APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRESENTING NAVIGATION INFORMATION BASED ON INSTRUCTIONS DESCRIBED IN A SCRIPT

• US 20010056443A1
• Filed: 09/09/1999
• Published: 12/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: NAITO, HIROHISA, MAEDA, YOSHIHARU, SEKIGUCHI, MINORU, TAKAYAMA, KUNIHARU, HORAI, HISAYUKI
• Granted Patent: US 6,336,072 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3629 Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech text to speech systems per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3655 Timing of guidance instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096888 where input information is obtained using learning systems, e.g. history databases
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

A navigation script includes time and point information for navigation and information for guidance, and describes an instruction sequence which can represent these information in time series in a mark-up language. According to the structured data generated from the navigation script, an instruction corresponding to a current time or point is executed, so that information for guidance to be presented is output.

Claims

1. A navigation information presenting apparatus or presenting navigation information to a user according to a state, comprising:

means for inputting a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation place can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof;

means for performing one of state acquisition of acquiring a state including at least one of a current time and a current point, and state generation of generating a state including at least one of a virtual current time and a virtual current point;

means for processing instructions described in the input navigation script according to at least one of a current time and a current point, which is obtained by one of the state acquisition and the state generation; and

means for outputting navigation information to be output as the instructions are processed, and for presenting the navigation information to the user.

2. The navigation information presenting apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the navigation script is described in a markup language which identifies the time information, the point information, the information for guidance, and other instruction constituent elements by using tags.

3. The navigation information presenting apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein:

the navigation script can describe a sequential process instruction for processing a plurality of instructions sequentially and a parallel process instruction for processing a plurality of instructions in parallel; and

said means for processing instructions processes the plurality of instructions sequentially according to the sequential process instruction, and processes the plurality of instructions according to the parallel process instruction.

4. The navigation information presenting apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein

said means for inputting the navigation script inputs a navigation script specified by the user with one of methods such as a communication with an external device providing a navigation script via a network, a read from a computer-readable electronic medium, and an input from an input device operated by the user.

5. The navigation information presenting apparatus according to

claim 1

, further comprising

means for parsing the input navigation script, and for converting the input navigation script into structured navigation data, wherein

said means for processing instructions processes instructions represented in the form of the structured navigation data.

6. The navigation information presenting apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein said means for outputting navigation information presents to the user, with respect to at least a portion of the navigation script, information for guidance about at least one of a current point, a departure point, an en-route spot, a destination, and a route by using at least one of texts, maps, voice, images, and videos with one of a method for presenting the navigation information one after another, a method for presenting the navigation information for each instruction, and a method for presenting the navigation information for at least one of specified time, distance, point, input operation, and external event.

7. A navigation information presenting apparatus for presenting navigation information to a user according to a state, comprising:

means for inputting a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation point can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof;

means for setting at least one of operation modes such as a navigation mode and a simulation mode according to at least one of a user input operation and a system setting;

means for acquiring a state including at least one of a current time and a current point in the navigation mode;

means for generating a state including at least one of a virtual current time and a virtual current point in the simulation mode;

means for processing instructions described in the input navigation script according to at least one of the current time and the current point, which is obtained by state acquisition, in the navigation mode, and processes the instructions according to at least one of the virtual current time and the virtual current point, which is obtained by state generation, in the simulation mode; and

means for outputting navigation information to be output as the instructions are processed, and for presenting the navigation information to the user.

8. A navigation information presentation processing method for presenting navigation information to a user according to a state, comprising the steps of:

inputting a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation point can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof, with one of methods such as a communication via a network, a read from a computer-readable electronic medium, and a user input operation;

a performing one of state acquisition of acquiring a state including at least one of a current time and a current point, and state generation of generating a state including at least one of a virtual current time and a virtual current point;

processing instructions described in the input navigation script according to at least one of a current time and a current point, which is obtained by one of the state acquisition and the state generation; and

outputting navigation information to be output as the instructions are processed, and presenting the navigation information to the user.

9. A navigation information presenting method for presenting navigation information to a user according to a state, comprising the steps of:

inputting a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation point can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof;

setting at least one of operation modes such as a navigation mode and a simulation mode according to at least one of a user input operation and a system setting;

acquiring a state including at least one of a current time and a current point in the navigation mode;

generating a state including at least one of a virtual current time and a virtual current point in the simulation mode;

processing instructions described in an input navigation script according to at least one of the current time and the current point, which is obtained by state acquisition, in the navigation mode, and processes the instructions according to at least one of the virtual current time and the virtual current point, which is obtained by state generation, in the simulation mode; and

outputting navigation information to be output as the instructions are processed, and for presenting the navigation information to the user.

10. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for implementing with a computer an apparatus which presents navigation information to a user according to a state, and for causing the computer to execute a process comprising the steps of:

inputting a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and place information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation point can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify the type of each of the information and the contents thereof, with one of methods such as a communication via a network, a read from a computer-readable electronic medium, and a user input operation;

performing one of state acquisition of acquiring a state including at least one of a current time and a current point, and state generation of generating a state including at least one of a virtual current time and a virtual current point;

processing instructions described in the input navigation script according to at least one of a current time and a current point, which is obtained by one of the state acquisition and the state generation; and

outputting navigation information to be output as the instructions are processed, and presenting the navigation information to the user.

11. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for implementing with a computer an apparatus which presents navigation information to a user according to a state, and for causing the computer to execute a process comprising the steps of:

inputting a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation point can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof;

setting at least one of operation modes such as a navigation mode and a simulation mode according to at least one of a user input operation and a system setting;

acquiring a state including at least one of a current time and a current point in the navigation mode;

generating a state including at least one of a virtual current time and a virtual current point in the simulation mode;

processing instructions described in the input navigation script according to at least one of the current time and the current point, which is obtained by state acquisition, in the navigation mode, and processes the instructions according to at least one of the virtual current time and the virtual current point, which is obtained by state generation, in the simulation mode; and

outputting navigation information to be output as the instructions are processed, and for presenting the navigation information to the user.

12. A navigation script storage medium which can be read by an apparatus for presenting navigation information to a user according to a state, storing

a navigation script being a script composed of an electronic code sequence described in a markup language based on a predetermined specification, the script being an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation point can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof, and the navigation script used to present navigation information to the user according to instructions within the script read by the apparatus.

13. A device for semi-automatically generating a navigation script used by an apparatus for presenting navigation information to a user according to a state, comprising:

means for acquiring a state including at least one of a current time and a current point with one of a method for acquiring a state at predetermined time intervals, a method for acquiring a state for each point, a method for acquiring a state at predetermined distance intervals, and a method for acquiring a state according to a user instruction;

means for generating a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, with which at least one of time information and place information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation point can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof, based on a history of the acquired state including at least one of each acquired time and each acquired point; and

means for storing the generated navigation script in an electronic medium.

14. A device for managing driving data, comprising:

inputting means for inputting a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation place can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of each of the information and the contents thereof;

a driving management database for managing data where at least one of time information and information, and at least one of a reservation state and a corresponding point state are described;

coordinating means for making a comparison and coordination between the navigation script input by said inputting means and the data stored in said driving management database, and for performing a process of modifying the navigation script and a process of updating the data stored in the driving management database according to a result of the comparison and coordination depending on need; and

outputting means for outputting a resultant navigation script.

15. A driving management method using a computer, comprising the steps of:

inputting a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and navigation information to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation point can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof;

referencing a driving management database for managing data where at least one of time information and point information, and at least one of a reservation state and a corresponding point state are described, for making a comparison and coordination between the input navigation script and the data stored in said driving management database, and for performing a process of modifying the navigation script and a process of updating the data stored in the driving management database according to a result of the comparison and coordination depending on need; and

outputting means for outputting a resultant navigation script.

16. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for implementing with a computer a device for managing driving data, and for causing the computer to execute a process comprising the steps of:

inputting a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, with which at least one of time information and point information, and navigation information to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation place can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof;

referencing a driving management database for managing data where at least one of time information and point information, and at least one of a reservation state and a corresponding place state are described, for making a comparison and coordination between the input navigation script and the data stored in said driving management database, and for performing a process of modifying the navigation script and a process for updating the data stored in the driving management database according to a result of the comparison and coordination depending on need; and

outputting a resultant navigation script.

17. A device for proposing an action to be taken by a user depending on whether or not the user can reach by an arrival time, comprising:

inputting means for inputting a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation place can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof;

a scheduler for scheduling arrival times at respective places;

a rule base for storing rules describing actions to be taken depending on whether or not there is time sufficient to an arrival time; and

a monitoring and executing device for checking arrival times at subsequent points from a current time at a current point, and for executing a corresponding rule if the rule is stored within said rule base, depending on whether or not there is sufficient time to an arrival time.

18. A method for proposing an action to be taken by a user depending on whether or not the user can reach by an arrival time, comprising the steps of:

inputting a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation place can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof;

scheduling arrival times at respective points; and

checking arrival times at subsequent points from a current time at a current point, for referencing rules in a rule base describing actions to be taken depending on whether or not there is time to spare by an arrival time, and for executing a corresponding rule if the rule is stored within said rule base, depending on whether or not there is sufficient time to an arrival time.

19. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for implementing with a computer a device which proposes an action to be taken depending on whether or not a user can reach by an arrival time, and for causing the computer to execute a process comprising the steps of:

inputting a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and navigation information to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation place can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof;

scheduling arrival times at respective points; and

checking arrival times at subsequent points from a current time at a current point, for referencing rules in a rule base describing actions to be taken depending on whether or not there is sufficient time to an arrival time, and for executing a corresponding rule if the rule is stored within said rule base, depending on whether or not there is sufficient time to an arrival time.

20. A navigation plan creating apparatus for creating a navigation plan obtained by combining information for guidance, comprising:

means for associating one of a range and a point on map information with information for guidance;

means for setting a specified route on the map information; and

means for creating a navigation plan by extracting the information for guidance associated with the set route.

21. The navigation plan creating apparatus according to

claim 20

, wherein

the navigation plan is represented by a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation point can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof.

22. The navigation plan creating apparatus according to

claim 20

, further comprising

an information for guidance management database for managing the information for guidance associated with the map information for each attribute including at least one of season, time, and a user type, wherein

said means for creating the navigation plan creates a navigation plan suiting a specified attribute by referencing said information for guidance management database.

23. The navigation plan creating apparatus according to

claim 20

, wherein:

said means for associating the one of the range and the point on the map information with the information for guidance can specify one of a valid time period and a valid time limit when associating with the information for guidance; and

said means for creating the navigation plan performs one of a process of creating a navigation plan by extracting one of only information for guidance within the valid time period and only information for guidance up to the valid time limit when extracting the information for guidance associated with the set route, and a process of creating a navigation plan having a condition relating to one of the valid time period and the valid time limit.

24. The navigation plan creating apparatus according to

claim 20

, wherein:

said means for associating the one of the range and the point on the map information with the information for guidance can specify a state including at least one of a direction in which a range is entered and a speed at which the range is entered when specifying the range; and

said means for creating the navigation plan performs one of a process of creating a navigation plan by extracting only information satisfying a condition including at least one of a direction in which a range on the set route is entered and a speed at which the range is entered when extracting the information for guidance associated with the route, and a process for creating a navigation plan having a condition relating to the state including at least one of the direction in which the range on the set route is entered and the speed at which the range is entered.

25. A navigation plan creating method for creating a navigation plan obtained by combining information for guidance with the use of a computer, comprising the steps of:

associating one of a range and a point on map information with information for guidance;

setting a specified route on the map information; and

creating a navigation plan by extracting the information for guidance associated with the set route.

26. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for implementing with a computer a device which creates a navigation plan obtained by combining information for guidance, and for causing the computer to execute a process comprising the steps of:

associating one of a range and a point on map information with information for guidance;

setting a specified route on the map information; and

creating a navigation plan by extracting the information for guidance associated with the set route.

27. A navigation information providing apparatus for providing information to a user, comprising:

means for managing information with a presentation condition relating to a time;

means for checking the information with the presentation condition at predetermined time intervals, and for retrieving information corresponding to a current time; and

means for providing the retrieved information to the user.

28. The navigation information providing apparatus according to

claim 27

, further comprising

range condition processing means for determining how to present information when the current time is included in a time range if the presentation condition is a condition indicating the time range, wherein

said means for providing the information provides the information according to said range condition processing means when the presentation condition is satisfied.

29. The navigation information providing apparatus according to

claim 27

, further comprising

means for checking the information with the presentation condition by using an estimating module estimating a future state if the presentation condition is a relative condition.

30. The navigation information providing apparatus according to

claim 27

, wherein

the information with the presentation condition is represented by a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation point can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof.

31. A navigation information providing apparatus for providing information to a user, comprising:

means for managing information with a presentation condition relating to a point;

means for obtaining information about a point of a user;

means for checking the information with the presentation condition according to the obtained point of the user, and for retrieving information corresponding to the point of the user; and

means for providing the retrieved information to the user.

32. The navigation information providing apparatus according to

claim 31

, further comprising

range condition processing means for determining how to present information when the point of the user is included in a point range if the presentation condition is a condition indicating the point range, wherein

said means for providing the information provides the information according to said range condition processing means when the presentation condition is satisfied.

33. The navigation information providing apparatus according to

claim 31

, further comprising

means for checking the information with the presentation condition by using an estimating module estimating a future state if the presentation condition is a relative condition.

34. The navigation information providing apparatus according to

claim 31

, wherein

the information with the presentation condition is represented by a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation point can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof.

35. An navigation information providing apparatus for providing information to a user, comprising:

means for managing information with a presentation condition relating to a point;

means for obtaining information about a point of a user;

means for checking the information with the presentation condition, and for retrieving a user corresponding to the presentation condition; and

means for providing the information with the presentation condition to the retrieved user.

36. The navigation information providing apparatus according to

claim 35

, further comprising

range condition processing means for determining how to present information when the point of the user is included in a point range if the presentation condition is a condition indicating the place range, wherein

said means for providing the information provides the information according to said range condition processing means when the presentation condition is satisfied.

37. The navigation information providing apparatus according to

claim 35

, further comprising

means for checking the information with the presentation condition by using an estimating module estimating a future state if the presentation condition is a relative condition.

38. The navigation information providing apparatus according to

claim 35

, wherein

the information with the presentation condition is represented by a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation point can be described using a set of combination of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof.

39. A navigation information providing apparatus for providing information to a user, comprising:

means for managing information with a presentation condition relating to a time and a point;

means for checking the information with the presentation condition at predetermined time intervals, and for retrieving information corresponding to a current time;

means for obtaining information about a point of a user;

means for performing one of a process of checking the information with the presentation condition according to the obtained point of the user and retrieving information corresponding to the point of the user, and a process of checking the information with the presentation condition and retrieving a user corresponding to the presentation condition; and

means for providing the retrieved information to the retrieved user.

40. The navigation information providing apparatus according to

claim 39

, further comprising

range condition processing means for determining how to present information when one of the current time and the point of the user is included in a certain range if the presentation condition is a condition indicating the certain range, wherein

said means for providing the information provides the information according to said range condition processing means when the presentation condition is satisfied.

41. The navigation information providing apparatus according to

claim 39

, further comprising

means for checking the information with the presentation condition by using an estimating module estimating a future state if the presentation condition is a relative condition.

42. The navigation information providing apparatus according to

claim 39

, wherein

the information with the presentation condition is represented by a navigation script composed of an instruction sequence based on a predetermined specification, in which at least one of time information and point information, and information for guidance to be output according to at least one of a presentation time and a presentation point can be described using a set of combinations of a name which can identify a type of the information and the contents thereof.

43. A navigation information providing method for providing information to a user, comprising the steps of:

managing information with a presentation condition relating to at least one of a time and a point;

retrieving information corresponding to at least one of a current time and a point of a user receiving the provided information with one of a method of checking the information with the presentation condition at predetermined time intervals, and a method of checking the information with the presentation condition according to the point of the user; and

providing the retrieved information to a user corresponding to the presentation condition.

44. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for implementing with a computer a device which provides information to a user, and for causing the computer to execute a process comprising the steps of:

managing information with a presentation condition relating to at least one of a time and a point;

retrieving information corresponding to at least one of a current time and a point of a user receiving the provided information with one of a method of checking the information with the presentation condition at predetermined time intervals, and a method of checking the information with the presentation condition according to the point of the user; and

providing the retrieved information to a user corresponding to the presentation condition.

45. A navigation information presenting apparatus for presenting navigation information to a user according to a state, comprising:

means for dynamically selecting navigation information to be presented according to a change of at least one of time information and point information; and

means for outputting selected navigation information according to at least one of a time at which the selected navigation information is to be presented and a point in which the selected navigation information is to be presented.