Communication navigation system and method, program storage device and computer data signal embodied in carrier wave

• US 20030050751A1
• Filed: 09/03/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Fujita, Toru, Fukushima, Atsuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 6,584,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09685 where the complete route is computed only once and not updated
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice

Abstract

A communication navigation system is provided with a communication center apparatus (3) and a communication terminal apparatus (4, 5), both of which transmit and receive information by two-way communication through a communication network (1, 2). The communication center apparatus is provided with: a processing device (72) for generating request correspondence information including route information indicating a planned route corresponding to request information and generating, if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of a service area of the communication navigation system, announcement information for announcing this fact; and a center side communication device (71, 73) for receiving the request information and transmitting the request correspondence information and the announcement information through the communication network. The communication terminal apparatus is provided with: a terminal side communication device (38) for transmitting the request information and receiving at least the announcement information through the communication network; and an input device for inputting the request information and giving an opportunity of inputting the request information in response to the reception of the announcement information.

Claims

1. A communication navigation system comprising a communication center apparatus and a communication terminal apparatus, both of which transmit and receive information by two-way communication through a communication network,

(i) the communication center apparatus comprising:

a processing device for generating request correspondence information including route information indicating a planned route corresponding to request information and generating, if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of a service area of the communication navigation system, announcement information for announcing that the at least one portion of the planned route is present out of the service area; and

a center side communication device for receiving the request information and transmitting the request correspondence information and the announcement information through the communication network,

(ii) the communication terminal apparatus comprising;

a terminal side communication device for transmitting the request information and receiving at least the announcement information through the communication network; and

an input device for inputting the request information and giving an opportunity of inputting the request information in response to the reception of the announcement information.

2. A communication navigation system according to claim 1, wherein

the communication terminal apparatus comprises a communication navigation terminal to be mounted on a movable body,

the terminal side communication device receives the request correspondence information in addition to the announcement information, and

the communication navigation terminal comprises an output device for outputting the received request correspondence information in a predetermined format.

3. A communication navigation system according to claim 1, wherein

the communication terminal apparatus comprises a terminal for users which is not mounted on a movable body and

the terminal side communication device receives the request correspondence information in addition to the announcement information.

4. A communication navigation system according to claim 1, wherein

the communication terminal apparatus comprises a terminal for users which is not mounted on a movable body,

the communication navigation system further comprises a communication navigation terminal mounted on a movable body and connected to the communication network, and

the center side communication device transmits the request correspondence information to the communication navigation terminal.

5. A communication navigation system according to claim 1, wherein

if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of the service area, the processing device generates outer area information related to an area which is out of the service area in addition to the announcement information and

the center side communication device transmits the outer area information in addition to the announcement information.

6. A communication navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the processing device generates the request correspondence information including the route information indicating a return route from a destination designated by the received request information which is inputted with the input device in response to the reception of the announcement information.

7. A communication navigation system according to claim 1, wherein

the communication center apparatus further comprises a map database for storing therein map database information including information for route search which enables route search to a destination from a current position of a movable body by predetermined algorithm and

the processing device generates the route information by searching for a route heading to the destination from the current position by the predetermined algorithm, on the basis of the map database information and the received request information.

8. A communication navigation system according to claim 1, wherein

the communication center apparatus further comprises a map database for storing therein map database information including service area information indicating whether each area is present out of or within the service area and

the processing device determines whether or not at least one portion of the planned route is present out of the service area, on the basis of the service area information.

9. A communication navigation system comprising a communication center apparatus and a communication terminal apparatus, both of which transmit and receive information by two-way communication through a communication network,

(i) the communication center apparatus comprising:

a processing device for generating request correspondence information including route information indicating a planned route corresponding to request information and generating, if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of a service area of the communication navigation system, outer area information related to an area which is out of the service area; and

a center side communication device for receiving the request information and transmitting the request correspondence information and the outer area information through the communication network,

(ii) the communication terminal apparatus comprising;

a terminal side communication device for receiving the request correspondence information and the outer area information through the communication network; and

a memory device for storing therein the outer area information.

10. A communication navigation system according to claim 9, wherein

the communication terminal apparatus comprises a communication navigation terminal to be mounted on a movable body, and

the communication navigation terminal comprising:

an output device for outputting the received request correspondence information in a predetermined format;

an input device for inputting the request information; and

a generating device for generating the request correspondence information with respect to the request information related to the area which is out of the service area inputted from the input device on the basis of the outer area information stored in the memory device if the movable body is present out of the service area.

11. A communication navigation system according to claim 9, wherein the communication terminal apparatus comprises a terminal for users which is not mounted on a movable body.

12. A communication navigation system according to claim 9, wherein

the communication center apparatus further comprises a map database for storing therein map database information and

the processing device generates the outer area information by extracting from the map database a portion related to the area which is out of the service area out of the map database information.

13. A communication navigation system according to claim 12, wherein the map database information includes at least one information out of map information, facility guidance information, travel guidance information, and meteorological information on each area which is divided into by predetermined unit.

14. A communication navigation system according to claim 9, wherein the processing device generates the route information indicating a return route from a destination designated by the received request information or map information required to search for the route information indicating the return route as the outer area information.

15. A communication navigation system according to claim 9, wherein

the communication center apparatus further comprises a map database for storing therein map database information including information for route search which enables route search to a destination from a current position of a movable body by predetermined algorithm and

the processing device generates the route information by searching for a route heading to the destination from the current position by the predetermined algorithm, on the basis of the map database information and the received request information.

16. A communication navigation system according to claim 9, wherein

the communication center apparatus further comprises a map database for storing therein map database information including service area information indicating whether each area is present out of or within the service area and

the processing device determines whether or not at least one portion of the planned route is present out of the service area, on the basis of the service area information.

17. A communication center apparatus for transmitting and receiving information by two-way communication through a communication network with respect to a communication terminal apparatus comprising:

(i) a terminal side communication device for transmitting request information and receiving at least announcement information through the communication network; and

(ii) an input device for inputting the request information and giving an opportunity of inputting the request information in response to the reception of the announcement information,

the communication center apparatus comprising;

a processing device for generating the request correspondence information including route information indicating a planned route corresponding to the received request information and generating, if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of a service area of the communication navigation system, the announcement information for announcing that the at least one portion of the planned route is present out of the service area; and

a center side communication device for receiving the request information and transmitting the request correspondence information and the announcement information through the communication network.

18. A communication center apparatus for transmitting and receiving information by two-way communication through a communication network with respect to a communication terminal apparatus comprising:

(i) a terminal side communication device for receiving request correspondence information and outer area information through the communication network; and

(ii) a memory device for storing therein the outer area information,

the communication center apparatus comprising;

a processing device for generating the request correspondence information including route information indicating a planned route corresponding to request information and generating, if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of a service area of the communication navigation system, the outer area information related to an area which is out of the service area; and

a center side communication device for receiving the request information and transmitting the request correspondence information and the outer area information through the communication network.

19. A program storage device readable by a computer for tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a communication navigation method in a communication navigation system, the communication system comprising a communication center apparatus and a communication terminal apparatus, both of which transmit and receive information by two-way communication through a communication network,

the communication navigation method comprising:

(i) at the communication center apparatus,

a generating process of generating request correspondence information including route information indicating a planned route corresponding to request information and generating, if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of a service area of the communication navigation system, announcement information for announcing that the at least one portion of the planned route is present out of the service area; and

a center side communication process of receiving the request information and transmitting the request correspondence information and the announcement information through the communication network, and

(ii) at the communication terminal apparatus,

a terminal side communication process of transmitting the request information and receiving at least the announcement information through the communication network; and

an inputting process for inputting the request information and giving an opportunity of inputting the request information in response to the reception of the announcement information.

20. A program storage device readable by a computer for tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a communication navigation method in a communication navigation system, the communication navigation system comprising a communication center apparatus and a communication terminal apparatus, both of which transmit and receive information by two-way communication through a communication network,

the communication navigation method comprising:

(i) at the communication center apparatus,

a generating process of generating request correspondence information including route information indicating a planned route corresponding to request information and generating, if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of a service area of the communication navigation system, outer area information related to an area which is out of the service area; and

a center side communication process of receiving the request information and transmitting the request correspondence information and the outer area information through the communication network, and

(ii) at the communication terminal apparatus,

a terminal side communication process of receiving the request correspondence information and the outer area information through the communication network; and

a storing process of storing therein the outer area information.

21. A program storage device readable by a computer for tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a communication navigation method at a communication center apparatus in a communication navigation system, the communication navigation system comprising the communication center apparatus and a communication terminal apparatus, both of which transmit and receive information by two-way communication through a communication network, the communication terminal apparatus comprising:

(i) a terminal side communication device for transmitting request information and receiving at least announcement information through the communication network; and

(ii) an input device for inputting the request information and giving an opportunity of inputting the request information in response to the reception of the announcement information,

the communication navigation method comprising;

a generating process of generating the request correspondence information including route information indicating a planned route corresponding to the received request information and generating, if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of a service area of the communication navigation system, announcement information for announcing that the at least one portion of the planned route is present out of the service area; and

a center side communication process of receiving the request information and transmitting the request correspondence information and the announcement information through the communication network.

22. A program storage device readable by a computer for tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a communication navigation method at a communication center apparatus in a communication navigation system, the communication navigation system comprising the communication center apparatus and a communication terminal apparatus, both of which transmit and receive information by two-way communication through a communication network, the communication terminal apparatus comprising:

(i) a terminal side communication device for receiving request correspondence information and outer area information through the communication network; and

(ii) a memory device for storing therein the outer area information,

the communication navigation method comprising;

a generating process of generating the request correspondence information including route information indicating a planned route corresponding to request information and generating, if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of a service area of the communication navigation system, the outer area information related to an area which is out of the service area; and

a center side communication process of receiving the request information and transmitting the request correspondence information and the outer area information through the communication network.

23. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a series of instructions which cause a computer to perform a communication navigation method in a communication navigation system, the communication system comprising a communication center apparatus and a communication terminal apparatus, both of which transmit and receive information by two-way communication through a communication network,

the communication navigation method comprising:

(i) at the communication center apparatus,

a generating process of generating request correspondence information including route information indicating a planned route corresponding to request information and generating, if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of a service area of the communication navigation system, announcement information for announcing that the at least one portion of the planned route is present out of the service area; and

a center side communication process of receiving the request information and transmitting the request correspondence information and the announcement information through the communication network, and

(ii) at the communication terminal apparatus,

a terminal side communication process of transmitting the request information and receiving at least the announcement information through the communication network; and

an inputting process for inputting the request information and giving an opportunity of inputting the request information in response to the reception of the announcement information.

24. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a series of instructions which cause a computer to perform a communication navigation method in a communication navigation system, the communication navigation system comprising a communication center apparatus and a communication terminal apparatus, both of which transmit and receive information by two-way communication through a communication network,

the communication navigation method comprising:

(i) at the communication center apparatus,

a generating process of generating request correspondence information including route information indicating a planned route corresponding to request information and generating, if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of a service area of the communication navigation system, outer area information related to an area which is out of the service area; and

a center side communication process of receiving the request information and transmitting the request correspondence information and the outer area information through the communication network, and

(ii) at the communication terminal apparatus,

a terminal side communication process of receiving the request correspondence information and the outer area information through the communication network; and

a storing process of storing therein the outer area information.

25. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a series of instructions which cause a computer to perform a communication navigation method at a communication center apparatus in a communication navigation system, the communication navigation system comprising the communication center apparatus and a communication terminal apparatus, both of which transmit and receive information by two-way communication through a communication network, the communication terminal apparatus comprising:

(i) a terminal side communication device for transmitting request information and receiving at least announcement information through the communication network; and

(ii) an input device for inputting the request information and giving an opportunity of inputting the request information in response to the reception of the announcement information,

the communication navigation method comprising;

a generating process of generating the request correspondence information including route information indicating a planned route corresponding to the received request information and generating, if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of a service area of the communication navigation system, announcement information for announcing that the at least one portion of the planned route is present out of the service area; and

a center side communication process of receiving the request information and transmitting the request correspondence information and the announcement information through the communication network.

26. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a series of instructions which cause a computer to perform a communication navigation method at a communication center apparatus in a communication navigation system, the communication navigation system comprising the communication center apparatus and a communication terminal apparatus, both of which transmit and receive information by two-way communication through a communication network, the communication terminal apparatus comprising:

(i) a terminal side communication device for receiving request correspondence information and outer area information through the communication network; and

(ii) a memory device for storing therein the outer area information,

the communication navigation method comprising;

a generating process of generating the request correspondence information including route information indicating a planned route corresponding to request information and generating, if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of a service area of the communication navigation system, the outer area information related to an area which is out of the service area; and

a center side communication process of receiving the request information and transmitting the request correspondence information and the outer area information through the communication network.

27. A communication navigation method executed in a communication navigation system, the communication system comprising a communication center apparatus and a communication terminal apparatus, both of which transmit and receive information by two-way communication through a communication network,

the communication navigation method comprising:

(i) at the communication center apparatus,

a generating process of generating request correspondence information including route information indicating a planned route corresponding to request information and generating, if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of a service area of the communication navigation system, announcement information for announcing that the at least one portion of the planned route is present out of the service area; and

a center side communication process of receiving the request information and transmitting the request correspondence information and the announcement information through the communication network, and

(ii) at the communication terminal apparatus,

a terminal side communication process of transmitting the request information and receiving at least the announcement information through the communication network; and

an inputting process for inputting the request information and giving an opportunity of inputting the request information in response to the reception of the announcement information.

28. A communication navigation method executed in a communication navigation system, the communication navigation system comprising a communication center apparatus and a communication terminal apparatus, both of which transmit and receive information by two-way communication through a communication network,

the communication navigation method comprising:

(i) at the communication center apparatus,

a generating process of generating request correspondence information including route information indicating a planned route corresponding to request information and generating, if at least one portion of the planned route is present out of a service area of the communication navigation system, outer area information related to an area which is out of the service area; and

a center side communication process of receiving the request information and transmitting the request correspondence information and the outer area information through the communication network, and

(ii) at the communication terminal apparatus,

a terminal side communication process of receiving the request correspondence information and the outer area information through the communication network; and

a storing process of storing therein the outer area information.