Route navigation systems, methods and programs

• US 20070106459A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Kensuke, Oonishi, Shino, Nakayama, Takaaki
• Application Number:
  US11/589,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106459A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3655 Timing of guidance instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn

Abstract

Route guidance systems, methods, and programs detect the current location of a vehicle and search for a route to a destination. The systems, methods, and programs set a guidance intersection based on the searched route and determine whether an assistant guidance intersection exists on the searched route, the assistant guidance intersection having a parallel road which extends in the same direction as a departing road from the guidance intersection. The systems, methods, and programs perform guidance for leading the vehicle to the departing road when the vehicle approaches the guidance intersection after having passed the assistant guidance intersection.

Claims

1. A route guidance system comprising:

a controller that;

detects the current location of a vehicle;

searches for a route to a destination;

sets a guidance intersection based on the searched route;

determines whether an assistant guidance intersection exists on the searched route, the assistant guidance intersection having a parallel road which extends in the same direction as a departing road from the guidance intersection; and

performs guidance for leading the vehicle to the departing road when the vehicle approaches the guidance intersection after having passed the assistant guidance intersection.

2. The route guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

determines whether there is a parallel road based on a relationship between the position of the intersection and the position of the guidance intersection.

3. The route guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

determines whether there is a parallel road based on a relationship between a linking angle formed by an entry road towards the guidance intersection and the departing road from the guidance intersection, and a linking angle formed by an entry road towards another intersection on the searched route and a road extending from the other intersection in the same direction as the departing road.

4. The route guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

performs non-leading guidance so as not to lead the vehicle to the parallel road when the vehicle approaches the assistant intersection in the event that there is the assistant guidance intersection.

5. The route guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

performs non-leading guidance at roads along the route from the current location to the departing road of the guidance intersection, the roads in the same direction as the departing road.

6. The route guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

performs non-leading guidance at intersections along the route from the current location to the guidance intersection.

7. The route guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

performs non-leading guidance with features of the assistant guidance intersection.

8. The route guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

performs non-leading guidance based on a presence or absence of traffic signal lights at the assistant guidance intersection and the guidance intersection.

9. The route guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

performs non-leading guidance by not performing leading guidance.

10. A route guidance method, comprising:

detecting the current location of a vehicle;

searching for a route to a destination;

setting a guidance intersection based on the searched route;

determining whether an assistant guidance intersection exists on the searched route, the assistant guidance intersection having a parallel road which extends in the same direction as a departing road from the guidance intersection; and

performing guidance for leading the vehicle to the departing road when the vehicle approaches the guidance intersection after having passed the assistant guidance intersection.

11. The route guidance method according to claim 10, further comprising:

determining whether there is a parallel road based on a relationship between the position of the intersection and the position of the guidance intersection.

12. The route guidance method according to claim 10, further comprising:

determining whether there is a parallel road based on a relationship between a linking angle formed by an entry road towards the guidance intersection and the departing road from the guidance intersection, and a linking angle formed by an entry road towards another intersection on the searched route and a road extending from the other intersection in the same direction as the departing road.

13. The route guidance method according to claim 10, further comprising:

performing non-leading guidance so as not to lead the vehicle to the parallel road when the vehicle approaches the assistant intersection in the event that there is the assistant guidance intersection.

14. The route guidance method according to claim 10, further comprising:

performing non-leading guidance at roads along the route from the current location to the departing road of the guidance intersection, the roads in the same direction as the departing road.

15. The route guidance method according to claim 10, further comprising:

performing non-leading guidance at intersections along the route from the current location to the guidance intersection.

16. The route guidance method according to claim 10, further comprising:

performing non-leading guidance with features of the assistant guidance intersection.

17. The route guidance method according to claim 10, further comprising:

performs non-leading guidance based on a presence or absence of traffic signal lights at the assistant guidance intersection and the guidance intersection.

18. The route guidance method according to claim 10, further comprising:

performing non-leading guidance by not performing leading guidance.

19. A storage medium storing a set of program instructions executable on a data processing device, the program instructions usable to implement the method of claim 10.

20. A route guidance system for a vehicle, comprising:

means for detecting the current location of a vehicle;

means for searching for a route to a destination;

means for setting a guidance intersection based on the searched route;

means for determining whether an assistant guidance intersection exists on the searched route, the assistant guidance intersection having a parallel road which extends in the same direction as a departing road from the guidance intersection; and

means for performing guidance for leading the vehicle to the departing road when the vehicle approaches the guidance intersection after having passed the assistant guidance intersection.