US 5,697,162 A · Arrangement serving to indicate the direction of a given geographic location

Abstract

The arrangement (42) according to the invention is formed by a watch comprising a dial (8) on which is shown a map (14) centered on a given geographic location, Mecca in particular. The arrangement (42) comprises a device (48) for indicating the direction of the terrestrial magnetic north and a device (16) enabling the angular positioning of the map in the general plane of the arrangement (42) corresponding to the plane of the dial (8). The different geographic regions shown on the map (14) are graphically arranged so that any point whatsoever of the contours of such regions substantially shows an angular spread (.OMEGA.), relative to a center of reference (22) corresponding to the above-mentioned given geographic location and to a reference direction (24) equal to the magnetic azimuth of the great circle passing through said point and the reference point (22) augmented by 180.degree.. In another embodiment the angular spread is equal to the geographic azimuth of the great circle passing through said point and the reference point (22) augmented by 180.degree..

Claims16

Dependent claims

An arrangement comprising:

first means for indicating the direction of the terrestrial magnetic north,
means for the angular positioning of said arrangement in a general plane thereof relative to the direction of the terrestrial magnetic north,
second means for indicating the direction of a first geographic location from at least one second geographic location at which said arrangement may be placed, said second indicating means comprising a map on which are shown regions, countries and/or continents, such map being placed in said general plane of said arrangement and graphically arranged in a manner such that any point whatsoever of the contours of said regions, said countries and/or said continents substantially exhibits an angular shift (.gamma.) relative to a center of reference corresponding to said first geographic location and to a reference direction of said map, equal to the geographic azimuth (.alpha.) of the great circle passing through such point and said center of reference augmented by 180 degrees.

An arrangement comprising:

first means for indicating the direction of the terrestrial magnetic north,
means for the angular positioning of said arrangement in a general plane thereof relative to the direction of the terrestrial magnetic north,
second means for indicating the direction of a first geographic location from at least one second geographic location at which said arrangement may be placed,
said second indicating means comprising a map on which are shown regions, countries and/or continents, such map being placed in said general plane of said arrangement and graphically arranged so that any point whatsoever of the contours of said regions, said countries and/or said continents substantially exhibits an angular shift (.OMEGA.) relative to a center of reference corresponding to said first geographic location and a reference direction of said map equal to the magnetic azimuth (.beta.) of the great circle passing through such point and said reference point augmented by 180 degrees.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Arrangement serving to indicate the direction of a given geographic location

Life of this patent

Arrangement serving to indicate the direction of a given geographic location

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16