Navigation system, mobile navigation apparatus, communication navigation apparatus and information server apparatus, navigation method, mobile navigation method, communication navigation method and server processing method, navigation program, mobile navigation program, communication navigation program and server processing program, and information recording medium

• US 20030065440A1
• Filed: 09/26/2002
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Sato, Tsuyoshi, Watanabe, Tomo, Oda, Tamami
• Granted Patent: US 6,856,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens

Abstract

The navigation system includes an information server apparatus, a terminal apparatus for conducting navigation processing while conducting communication with the information server apparatus, and a vehicle navigation apparatus mounted on a vehicle to conduct navigation processing independently of the information server apparatus. During execution of the navigation processing in the terminal apparatus, detection is effected to determine whether the vehicle navigation apparatus is started. Upon detecting that the vehicle navigation apparatus has been started, information for the navigation processing conducted until then is transferred to the vehicle navigation apparatus. The vehicle navigation apparatus conducts navigation processing by using the transferred information.

Claims

1. A navigation system including an information server apparatus, a portable communication navigation apparatus for conducting navigation processing of assisting travel of a first mobile while conducting communication with the information server apparatus, and a mobile navigation apparatus for conducting navigation processing of assisting travel of a second mobile different from the first mobile independently of the information server apparatus while traveling together with the second mobile, the navigation system comprising:

a detecting device which detects whether first one of the communication navigation apparatus and the mobile navigation apparatus is started during execution of the navigation processing in second one of the communication navigation apparatus and the mobile navigation apparatus;

a transfer device responsive to detection that one of the communication navigation apparatus and the mobile navigation apparatus is started, which transfers information for the navigation processing used in the second one of the communication navigation apparatus and the mobile navigation apparatus that has been operated until then, from the second one to the first one; and

a start device which starts the navigation processing in the first one by using the transferred information.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the transferred information includes at least one of information for route search and information for indicating destination used in either navigation processing.

3. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the transfer of the information is executed by radio.

4. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the second mobile is a vehicle.

5. The information server apparatus included in the navigation system according to claim 1, comprising:

a temporary stop request detecting device which detects whether a temporary stop request is received, the temporary stop request being transmitted from the communication navigation apparatus when the mobile navigation apparatus is started during execution of communication navigation processing, the communication navigation processing being the navigation processing conducted between the information server apparatus and the communication navigation apparatus, the temporary stop request indicating temporary stop of the communication navigation processing executed until then;

a stop device responsive to reception of the temporary stop request, which temporarily stops the communication navigation processing and stores information used in the communication navigation processing executed until then;

a resumption request detecting device which detects during temporary stop of the communication navigation processing whether a resumption request is received from the communication navigation apparatus, the resumption request indicating resumption of the communication navigation processing; and

a resumption device responsive to reception of the resumption request, which resumes the communication navigation processing based on the resumption request and the stored information.

6. The mobile navigation apparatus included in the navigation system according to claim 1, comprising:

the detecting device which detects whether the mobile navigation apparatus is started during execution of the navigation processing in the communication navigation apparatus;

an acquisition device which acquires the information transferred from the communication navigation apparatus; and

the start device which starts the navigation processing in the mobile navigation apparatus, by using the acquired information.

7. The communication navigation apparatus included in the navigation system according to claim 1, comprising:

the detecting device which detects whether the communication navigation apparatus is started during execution of the navigation processing in the mobile navigation apparatus;

an acquisition device which acquires the information transferred from the mobile navigation apparatus; and

the start device which starts the navigation processing in the communication navigation apparatus, by using the acquired information.

8. A navigation method executed in a navigation system, the navigation system including an information server apparatus, a portable communication navigation apparatus for conducting navigation processing of assisting travel of a first mobile while conducting communication with the information server apparatus, and a mobile navigation apparatus for conducting navigation processing of assisting travel of a second mobile different from the first mobile independently of the information server apparatus while traveling together with the second mobile, the navigation method comprising:

a detecting process of detecting whether first one of the communication navigation apparatus and the mobile navigation apparatus is started during execution of the navigation processing in second one of the communication navigation apparatus and the mobile navigation apparatus;

a transfer process, responsive to detection that one of the communication navigation apparatus and the mobile navigation apparatus is started, of transferring information for the navigation processing used in the second one of the communication navigation apparatus and the mobile navigation apparatus that has been operated until then, from the second one to the first one; and

a start process of starting the navigation processing in the first one by using the transferred information.

9. The navigation method according to claim 8, wherein the transferred information includes at least one of information for route search and information for indicating destination used in either navigation processing.

10. The navigation method according to claim 8, wherein the transfer process is executed by radio.

11. The navigation method according to claim 8, wherein the second mobile is a vehicle.

12. A server processing method executed in the information server apparatus included in the navigation system using the navigation method according to claim 8, the server processing method comprising:

a temporary stop request detecting process of detecting whether a temporary stop request is received, the temporary stop request being transmitted from the communication navigation apparatus when the mobile navigation apparatus is started during execution of communication navigation processing, the communication navigation processing being the navigation processing conducted between the information server apparatus and the communication navigation apparatus, the temporary stop request indicating temporary stop of the communication navigation processing executed until then;

a stop process, responsive to reception of the temporary stop request, of temporarily stopping the communication navigation processing and storing information used in the communication navigation processing executed until then;

a resumption request detecting process of detecting during temporary stop of the communication navigation processing whether a resumption request is received from the communication navigation apparatus, the resumption request indicating resumption of the communication navigation processing; and

a resumption process, responsive to reception of the resumption request, of resuming the communication navigation processing based on the resumption request and the stored information.

13. A mobile navigation method executed in the mobile navigation apparatus included in the navigation system using the navigation method according to claim 8, the mobile navigation method comprising:

the detecting process of detecting whether the mobile navigation apparatus is started during execution of the navigation processing in the communication navigation apparatus;

an acquisition process of acquiring the information transferred from the communication navigation apparatus; and

the start process of starting the navigation processing in the mobile navigation apparatus, by using the acquired information.

14. A communication navigation method executed in the communication navigation apparatus included in the navigation system using the navigation method according to claim 8, the communication navigation method comprising:

the detecting process of detecting whether the communication navigation apparatus is started during execution of the navigation processing in the mobile navigation apparatus;

an acquisition process of acquiring the information transferred from the mobile navigation apparatus; and

the start process for starting the navigation processing in the communication navigation apparatus, by using the acquired information.

15. A navigation program for computers included in a navigation system, the navigation system including an information server apparatus, a portable communication navigation apparatus for conducting navigation processing of assisting travel of a first mobile while conducting communication with the information server apparatus, and a mobile navigation apparatus for conducting navigation processing of assisting travel of a second mobile different from the first mobile independently of the information server apparatus while traveling together with the second mobile, the navigation program making the computers function as:

a detecting device which detects whether first one of the communication navigation apparatus and the mobile navigation apparatus is started during execution of the navigation processing in second one of the communication navigation apparatus and the mobile navigation apparatus;

a transfer device responsive to detection that one of the communication navigation apparatus and the mobile navigation apparatus is started, which transfers information for the navigation processing used in the second one of the communication navigation apparatus and the mobile navigation apparatus that has been operated until then, from the second one to the first one; and

a start device which starts the navigation processing in the first one by using the transferred information.

16. The navigation program according to claim 15, wherein the transferred information includes at least one of information for route search and information for indicating destination used in either navigation processing.

17. The navigation program according to claim 15, wherein the computer functioning as the transfer device is made to execute the transfer of the information by radio.

18. The navigation program according to claim 15, wherein the second mobile is a vehicle.

19. A server processing program for a server computer included in the information server apparatus which is included in the navigation system using the navigation program according to claim 15, the server processing program making the server computer as:

a temporary stop request detecting device which detects whether a temporary stop request is received, the temporary stop request being transmitted from the communication navigation apparatus when the mobile navigation apparatus is started during execution of communication navigation processing, the communication navigation processing being the navigation processing conducted between the information server apparatus and the communication navigation apparatus, the temporary stop request indicating temporary stop of the communication navigation processing executed until then;

a stop device responsive to reception of the temporary stop request, which temporarily stops the communication navigation processing and stores information used in the communication navigation processing executed until then;

a resumption request detecting device which detects during temporary stop of the communication navigation processing whether a resumption request is received from the communication navigation apparatus, the resumption request indicating resumption of the communication navigation processing; and

a resumption device responsive to reception of the resumption request, which resumes the communication navigation processing based on the resumption request and the stored information.

20. A mobile navigation program for a mobile computer included in the mobile navigation apparatus which is included in the navigation system using the navigation program according to claim 15, the mobile navigation program making the mobile computer as:

the detecting device which detects whether the mobile navigation apparatus is started during execution of the navigation processing in the communication navigation apparatus;

an acquisition device which acquires the information transferred from the communication navigation apparatus; and

the start device which starts the navigation processing in the mobile navigation apparatus, by using the acquired information.

21. A communication navigation program for a communication computer included in the communication navigation apparatus which is included in the navigation system using the navigation program according to claim 15,

the communication navigation program making the communication computer as:

the detecting device which detects whether the communication navigation apparatus is started during execution of the navigation processing in the mobile navigation apparatus;

an acquisition device which acquires the information transferred from the mobile navigation apparatus; and

the start device which starts the navigation processing in the communication navigation apparatus, by using the acquired information.

22. An information recording medium storing the navigation program according to claim 15 so as to be able to be read by the computer.

23. An information recording medium storing the server processing program according to claim 19 so as to be able to be read by the server computer.

24. An information recording medium storing the mobile navigation program according to claim 20 so as to be able to be read by the mobile computer.

25. An information recording medium storing the communication navigation program according to claim 21 so as to be able to be read by the communication computer.