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

• US 20030078726A1
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Koga, Yuji, Fujita, Toru, Fukushima, Atsuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 6,947,837 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• 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 navigation terminal (5) and a communication center apparatus (3) with a communication network (2) for connecting them. The communication navigation terminal is provided with a route navigation device (20, 40, 50). If a movable body is on a route searched by the communication center apparatus, it performs a route navigation on the basis of a current position measured by a measurement apparatus (10, 18) and route information received from the communication center apparatus. If the movable body deviates from the searched route, it performs a simple navigation, in case that the current position is out of a service area of the communication navigation system, where it is not possible to transmit and receive the information through the communication network.

Claims

1. A communication navigation system comprising:

a communication center apparatus; and

a communication navigation terminal, both of which transmit and receive information by a two-way communication through a communication network,

(i) said communication center apparatus comprising;

a map database for storing therein map database information including information for a route search, which enables the route search from a current position of a movable body to a destination by a predetermined algorithm;

a search device for searching, by the predetermined algorithm, for a route heading to the destination from the current position, on the basis of the map database information including the information for the route search, from the destination and the current position received through the communication network; and

a center side wireless device for wirelessly transmitting route information indicating the searched route through the communication network,

(ii) said communication navigation terminal comprising;

a measurement device for measuring the current position;

a terminal side wireless device for transmitting the measured current position and receiving the transmitted route information through the communication network; and

a route navigation device for selectively performing a route navigation on the searched route on the basis of the measured current position and the received route information or performing a simple navigation with a lower accuracy than that of the route navigation on a route other than the searched route on the basis of the measured current position.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said route navigation device performs the route navigation in case that the movable body is on the searched route.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said route navigation device performs the simple navigation out of a service area of said communication navigation system, in which it is hardly or not possible to transmit and receive the information through the communication network, in case that the movable body is not on the searched route.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the route search is required of the communication center apparatus by said terminal wireless device within a service area of said communication navigation system, in which it is possible to transmit and receive the information through the communication network, in case that the movable body is not on the searched route.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said communication navigation terminal further comprises a judgment device for judging whether the current position is within or out of the service area.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein said communication navigation terminal further comprises a judgment device for judging whether the current position is within or out of the service area.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein said judgment device judges on the basis of an electric field intensity of an electric wave received by said terminal side wireless device.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein said judgment device judges on the basis of an electric field intensity of an electric wave received by said terminal side wireless device.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein said judgment device judges by transmitting a predetermined data row to said communication center apparatus from said communication navigation terminal, restoring the received data row at said communication center apparatus and transmitting it back to said communication navigation terminal, and then comparing the received data row with the transmitted data row at said communication navigation terminal.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein said judgment device judges by transmitting a predetermined data row to said communication center apparatus from said communication navigation terminal, restoring the received data row at said communication center apparatus and transmitting it back to said communication navigation terminal, and then comparing the received data row with the transmitted data row at said communication navigation terminal.

11. The system according to claim 5, wherein a judgment of said judgment device is performed at a predetermined time interval.

12. The system according to claim 6, wherein a judgment of said judgment device is performed at a predetermined time interval.

13. The system according to claim 5, wherein a judgment of said judgment device is performed at a predetermined driving distance interval.

14. The system according to claim 6, wherein a judgment of said judgment device is performed at a predetermined driving distance interval.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein said communication navigation terminal further comprises a choice device for choosing whether to require the route search of said communication center apparatus by said terminal side wireless device or to perform the simple navigation by said route navigation device in case that the movable body is not on the searched route.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein said communication navigation terminal further comprises a detection device for detecting whether or not the current position is on the searched route.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein said route navigation device displays or audio-outputs a direction of the movable body to be moved, on the basis of the current position as the simple navigation.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said route navigation device displays or audio-outputs a direction heading to the destination from the current position as the direction to be moved.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein said route navigation device displays or audio-outputs a direction heading to a position, which is the closest to the current position on the searched route, from the current position as the direction to be moved.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein said route navigation device displays or audio-outputs a direction heading to a guidance position, which is the closest to the current position from among a plurality of guidance positions on the searched route, from the current position as the direction to be moved.

21. The system according to claim 17, wherein said route navigation device displays or audio-outputs a direction heading to a guidance position, which is the next one of a last passed guidance position from among a plurality of guidance positions on the searched route, from the current position as the direction to be moved.

22. The system according to claim 1, wherein said route navigation device searches for a route of the movable body to be moved on the basis of the current position and map information stored in said communication navigation terminal, as the simple navigation.

23. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a user communication terminal for performing the two-way communication on the communication network,

said user communication terminal being capable of transmitting the destination to said communication center apparatus.

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

(i) a map database for storing therein map database information including information for a route search, which enables the route search from a current position of a movable body to a destination by a predetermined algorithm;

(ii) a search device for searching, by the predetermined algorithm, for a route heading to the destination from the current position, on the basis of the map database information including the information for the route search, from the destination and the current position received through the communication network; and

(iii) a center side wireless device for wirelessly transmitting route information indicating the searched route through the communication network,

said communication navigation terminal comprising;

a measurement device for measuring the current position;

a terminal side wireless device for transmitting the measured current position and receiving the transmitted route information through the communication network; and

a route navigation device for selectively performing a route navigation on the searched route on the basis of the measured current position and the received route information or performing a simple navigation with a lower accuracy than that of the route navigation on a route other than the searched route on the basis of the measured current position.

25. A program storage device readable by a computer in a communication navigation system for tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method processes of communication navigation at a communication navigation terminal for transmitting and receiving information by a two-way communication through a communication network with respect to a communication center apparatus provided with:

(i) a map database for storing therein map database information including information for a route search, which enables the route search from a current position of a movable body to a destination by a predetermined algorithm;

(ii) a search device for searching, by the predetermined algorithm, for a route heading to the destination from the current position, on the basis of the map database information including the information for the route search, from the destination and the current position received through the communication network; and

(iii) a center side wireless device for wirelessly transmitting route information indicating the searched route through the communication network,

said method processes comprising;

a measurement process of measuring the current position;

a terminal side wireless process of transmitting the measured current position and receiving the transmitted route information through the communication network; and

a route navigation process of selectively performing a route navigation on the searched route on the basis of the measured current position and the received route information or performing a simple navigation with a lower accuracy than that of the route navigation on a route other than the searched route on the basis of the measured current position.

26. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a series of instructions which cause a computer in a communication navigation system to perform method processes of communication navigation at a communication navigation terminal for transmitting and receiving information by a two-way communication through a communication network with respect to a communication center apparatus provided with:

(i) a map database for storing therein map database information including information for a route search, which enables the route search from a current position of a movable body to a destination by a predetermined algorithm;

(ii) a search device for searching, by the predetermined algorithm, for a route heading to the destination from the current position, on the basis of the map database information including the information for the route search, from the destination and the current position received through the communication network; and

(iii) a center side wireless device for wirelessly transmitting route information indicating the searched route through the communication network,

said method processes comprising;

a measurement process of measuring the current position;

a terminal side wireless process of transmitting the measured current position and receiving the transmitted route information through the communication network; and

a route navigation process of selectively performing a route navigation on the searched route on the basis of the measured current position and the received route information or performing a simple navigation with a lower accuracy than that of the route navigation on a route other than the searched route on the basis of the measured current position.

27. A program storage device readable by a computer for tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method processes of communication navigation in a communication navigation system, said system comprising:

a communication center apparatus; and

a communication navigation terminal, both of which transmit and receive information by a two-way communication through a communication network,

said method processes comprising;

(i) at said communication center apparatus,

a search process of searching, by a predetermined algorithm, for a route heading to a destination from a current position, from the destination and the current position received through the communication network, on the basis of a map database for storing therein map database information including information for a route search, which enables the route search from the current position of a movable body to the destination by the predetermined algorithm; and

a center side wireless process of wirelessly transmitting route information indicating the searched route through the communication network, and

(ii) at said communication navigation terminal,

a measurement process of measuring the current position;

a terminal side wireless process of transmitting the measured current position and receiving the transmitted route information through the communication network; and

a route navigation process of selectively performing a route navigation on the searched route on the basis of the measured current position and the received route information or performing a simple navigation with a lower accuracy than that of the route navigation on a route other than the searched route on the basis of the measured current position.

28. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a series of instructions which cause a computer to perform method processes of communication navigation in a communication navigation system, said system comprising:

a communication center apparatus; and

a communication navigation terminal, both of which transmit and receive information by a two-way communication through a communication network,

said method processes comprising;

(i) at said communication center apparatus,

a search process of searching, by a predetermined algorithm, for a route heading to a destination from a current position, from the destination and the current position received through the communication network, on the basis of a map database for storing therein map database information including information for a route search, which enables the route search from the current position of a movable body to the destination by the predetermined algorithm; and

a center side wireless process of wirelessly transmitting route information indicating the searched route through the communication network, and

(ii) at said communication navigation terminal,

a measurement process of measuring the current position;

a terminal side wireless process of transmitting the measured current position and receiving the transmitted route information through the communication network; and

a route navigation process of selectively performing a route navigation on the searched route on the basis of the measured current position and the received route information or performing a simple navigation with a lower accuracy than that of the route navigation on a route other than the searched route on the basis of the measured current position.

29. A communication navigation method executed in a communication navigation system comprising:

a communication center apparatus; and

a communication navigation terminal, both of which transmit and receive information by a two-way communication through a communication network,

said method comprising;

(i) at said communication center apparatus,

a search process of searching, by a predetermined algorithm, for a route heading to a destination from a current position, from the destination and the current position received through the communication network, on the basis of a map database for storing therein map database information including information for a route search, which enables the route search from the current position of a movable body to the destination by the predetermined algorithm; and

a center side wireless process of wirelessly transmitting route information indicating the searched route through the communication network, and

(ii) at said communication navigation terminal,

a measurement process of measuring the current position;

a terminal side wireless process of transmitting the measured current position and receiving the transmitted route information through the communication network; and

a route navigation process of selectively performing a route navigation on the searched route on the basis of the measured current position and the received route information or performing a simple navigation with a lower accuracy than that of the route navigation on a route other than the searched route on the basis of the measured current position.