Onboard apparatus, navigation system, and method for setting display screen

• US 20040254690A1
• Filed: 04/08/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Arie, Takumi, Amano, Hiroshi, Hasegawa, Shinichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,498,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

To use the same onboard apparatus and navigation system in many kinds of vehicles. A table in which manufacturers and vehicle types are connected with designs and functions has been previously stored in a navigation system module 21. The navigation system module 21 itself sends the center controller 11 a query about vehicle information (the country that manufactured, manufacturer, vehicle type, using country, manufacturing number), recognizes the vehicle information supplied from the center controller 11, and automatically sets the screen design, function, etc., suitable to the vehicle on which the onboard apparatus is mounted.

Claims

1. An onboard apparatus to be mounted on a vehicle, comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining vehicle information being the information peculiar to said vehicle;

recognition means for recognizing the type of said vehicle, based on said vehicle information obtained by said obtaining means; and

display means for displaying information corresponding to the design peculiar to said vehicle and/or the function peculiar to the above vehicle, based on the recognition result by said recognition means.

2. The onboard apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said vehicle information comprises information about at least some one of the manufacturer, the country that manufactured, the using country, the vehicle type and the manufacturing number, of said vehicle.

3. The onboard apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said obtaining means obtains said vehicle information from the center controller provided in said vehicle.

4. The onboard apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said obtaining means obtains said vehicle information based on the shape of a connector to attach the onboard apparatus on said vehicle or the formed position of the above connector.

5. The onboard apparatus according to claim 1, further including:

receiving means for receiving recall information; and

determination means for determining whether or not the above vehicle is the vehicle to be recalled, by said recall information received by said receiving means and the type of said vehicle recognized by said recognition means, and wherein,

if it is determined that said vehicle is the vehicle to be recalled by said determination means, the recall information is displayed on said display means.

6. A navigation system to be mounted on a vehicle, for performing a route guide to the user, comprising:

a storage part for storing a table in that plural vehicle types are connected with screen designs to perform a route guide;

a comparison part for comparing the vehicle type of said vehicle on which the navigation system is mounted to said table; and

a design setting part for setting a screen design corresponding to the vehicle type of said vehicle, based on the comparison result by said comparison part.

7. The navigation system according to claim 6, wherein

said design setting part sets a different screen design for the vehicle in that the driver sits on the left side in the line from a design for the vehicle in that the driver sits on the right side in the line.

8. A navigation system to be mounted on a vehicle, for performing a route guide to the user, comprising:

a storage part for storing a table in that plural vehicle types and functions necessary for the above vehicle types are connected with each other;

a comparison part for comparing the vehicle type of said vehicle on which the navigation system is mounted to said table; and

a function setting part for setting a function corresponding to the vehicle type of said vehicle, based on the comparison result by said comparison part.

9. The navigation system according to claim 8, wherein

said function setting part also sets a function other than the route guide.

10. A display screen setting method for setting a screen to be displayed on a display system mounted on a vehicle, comprising:

a first step for obtaining vehicle information being the information peculiar to the vehicle on which the navigation system is mounted; and

a second step for setting a design to be displayed on the screen and/or a function, based on said obtained vehicle information.

11. The display screen setting method according to claim 10, wherein,

in said first step, information about at least some one of the manufacturer, the country that manufactured, the using country, the vehicle type and the manufacturing number, of the vehicle is obtained as said vehicle information.