Navigation apparatus, methods, and programs

• US 20080281513A1
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Sakai, Toru
• Application Number:
  US12/076,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20080281513A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence

Abstract

Apparatus, methods, and programs accept an area search condition that limits a facility search to facilities located within a specific position range. The apparatus, methods, and programs access stored facility data, the facility data including area information and position information for each facility in the stored facility data. Based on the stored area information, the apparatus, methods, and programs extract candidate facilities from the stored facility data that are located within an area that includes the specific position range and read out the position information for each of the extracted candidate facilities. Based on the read out position information, the apparatus, methods, and programs select the candidate facilities that are located within the specific position range for display.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus for displaying candidate facilities in response to a facility search, comprising:

a memory that stores facility data, the facility data including area information and position information for each facility in the stored facility data; and

a controller that;

accepts an area search condition that limits a facility search to facilities located within a specific position range;

based on the stored area information, extracts candidate facilities from the stored facility data that are located within an area that includes the specific position range;

reads out the position information for each of the extracted candidate facilities; and

based on the read out position information, selects the candidate facilities that are located within the specific position range for display.

2. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein for each facility in the stored facility data, the stored area information comprises at least one of:

administrative area information indicating an administrative area in which the facility is located; and

mesh information indicating a mesh in which the facility is located.

3. The navigation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller:

extracts the candidate facilities based on the administrative area information; and

narrows the candidate facilities based on the mesh information by excluding facilities that are located in a mesh that is outside of the specific position range from the candidate facilities.

4. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specific position range is centered on a specific reference point.

5. The navigation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the specific position range is a range from the specific reference point to a predetermined distance.

6. The navigation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the specific position range is a range defined by a predetermined shape centered on the specific reference point.

7. The navigation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller:

accepts an input defining the specific reference point.

8. The navigation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the specific reference point is at least one of:

a current position of the navigation apparatus;

a destination of a route for which the navigation apparatus is providing guidance;

a point on a map most recently displayed by the navigation apparatus; and

an arbitrary point set by a user.

9. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

before accepting the area search condition, the controller accepts a search condition that limits the facility search to facilities having a certain character in a facility name.

10. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

before accepting the area search condition, the controller accepts a search condition that limits the facility search to facilities of a certain category.

11. A method for displaying candidate facilities on a navigation apparatus in response to a facility search, comprising:

accepting an area search condition that limits a facility search to facilities located within a specific position range;

accessing stored facility data, the facility data including area information and position information for each facility in the stored facility data;

based on the stored area information, extracting candidate facilities from the stored facility data that are located within an area that includes the specific position range;

reading out the position information for each of the extracted candidate facilities; and

based on the read out position information, selecting the candidate facilities that are located within the specific position range for display.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein for each facility in the stored facility data, the stored area information comprises at least one of:

administrative area information indicating an administrative area in which the facility is located; and

mesh information indicating a mesh in which the facility is located.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

extracting the candidate facilities based on the administrative area information; and

narrowing the candidate facilities based on the mesh information by excluding facilities that are located in a mesh that is outside of the specific position range from the candidate facilities.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the specific position range is a range centered on a specific reference point.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the specific position range is a range from the specific reference point to a predetermined distance.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the specific position range is a range defined by a predetermined shape centered on the specific reference point.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

accepting an input defining the specific reference point.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the specific reference point is at least one of:

a current position of the navigation apparatus;

a destination of a route for which the navigation apparatus is providing guidance;

a point on a map most recently displayed by the navigation apparatus; and

an arbitrary point set by a user.

19. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

before accepting the area search condition, accepting a search condition that limits the facility search to at least one of;

facilities having a certain character in a facility name; and

facilities of a certain category.

20. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program usable to displaying candidate facilities in response to a facility search, the program comprising:

instructions for accepting an area search condition that limits a facility search to facilities located within a specific position range;

instructions for accessing stored facility data, the facility data including area information and position information for each facility in the stored facility data;

instructions for extracting, based on the stored area information, candidate facilities from the stored facility data that are located within an area that includes the specific position range;

instructions for reading out the position information for each of the extracted candidate facilities; and

instructions for selecting, based on the read out position information, the candidate facilities that are located within the specific position range for display.