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.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for more efficient use of RAM and other resources in connection with a route calculation algorithm which quickly obtains a best or reasonable best path between two locations. The navigational aid device includes forced layer switching capabilities. The navigational aid device includes a processor and a memory adapted to communicate with the processor. The memory has cartographic data including any number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations. The plurality of thoroughfares are organized in a hierarchy of detail levels. The processor operates on a route calculation algorithm to find a path between any two of the number of locations and the route calculation algorithm dynamically forces switching between different levels in the hierarchy of detail levels based on a set of criteria.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for more efficient use of RAM and other resources in connection with a route calculation algorithm which quickly obtains a best or reasonable best path between two locations. The navigational aid device includes forced layer switching capabilities. The navigational aid device includes a processor and a memory adapted to communicate with the processor. The memory has cartographic data including any number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations. The plurality of thoroughfares are organized in a hierarchy of detail levels. The processor operates on a route calculation algorithm to find a path between any two of the number of locations and the route calculation algorithm dynamically forces switching between different levels in the hierarchy of detail levels based on a set of criteria.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods are provided for portable navigation devices with various integrated positioning functionality. The apparatus includes a portable electronic device having a processor in communication with a memory. The memory is adapted to store navigation related data. The navigation related data includes cartographic data including a number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations. The portable electronic device includes a GPS receiver adapted to communicate with the memory and processor. And, the portable electronic device includes a dead reckoning component, including a rate gyro, pedometer, and/or accelerometer adapted to communicate to memory and processor.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for more efficient use of RAM and other resources in connection with a route calculation algorithm which quickly obtains a best or reasonable best path between two locations. The navigational aid device includes forced layer switching capabilities. The navigational aid device includes a processor and a memory adapted to communicate with the processor. The memory has cartographic data including any number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations. The plurality of thoroughfares are organized in a hierarchy of detail levels. The processor operates on a route calculation algorithm to find a path between any two of the number of locations and the route calculation algorithm dynamically forces switching between different levels in the hierarchy of detail levels based on a set of criteria.

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.

Abstract: A GPS enabled personal digital assistant (PDA) is provided. A housing of the PDA includes a processor and a memory operably coupled to the processor. The memory has provided thereto cartographic data including any number of locations and data indicative of thoroughfares of a plurality of types connecting certain ones of the locations. A display is operably coupled to the processor, the display viewable at a front face of the housing. And, a GPS patch antenna is operably coupled to the processor and is located above the display within the housing to receive GPS signals.

Abstract: A navigation unit (10) for receiving navigation signals from a source thereof such as global positioning satellites is configured to rack mount and connect with a remote fixed antenna and for detached, self-powered operation using a directly mounted helical antenna (14). The preferred antenna (14) includes antenna elements composed of a thin film of conductive material (50) printed on a flexible dielectric substrate (44) rolled into a tubular configuration.