Navigation terminal device and navigation method

• US 20020161515A1
• Filed: 04/23/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Increment P Corporation, Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Kumada, Satoshi, Shirahama, Toshie
• Application Number:
  US10/127,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20020161515A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3673 Labelling using text of road map data items, e.g. road names, POI names

Abstract

A navigation terminal device includes a map information display unit 771, a destination display unit 773, a rout line drawing unit 774 for holding retrieved location information or destination information or both or them and drawing a route from a reference point based on the retrieved information or destination information to the destination or the retrieved location information so as to be superimposed on the screen with the map information displayed thereon, and route searching unit 775 for exchanging the display between the reference point and the destination if the reference point disappears from the screen when the destination is displayed, thereby permitting to follow the route from the displayed reference point to the destination or from the destination to the reference point. In this configuration, the operability of a terminal device having a small capacity of screen can be improved and the burden for the user can be relaxed.

Claims

1. A navigation terminal device comprising:

map information displaying means for displaying the map information containing location information retrieved by a server and received via the Web;

destination displaying means for displaying a destination searched by screen scrolling from the map information displayed on the screen;

holding means for holding the retrieved location information or searched destination or both of them;

route drawing means for drawing a route from a reference point of the retrieved location information or searched destination to the searched destination or retrieved location information so as to be superimposed on the screen with the map information displayed thereon; and

a route searching means for exchanging the display between the reference point and the destination if the reference point disappears from the screen when the destination is displayed, thereby permitting to follow the route from the displayed reference point to the destination or from the destination to the reference point.

2. A navigating method for a navigation system including a server for distributing map information and a navigation terminal device for displaying the map information containing location information retrieved by a server on a screen via the Web, comprising the steps of:

displaying a destination searched by screen scrolling from the map information displayed on the screen;

holding the retrieved location information or destination information or both or them;

drawing a route from a reference point based on the retrieved location information or the searched destination to the searched destination or the retrieved location information so as to be superimposed on the screen with the map information displayed thereon; and

exchanging the display between the reference point and the destination if the reference point disappears from the screen when the destination is displayed, thereby following the route from the displayed reference point to the destination or the route from the destination to the reference point.

3. A navigating terminal program for a navigation system including a server for distributing map information and a navigation terminal device for displaying the map information containing location information retrieved by a server on a screen via the Web, comprising the steps of:

displaying a destination searched by screen scrolling from the map information displayed on the screen;

holding the retrieved location information or destination information or both or them;

drawing a route from a reference point based on the retrieved location information or the searched destination to the searched destination or the retrieved location information so as to be superimposed on the screen with the map information displayed thereon; and

exchanging the display between the reference point and the destination if the reference point disappears from the screen when the destination is displayed, thereby following the route from the displayed reference point to the destination or the route from the destination to the reference point.

4. A recording medium which is readable by a computer and stores a navigating terminal program for a navigation system including a server for distributing map information and a navigation terminal device for displaying the map information containing location information retrieved by a server on a screen via the Web, said program causing the computer to execute the steps of:

displaying a destination searched by screen scrolling from the map information displayed on the screen;

holding the retrieved location information or destination information or both or them;

drawing a route from a reference point based on the retrieved location information or the searched destination to the searched destination or the retrieved location information so as to be superimposed on the screen with the map information displayed thereon; and

exchanging the display between the reference point and the destination if the reference point disappears from the screen when the destination is displayed, thereby following the route from the displayed reference point to the destination or the route from the destination to the reference point.