Patents Represented by Attorney Samuel M. Korte
  • Patent number: 8334790
    Abstract: A device and method for providing traffic information. In one embodiment, the device comprises a traffic component, a computing device coupled with the traffic component, and a display coupled with the computing device. The traffic component is operable to identify an upcoming traffic event expected to be first encountered by the device and select an icon corresponding to the identified category. The display is operable to present an indication of the selected icon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Timothy C. Rozum, Scott J. Brunk
  • Patent number: 8330736
    Abstract: An optical overlay filters radiation striking the overlays at a non-planar incidence angle while passing and focusing in-plane signals. In embodiments, an optical overlay comprises an inner wall, an outer wall, an upper wall, and a lower wall. The inner wall may be formed to include a planar surface. The outer wall may be spaced apart from the inner wall and may be formed to include a convex surface. The combination of the planar surface of the inner wall and the convex surface of the outer wall may form a plano-convex lens. The upper wall may include a first plurality of ridges that are generally parallel to the inner wall. The lower wall may include a second plurality of ridges that are generally parallel to the inner wall. The combination of the first plurality of ridges and the second plurality of ridges may form an optical filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jared S. Klein, Andrew C. Rudebusch, Laura A. Rippel
  • Patent number: 8330236
    Abstract: A system for improving the performance of a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device that is housed in a package and implemented on a printed circuit board (PCB) comprises a footprint, an isolation channel, and a bridge. A portion of the isolation channel is removed to mechanically isolate the MEMS device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Christopher J. Kulach, Paul R. MacDonald
  • Patent number: 8331958
    Abstract: Techniques are described for automatically identifying/recognizing location information in received data and then providing navigational-related functions associated with the location information. In one or more implementations, automatically identifying location information may be performed using a locale context. More particularly, the locale context may serve as a basis for determining how text data is parsed and which expressions are used to parse text in order to recognize the location information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel D. Hein, Nathan J. Bishop, Jason B. Yonker
  • Patent number: 8296001
    Abstract: A marine electronic device such as a chartplotter which includes a display; a location determining component; and a processing system for receiving location data from the location determining component and for causing information to be displayed by display. The processing system causes the display to display information which assists an operator in navigating and ascertaining characteristics of bodies of water, objects on nearby shores, and other vessels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Darrin W. Kabel, Darren E. Hain, Brayden S. Wilbeck, Christopher B. Bilderback
  • Patent number: 8279763
    Abstract: A device, system, and method for grouping traffic events. In one embodiment, the device comprises a traffic component, a computing device coupled with the traffic component, and a display coupled with the computing device. The traffic component is operable to receive data corresponding to a plurality of traffic events. The computing device is operable to identify at least two related traffic events and form a traffic event group representing at least two of the related traffic events. The display is operable to present an indication of the formed traffic event group. Such a configuration enables users to more easily access relevant traffic information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Timothy C. Rozum, Scott J. Brunk
  • Patent number: 8280628
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide navigation devices (10) and methods for receiving and/or forming geoblogs. The provided navigation devices (10) are generally operable to retrieve a geoblog utilizing the current geographic location of the device (10) and a user input, form a geoblog utilizing the current geographic location of the device (10) and selected pre-defined comment, and/or automatically title a geoblog utilizing a current geographic location of the device (10). Such configurations and variations thereof enable users to easily share information related to a geographic location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventor: David A. Smith
  • Patent number: 8264376
    Abstract: A multi-product avionics control and display unit (CDU). In implementations, the CDU may include a display and a processor coupled with the display. The processor is configurable to operate in a first mode to cause the display to present standby primary flight information associated with the aircraft and a second mode to control and display operation of one or more aircraft systems associated with the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin International, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank A. McLoughlin, Steven B. Willhoite, Walter J. Rolston, Joseph E. Gepner
  • Patent number: 8258978
    Abstract: Techniques are described that may be implemented in a mobile electronic device providing navigation functionality to furnish a notification that the indicated speed limit of a roadway being traversed has changed. In an implementation, the display of the mobile electronic device is configured to display navigation information including a roadway graphic representing a roadway being traversed by the mobile electronic device and a speed limit indicator graphic for indicating the speed limit associated with the roadway. When a change in the indicated speed limit is encountered, an attribute of the navigation information is temporarily altered to provide a notification of the change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventor: Steven P. Greasby
  • Patent number: 8237744
    Abstract: A method for operating a navigation device provides a driver with the option of being presented with an overview of the route lying ahead in addition to a detailed illustration of the current position along the route section, namely without any complicated interactions with the navigation device. This navigation device independently changes the scale of the display of the route on the display means in dependence on a manually selected operating mode. The advantage of this method can be seen in a semi-automated solution that always enables the driver to decide exactly which information should be displayed by his navigation device at which time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Würzburg GmbH
    Inventors: Steffen Joachim, Jochen Katzer
  • Patent number: 8225201
    Abstract: A graphic output device for generating a mixed graphic-textual depiction having at least one text object consisting of multiple letters for identifying a geographic feature, the output device comprising a processor unit, which is set up to reshape the text object in such a manner that the reshaped text object comprises, in addition to a normal text area having letters in the original size, a compressed text area having letters shrunken and/or compressed in relation to the original size, the boundary between the normal text area and the compressed text area running along a semantic jump point of the text object. A method for preparing a text object consisting of multiple letters using a processor unit, for the purpose of depicting the text object using a graphic output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Würzburg GmbH
    Inventor: Oliver Michael
  • Patent number: 8224562
    Abstract: A method for the automatic, computer-assisted determination of a route travelable by motor vehicles from a starting point to a destination point based on digitalized map data, wherein a computer acquires a starting point and destination point and determines the route based on possible road segments in such a way that the automatically generated route has a high recreational value. To this end, it is proposed that the computer determining the route preferably incorporate those road segments into the route that exhibit a high number of curves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Würzburg GmbH
    Inventor: Jochen Katzer
  • Patent number: 8219399
    Abstract: Techniques are described related to tiles of automated speech recognition data. In an implementation, automated speech recognition (ASR) data is obtained. The ASR data is divided into a plurality of tiles based on an approximate amount of data to be included in each tile. Each of the tiles is a partition of the ASR data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Pascal M. Lutz, Jacob W. Caire, Kenneth A. Bolton, Cory J. Stricklin
  • Patent number: 8214139
    Abstract: Techniques are described for position source selection. In an implementation, an electronic device provides a variety of functionality including at least functionality to determine position. The electronic device may be further configured to select between a plurality of position sources to determine position based upon a variety of selection criteria. In an implementation, a last known position may be stored when position is being determined through the plurality of position sources. The last known position may be used as an alternative to determining position via the position sources when one or more of the position sources are unavailable. In another implementation, the last known position may be employed to automatically select one of the plurality of position sources to be used by the electronic device for determining position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Jason B. Yonker, Mei-Lin Hsieh, Bernhard P. Weisshaar, Haitao Huang, Merlin J. Smith
  • Patent number: 8209069
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for estimating future pitch and roll angles of an aircraft to compensate for a time delay caused by a flight instrumentation system calculating the aircraft's pitch and roll. The apparatus may output signals to an aircraft autopilot system. The apparatus may comprise various inputs and outputs, at least one compensation module, and at least one addition module. The compensation module may multiply a gain value by the pitch rate of the aircraft and by the roll rate of the aircraft to determine a pitch compensation amount and a roll compensation amount. Then the pitch compensation amount may be added to the pitch of the aircraft, and the roll compensation amount may be added to the roll of the aircraft to solve for a compensated pitch and a compensated roll to send to the autopilot system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin International, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank A. McLoughlin, Xi Li
  • Patent number: 8195390
    Abstract: A navigation device (1) including an input device for inputting operator commands and/or location data, particularly starting points and/or destinations, a road network database, a route calculating unit for calculating a planned route with consideration of the location data and the road network database, wherein the route leads from the starting point to the destination, a signal receiving unit for receiving position signals, particularly GPS-signals, a position determining unit that determines the current position based on the position signals, and at least one optical display device, has an editable image database, in which image data files (7) provided for being displayed on the display device can be managed in a user-defined fashion and method of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Würzburg GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Schliermann
  • Patent number: 8195346
    Abstract: An avionics system for a mechanically-controlled aircraft configured to provide envelope protection for deterring a pilot from flying outside of acceptable flight parameter limits for flight parameters such as banking angle, pitch attitude, g loading, proximity to terrain and/or obstacles, angle of attack, and/or airspeed. The avionics system may comprise at least one servo actuator and a computing device. The computing device may engage envelope protection by engaging the at least one servo actuator if the aircraft reaches a maximum or minimum limit for any of the flight parameters, such that the at least one servo actuator provides a force to urge a flight control device in a direction to bring the aircraft back within the acceptable flight parameter limits. The servo actuator may be disengaged when the aircraft flight parameters reach an end value corresponding to the start value that triggered envelope protection to engage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin International, Inc.
    Inventors: Noel J. Duerksen, John C. Johnson, Justin S. Williams
  • Patent number: D659566
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Todd P. Register, Peter J. Henne, Daniel E. DeBrunner
  • Patent number: D660726
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Todd P. Register, Jonathan R. Hosler, Thomas A. Bondurant, Brian M. Sandefur, Thomas J. Vehlewald
  • Patent number: D661206
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Todd P. Register, Jonathan R. Hosler