Navigation device

• US 20010023388A1
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Published: 09/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Kunihiro, Kato, Daisuke, Ito, Yasunobu
• Granted Patent: US 6,662,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

The navigation device of the invention includes a main processing unit provided with a CPU and storage means; a sub-processing unit connected to the main processing unit; connectors for connecting the main processing unit and the sub-processing unit; and functional components connected to the sub-processing unit. In this case, even when the specifications of the various functional component(s) connected to the sub-processing unit are different, by designing and manufacturing the sub-processing unit in conformance with each component, the main processing unit can be designed and manufactured as a general-purpose (standardized) product. Therefore, not only is the mountability of the navigation device improved, but also the cost thereof is reduced.

Claims

1. A navigation device, comprising:

a main processing unit provided with a CPU and storage means;

a sub-processing unit connected to the main processing unit;

connection means for connecting the main processing unit and the sub-processing unit; and

a component connected to the sub-processing unit;

wherein said main processing unit is provided with a component identification means for identifying the component which is connected to the sub-processing unit.

2. A navigation device as set forth in

claim 1

, wherein the main processing unit is provided with a drawing processor having a drawing function, and the component includes current position detection means for detecting a current position and a data recorder for recording data.

3. A navigation device as set forth in

claim 1

, wherein the component identification means identifies the component by judging type of said sub-processing unit.

4. A navigation device as set forth in

claim 1

, wherein said sub-processing unit is provided with component identification information generation means for generating component identification information, and the component identification means identifies the component based on the component identification information.

5. A navigation device as set forth in

claim 1

, wherein the connection means is a general-purpose interface.

6. A navigation device as set forth in

claim 1

, wherein said main processing unit is formed of at least three stacked circuit boards, and the sub-processing unit is formed of 1 or 2 stacked circuit boards.