Navigation device

• US 20080082253A1
• Filed: 09/01/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Uchida, Akinori, Arakawa, Akiko, Oguchi, Junko
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

When there is an area (chargeable area) that may be avoided, a suitable bypass route is presented with suitable timing. When a retrieved recommended route passes through an area (for example, a chargeable area) that may be avoided, a navigation device searches in advance for a bypass route that starts from a branch point (such as an intersection) on the recommended route before the area and bypasses the area without taking a long way around the area. The navigation device presents the recommended route before the area is approached, and presents the bypass route for the first time when the branch point becomes near.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising:

a means for storing information concerning an area to be avoided;

a means for searching for a recommended route to a destination without regard to whether said recommended route passes through said area to be avoided;

a means for searching for a bypass route that avoids entering into said area to be avoided but does not take a long way around the area to be avoided, when said recommended route passes through said area to be avoided; and

a means for outputting a message announcing existence of the area to be avoided, before passing a branch point to said bypass route.

2. A navigation device comprising:

a means for detecting present location;

a means for obtaining information concerning an area to be avoided;

a means for setting a departure point and a destination;

a route search means for searching for a route A from said departure point to said destination;

a bypass route search means for searching for a route B that starts from a branch point on said route A on a near side of said area to be avoided and bypasses said area to be avoided, when said route A passes through said area to be avoided; and

a guidance means for displaying that the area to be avoided exists, when the present location moves to a predetermined distance before said branch point.

6. A navigation device according to claim 2, wherein:

said bypass route search means;

extracts a predetermined number of branch points located before said area to be avoided on said route A;

searches for bypass routes that respectively start from the G extracted branch points and bypass said area to be avoided; and

takes, as the route B, a bypass route whose distance or travel time is shortest among the retrieved bypass routes.

7. A navigation device according to claim 2, wherein:

said area to be avoided is a chargeable area; and

said guidance means displays charge content when the present location moves to the predetermined distance before said branch point.

3. A navigation device comprising:

a means for detecting present location;

a means for obtaining information concerning an area to be avoided;

a means for setting a departure point and a destination;

a route search means for searching for a route A from said departure point to said destination;

a bypass route search means for searching for a route B that starts from a branch point on said route A on a near side of said area to be avoided and bypasses said area to be avoided, when said route A passes through said area to be avoided; and

a guidance means for displaying said route B, when the present location moves to a predetermined distance before said branch point.

4. A navigation device comprising:

a means for detecting present location;

a means for obtaining information concerning an area to be avoided;

a means for setting a departure point and a destination;

a route search means for searching for a route A from said departure point to said destination;

a bypass route search means for searching for a route B that starts from a branch point on said route A on a near side of said area to be avoided and bypasses said area to be avoided, when said route A passes through said area to be avoided; and

a guidance means, which;

gives guidance using said route A, until the present location moves to a predetermined distance before said branch point;

displays that the area to be avoided exists, when the present location moves to a predetermined distance before said branch point;

gives guidance using the route A when the present location is on the route A even after passing said branch point; and

gives guidance using the route B when the present location is on the route B after passing said branch point.

5. A navigation device comprising:

a means for detecting present location;

a means for obtaining information concerning an area to be avoided;

a means for setting a departure point and a destination;

a route search means for searching for a route A from said departure point to said destination;

a bypass route search means for searching for a route B that starts from a branch point on said route A on a near side of said area to be avoided and bypasses said area to be avoided, when said route A passes through said area to be avoided; and

a guidance means which;

gives guidance using said route A, until the present location moves to a predetermined distance before said branch point;

receives an instruction on whether the route B should be used for guidance, when the present location moves to the predetermined distance before said branch point;

gives guidance using the route B when the instruction to use the route B for guidance is received; and

gives guidance continuously using the route A when the instruction to use the route B for guidance is not received.