly, power supply  26  could be individually removable from pod  20 , or the entirety of pod  20  could be removable from helmet  100  to allow power supply  26  to be recharged or replaced. 
     Controller  30  can be as simple or complex as need be to provide the above-described mission-specific data to navigation pod  20 . For example, controller  30  could be a hand-held personal data assistant (PDA), laptop or other type of more complex computer. Controller  30  is equipped with one or both of hardwired and wireless data transfer capabilities to support hardwire link  32  and wireless link  34 . 
     The advantages of the present invention are numerous. Parachutist navigation data is easily viewed in all weather conditions without obstructing one&#39;s view of other essential parachute equipment. The system requires minimal use of the parachutist&#39;s hands. Since the display is indexed to the parachutist&#39;s helmet/goggles, the display will always appear stable to the user regardless of head movement. 
     Although the invention has been described relative to a specific embodiment thereof, there are numerous variations and modifications that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.