Navigation apparatus

• US 20070225909A1
• Filed: 02/20/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Sakano, Hirokazu
• Granted Patent: US 7,693,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/210
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates

Abstract

In a navigation apparatus in a vehicle, a user designates a validating route, which is stored in a memory device. A control unit invalidates a predetermined function of the navigation apparatus at a start-up, which is for the first time after an in-vehicle battery is connected or which results from turning on of a power source. Use of the navigation apparatus by the user is thereby disturbed. When the control unit determines that a route, which the vehicle has traveled through, is included in the previously designated validating route stored in the memory device, the control unit re-validates the invalidated predetermined function.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus comprising:

a position detector configured to detect a position;

a traveled route identification unit configured to identify a traveled route based on the detected position;

a validating route storage unit configured to store a validating route, which is designated by a user; and

a function control unit configured to

invalidate a predetermined function at a start-up, which is for a first time after a battery is connected or which results from turning on of a power source, and

validate the invalidated predetermined function when the stored validating route is included in the identified traveled route.

2. The navigation apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the function control unit stops invalidating the predetermined function until a predetermined grace period elapses, and

the function control unit invalidates the predetermined function when the stored validating route is not included in the identified traveled route when the predetermined grace period elapses.

3. The navigation apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the function control unit stops invalidating to maintain the predetermined function, irrespective of whether the start-up arises or not, until a predetermined period elapses from when the stored validating route comes to be included in the identified traveled route.

4. The navigation apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the function control unit stops invalidating the predetermined function when the detected position is included in the stored validating route.

5. The navigation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit configured to display information, wherein

the function control unit invalidates the displaying of the display unit.

6. The navigation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an output unit configured to notify the user that the predetermined function is invalidated, when the predetermined function is invalidated.

7. The navigation apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the apparatus is provided in a vehicle,

the position detector detects a position of the vehicle, and

the traveled route identification unit identifies a route traveled by the vehicle.

8. A navigation apparatus, comprising:

a position detector configured to detect a position;

a validating point storage unit configured to store a validating point, which is designated by a user; and

a function control unit configured to

invalidate a predetermined function at a start-up, which is for a first time after a battery is connected or which results from turning on of a power source, and

validate the invalidated predetermined function when the detected position accords with the stored validating point.

9. The navigation apparatus of claim 8, wherein

the function control unit stops invalidating the predetermined function until a predetermined grace period elapses, and

the function control unit invalidates the predetermined function when the detected position does not accord with the stored validating point before the predetermined grace period elapses.

10. The navigation apparatus of claim 8, wherein

the function control unit stops invalidating to maintain the predetermined function, irrespective of whether the start-up arises or not, until a predetermined period elapses from when the detected position comes to accord with the stored validating point.

11. The navigation apparatus of claim 8, wherein

the function control unit validates the invalidated predetermined function when the detected position continues to accord with the stored validating point for a predetermined period or more.

12. The navigation apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a display unit configured to display information, wherein

the function control unit invalidates the displaying of the display unit.

13. The navigation apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

an output unit configured to notify the user that the predetermined function is invalidated, when the predetermined function is invalidated.

14. The navigation apparatus of claim 8, wherein

the apparatus is provided in a vehicle,

the position detector detects a position of the vehicle, and

the traveled route identification unit identifies a route traveled by the vehicle.

15. A navigation apparatus comprising:

a position detector configured to detect a position;

a traveled record designation unit configured to designate a traveled record based on the detected position;

a validating condition storage unit configured to store a validating condition, which is designated by a user;

an invalidating control unit configured to invalidate a predetermined function at a start-up; and

a validating control unit configured to validate the predetermined function invalidated by the invalidating control unit when the designated traveled record satisfies the stored validating condition.

16. The navigation apparatus of claim 15, wherein

the traveled record designation unit is configured to designate as the traveled record, a traveled route based on the detected position,

the validating condition storage unit is configured to store as the validating condition a validating route, which is designated by the user, and

the validating control unit is configured to validate the invalidated predetermined function when the designated traveled route is included in the stored validating route.

17. The navigation apparatus of claim 15, wherein

the traveled record designation unit is configured to designate as the traveled record, a traveled point based on the detected position,

the validating condition storage unit is configured to store as the validating condition a validating point, which is designated by the user, and

the validating control unit is configured to validate the invalidated predetermined function when the designated traveled point accords with the stored validating point.

18. A method for invalidating and validating a predetermined function of a navigation apparatus, the method comprising:

storing a validating condition, which is designated by a user;

invalidating a predetermined function at a start-up;

detecting a position;

designating a traveled record based on the detected position; and

validating the invalidated predetermined function when the designated traveled record satisfies the stored validating condition.