Marine Route Generation via Touch Gesture and Snippet Modification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current navigation systems, particularly marine navigation systems, require multiple manual steps to enter and modify routes, which can be cumbersome and lack efficiency, especially when considering safety and obstacle avoidance.
Innovation Solution
A marine electronic device with a touch screen interface that allows users to easily define routes by touch patterns, automatically completes routes, verifies safety based on vehicle speed and obstacles, and modifies routes using pre-defined patterns or snippets, enabling efficient route generation and modification without disengaging the autopilot.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual steps are used to enter and activate routes, then route entry is possible, but the process is cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple manual steps (specifying points, joining points, activating route) into a single touch gesture on the display screen. The user draws the entire route path in one continuous motion, and the system automatically processes all steps simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate actions for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically completes route activation and processing without requiring separate user commands. After the user draws the route path, the system self-servicefully interprets the gesture, creates the route, and activates it automatically, reducing manual intervention to a minimum.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional route modification is used, then route changes are possible, but the autopilot must be deactivated and the process is complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges route modification with autopilot operation, allowing both functions to occur simultaneously. Users can modify routes by drawing new paths on the display while the autopilot remains active, combining what were previously separate operations into one integrated process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares multiple route options in advance based on the user's initial gesture, presenting predefined modification patterns before final activation. This allows users to select from pre-calculated alternatives without complex real-time calculations during the modification process.
3Manufacturing precision
If complete manual route entry is required, then route accuracy is possible, but the process lacks efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical process of manually entering each route point with a graphical touch gesture system. The user's finger movement on the display screen directly translates to route point coordinates, maintaining precision while eliminating repetitive manual input operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital copy of the user's gesture path as the route, preserving the spatial accuracy of the drawn path while allowing rapid reproduction and modification. The touch gesture serves as a template that is automatically converted into precise navigational coordinates.
Data Source
AI summary
A touch screen may be utilized by a marine electronic device to easily enter a route in relation to a chart. The marine electronic device may automatically determine and join geographic points associated with the chart to generate a route based on a touch pattern. The marine electronic device may be configured to complete the route to form a route loop in instances in which the start and end of the touch pattern are within a predetermined distance. The completion of the route may be accomplished by connecting the end point to the start point or by “snapping” the end point to the start point, e.g. shifting the end point to the start point. Additionally or alternatively, a user may use pre-determined route snippets to quickly and easily alter a route.