Navigation Device

• US 20090018759A1
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: Amaya, Shinichi, Endo, Yoshinori
• Granted Patent: US 7,693,657 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/006 Representation of non-cartographic information on maps, e.g. population distribution, wind direction, radiation levels, air and sea routes

Abstract

A navigation device displays predicted traffic information downloaded from a server device and statistical traffic information stored in a storage unit, on the same screen. Both information items may be displayed in such a manner that at least a part of them is overlaid (a superimposed display). The predicted traffic information may be superimposed on the statistical traffic information. When traffic information of the same time band of the same object (link, mesh area) exists in both the information items, one thereof may be selected to be displayed.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising,

a setting means that sets a focused time band,

an obtaining means that obtains control information for the focused time band,

an obtaining means that obtains traffic congestion information for the focused time band, and

a display means that displays, on one screen, the obtained control information and the traffic congestion information.

6. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein,

the control information item is downloaded or received from a server device that distributes traffic information, or is stored beforehand in a storage unit of the navigation device, and

the traffic congestion information item is downloaded from the server device, or stored beforehand in the storage unit of the navigation device.

7. The navigation device according to claim 6, wherein,

if a control information item received from the server device and a control information item stored beforehand in the storage unit, concerning the same road, exist, the control information received from the server device is displayed.

8. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a means that obtains parking lot information including business hours, wherein,

the displaying unit uses the parking lot information to display a parking lot that is open for business in the focused time band.

9. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a means that displays time options for setting the focused time band, wherein,

time intervals of the time options are narrower, the closer the time is to the current time.

13. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein,

when displaying of the current traffic information is switched to displaying of predicted congestion information after the current time, the display means does not display the control information.

14. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein,

when a cursor is placed on a display of the control information, the display means displays details of control.

2. A navigation device comprising,

a means that obtains control information including control time for a road,

a means that obtains traffic congestion information for each time band,

a means that sets a focused time band,

a means that extracts, from the control information, a control information item that includes a control time that is within the focused time band,

a means that extracts, from the traffic congestion information, a traffic congestion information item of the focused time band, and

a display means that displays the extracted control information item and the traffic congestion information item.

3. The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein,

when a control information item and a traffic congestion information item concerning the same road are extracted, the display means selects one of either of the information items, and displays the selected information item concerning the road.

4. The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein,

when a control information item and a traffic congestion information item concerning the same road are extracted, the display means displays the control information concerning the road.

5. The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein,

when a control information item and a traffic congestion information item concerning the same road are extracted, the display means displays the control information item concerning the road without displaying the traffic congestion information item, if the control information item indicates that passing through the road is prohibited.

10. A navigation device comprising,

a means that sets a focused time band,

a means that obtains control information at the current time,

a means that obtains traffic congestion information for the focused time band, and

a display means that displays, on one screen, the obtained control information and the traffic congestion information.

11. The navigation device according to claim 10, wherein,

when a difference between the current time and the focused time band is less than a predetermined value, the display means displays, on the same screen, the obtained control information and the traffic congestion information.

12. The navigation device according to either of claim 10 or claim 11, wherein,

the traffic congestion information is downloaded or received from the server device that distributes the traffic information, or is stored beforehand in a storage unit of the navigation device.