Navigation system

• US 20070118276A1
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kensuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,532,980 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents

Abstract

A user selects as a guide route a route from among multiple routes retrieved under respective predetermined retrieval conditions. A retrieval condition under which the route selected by the user was retrieved is stored in an external memory. When a zone affecting driving is recognized along the guide route based on externally acquired information on traffic, a dynamic route that bypasses the zone affecting driving is retrieved according to the retrieval condition stored in the external memory. The retrieved dynamic route is then designated as a guide route.

Claims

1. A navigation system for a vehicle, the navigation system comprising:

a route retrieval unit which retrieves routes to a destination under a plurality of predetermined retrieval conditions;

a route guide unit that indicates as a guide route a route selected by a user from the routes retrieved under the plurality of predetermined retrieval conditions;

a memory unit which stores a retrieval condition, under which the route selected by the user is retrieved;

a traffic information acquisition unit that externally acquires traffic information;

a dynamic route retrieval unit that retrieves a dynamic route, which bypasses a zone affecting driving of the vehicle, according to the retrieval condition stored in the memory unit, when recognizing the zone affecting driving along the guide route based on the acquired traffic information; and

a new route designation unit that designates as a guide route the dynamic route retrieved by the dynamic route retrieval unit.

2. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of retrieval conditions include a reach time-first retrieval condition under which a route is retrieved with priority given to a reach time required to reach a destination, and

the route retrieval unit includes a reach time-first retrieval unit that retrieves a route under the reach time-first retrieval condition,

the navigation system further comprising:

a unit that stores information, which signifies that priority is given to a time, in the memory unit, when a route retrieved by the reach time-first retrieval unit is selected by the user; and

a first condition-for-retrieval check unit that determines whether information signifying that priority is given to a reach time is stored in the memory unit, wherein,

when the first condition-for-retrieval check unit determines that the information signifying that priority is given to a reach time is stored in the memory unit, the dynamic route retrieval unit retrieves a dynamic route, which bypasses the zone affecting driving, with priority given to a reach time required to reach the destination.

3. The navigation system of claim 2, further comprising:

a first route check unit that executes a determination as to whether or not the reach time required to reach the destination along the dynamic route retrieved by the reach time-first retrieval unit is shorter than the reach time, which is required to reach the destination along the already designated guide route, by greater than or equal to a predetermined reference time, wherein,

when the determination executed by the first route check unit is affirmed, the new route designation unit designates the dynamic route as the guide route.

4. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of retrieval conditions includes a distance-first retrieval condition under which a route is retrieved with priority given to a distance to a destination, and

the route retrieval unit includes a distance-first retrieval unit that retrieves a route under the distance-first retrieval condition,

the navigation system further comprising:

a unit that stores information, which signifies that priority is given to a distance, in the memory unit, when the route retrieved by the distance-first retrieval unit is selected by the user; and

a second condition-for-retrieval check unit that determines whether the information signifying that priority is given to a distance is stored in the memory unit, wherein,

when the second condition-for-retrieval check unit determines that the information signifying that priority is given to a distance is stored in the memory unit, the dynamic route retrieval unit retrieves a dynamic route, which bypasses the zone affecting driving, with priority given to the distance to the destination.

5. The navigation system of claim 4, further comprising:

a second route check unit that executes a determination as to whether or not the distance to the destination along the dynamic route retrieved by the distance-first retrieval unit is shorter than the distance to the destination along the already designated guide route by greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, wherein,

when the determination executed by the second route check unit is affirmed, the new route designation unit designates the dynamic route as the guide route.

6. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein

a decision is made on whether a dynamic route is presented as a bypass to the user based on the retrieval condition under which a route is retrieved.

7. A method used in a navigation system for a vehicle,

the navigation system including:

a route retrieval unit which retrieves routes to a destination under a plurality of predetermined retrieval conditions; and

a route guide unit that indicates as a guide route a route selected by a user from the routes retrieved under the plurality of predetermined retrieval conditions,

the method comprising;

storing a retrieval condition, under which the route selected by the user is retrieved;

acquiring traffic information externally;

retrieving a dynamic route, which bypasses a zone affecting driving of the vehicle, according to the retrieval condition stored, when recognizing the zone affecting driving along the guide route based on the acquired traffic information; and

designating as a guide route the dynamic route retrieved.

8. A navigation system for a vehicle, the navigation system comprising:

a route retrieval means which retrieves routes to a destination under a plurality of predetermined retrieval conditions;

a route guide means that indicates as a guide route a route selected by a user from the routes retrieved under the plurality of predetermined retrieval conditions;

a memory means which stores a retrieval condition, under which the route selected by the user is retrieved;

a traffic information acquisition means that externally acquires traffic information;

a dynamic route retrieval means that retrieves a dynamic route, which bypasses a zone affecting driving of the vehicle, according to the retrieval condition stored in the memory means, when recognizing the zone affecting driving along the guide route based on the acquired traffic information; and

a new route designation means that designates as a guide route the dynamic route retrieved by the dynamic route retrieval means.