NAVIGATION APPARATUS

• US 20070244635A1
• Filed: 04/16/2007
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: ASAHARA, Akinori, SHIMADA, Shigeru, MARUYAMA, Kishiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,522,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments

Abstract

A controller of a navigation terminal (navigation apparatus) is configured to find a plurality of paths from a current position of a vehicle and a destination based on a plurality of different and prioritized path-finding conditions, respectively, and causes a display to show the plurality of paths which includes a navigating path found on the basis of a top-priority path-finding condition and at least one alternative path found on the other path-finding condition(s). In response to detection of deviation of the vehicle, the priority assigned to a path-finding condition based on which a specific alternative path along which the vehicle is running is changed into a top priority, and path-finding operation is performed again for paths from the current position of the vehicle to the destination to show a new navigating path and at least one new alternative path in the display.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus installed in a vehicle, comprising:

a display for showing information graphically;

an input interface for receiving an instruction from an operator;

a locator configured to identify a current position of the vehicle; and

a controller comprising;

means for finding a plurality of paths from the current position of the vehicle identified by the locator to a destination input by the operator and received through the input interface, based on a plurality of different path-finding conditions, respectively;

means for causing the display to show the plurality of paths which comprise a navigating path found on the basis of a top-priority path-finding condition and at least one alternative path found on the basis of a path finding condition other than the top-priority path-finding condition; and

means for changing priorities assigned to the path-finding conditions in response to detection of deviation of the vehicle based on the current position identified by the locator, wherein if the current position indicates that the vehicle is running along a specific alternative path, then the priority assigned to a pass-finding condition based on which the navigating path has been found is changed into one other than a top priority, and the priority assigned to a pass-finding condition based on which the specific alternative path has been found is changed into the top priority.

2. A navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for causing the display to show the plurality of paths comprises

means for generating a display image in which the navigating path from the current position to the destination is shown in a substantially straight line at a center of the display image, and each alternative path branching off from the navigating path to one side relative to the navigating path is shown on the one side in parallel with the navigating path in the display image.

3. A navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for causing the display to show the plurality of paths comprises

means for generating a display image in which besides the navigating path and the at least one alternative path, path information about a feature of each alternative path is shown near a branch point at which the alternative path branches off from the navigating path.

4. A navigation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the path information comprises at least one of an expected arrival time at which the vehicle running along the alternative path is expected to arrive at the destination, travel expenses to be incurred when the vehicle runs along the alternative path to the destination, and information on predetermined features located along the alternative path.

5. A navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for causing the display to show the plurality of paths comprises

means for generating a display image in which traffic congestion information is shown for at least one of the navigating path and the at least one alternative path.

6. A navigation apparatus installed in a vehicle, comprising:

a display for showing information graphically;

an input interface for receiving an instruction from an operator;

a locator configured to identify a current position of the vehicle; and

a controller comprising;

means for finding a plurality of paths from the current position of the vehicle identified by the locator to a destination input by the operator and received through the input interface, based on a plurality of different path-finding conditions, respectively; and

means for causing the display to show the plurality of paths which comprise a navigating path found on the basis of a top-priority path-finding condition and at least one alternative path found on the basis of a path finding condition other than the top-priority path-finding condition,

wherein the navigating path from the current position to the destination is shown in a substantially straight line at a center of the display image, and each alternative path branching off from the navigating path to one side relative to the navigating path is shown on the one side in parallel with the navigating path in the display image.

7. A navigation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the means for causing the display to show the plurality of paths comprises

means for generating a display image in which besides the navigating path and the at least one alternative path, path information about a feature of each alternative path is shown near a branch point at which the alternative path branches off from the navigating path.

8. A navigation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the path information comprises at least one of an expected arrival time at which the vehicle running along the alternative path is expected to arrive at the destination, travel expenses to be incurred when the vehicle runs along the alternative path to the destination, and information on predetermined features located along the alternative path.

9. A navigation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the means for causing the display to show the plurality of paths comprises

means for generating a display image in which traffic congestion information is shown for at least one of the navigating path and the at least one alternative path.

10. A navigation apparatus installed in a vehicle, comprising:

a display for showing information graphically;

an input interface for receiving an instruction from an operator;

a locator configured to identify a current position of the vehicle; and

a controller comprising;

means for finding a plurality of paths from the current position of the vehicle identified by the locator to a destination input by the operator and received through the input interface, based on a plurality of different path-finding conditions, respectively;

means for causing the display to show the plurality of paths which comprise one navigating path and at least one alternative path;

means for setting an updated navigating path in response to detection of a pass of the vehicle through a branch point at which the at least one alternative path branches off from the navigating path, the detection being based on the current position identified by the locator, wherein the updated navigating path is assigned to a path containing an updated current position identified by the locator after the detection, while an undisplayed path is assigned to at least one path other than the path containing the updated current position; and

means for finding at least one updated alternative path from the updated current position of the vehicle to the destination, based on the plurality of different path-finding conditions other than a path-finding condition based on which the updated navigating path has been found, respectively,

wherein the means for causing the display to show the plurality of paths comprises

means for generating a first display image in which the plurality of paths other than the undisplayed path among the navigating path and the at least one alternative path that have been displayed prior to the detection are shown for a first period of time after the detection;

means for generating a second display image in which the updated navigating path and the at least one updated alternative path other than any newly found alternative path are shown for a second period of time after the first period of time; and

means for generating a third display image in which the updated navigating path and the at least one updated alternative path are shown for a third period of time after the second period of time.