Route Guidance Device

• US 20080021639A1
• Filed: 09/14/2005
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Inukai, Yu
• Application Number:
  US11/661,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20080021639A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver

Abstract

Includes a map information storage unit (4) having map information stored therein; an input unit (6) for inputting a destination; a route information control unit (7) for acquiring supplementary route information corresponding to the destination from outside; a supplementary route information storage unit (10) for storing supplementary route information; a joint point setting unit (11) for setting a coordinate set on a road close to a start point coordinate set of the route included in the supplementary route information as a termination point of a route to be retrieved based on the map information stored in the map information storage unit (4); a route search unit (8) for searching for a route to the termination point set by the joint point setting unit (11); and a route guidance control unit (12) for controlling route guidance based on the route retrieved by the route search unit (8) and route guidance based on the supplementary route information acquired by the route information acquisition unit (7) to be performed continuously, so as to perform continuous route guidance to the destination.

Claims

1. A route guidance device, comprising:

map information storage means having map information stored therein;

supplementary route information storage means for storing supplementary route information which represents a route to a destination and which is not included in the map information;

supplementary route information acquisition means for acquiring the supplementary route information from the supplementary route information storage means;

joint point setting means for setting a coordinate set which is close to a start point coordinate set of the route included in the supplementary route information and is on a road included in the map information as a termination point of a route to be retrieved based on the map information stored in the map information storage means;

route search means for searching for a route to the termination point set by the joint point setting means based on the map information; and

route guidance control means for performing route guidance based on the route retrieved by the route search means and performing route guidance based on the supplementary route information acquired by the supplementary route information acquisition means.

2. A route guidance device according to claim 1, further comprising current position detection means for detecting a current position;

wherein the supplementary route information acquisition means acquires the supplementary route information when the current position detected by the current position detection means fulfills a predetermined condition.

3. A route guidance device according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined condition is that the current position reaches a point within a predetermined distance from the termination point of the route along which guidance is being performed.

4. A route guidance device according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined condition is that the current position reaches a point within a predetermined distance from a branching point close to the termination point of the route along which guidance is being performed.

5. A route guidance device according to claim 1, further comprising external information acquisition means for acquiring supplementary route information to the destination which is possessed by an external device;

wherein the supplementary route information storage means stores the supplementary route information acquired by the external information acquisition means.

6. A route guidance device according to claim 5, wherein the external information acquisition means acquires the supplementary route information from an external device which is at least one of a network server, a telephone terminal and an external storage medium.

7. A route guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the supplementary route information includes at least data on the start point coordinate set and road information including a node and a link to the start point to the destination.

8. A route guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the supplementary route information includes at least data on the start point coordinate set and voice guidance information from the start point to the destination.

9. A route guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the supplementary route information includes at least data on the start point coordinate set and guide map information from the start point to the destination.