Patents by Inventor Michael R. Wiegers
Michael R. Wiegers has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10473781Abstract: Various techniques are described that relate to the manner in which marine devices may generate and display a water depth contour map while navigating a body of water. The contour map includes contour lines associated with determined contour line data that indicate geolocations of underwater terrain existing at depths of the body of water specified by the contour lines. A boundary enclosing a region of interest for the body of water may be determined and the contour map may include contour lines determined using the determined contour line data within the region of interest. The boundary may correspond to a natural shoreline along the perimeter of a body of water or a portion of the body of the water. The boundary corresponding to a shoreline may be automatically identified based on a stored map by identifying geographic locations along the perimeter of the body of water.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2016Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbHInventor: Michael R. Wiegers
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Publication number: 20180074195Abstract: Various techniques are described that relate to the manner in which marine devices may generate and display a water depth contour map while navigating a body of water. The contour map includes contour lines associated with determined contour line data that indicate geolocations of underwater terrain existing at depths of the body of water specified by the contour lines. A boundary enclosing a region of interest for the body of water may be determined and the contour map may include contour lines determined using the determined contour line data within the region of interest. The boundary may correspond to a natural shoreline along the perimeter of a body of water or a portion of the body of the water. The boundary corresponding to a shoreline may be automatically identified based on a stored map by identifying geographic locations along the perimeter of the body of water.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2016Publication date: March 15, 2018Inventor: Michael R. Wiegers
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Patent number: 8647214Abstract: A method and electronic device for analyzing golf swings associates actual ball flight data with sensed swing characteristics. The electronic device includes a location-determining component; a sensor; a display; and a computing device all housed within a portable, handheld or wearable enclosure. The computing device may associate the ball flight data with the swing characteristic data by storing the data together in memory, linking the data in memory, displaying representations of the data together, or by any other method. The computing device may also create a reference profile for a golfer based on ball flight data and sensed swing characteristics for a plurality of golf swings and may associate swing characteristics with particular golf clubs.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2008Date of Patent: February 11, 2014Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbHInventor: Michael R. Wiegers
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Patent number: 8041029Abstract: A mounting device comprises a base for placement on a vehicle dashboard or other surface; an attachment mechanism positioned on the base for removably coupling with the electronic device; a battery system including a rechargeable battery positioned within the base or the attachment mechanism for providing power to the electronic device when it is coupled to the attachment mechanism; and at least one solar cell positioned on or incorporated into the base or the attachment mechanism for charging the rechargeable battery.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2009Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbHInventor: Michael R. Wiegers
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Publication number: 20110241607Abstract: An inductive charging station that does not have to be directly plugged into an electrical socket in order to recharge a battery of an electronic device. The inductive charging station is incorporated into a primary electronic device, such as a laptop computer, for charging or recharging a secondary electronic device, such as a mobile phone. The inductive charging station is electrically coupled with the power source of the primary electronic device so that it may be used to inductively charge the battery of the secondary electronic device without directly plugging either the inductive charging station or the secondary electronic device into an electrical socket or other source of electricity.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2010Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: GARMIN LTD.Inventor: Michael R. Wiegers
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Publication number: 20110208895Abstract: A method of writing data to an electronic device during assembly comprises attaching a resident memory element to one or more contact pads of a circuit board using a solder paste; reflowing the solder paste to affix the resident memory element to the contact pads; copying data from an external memory element to the resident memory element; and thereafter combining a device component with the circuit board to at least partially complete assembly of the electronic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2010Publication date: August 25, 2011Applicant: GARMIN LTD.Inventors: Michael R. Wiegers, Travis J. Hebner, Jay D. Schroeder, Ross R. Stutterheim
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Patent number: 7925320Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an electronic device mount (10) operable to provide navigation information to an electronic device (D). The mount (10) generally includes a housing (12) operable to securely retain the electronic device (D) and removably couple with a surface. The housing (12) preferably encloses or supports various portions of an antenna (14), a processor (18), and/or a transmitter (16). The antenna (14) is operable to receive a navigation signal, the processor (18) is operable to generate navigation information utilizing the received navigation signal, and the transmitter (16) operable to wirelessly transmit the generated navigation information to the electronic device (D). Such a configuration enables the electronic device (D) to receive navigation information from the mount (10) while being compactly and securely retained.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2006Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbHInventors: Clifton A. Pemble, Warren R. Stevens, Michael R. Wiegers
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Publication number: 20100193649Abstract: A mounting device comprises a base for placement on a vehicle dashboard or other surface; an attachment mechanism positioned on the base for removably coupling with the electronic device; a battery system including a rechargeable battery positioned within the base or the attachment mechanism for providing power to the electronic device when it is coupled to the attachment mechanism; and at least one solar cell positioned on or incorporated into the base or the attachment mechanism for charging the rechargeable battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2009Publication date: August 5, 2010Applicant: GARMIN LTD.Inventor: Michael R. Wiegers
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Patent number: 7668654Abstract: 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 analyzes the updates from the non-GPS source in conjunction with the GPS information form the GPS satellite.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2009Date of Patent: February 23, 2010Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Clifton A. Pemble, Michael R. Wiegers
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Publication number: 20090298605Abstract: A method and electronic device for analyzing golf swings associates actual ball flight data with sensed swing characteristics. The electronic device includes a location-determining component; a sensor; a display; and a computing device all housed within a portable, handheld or wearable enclosure. The computing device may associate the ball flight data with the swing characteristic data by storing the data together in memory, linking the data in memory, displaying representations of the data together, or by any other method. The computing device may also create a reference profile for a golfer based on ball flight data and sensed swing characteristics for a plurality of golf swings and may associate swing characteristics with particular golf clubs.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2008Publication date: December 3, 2009Applicant: GARMIN LTD.Inventor: Michael R. Wiegers
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Publication number: 20090138195Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2009Publication date: May 28, 2009Applicant: GARMIN LTD.Inventors: Clifton A. Pemble, Michael R. Wiegers
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Patent number: 7538723Abstract: A personal navigation device includes a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites; a processing system coupled with the GPS receiver for determining a location of the personal navigation device as a function of the GPS signals; a display coupled with the processing system for displaying information related to the location of the personal navigation device; a housing on which the display is mounted and in which the GPS receiver and processing system are housed; and an antenna coupled with the GPS receiver for assisting in reception of the GPS signals. The antenna is fixedly positioned along a plane that is generally parallel with a plane passing through the housing.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2007Date of Patent: May 26, 2009Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Stephen M. Davis, Joshua C. Reeson, Joe R. Dejmal, Michael R. Wiegers
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Patent number: 7502686Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 23, 2004Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Clifton A. Pemble, Michael R. Wiegers
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Patent number: 7468692Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 15, 2005Date of Patent: December 23, 2008Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventor: Michael R. Wiegers
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Publication number: 20080218408Abstract: A personal navigation device includes a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites; a processing system coupled with the GPS receiver for determining a location of the personal navigation device as a function of the GPS signals; a display coupled with the processing system for displaying information related to the location of the personal navigation device; a housing on which the display is mounted and in which the GPS receiver and processing system are housed; and an antenna coupled with the GPS receiver for assisting in reception of the GPS signals. The antenna is fixedly positioned along a plane that is generally parallel with a plane passing through the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2007Publication date: September 11, 2008Applicant: GARMIN LTD.Inventors: Stephen M. Davis, Joe R. Dejmal, Joshua C. Reeson, Michael R. Wiegers
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Patent number: 7030810Abstract: A navigation apparatus (10) configured for removably coupling with and providing navigational capabilities to a portable, handheld computing device (12). The navigation apparatus (10) includes a navigation receiver (26) for receiving navigation signals from a plurality of sources; a processor (24) coupled with the navigation receiver (26) for determining a location of the navigation apparatus (10) as a function of the received navigation signals; and an interface/connector (44). The interface/connector (44) is either a Secure Digital slot connector or a Compact Flash slot connector. Location data stored in the navigation apparatus (10) and data representative of the location determined by the navigation apparatus (10) may be delivered from the processor (24) to the handheld computing device (12) so that it may be displayed and used by a user of the device (12).Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2003Date of Patent: April 18, 2006Assignee: Garman Ltd.Inventors: Thomas H. Walters, Michael R. Wiegers, Robert M. Kalis
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Patent number: 6970130Abstract: A navigation apparatus (10) configured for removably coupling with and providing navigational capabilities to a portable, handheld computing device (12). The navigation apparatus (10) includes a navigation receiver (26) for receiving navigation signals from a plurality of sources; a processor (24) coupled with the navigation receiver (26) for determining a location of the navigation apparatus (10) as a function of the received navigation signals; and an interface/connector (44). The interface/connector (44) is either a Secure Digital slot connector or a Compact Flash slot connector. Location data stored in the navigation apparatus (10) and data representative of the location determined by the navigation apparatus (10) may be delivered from the processor (24) to the handheld computing device (12) so that it may be displayed and used by a user of the device (12).Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2004Date of Patent: November 29, 2005Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Thomas H. Walters, Michael R. Wiegers, Robert M. Kalis
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Patent number: 6693586Abstract: A navigation apparatus (10) configured for removably coupling with and providing navigational capabilities to a portable, handheld computing device (12). The navigation apparatus (10) includes a navigation receiver (26) for receiving navigation signals from a plurality of sources; a processor (24) coupled with the navigation receiver (26) for determining a location of the navigation apparatus (10) as a function of the received navigation signals; and an interface/connector (44). The interface/connector (44) is either a Secure Digital slot connector or a Compact Flash slot connector. Location data stored in the navigation apparatus (10) and data representative of the location determined by the navigation apparatus (10) may be delivered from the processor (24) to the handheld computing device (12) so that it may be displayed and used by a user of the device (12).Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2002Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: Garmin Ltd.Inventors: Thomas H. Walters, Michael R. Wiegers, Robert M. Kalis
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Patent number: D409927Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 1998Date of Patent: May 18, 1999Assignee: Garmin CorporationInventors: Michael R. Wiegers, Jeffrey D. Minelli