Personal navigation system
There is provided a personal navigation system, including a head-mounted orientation sensor, a coordinate position sensor, a head-mounted display, and a processor receiving an input from the head-mounted orientation sensor and an input from the coordinate position sensor and providing a visually sensible output for displaying on the head-mounted display.
1. A personal navigation system comprising:
a) a unit directly detachable to a navigator's head, the unit including:
(i) a head orientation sensor, and
(ii) a display having a light-transmitting substrate, optical means for coupling light into the substrate by total internal reflection, and at least one partially reflecting surface located in the substrate;
said display firmly connected with the sensor so as to be oriented in front of at least one eye of the navigator when wearing the unit,
b) a coordinate position sensor, and
c) a processor receiving input from the head orientation sensor and the coordinate position sensor, and providing a visually sensible output for displaying on the display,
wherein the display is a see-through combiner and wherein the navigator can see the external scene through the display.
2. The personal navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the display is an at least partially transparent display.
3. The personal navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the coordinate position sensor is a portable coordinate position sensor.
4. The personal navigation system according to claim 3 , wherein the portable coordinate position sensor includes at least one of a user-worn sensor and a user-carried sensor.
5. The personal navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor operates autonomously from any inputs from navigational instrumentation of a carrier vehicle.
6. The personal navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the coordinate position sensor is an onboard carrier vehicle coordinate position sensor.
7. The personal navigation system according to claim 6 , wherein the carrier vehicle is an aircraft and the system is an aviation navigation system.
8. The personal navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor comprises a portable processor.
9. The personal navigation system according to claim 8 , wherein the portable processor comprises at least one of a user-worn processor and a user carried processor.
10. The personal navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the coordinate position sensor comprises a GPS receiver.
11. The personal navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the personal navigation system is coupled with a headset.
12. The personal navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the head orientation sensor comprises an inertial sensor.
13. The personal navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor and the display provide location indication functionality.
14. The personal navigation system according to claim 13 , wherein the location indication functionality comprises landing strip designation functionality.
15. The personal navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor and the display provide approaching vehicle warning and designation functionality.
16. The personal navigation system according to claim 15 , wherein the approaching vehicle warning and designation functionality comprises an audio warning.
17. The personal navigation system according to claim 15 , wherein the approaching vehicle warning and designation functionality comprises a visual warning.
18. The personal navigation system according to claim 17 , wherein the visual warning comprises a flashing visual warning.
19. The personal navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor and the display provide airport approach path designation functionality.
20. The personal navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor and the display provide temporary flight restriction zone designation functionality.
21. The personal navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor and the display provide user head-turning direction designation functionality.
22. The personal navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the head-mounted display is operative to display a visual symbol utilizable to designate a location on the ground in the line-of-sight of a pilot, for identifying a designated location.
23. The personal navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is mounted on the display.