Navigation apparatus and computer program product for navigation control

• US 20040024524A1
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Miyazawa, Hirohisa
• Granted Patent: US 6,823,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence

Abstract

The navigation apparatus includes: a current position detection device that detects a current position; a display device; a storage device having stored therein position information related to points used as guidance points when providing route guidance; and a control device that controls the route guidance provided along a guided route which includes a plurality of predetermined guidance points based upon the current position detected by the position detection device and the position information related to the points stored in the storage device, wherein: as the current position approaches a first guidance point closest to the current position, the control device engages the display device to bring up display of an arrow indicating an angle corresponding to a direction to follow to advance toward a second guidance point after the first guidance point.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus comprising:

a current position detection device that detects a current position;

a display device;

a storage device having stored therein position information related to points used as guidance points when providing route guidance; and

a control device that controls-the route guidance provided along a guided route which includes a plurality of predetermined guidance points based upon the current position detected by the position detection device and the position information related to the points stored in the storage device, wherein;

as the current position approaches a first guidance point closest to the current position, the control device engages the display device to bring up display of an arrow indicating an angle corresponding to a direction to follow to advance toward a second guidance point after the first guidance point.

2. A navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the control device determines the direction to travel to advance toward the second guidance point through an arithmetic operation executed in reference to the first guidance point.

3. A navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the control device determines the direction to travel to advance toward the second guidance point through an arithmetic operation executed in reference to the current position.

4. A navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the control device does not display a roadmap at the display device.

5. A navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the control device displays a straight arrow at the display device while the current position is still distanced from the next guidance point.

6. A navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the control device displays the arrow as a bent arrow and if another road intersects the guided route between the current position and the first guidance point, the control device brings up a supplementary indicator on display corresponding to the intersecting road between an arrow tail and a bending point.

7. A computer-readable computer program product containing a navigation control program, the navigation control program comprising:

a current position detection instruction code for detecting a current position;

a position information acquisition instruction code for obtaining position information related to points used as guidance points in route guidance; and

a route guidance control instruction code for controlling the route guidance provided along a guided route that contains a plurality of predetermined guidance points based upon the current position detected in conformance to the current position detection instruction code and the position information related to the points obtained in conformance to the position information acquisition instruction code, wherein;

in conformance to the route guidance control instruction code, control is implemented so that as the current position approaches the first guidance point closest to the current position, an arrow indicating an angle corresponding to a direction to travel to advance toward a second guidance point after the first guidance point is displayed at a display device.

8. A computer program product according to claim 7, wherein:

in conformance to the route guidance control instruction code in the navigation control program, control is implemented so as not to display a roadmap at the display device.

9. A computer program product according to claim 7, which is a recording medium having recorded therein the navigation control program.

10. A computer program product according to claim 7, which is a carrier wave having the navigation control program embodied as a data signal therein.