Navigation apparatus

• US 20020052689A1
• Filed: 10/29/2001
• Published: 05/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Atsushi, Hamada, Hiroyuki, Sakamoto, Kiyomi, Ueyama, Yoshiki, Ata, Teruaki, Yagyu, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 6,466,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968

Abstract

In a navigation apparatus Anavi1, a CPU 1 searches for a plurality of routes from a starting point to a destination. Those route share the same starting point and the destination, but vary in course on the way. Then for route selection, the CPU 1 refers to position information provided by a locator 9 to determine which route the user is now moving. In this manner, the navigation apparatus can automatically select one route from several others derived through route search.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus for guiding a user to a destination through the use of cartographic data, said apparatus comprising:

a route search section for searching for a plurality of routes from a starting point to one or more of destinations by using said cartographic data, and generating route data for each of the found routes;

a movement information generation section for generating movement information which relates to the user'"'"'s movement;

a selection section for selecting, based on the movement information generated by said movement information generation section, one or more of the route data plurally generated by said route selection section;

a guidance data generation section for generating, based on the route data selected by said selection section and said cartographic data, guidance data for guiding the user toward the corresponding destination; and

an output section for outputting an image or a sound for guiding the user toward the destination in accordance with the guidance data generated by said guidance information generation section.

2. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said movement information generation section is composed of a locator for detecting the user'"'"'s current position,

said locator generates, as said movement information, position information which indicates the detected user'"'"'s current position, and

said selection section performs route selection based on the position information detected by said locator.

3. The navigation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said selection section

includes a calculation section for calculating the user s current position on a road network by performing map matching based on said cartographic data and the position information generated by said locator, and performs route selection based on the user'"'"'s current position calculated by said calculation section.

4. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a warning data generation section for notifying, immediately after route search by said route search section is completed, the user of the plurality of routes based on the route data plurally generated by the route search section, wherein

said output section outputs an image or a sound which specifies the plurality of routes in accordance with the route data generated by said warning data generation section.

5. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said route search section searches for the plurality of routes from the user'"'"'s departure point as said starting point to one or more of the destinations.

6. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said route search section searches for the plurality of routes from the user'"'"'s current position as said starting point to one or more of the destinations when a predetermined starting condition is satisfied during when said output section is performing an output process in accordance with the guidance data.

7. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said route search section searches for the plurality of routes varying in course on the way from said starting point to one of the destinations.

8. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said route search section searches for the plurality of routes from said starting point to two or more of the destinations.

9. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said movement information generation section is composed of an azimuth sensor for detecting in which direction the user is heading,

said azimuth sensor generates direction information, as said movement information, indicating the detected user'"'"'s heading direction, and

said selection section performs route selection based on the direction information generated by said azimuth sensor.

10. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said movement information generation section is composed of a trail information generation section for generating, as said movement information, trail information indicating the user'"'"'s trail, and

said selection section performs route selection based on the trail information generated by said trail information generation section.

11. A navigation method for guiding a user to a destination through the use of cartographic data, said method comprising:

a route search step of searching for a plurality of routes from a starting point to one or more of destinations by using said cartographic data, and generating route data for each of the found routes;

a movement information generation step of generating movement information which relates to the user'"'"'s movement;

a selection step of selecting, based on the movement information generated in said movement information generation step, one of the route data plurally generated in said route selection step;

a guidance data generation step of generating, based on the route data selected in said selection step and said cartographic data, guidance data for guiding the user to the corresponding destination; and

an output step for outputting an image or a sound for guiding the user toward the destination in accordance with the guidance data generated in said guidance information generation step.

12. The navigation method according to claim 11, wherein

said movement information generation step generates, as said movement information, position information which indicates the user'"'"'s current position, and

said selection step performs route selection based on the position information generated in said movement information generation step.

13. The navigation method according to claim 12, further comprising a calculation step of calculating the user'"'"'s current position on a road network by performing map matching based on said cartographic data and the position information generated in said movement information generation step, and

said selection step performs route selection based on the user'"'"'s current position calculated in said calculation step.

15. The program according to claim 14, wherein

said movement information generation step generates, as said movement information, position information which indicates the user'"'"'s current position, and

said selection step performs route selection based on the position information generated in said movement information generation step.

16. The program according to claim 15, further comprising a calculation step of calculating the user'"'"'s current position on a road network by performing map matching based on said cartographic data and the position information generated in said movement information generation step, and

said selection step performs route selection based on the user'"'"'s current position calculated in said calculation step.

18. The navigation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said warning data generation section generates on a map represented by said cartographic data, as said warning data, image data which enables said plurality of second routes to be displayed.

19. The navigation apparatus according to claim 18, wherein, when the user approaches a junction intersection where said plurality of second routes are branched, said warning data generation section further generates image data representing an enlarged view of around the junction intersection as said warning data.

20. The navigation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said warning data generation section generates, as said warning data, image data representing a route diagram in which a plurality of intersection names are connected for each of said plurality of second routes.

21. The navigation apparatus according to claim 20, wherein, when the user approaches the junction intersection where said plurality of second routes are divided, said warning data generation section generates, as said warning data, image data representing an enlarged view of around the junction intersection.

22. The navigation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said warning data generation section generates, as said second route data, image data which enables the user to distinguish which of the second routes is an optimum route.

23. The navigation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said warning data generation section generates warning data for notifying the user of a time taken for the user to reach said destination for each of the plurality of second routes found by said route search section.

24. The navigation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said warning data generation section generates warning data for notifying the user of a distance to said destination for each of the plurality of second routes found by said route search section.

25. The navigation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said warning data generation section generates warning data for notifying the user of a toll cost for the user to reach said destination for each of the plurality of second routes found by said route search section.

26. The navigation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said warning data generation section generates warning data for notifying the user of an attribute of roads configuring each of the plurality of second routes found by said route search section.

27. The navigation apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising an input device for generating an instruction signal in response to the user'"'"'s operation, and transferring the instruction signal to said route search section, wherein

said route search section starts searching for said plurality of second routes responding to said instruction signal as said starting condition.

28. The navigation apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising

a locator for detecting the user'"'"'s current position, and

a determination section for determining whether the user is approaching an intersection by using the second routes found by said route search section, and the user'"'"'s current position detected by said locator, wherein

said route search section starts searching for said plurality of second routes responding to a determination result of said determination section as said starting condition.

29. The navigation apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

a reception section for receiving traffic information for specifying a location where a traffic jam or a traffic accident is occurring; and

a determination section for determining whether or not there occurs any traffic jam or traffic accident is occurring on said first route based on the traffic information received by said reception section, wherein

said route search section starts searching for said plurality of second routes responding to a determination result of said determination section as said starting condition.

14. A program for realizing, on a computer device, navigation for guiding a user to a destination through the use of cartographic data, said program comprising:

a route search step of searching for a plurality of routes from a starting point to one or more of destinations by using said cartographic data, and generating route data for each of the found routes;

a movement information generation step of generating movement information which relates to the user'"'"'s movement;

a selection step of selecting, based on the movement information generated in said movement information generation step, one of the route data plurally generated in said route selection step;

a guidance data generation step of generating, based on the route data selected in said selection step and said cartographic data, guidance data for guiding the user to the corresponding destination; and

an output step for outputting an image or a sound for guiding the user toward the destination in accordance with the guidance data generated in said guidance information generation step.

17. A navigation apparatus for guiding a user to a destination through the use of cartographic data, said apparatus comprising:

a route search section for searching for a first route from a departure point toward the destination by using said cartographic data;

a guidance data generation section for generating guidance data for guiding the user toward the destination based on the first route found by said route search section and said cartographic data;

an output section for outputting the guidance data generated by said guidance information generation section;

a route search section for searching for a plurality of second routes from the user'"'"'s current position toward the destination when a predetermined starting condition is satisfied during when the guidance data is being outputted; and

a warning data generation section for generating warning data for notifying the user of the plurality of second routes found by said route search section, wherein

said output section further outputs the warning data generated by said warning data generation section, and

said plurality of second routes are varying in course on the way from the user'"'"'s current position to the same destination as said first route, and are different from the first route.

30. A navigation method for guiding a user to a destination through the use of cartographic data which is previously stored, said method comprising:

a first route search step of searching for a first route from a departure point toward the destination by using said cartographic data;

a guidance data generation step of generating guidance data for guiding the user toward the destination based on the first route found in said route search step and said cartographic data;

a guidance data output step of outputting the guidance data generated in said guidance information generation step;

a second route search step of searching for a plurality of second routes from the user'"'"'s current position toward the destination when a predetermined starting condition is satisfied during when said guidance data is being outputted;

a warning data generation step of generating warning data for notifying the user of the plurality of second routes found in said second route search step; and

a warning data output step of outputting the warning data generated in said warning data generation step, wherein

said plurality of second routes are varying in course from the user'"'"'s current position to the same destination as said first route, and different from the first route.

31. The navigation method according to claim 30, further comprising a reception step of receiving an instruction signal generated in response to the user'"'"'s operation, wherein

said second route search step starts searching for said plurality of second routes responding to said instruction signal received in said reception step as said starting condition.

32. The navigation method according to claim 30, further comprising;

a reception step of receiving the user'"'"'s current position, and

a determination step of determining whether or not the user is approaching an intersection by using the first route derived in said route search step, and the current position received in said reception step, wherein

said second route search step starts searching for said plurality of second routes responding to the determination result in said determination step as said starting condition.

33. The navigation method according to claim 30, further comprising:

a reception step for receiving traffic information for specifying a location where a traffic jam or a traffic accident is occurring; and

a determination step of determining traffic condition on said first route based on the traffic information received in said reception step, wherein

said second route search step starts searching for said plurality of second routes responding to the determination result in said determination step as said starting condition.

35. The program according to claim 34, further comprising a reception step of receiving an instruction signal generated in response to the user'"'"'s operation, wherein

said second route search step starts searching for said plurality of second routes responding to said instruction signal received in said reception step as said starting condition.

36. The program according to claim 34, further comprising;

a reception step of receiving the user'"'"'s current position, and

a determination step of determining whether or not the user is approaching an intersection by using the first route derived in said route search step, and the current position received in said reception step, wherein

said second route search step starts searching for said plurality of second routes responding to the determination result in said determination step as said starting condition.

37. The program according to claim 34, further comprising:

a reception step for receiving traffic information for specifying a location where a traffic jam or a traffic accident is occurring; and

a determination step of determining traffic condition on said first route based on the traffic information received in said reception step, wherein

said second route search step starts searching for said plurality of second routes responding to the determination result in said determination step as said starting condition.

34. A program for realizing, on a computer device, navigation for guiding a user to a destination through the use of cartographic data which is previously stored, said program comprising:

a first route search step of searching for a first route from a departure point toward the destination by using said cartographic data;

a guidance data generation step of generating guidance data for guiding the user toward the destination based on the first route found in said route search step and said cartographic data;

a guidance data output step of outputting the guidance data generated in said guidance information generation step;

a second route search step of searching for a plurality of second routes from the user'"'"'s current position toward the destination when a predetermined starting condition is satisfied during when said guidance data is being outputted;

a warning data generation step of generating warning data for notifying the user of the plurality of second routes found in said second route search step; and

a warning data output step of outputting the warning data generated in said warning data generation step, wherein

said plurality of second routes are varying in course from the user'"'"'s current position to the same destination as said first route, and different from the first route.