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  High altitude parachute navigation flight computerRelated Patent Categories: Data Processing: Vehicles, Navigation, And Relative Location, Navigation, Employing Position Determining Equipment, Using Global Positioning System (gps)The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080021646. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATION AND PRIORITY CLAIM [0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. Pat. No. 10/914,643 filed on Aug. 9, 2004 which claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/493,366 filed Aug. 8, 2003 both incorporated fully herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to navigation computers and more particularly, to a navigation computer for a parachute jump at high altitude. DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART [0003] Navigation computers have long been used for parachute jumps. The computer may provide the parachutist with information regarding the status of the jump, such as altitude and distance to target, as well as information required for the parachutist to reach the target. For military purposes, high altitude/high opening (HA/HO) jumps are used for insertion of elite troops into enemy or friendly territory. In such a jump, troops leap from aircraft at extremely high altitudes, above 30,000 ft, to reduce the chance of aircraft detection or attack. The team requires oxygen and special equipment for such a jump. The parachutes are opened shortly after jumping, and the team performs a series of navigational turns to remain on a proper course to arrive on target. Given the significant flight times from the high altitude, a number of navigational changes must be made to arrive as close as possible to the target. Currently, teams have little ability to navigate to a target unless it can be seen upon exit from the aircraft or during descent. [0004] Furthermore, the navigational changes, including changes in altitude, must be coordinated between members of the team. During such jumps, the team must stay together as much as possible. It is desirable for the team to fly together in a close formation. During their dissent, however, the team must stay far enough apart so as to avoid a collision. The team must make complicated maneuvers to control speed, direction, and member spacing, and to arrive at the desired target site. [0005] While a navigational computer could aid jumpers in HA/HO jumps, known navigation computers are inappropriate for such conditions. Given the equipment carried by the troops, and the need to control the parachute, operation of one or more buttons or controls of a navigation computer is difficult since the prior art devices were generally worn on the stomach of the jumper. At high altitude, think gloves necessary are necessary because temperatures can reach -58 F. Unfortunately, these thick gloves make operating buttons problematic and viewing a belly-mounted device is problematic due to required oxygen masks. Additionally, jumpers often carry cargo that is attached off a tether to their chest harness. The teathers can interfere with a belly mounted unit. Furthermore, known navigational computers cannot operate at the extreme temperatures or altitudes of HA/HO jumps. Also, known navigational computers do not allow for coordinated operations between members of a jump team. Finally, the navigational computer only operates while the jumper is descending. It becomes useless, and is simply excess weight, once the jumper is on the ground. [0006] Accordingly, what is needed is a system and makes it possible to navigate in close formation and at high altitude precisely during zero or near-zero visibility situations (e.g., adverse weather conditions such as cloud cover, rain, snow, fog, and darkness), thereby greatly reducing the possibility of detection. What is also needed is a system and method that adds peer-to-peer networking capability between such individual units in systems, thereby creating a system whereby individual team members may see each others location throughout flight and after landing. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] It is important to note that the present invention is not intended to be limited to a device or method which must satisfy one or more of any stated or implied objects or features of the invention. It is also important to note that the present invention is not limited to the preferred, exemplary, or primary embodiment(s) described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the following claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0008] These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein: [0009] FIG. 1 is an oblique view of a navigational computer according to an embodiment of the present invention attached to a jumping harness; [0010] FIG. 2 is an oblique view of a navigational computer according to an embodiment of the present invention without the cover; [0011] FIG. 3 is a front view of a display of a navigational computer according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0012] FIG. 4A is a front view of a display of a navigational computer having a satellite image according to one embodiment of the present invention; and [0013] FIG. 4B is a front view of a display of a navigational computer having a compassed based image according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0014] The present invention features a navigation computer system that is particularly useful for HA/HO jumps, although this is not a limitation of use of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the navigational computer 10 is preferably small enough such that it may be attached to the helmet 331 of the parachutist 30. This embodiment is preferably since it minimizes the amount of wires/cables. Alternatively, the navigational computer 10 may be mounted anywhere else on the parachutist 30 such as, but not limited to, the jumping harness 20 or leg 332 of the parachutist 30 or on the jumping harness 20. An attachment mechanism (such as, but not limited to, a hooks-and-loop strap or pocket), allows adjustable positioning of the navigational computer 10 to the jumping harness 20 or any part of the jumpers jumpsuit that is comfortable and out of the way of critical handles of the parachute system. [0015] The navigational computer 10 has a display, as discussed more fully below, with all necessary information to maneuver and reach the target 3. The display receives a signal from the navigational computer 10. The jumper does not need to change any controls while in flight in order to operate the navigational computer 10. Other configurations of the navigational computer 10 are possible. For example, a head mounted display 40 is preferably used for display purposes. Thus, a different mounting system could be used with such a display. An exemplary heads up display, also termed a head mounted display (HMD), that may be used with the present invention is a display based on the SO-35 Land Warrior head mounted display developed by Rockwell Collins and Kaiser Electrode-Optics. [0016] The navigational computer 10 receives positional information 50, such as GPS information, from an orbiting satellite or other similar device 60. The navigational computer 10 is programmed to perform advanced auto-pilot guidance, automatically scaling maps and satellite imagery, way point tracking, team member tracking, alternative target designations, cone of acceptability based on the wind data, as well is the ability to transition to advanced ground-based functions after landing. [0017] Additional features that may be performed by the navigational computer 10 include dynamically created, wireless, self-healing, ad-hoc mesh networks for the automatic creation of peer-to-peer linking of multiple team members. The peer-to-peer linking allows implementation of key features to the GUI (graphical user interface) such as allowing team members to see each other's location throughout flight and after landing. The peer-to-peer linking also enables a single base station computer (such as a laptop) to simultaneously perform and upload Mission planning on multiple systems and to provide real-time tracking of the telemetry of each team member. [0018] The peer-to-peer network typically has a range of approximately 60 miles between units using 1 watt, spread spectrum 900 mHz transceivers. The network will be dynamically created, wireless and self-healing. The network will provide very quick network discovery and synchronization, time domain multiplexing to avoid network collisions, package based communication with 32 bit CRC checks some and allow up to 240 unique transmitters and an infinite number of receivers. Other protocols may be used. Continue reading... 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