Apparatus and method for allowing user to track path of travel over extended period of time

Abstract

An apparatus ( 10 ) and method for allowing a moving user to automatically determine and store locations ( 11 ) over an extended period of time, to display the series of such locations ( 11 ), and to actively assist in returning to an earlier location. The apparatus ( 10 ) includes an antenna ( 16 ) for facilitating satellite lock, a fastening mechanism ( 18 ) for positioning the antenna ( 10 ) for best reception, and a satellite lock indictor ( 20 ) for communication loss of satellite lock. The apparatus ( 10 ) also includes a time ( 26 ) for measuring an interval during which the apparatus ( 10 ) is in a power-conserving sleep mode, and after which the user's current location is automatically determined. Active assistance in returning to an earlier location, either by traveling back along the path earlier traveled or by traveling along a more direct route, is accomplished by warning the user whenever the user's course deviates from the path or route.

1 . An apparatus for actively assisting a user in returning to an earlier geographic location, the apparatus comprising: 
 a GPS receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of orbiting satellites and, based thereon, determining a geographic location of the apparatus with respect to the orbiting satellites;    a memory for storing a series of the geographic locations, including a current geographic location, corresponding to a movement of the apparatus over time; and    an input mechanism for allowing the user to identify for the apparatus, from among the stored series of geographic locations, the earlier geographic location to which the user desires to return, and for allowing the user to select and identify for the apparatus a return route, from among at least two possible return routes, by which to return to the earlier geographic location.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the return route includes at least a portion of the series of geographic locations between the current geographic location and the earlier geographic location.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the return route is the shortest route from the current geographic location to the earlier geographic location.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , further including a warning mechanism for communicating a warning to the user when the user deviates from the return route while traveling back to the earlier geographic location.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the warning mechanism communicates the warning when the user deviates from the return route by more than a pre-established amount.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the pre-established amount is set by the user.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for actively assisting a user in returning to an earlier geographic location, the apparatus comprising: 
 a GPS receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of orbiting satellites and, based thereon, determining a current geographic location of the apparatus with respect to the orbiting satellites;    a timer for measuring a preestablished time interval during which time the apparatus is in a power-conservation mode, and at the expiration of which the GPS receiver automatically determines the current geographic location of the apparatus, wherein the preestablished time interval is repeatedly measured and the current geographic location is repeatedly determined so as to result in a series of geographic locations corresponding to a movement of the apparatus over time;    a memory for storing the series of geographic locations; and    an input mechanism for allowing the user to identify for the apparatus, from among the stored series of geographic locations, the earlier geographic location to which the user desires to return, and for allowing the user to select and identify for the apparatus a return route, from among at least two possible return routes, by which to return to the earlier geographic location.    
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the return route includes at least a portion of the series of geographic locations between the current geographic location and the earlier geographic location.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the return route is the shortest route from the current geographic location to the earlier geographic location.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 7 , further including a warning mechanism for communicating a warning to the user when the user deviates from the return route while traveling back to the earlier geographic location.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the warning mechanism communicates the warning when the user deviates from the return route by more than a pre-established amount.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the pre-established amount is set by the user.  
     
     
         13 . A method of actively assisting a user in returning to an earlier geographic location, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) determining and storing a series of geographic locations, including a current geographic location, corresponding to a movement of the user over time;    (b) allowing the user to identify, from among the stored series of geographic locations, the earlier geographic location to which the user desires to return; and    (c) allowing the user to select a return route, from among at least possible return routes, by which to return to the earlier geographic location, and actively assisting the user in returning to the identified earlier geographic location along the selected return route.    
     
     
         14 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the return route includes at least a portion of the series of geographic locations between the current geographic location and the earlier geographic location.  
     
     
         15 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the return route is the shortest route from the current geographic location to the earlier geographic location.  
     
     
         16 . The method as set forth in  claim 13 , further including step (d), after step (c), communicating a warning to the user when the user deviates from the return route while traveling back to the earlier geographic location.  
     
     
         17 . The method as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the warning is communicated when the user deviates from the return route by more than a pre-established amount.  
     
     
         18 . The method as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the pre-established amount is based on a total distance to be traveled between the current geographic location and the earlier geographic location.  
     
     
         19 . The method as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the pre-established amount is based on a total distance between the current geographic location and a next geographic location in the portion of the series of geographic locations included in the route.  
     
     
         20 . The method as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the pre-established amount is set by the user.  
     
     
         21 . A method of actively assisting a user in returning to an earlier geographic location, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) determining automatically and at pre-established intervals a geographic location;    (b) storing the automatically determined geographic locations, including a current geographic location, as a series of geographic locations corresponding to a movement of the user over time;    (c) allowing the user to identify, from among the stored series of geographic locations, the earlier geographic location to which the user desires to return; and    (d) allowing the user to select a return route, from among at least two possible return routes, by which to return to the earlier geographic location, and actively assisting the user in returning to the identified earlier geographic location along the selected return route.    
     
     
         22 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the return route includes at least a portion of the series of geographic locations between the current geographic location and the earlier geographic location.  
     
     
         23 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the return route is the shortest route from the current geographic location to the earlier geographic location.  
     
     
         24 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , further including step (e), after step (d), communicating a warning to the user when the user deviates from the return route while traveling back to the earlier geographic location.  
     
     
         25 . The method as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein the warning is communicated when the user deviates from the return route by more than a pre-established amount.  
     
     
         26 . The method as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the pre-established amount is based on a total distance to be traveled between the current geographic location and the earlier geographic location.  
     
     
         27 . The method as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the pre-established amount is based on a total distance between the current geographic location and a next geographic location in the portion of the series of geographic locations included in the route.  
     
     
         28 . The method as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the pre-established amount is set by the user.  
     
     
         29 . An apparatus for actively assisting a user in returning to an earlier geographic location, the apparatus comprising: 
 a GPS receiver for determining a current geographic location of the apparatus;    a timer for repeatedly measuring a pre-established time interval during which time the apparatus is in a power-conservation mode, and at the expiration of which the GPS receiver automatically determines the current geographic location of the apparatus, resulting in a series of geographic locations corresponding to a movement of the apparatus over time;    a memory for storing the series of geographic locations;    an input mechanism for allowing the user to identify for the apparatus, from among the stored series of geographic locations, the earlier geographic location to which the user desires to return, and for allowing the user to select and identify for the apparatus a return route, from among at least two possible return routes, by which to return to the earlier geographic location; and    a warning mechanism for communicating a warning to the user when the user deviates from the selected return route while traveling back to the earlier geographic location.