Abstract: A first down indicator assembly includes cart that is rollable along a sideline of an American football field. A pair of laser units is each of the laser units is coupled to the cart. Each of the laser units emits a location beam outwardly onto the American football field. The laser units are spaced 10.0 yards apart from each other thereby facilitating officials to determine when a first down is achieved by a football team. An American football visibly renders the location beam from a respective one of the laser units when a football team achieves the first down. A display unit is coupled to the cart thereby facilitating the display unit to be visible to players on the American football field. The display unit displays a variety of indicia for indicating information relating the American football.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece includes an indicating hand, a distance display hand, a GPS receiver that receives satellite signals transmitted from GPS satellites, a magnetic sensor, and a controller. The controller determines the direction to a destination on the basis of the satellite signals received by the GPS receiver, the output from the magnetic sensor, and destination information representing the position of the destination, determines the distance to the destination on the basis of the satellite signals and the destination information, causes the indicating hand to indicate the direction to the destination, and causes the distance display hand to display the distance to the destination.

Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for a compass, the device comprising a support comprising a magnetic field detection means being mounted via a conical pivot bearing on a tip of a shaft, wherein the detection means is capable of rotating in at least a plane which is perpendicular to the direction of the shaft, a direction indicator device connected to the magnetic field detection means, and wherein the support comprises an upper portion, a middle portion and a lower portion, the direction indicator device comprises an elongate plate with a direction indicator, wherein the middle portion of said support extends through an opening in the plate, the upper portion of said support comprises opposite first members extending over the top surface of said plate, and the lower portion of said support comprises opposite second members extending under the bottom surface of said plate, and said first and second members are vertically and pairwise aligned to form a first f

Abstract: An electronic timepiece includes an indicating hand, a distance display hand, a GPS receiver that receives satellite signals transmitted from GPS satellites, a magnetic sensor, and a controller. The controller determines the direction to a destination on the basis of the satellite signals received by the GPS receiver, the output from the magnetic sensor, and destination information representing the position of the destination, determines the distance to the destination on the basis of the satellite signals and the destination information, causes the indicating hand to indicate the direction to the destination, and causes the distance display hand to display the distance to the destination.

Abstract: An apparatus and methodology for measuring strike and dip of a plane, trend and plunge of a line, directional bearing in the horizontal plane, and angle of inclination in the vertical plane. More specifically, the present invention relates to a compass adapted to measure geological features using single compass configurations for each type of measurement. The compass includes a base, a hinge assembly rotatably interconnected to the base, and a lid rotatably interconnected to the hinge assembly. The lid is operable to rotate around both a major axis and a minor axis of the compass. A sight tube is positioned in a hollow bore of the hinge assembly and is operable to sight directional bearings.

Abstract: A north-referenceable goniometer for azimuthal orientation determination of a sighting device has a base, a rotary part, a rotation angle encoder for determining a rotational position of the rotary part about an upright axis, a gyroscope fixed on the rotary part and having a measuring device oriented orthogonally to the upright axis for determining a component of the Earth rotation vector, and an evaluation unit for determining the azimuthal angle of the geographical north pole. The goniometer also includes an acceleration sensor, and the evaluation unit is formed such that, using the evaluation unit, the determined component of the Earth rotation vector is corrected by a sink rate of the goniometer, determined with the aid of the acceleration sensor, and a systematic measurement error of the gyroscope is corrected by determining measurement values of the component of the Earth rotation vector in at least three different rotational positions.

Abstract: A motion estimation method and system for a mobile body are provided. The method includes: obtaining magnetic field information from compass information of the mobile body; comparing the magnetic field of the mobile body with a predetermined value and determining whether a position of the mobile body belongs to a specific region according to the comparison result; and estimating a direction of the mobile body by determining whether a compass azimuth angle is used for direction estimation of the mobile body according to the determination result.

Abstract: A portable phone has a CPU and a magnetic sensor unit including an X-axis magnetic sensor, a Y-axis magnetic sensor, and a temperature sensor. CPU measures at first and second temperatures the influence of a magnetic field of permanent magnets upon an output Sx of the X-axis magnetic sensor and an output Sy of the Y-axis magnetic sensor, and stores the influence data together with the first and second temperature data. CPU estimates at the present temperature the influence upon the output Sx of the X-axis magnetic sensor and the output Sy of the Y-axis magnetic sensor, from the present temperature detected with the temperature sensor and the stored influence data. CPU corrects the outputs Sx and Sy in accordance with the estimated influence and determines the direction of the portable phone from the corrected outputs Sx and Sy.

Abstract: The present invention provides a compass comprising an at-least-partially-transparent housing having a top and a bottom, a vertically orientated, conical pivot bearing, and a magnetic detection means which is mounted on the vertically-oriented conical pivot bearing. The magnetic detection means thereby is capable of rotating in a substantially-horizontal plane. The magnetic field detection means is provided with a radially-extending, tilt-compensating, indicator device. The indicator device has at least one spacer element which is spaced from the magnetic field detection means, the spacer element projecting from the indicator device and being directed towards one of a top of the housing of the compass and a bottom of the housing of the compass.

Abstract: An arrangement for correcting declination in an optically readable bearing compass having a body enclosing a hermetically sealed capsule containing a compass card and a main reading line calibrated indicate bearing to the earth's magnetic pole without correction of declination. The compass body further includes an opening or passage having an optical system therein suited to facilitate taking the bearing indicated by the wind rose. The compass has a movable auxiliary reading line which is adjustable with respect to the compass body and the main reading line to both sides from its center position corresponding to the zero value of declination thus permitting the correction of bearing error caused by the geographic displacement between the true North Pole and the magnetic north pole.

Abstract: An optical sighting instrument having a main optical path including an objective lens, an eyepiece lens and a beamsplitter for combining or superimposing images. At least three image planes are defined with reference to the main optical path and the beamsplitter, and at least one of the three image planes is optically superimposed with the other two by the combining effect of the beamsplitter. Movable indicia elements are positioned in two of the image planes, and a fixed indicia element is positioned in the third one of the image planes. As a result, images of all three of the indicia elements are superimposed for viewing through the eyepiece lens, and the image of the fixed indicia element serves as a sighting reference. Illustratively, one of the movable indicia elements is a magnetic compass, the other of the movable indicia elements is a magnetic declination adjustment, and the fixed indicia element is a cross-hair sight.

Abstract: Measuring systems for making underwater measurements of relative positions and distances between a plurality of objects positioned on an ocean or lake floor basically include (a) at least one laser or other light source capable of projecting a collimated light beam therefrom, (b) a pan and tilt unit for moving the source light beam both angularly in vertical planes and in horizontal arcs, (c) a protractor or equivalent for measuring vertical angles through which the longitudinal axis of the light beam is moved by the pan and tilt unit, and (d) a compass unit for determining bearings of vertical plane positions of the light beam relative to magnetic or true north or other azimuth position. The system may include a plurality of lasers and a variety of methods of making measurements with both single and plural laser containing systems are disclosed.

Abstract: A relocation device has a housing, a first sight tube having a viewing opening through which a user can look to sight an object substantially along a first line of sight, a second sight tube having a viewing opening through which a user can look to sight a second object substantially along a second line of sight, and structure for mounting the first and second sight tubes to the housing so that the first and second lines of sight are at a fixed acute angle with respect to each other.

Abstract: A magnetic compass is illuminated by a light emitting diode. The compass is nclosed in a case made of a lightweight, plastic composite material. The light-emitting diode is energized by a low profile, nonmagnetic battery connected to the light emitting diode through a nonmagnetic microswitch operated on the exterior of the casing by a pushbutton. The compass has a compass rose with strips of phosphorescent material disposed thereon, a rotatable bezel with a strip of phosphorescent material thereon and a lid having a sighting slot therein traversed by a cross hair. Located at the bottom and top of the cross hair are additional strips of phosphorescent material so that the compass may be utilized in the dark. The phosphorescent material may be charged by ambient light and by light emitted by the light emitting diode.

Abstract: A hand bearing compass comprises an electronic direction finding sensor fixed in a flat rectangular compass body. An actuating button causes the sensor to measure a magnetic bearing in dependence on the orientation of the compass body in a horizontal plane; measured bearings are stored in microprocessor memories for subsequent sequential recall to a display. To align the sensor horizontally in use the compass has longitudinal sights for visual alignment with a mark and a flat upper surface of the compass body for alignment with the horizon to facilitate levelling. Actuator and longitudinal sights are laterally spaced to avoid obscuring the latter, and arranged symmetrically about a median plane of the body so that use is possible in either hand.

Abstract: There is provided an optical viewing system, which is preferably a compass which eliminates the parallax and sighting problems of prior art optical systems. The compass includes a beam splitter which displays a sighted image both on a reference screen and a free-floating magnetized sphere or other moving surface. The sighted image on the reference screen and on the sphere are superimposed upon each other when viewed through one facet of the beam splitter. In this manner parallax is eliminated, thus the direction and elevation of the image may be readily and accurately determined.

Abstract: A movable film cartridge with at least one view superimposed by a protractor image on transparent film is further provided with a compass viewed through a prism at an edge of the field of view of the film containing a map or aerial view image. A double spool cartridge contains the film and moves the film from one spool to the other reversibly by a hand-turned knob or motor. The cartridge moves vertically within the light-tight casing housing the cartridge. An eyepiece with a sealed double flap opens for viewing with the eyepiece tightly sealed against the face of a user. A button operated by the user's nose or bridge of the nose turns the interior light on for light-tight viewing. Magnified viewing of the microphotographic film may be through a single lens in a wrist mounted embodiment or through a double viewing system for stereo vision with images recorded from two different perspectives separated by the distance between the eyes of the user.

Abstract: A recreational or sportman's compass is comprised of an inner vial including a compass needle which together with an azimuth ring is resiliently mounted within a housing so as to be rotatable together or independently of one another. The vial is assembled together with the outer azimuth ring and retainer in such a way as to permit assembly of the parts into snug-fitting concentric relation to the housing without the necessity of positively fastening or affixing the vial to the housing.

Abstract: Disclosed is a structure of a telescope with compass which indicates the direction in which the telescope is pointed, at the periphery of the field of vision of the telescope. Referring to the compass used for the telescope: a magnet is provided in a compass direction indicating globe on whose outer circumference directions are indicated. This direction indicating globe is supported so as to float in a case containing a lubricating liquid such as oil, etc. This compass is attached to the body of the telescope (specifically, a pair of hand-held binoculars, etc.). Then, the compass direction indication of the direction indicating globe appears as an image at the same focal point as the focal point of the objective lens of the telescope. Referring to other forms of telescopes: the direction indication is especially applicable to a telescope attached to a stand. A gyrocompass fixed to the arms supporting the body tube is connected to a luminous diode or crystalline liquid indication means, etc.

Abstract: A geodetic compass having a mirrored cover that has the dual purpose of providing means for reading the compass needle orientation for geodetic purposes, while at the same time having cross hatch diffractional sighting means incorporated in said cover and mirror for utilizing said mirror for emergency signalling purposes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining and recording boat compass deviation which includes a novel apparatus which may be oriented with respect to either a line of sight bearing or a compass reading and includes means for recording at predetermined annular increments the difference between the boat's compass heading and the magnetic heading of the vessel.

Abstract: A pyramid container device is disclosed which is adapted for holding an item. The container device comprises a first container member having the substantial shape of a regular pyramid with a substantially square first container base. The first container member may be formed as a thin wall pyramid structure of a plastic material. A second container member comprises a substantially thin wall frustum of a pyramid having a top base commensurate in size with the first container base of the first container member. Connecting means such as a lip on one of the first and second container members secures the first container base to the top of the second container member forming the pyramid-shaped container device. Aperture means molded in one of the first or second container members is adapted for receiving and locating an inner container such as a cylindrical jar at the geometric center of the pyramid container device.

Abstract: A wrist compass is formed with a base member having straps at each side for strapping to a user's wrist and with a detachable compass body having complementary interengaging surfaces for removably securing the compass body to the base member. The base member also is provided with folding lens and sight line elements to overlie the attached compass face in a folded position and to be erected to a sighting position when desired. The lens and sight line elements are preferably formed entirely of transparent material so that the compass face is visible when the elements are folded thereover.

Abstract: A device for taking and plotting magnetic bearings which includes an elongated straight edge device having numerical graduated indicia along one edge thereof, and a housing receiving said straight edge. A magnetic compass is mounted on the straight edge, and the housing includes folding portions adapted to enclose and protect the magnetic compass. A pair of sight pins are removably attachable to the compass and straight edge to provide a line of sight extending through the pivot point of the magnetized needle of the compass.

Abstract: A portable hand-held compass for taking navigational bearings on distant objects during the day or at night. The compass has a hollow housing in which a compass card is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, a viewing window in the housing through which compass readings are taken, and a sighting barrel incorporated in the housing for viewing a distant object along a horizontal viewing path. The compass also has a manually activated light emitting diode for illuminating a reticle, a semi-reflective mirror positioned across the sighting path for reflecting an image of the illuminated reticle to the eyepiece of the sighting barrel, means for automatically unclamping the compass card when the L.E.D. is activated, and means for automatically clamping the compass card when the L.E.D. is deactivated.