Patents Assigned to Garmin Ltd.
  • Patent number: 7534206
    Abstract: A navigation-assisted fitness device broadly comprising a location determining component, a fitness monitoring component and a display. The location determining component determines location data for a user of the device as the user exercises. The fitness monitoring component is coupled with the location determining component and calculates fitness information for the user as the user exercises. The display displays the fitness information and other information and data. The fitness information may include an indication of the intensity level of the user's exercise, the total amount of calories burned by the user during the exercise, the amount of fat calories burned, and the amount of carbohydrate calories burned. The device calculates the ratio of fat calories burned versus carbohydrate calories burned based on the intensity level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Garmin Ltd.
    Inventors: John H. Lovitt, Claudette D. Fisher
  • Publication number: 20090121946
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing power and information to an electronic device housed in a first housing. The apparatus may generally comprise a coupling element, a receiver operable to wirelessly receive information, and a cable. The coupling element is housed within a second housing that is operable to be at least partially inserted into an automobile cigarette lighter socket to acquire power therefrom. The cable extends from the second housing and is operable to couple with the electronic device or a mount associated with the electronic device to provide power from the coupling element and information from the receiver to the electronic device. The cable may generally include a first portion for housing an antenna that is operable to electrically couple with the receiver and a second portion for housing one or more wires. The one or more wires are operable to provide the power and the information to the electronic device or the mount associated with the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: GARMIN LTD.
    Inventor: Larry G. Morse
  • Publication number: 20090101767
    Abstract: A battery cover for an electronic device including a battery receptacle. The battery cover generally comprises a base and a cover mating element. The base is operable to couple with a portion of the electronic device and at least partially cover the battery receptacle. The cover mating element is operable to couple with the base and interchangeably mate with a reciprocal mating element associated with a mount to couple the electronic device to the mount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: GARMIN LTD.
    Inventors: Robert M. Kalis, Jason D. Bridges, David F. Lammers-Meis
  • Publication number: 20090101766
    Abstract: A battery cover for an electronic device including a battery receptacle. The battery cover generally comprises a base and a cover mating element. The base is operable to couple with a portion of the electronic device and at least partially cover the battery receptacle. The cover mating element is operable to couple with the base and interchangeably mate with a reciprocal mating element associated with a mount to couple the electronic device to the mount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: GARMIN LTD.
    Inventors: Robert M. Kalis, Jason D. Bridges, David F. Lammers-Meis
  • Patent number: 7516928
    Abstract: A mounting assembly for portable electronic devices includes a mount (12) with a mounting ball (16) that mates with a socket assembly (22) formed in a housing (18) of an electronic device (20). The socket assembly includes an orifice (32) formed in the back of the housing, a seat (34) positioned in the orifice for matingly receiving the ball, and a spring element (36) partially surrounding the seat. The seat includes a concave center portion (38) and a plurality of flexible, interconnected arms (40,42,44) extending from the concave center portion. The spring element substantially encircles the flexible arms to allow the flexible arms to flex outward when receiving the ball and to then contract inwardly to contact the ball when the ball is seated fully in the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Garmin Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert M. Kalis, Joshua C. Reeson, Dale R. Langner, Paul E. Skelton
  • Patent number: 7516011
    Abstract: Real-time weather information is dynamically acquired in real-time and presented within a display. The display also includes a variety of other information, such as a route and a current position associated with a navigation device. The real-time weather information includes real-time weather and/or water conditions. The real-time weather and/or water conditions are presented within the display with unique visual features and concurrently presented with the other information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Garmin Ltd.
    Inventors: Darrin W. Kabel, Craig L. Mehan, Steven J. Myers, Michael A. Manna
  • Publication number: 20090076765
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating a motion parameter corresponding to a subject element employs one or more accelerometers operable to measure accelerations and a processing system operable to generate a motion parameter metric utilizing the acceleration measurements and estimate the motion parameter using the motion parameter metric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: GARMIN LTD.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Kulach, James K. Rooney, Paul R. MacDonald
  • Patent number: 7502686
    Abstract: A navigation device is provided that includes a GPS input that receives GPS information from a GPS satellite. The system also includes a non-GPS input that receives real-time content from a non-GPS source. The real-time content includes updates to travel conditions. The system also includes a navigation module that analyses the updates from the non-GPS source in conjunction with the GPS information form the GPS satellite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Garmin Ltd.
    Inventors: Clifton A. Pemble, Michael R. Wiegers
  • Publication number: 20090059730
    Abstract: A watch device includes a touch-sensitive user interface employing a sensor positioned within the bezel of the display for detecting when the bezel is touched by a user of the watch device. The sensor may be capable of detecting single presses, multiple simultaneous presses, and scrolling motion presses about the bezel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: GARMIN LTD.
    Inventors: Justin R. Lyons, Kristin M. Massoth, John H. Lovitt, Claudette D. Stevenson, David J. Downey
  • Publication number: 20090063049
    Abstract: A bicycle computer having position-determining functionality is described. In an implementation, an apparatus includes a housing configured to attach to a bicycle. The apparatus has one or more modules to store training metrics of a user of the bicycle as a function of geographic position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: GARMIN LTD.
    Inventors: Sarah L. Swisher, John H. Lovitt, Claudette D. Stevenson, David J. Downey
  • Patent number: 7483789
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for complementary navigation devices with various integrated positioning functionality. The navigation method includes providing a first navigation device. The first navigation device includes a triangulation positioning functionality. The method includes providing a second navigation device adapted to communicate with the first navigation device. The second navigation device includes one or more dead reckoning positioning components. The method further includes resolving a position of the first and the second navigation devices. Resolving the position includes using the one or more dead reckoning positioning components in complement to the triangulation positioning functionality to determine the position when the triangulation positioning functionality is degraded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Garmin Ltd.
    Inventors: Thomas H. Walters, Cliff A. Pemble, Min H. Kao
  • Publication number: 20090018840
    Abstract: Techniques are described related to tiles of automatic 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 geographic partition of the ASR data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: GARMIN LTD.
    Inventors: Pascal M. Lutz, Jacob W. Caire, Kenneth A. Bolton, Cory J. Stricklin
  • Publication number: 20090018842
    Abstract: Techniques are described to create a context for use in automated speech recognition. In an implementation, a determination is made as to which data received by a position-determining device is selectable to initiate one or more functions of the position-determining device, wherein at least one of the functions relates to position-determining functionality. A dynamic context is generated to include one or more phrases taken from the data based on the determination. An audio input is translated by the position-determining device using one or more said phrases from the dynamic context.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: GARMIN LTD.
    Inventors: Jacob W. Caire, Pascal M. Lutz, Kenneth A. Bolton
  • Patent number: 7475858
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a mounting assembly for mounting an electronic device to a surface. The mounting assembly generally includes a base including a mounting ball and a socket assembly operable to frictionally engage the ball to removably couple the socket assembly to the base. The base may be removably coupled with the surface and the socket assembly may be removably coupled with the electronic device. Such a configuration enables the electronic device to be easily positioned in confined environments by first attaching the base to the surface, then attaching the socket assembly to the base and positioning the socket assembly in a desired orientation, and finally attaching the electronic device to the socket assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Garmin Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert M. Kalis, Stephen P. Waite, Paul E. Skelton, Dale R. Langner
  • Patent number: 7468692
    Abstract: A navigation device comprises a data receiver and a Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation device which are interconnected with a multi-pin connector. The data receiver provides an intermediate voltage level through the multi-pin connector, and a microprocessor within the GPS navigation device identifies a type of data transmission system associated with the data receiver. A plurality of intermediate voltage levels may be output wherein each level corresponds to a different type of transmitted data. The data receiver may further comprise a resistor network having a resistance value based on the type of transmitted data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Garmin Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael R. Wiegers
  • Patent number: 7467060
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating a motion parameter corresponding to a subject element employs one or more accelerometers operable to measure accelerations and a processing system operable to generate a motion parameter metric utilizing the acceleration measurements and estimate the motion parameter using the motion parameter metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Garmin Ltd.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Kulach, James K. Rooney, Paul R. MacDonald
  • Patent number: 7458489
    Abstract: A carrying assembly (10, 110) having an easy release clip for carrying of an electronic device (12, 112) is disclosed. In both a first and a second preferred embodiment, the easy release clip of the carrying assembly (10, 110) allows a user to insert and remove the electronic device (12, 112) in one step and without having to depress a release key. In the first preferred embodiment, the carrying assembly (10) is adjustable so that the electronic device (12) may be positioned in a horizontal position, a vertical position, or any position between horizontal and vertical. The carrying assembly (10) broadly comprises a rear panel (14), a spring component (16) including an integral leaf spring (46), a retainer button (18), and a base (20). In a second preferred embodiment, the carrying assembly (110) is fitted to a lanyard so that the electronic device (112) may be worn around the user's neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Garmin Ltd.
    Inventors: John J. Mudd, Jonathan C. Burrell, John B. Whiteside, David F. Lammers-Meis
  • Patent number: 7440845
    Abstract: A navigation assembly (5l) for mounting a navigational device (10l) in an open port (12l) of a vehicle resulting from removal of a non-navigational component is provided. The navigation assembly (5l) broadly comprises a mounting assembly (218l) and the navigational device (10l). The mounting assembly (218l) is mounted within the open port (12l), and the navigational device (10l) is fixedly or removably attached to the mounting assembly (218l), such that the navigational device (10l) may be linearly raised or lowered between two viewing positions that are in a general linear relationship to each other. The navigational device (10l) is operable to pivot left and right within the open port (12l). Additionally, a navigation assembly (5m) broadly comprising a mounting assembly (218m) and a navigational device (10m) for raising and lowering the navigational device (10m) among three viewing positions that are in a general linear relationship to each other is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Garmin Ltd.
    Inventors: David J. Laverick, Brian G. Schoenfish, Jeffrey D. Minelli
  • Patent number: D592083
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Garmin Ltd.
    Inventors: Warren R. Stevens, Gregory W. Johnson, Juhee Lee, Joshua C. Reeson
  • Patent number: D592084
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Garmin Ltd.
    Inventors: Warren R. Stevens, Christopher J. Hanshew, Juhee Lee, Darren J. Nelson