Display method and apparatus of navigation system

• US 20020183924A1
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yokota, Tatsuo
• Granted Patent: US 6,687,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers

Abstract

A display method and apparatus for navigation system for displaying information necessary for guiding a driver of a vehicle. The navigation system is designed to enable a user (such as driver or passenger) quickly find and select the destination in an new area based on the names or places used in his/her home area. The navigation system includes a search method for searching a point of interest based on a list of preferred names specially created or based on a list of registered points used in his/her home area.

Claims

1. A display method of a navigation system, comprising the following steps of:

forming a set of data listing names of business chains (hereafter “

preferred list”

);

displaying a destination selection menu including a search method based on data stored in a storage medium (point of interest data) on a screen of the navigation system wherein the selection menu includes the preferred list;

selecting the preferred list in the destination selection menu;

displaying the list of names in the preferred list on the screen of the navigation system;

selecting one of the names in the preferred list shown on the screen;

examining the point of interest data in the storage medium and displaying a set of places within a predetermined distance from a current vehicle position having the same name selected from the preferred list; and

specifying one of the places displayed on the screen as a destination.

2. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a step of confirming the selected destination by displaying detailed information on the selected destination.

3. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a step of determining an appropriate route to the selected destination and displaying a route guidance screen for guiding the driver to get to the selected destination.

4. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the set of places having the same name selected from the preferred list further including a step of arranging the set of places in the order of distance from the current vehicle position.

5. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 1, the business chains include chain stores, chain restaurants, companies having branch offices, private or public organizations having affiliated organizations, wherein each of the business chains has a name common among the chain.

6. A display method of a navigation system, comprising the following steps of:

displaying a destination selection menu on a screen of the navigation system to show a search method based on registered points (“

address book”

) or destination history (“

recent route”

) or other point of interest data in the navigation system;

selecting one of the menu of either the address book or recent route and specifying a provisional (first) destination from a list of names in the selected menu;

displaying the provisional destination on a confirmation screen of the navigation system wherein the confirmation screen includes a menu for searching places similar to the provisional destination (“

find similar place”

menu);

selecting the “

find similar place”

menu;

examining point of interest data in a storage medium for searching places similar to the provisional destination and displaying a set of places similar to the provisional destination; and

specifying one of the places displayed on the screen as a final destination.

7. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 6, further comprising a step of displaying methods of finding similar places after selecting the “

find similar place”

menu.

8. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 7, wherein the methods of finding the similar places include a menu for searching similar places having names identical to the provisional destination and for sorting the similar places in the order of distance from the vehicle current position.

9. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 7, wherein the methods of finding the similar places include a menu for searching similar places having names identical to the provisional destination within a city where the vehicle is currently located.

10. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 7, wherein the methods of finding the similar places include a menu for searching similar places having types of business similar to the provisional destination and for sorting the similar places in the order of distance from the vehicle current position.

11. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 7, wherein the methods of finding the similar places include a menu for searching similar places having types of business similar to the provisional destination within a city where the vehicle is currently located.

12. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 6, further comprising a step of confirming the selected final destination by displaying detailed information on the selected destination.

13. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 6, further comprising a step of determining an appropriate route to the selected final destination and displaying a route guidance screen for guiding the driver to get to the selected destination.

15. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 14, further comprising means for determining an appropriate route to the selected destination and displaying a route guidance screen for guiding the driver to get to the selected destination.

16. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 14, further including means for arranging the set of places in the order of distance from the current vehicle position.

18. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 17, further comprising means for displaying methods of finding similar places after selecting the “

find similar place”

menu.

19. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 18, wherein the methods of finding the similar places include a menu for searching similar places having names identical to the provisional destination and for sorting the similar places in the order of distance from the vehicle current position.

20. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 18, wherein the methods of finding the similar places include a menu for searching similar places having names identical to the provisional destination within a city where the vehicle is currently located.

21. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 18, wherein the methods of finding the similar places include a menu for searching similar places having types of business similar to the provisional destination and for sorting the similar places in the order of distance from the vehicle current position.

22. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 18, wherein the methods of finding the similar places include a menu for searching similar places having types of business similar to the provisional destination within a city where the vehicle is currently located.

23. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 17, further comprising means for determining an appropriate route to the selected final destination and displaying a route guidance screen for guiding the driver to get to the selected destination.

14. A display apparatus of a navigation system, comprising:

means for forming a set of data listing names of business chains (hereafter “

preferred list”

);

means for displaying a destination selection menu including a search method based on data stored in a storage medium (point of interest data) on a screen of the navigation system wherein the selection menu includes the preferred list as a selection item;

means for selecting the preferred list in the destination selection menu;

means for displaying the list of names in the preferred list on the screen of the navigation system;

means for selecting one of the names in the preferred list shown on the screen;

means for examining the point of interest data in the storage medium and displaying a set of places within a predetermined distance from a current vehicle position having the same name selected from the preferred list; and

means for selecting one of the places displayed on the screen as a destination.

17. A display apparatus of a navigation system, comprising:

means for displaying a destination selection menu on a screen of the navigation system to show a search method based on registered points (“

address book”

) or destination history (“

recent route”

) or other point of interest data in the navigation system created by a user;

means for selecting one of the menu of either the address book or recent route and specifying a provisional (first) destination from a list of names in the selected menu;

means for displaying the provisional destination on a confirmation screen of the navigation system wherein the confirmation screen includes a menu for searching places similar to the provisional destination (“

find similar place”

menu);

means for selecting the “

find similar place”

menu;

means for examining point of interest data in a storage medium for searching places similar to the provisional destination and displaying a set of places similar to the provisional destination; and

means for selecting one of the places displayed on the screen as a final destination.