Navigation system, hand-held terminal, data transfer system and programs executed therein

• US 20020169551A1
• Filed: 03/27/2002
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Azuma, Kazuyoshi, Inoue, Akira, Yamazaki, Toru
• Granted Patent: US 6,807,484 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

When there is no continuity between a current position data acquired by the car navigation system and a previous position data acquired by the car navigation system, the car navigation system determines a current position of a vehicle based on position data transmitted from a personal digital assistant (PDA). In this way, the current position of the vehicle can be determined immediately.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

a position data receiving means for receiving at least one set of position data from a hand-held terminal, wherein each set of the position data indicates a position of the hand-held terminal; and

a control means, which executes at least one predetermined process based on the at least one set of the position data received by the position data receiving means.

2. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one predetermined process includes determination of a position of a vehicle based on the at least one set of the position data received by the position data receiving means.

3. A navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising a display means, wherein the at least one predetermined process includes display of a map of map data, which corresponds to one of the at least one set of the position data received by the position data receiving means, on the display means.

4. A data transfer system comprising a hand-held terminal and a navigation system, wherein:

the hand-held terminal includes;

a position data acquiring means for acquiring at least one set of position data, wherein each set of the position data indicates a position of the hand-held terminal;

a position data transmitting means for transmitting at least one of the at least one set of the position data acquired by the position data acquiring means; and

a control means, which transmits the at least one of the at least one set of the position data acquired by the position data acquiring means from the position data transmitting means to the navigation system; and

the navigation system includes;

a position data receiving means for receiving the at least one of the at least one set of the position data from the hand-held terminal; and

a control means, which executes at least one predetermined process based on the at least one of the at least one set of the position data received by the position data receiving means.

5. A data transfer system according to claim 4, wherein the control means of the hand-held terminal transmits the at least one of the at least one set of the position data acquired by the position data acquiring means from the position data transmitting means to the navigation system through wireless communication.

6. A data transfer system according to claim 4, wherein the position data acquiring means of the hand-held terminal includes an autonomous positioning type GPS positioning means, which carries out GPS positioning autonomously based on GPS signals transmitted from at least one GPS satellite.

7. A data transfer system according to claim 4, wherein the position data acquiring means of the hand-held terminal includes a network-assisted positioning type GPS positioning means, which carries out GPS positioning with aid of network assistance based on GPS signals transmitted from at least one GPS satellite.

8. A hand-held terminal of a data transfer system, wherein the data transfer system includes the hand-held terminal and a navigation system, the hand-held terminal comprising:

a position data acquiring means for acquiring at least one set of position data, wherein each set of the position data indicates a position of the hand-held terminal;

a position data transmitting means for transmitting at least one of the at least one set of the position data acquired by the position data acquiring means;

a control means, which transmits the at least one of the at least one set of the position data acquired by the position data acquiring means from the position data transmitting means to the navigation system;

a clocking means for clocking date and time; and

a position data storage means, which stores the at least one set of the position data acquired by the position data acquiring means, wherein;

the control means stores each set of the position data, which is acquired by the position data acquiring means, in the position data storage means together with associated date and time of acquisition of each set of the position data clocked by the clocking means; and

when the associated date and time of one of the at least one set of the position data are specified by a user, the control means transmits the corresponding set of the position data from the position data transmitting means to the navigation system.

9. A hand-held terminal according to claim 8, further comprising a display means, wherein:

the at least one set of the position data includes a plurality of sets of the position data; and

the control means makes a list of the plurality of sets of the position data and the associated dates and times stored in the position data storage means and causes the display means to display the list.

10. A hand-held terminal of a data transfer system, wherein the data transfer system includes the hand-held terminal and a navigation system, the hand-held terminal comprising:

a position data acquiring means for acquiring at least one set of position data, wherein each set of the position data indicates a position of the hand-held terminal;

a position data transmitting means for transmitting at least one of the at least one set of the position data acquired by the position data acquiring means;

a control means, which transmits the at least one of the at least one set of the position data acquired by the position data acquiring means from the position data transmitting means to the navigation system;

a character inputting means, through which associated characters are inputted for each set of the position data by a user; and

a position data storage means, which stores the at least one set of the position data acquired by the position data acquiring means, wherein;

the control means stores each set of the position data, which is acquired by the position data acquiring means, in the position data storage means together with the associated characters of each set of the position data; and

when the associated characters of one of the at least one set of the position data are specified by the user, the control means transmits the corresponding set of the position data from the position data transmitting means to the navigation system.

11. A hand-held terminal according to claim 10, further comprising a display means, wherein:

the at least one set of the position data includes a plurality of sets of the position data; and

the control means makes a list of the plurality of sets of the position data and the associated characters stored in the position data storage means and causes the display means to display the list.

12. A program executed in a navigation system comprising steps of:

receiving at least one set of position data from a hand-held terminal, wherein each set of the position data indicates a position of the hand-held terminal; and

determining a position of a vehicle based on the at least one set of the position data received from the hand-held terminal.

13. A program executed in a navigation system comprising steps of:

receiving at least one set of position data from a hand-held terminal, wherein each set of the position data indicates a position of the hand-held terminal; and

displaying a map of map data, which corresponds to one of the at least one set of the position data received from the hand-held terminal.