Patent ID: 8577595

Claim:
A device for generating location and path-map data for displaying a location and path-map of an object in motion, the device comprising: a first set of magnetic sensors for generating a plurality of first data signals with respect to an attitude of the object; a first set of inertial sensors for generating a plurality of second data signals with respect to the attitude of the object; an imaging device for generating a plurality of temporally-spaced images; and at least one processing device that is adapted to: calculate a first heading direction (bearing) of a first path along which the object is traveling using the plurality of first data signals and the plurality of second data signals; while the object is still in motion along the first heading direction, identify a first image taken at a first location on the first path and a temporally subsequent second image taken at a second location on the first path; identify a most significant feature in the first image in common with the temporally subsequent second image; calculate a demagnification number using a relationship between at least one dimension of the most significant feature in the first image and the at least one dimension of said most significant feature in the second image; calculate a distance traveled by the object along the first path in the first heading direction using the calculated demagnification number; and translate the calculated heading direction and calculated distance traveled into a leg or portion of a leg of a path-map for visual display on a two- or three-dimensional system.