Navigation apparatus and computer program

• US 20090167565A1
• Filed: 12/03/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Seiji, Saitou, Yutaka, Morimoto, Kyomi
• Granted Patent: US 8,111,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/932.200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3685 the POI's being parking facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre

Abstract

A vehicle guidance device is configured such that, in a case where a vehicle is parked in an on-street parking zone, the vehicle guidance device specifies a parking meter from among the parking meters for the on-street parking zone in which the vehicle is parked, then provides guidance to the position where the specified parking meter is installed. In a case where an on-street parking zone is located in the vicinity of the vehicle'"'"'s current position while the vehicle is in motion, the vehicle guidance device provides guidance to the position of a parking meter for the on-street parking zone.

Claims

1. A vehicle guidance device that is installed in a vehicle, comprising:

a meter position information acquisition unit that acquires information on the position of a parking meter for an on-street parking zone; and

a guidance unit that provides guidance to the position of the parking meter based on the parking meter position information that is acquired by the meter position information acquisition unit.

2. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a parked vehicle detection unit that detects that the vehicle is parked in the on-street parking zone, wherein

the guidance unit, in a case where the parked vehicle detection unit detects that the vehicle is parked in the on-street parking zone, provides guidance to the position of the parking meter for the on-street parking zone in which the vehicle is parked.

3. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a parked position acquisition unit that acquires information on the position where the vehicle is parked, wherein

the guidance unit provides guidance to the position of the parking meter that is installed in the position that is closest to the position where the vehicle is parked.

4. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a parked position acquisition unit that acquires information on the position where the vehicle is parked, wherein

the guidance unit provides guidance to the position of the parking meter that is installed next to a roadside strip in which the vehicle is parked.

5. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle position acquisition unit that acquires information on the current position of the vehicle; and

a meter specification unit that specifies a parking meter that is located in the vicinity of the current position of the vehicle, based on the parking meter position information that is acquired by the meter position information acquisition unit, wherein

the guidance unit provides guidance to the position of the parking meter that is specified by the meter specification unit.

6. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a guidance route setting unit that sets a guidance route from a departure point to a destination, wherein

the guidance unit provides guidance to the position of a parking meter that is installed on the guidance route that is set by the guidance route setting unit.

7. A computer program that is installed in a computer and causes the computer to perform the steps of:

acquiring information on the position of a parking meter for an on-street parking zone; and

providing guidance to the position of the parking meter based on the parking meter position information that is acquired by the meter position information acquisition step.