NAVIGATION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING TURN-BY-TURN POSITION LIST

• US 20090171575A1
• Filed: 12/03/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Jun-Ho, KIM, Hyun-Seok, Lee, Kun-Sik, Shim, Jae-Hee, Lee, Yu-Ri
• Granted Patent: US 8,073,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn

Abstract

The present invention relates to a navigation apparatus and a method for providing a user with a list of turn-by-turn positions (TBTs) located ahead on a route. The navigation apparatus of the present invention according to an embodiment comprises a GPS receiving module for receiving navigation satellite signals and calculating a position; a controller for receiving position information from the GPS receiving module, outputting the position information together with map information, and controlling operation of the GPS receiving module; and a storage unit for storing the map information, wherein the controller displays information on two or more TBTs on a proceeding route in the form of a list, the list having a size determined depending on distances to the TBTs included in the TBT information. According to the present invention, there are advantages in that a user can easily recognize information on TBTs ahead and drive a vehicle along a set route only with a TBT list.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus, comprising:

a GPS receiving module configured to receive navigation satellite signals and to calculate a current position of the navigation apparatus;

a controller configured to receive position information from the GPS receiving module, to output the position information together with map information, and to control operation of the GPS receiving module; and

a storage unit configured to store the map information,

wherein the controller is configured to display information on two or more (turn-by-turn positions) TBTs on a route in the form of a TBT list, and to determine a display size of entries in the TBT list depending on distances from the current position of the navigation apparatus to the TBTs included in the TBT list.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the TBT information includes a location of a TBT and a proceeding direction at the TBT.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to display the TBT information vertically on a display screen, and to determine heights of respective TBT display areas depending on the distances from the current position of the navigation apparatus to the TBTs included in the TBT list.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to determine the heights of the display areas in proportion to the distances to the TBTs.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to display the TBT list in a predetermined number of display areas.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to display the TBT list in a predetermined number of display areas included corresponding to a predetermined distance ahead of the navigation apparatus.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

a wireless communication module configured to receive traffic information and to vary a display form of the TBT list depending on the received traffic information.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to vary a color of the display form depending on the traffic information.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to display a first icon for an upcoming driving road and a second icon for an upcoming non-driving road.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to pop up or enlarge a corresponding one of the first and second icon.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to update the TBT list if the current position is changed.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to scroll the TBT list according to a moving speed of the navigation apparatus.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to recalculate heights of all or some of the display areas depending on a change in position of the navigation apparatus.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to determine the heights of the respective display areas according to steps within a lookup table, the lookup table comprising:

Step Distance range List height 1  

 

<sub> 

 </sub>

0~500 m $H\times <br><br>\frac{1}{6}$ 2 500 m~1 Km 

$H\times <br><br>\left(\frac{1}{6}+\frac{1}{10}\right)$ 3  

1 Km~10 Km $H\times <br><br>\left(\frac{1}{6}+\frac{2}{10}\right)$ 4 10 Km~30 Km $H\times <br><br>\left(\frac{1}{6}+\frac{3}{10}\right)$ 5 30 Km~50 Km $H\times <br><br>\left(\frac{1}{6}+\frac{4}{10}\right)$ 6 More then 50 Km $H\times <br><br>\left(\frac{1}{6}+\frac{5}{10}\right)$

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to determine the heights of the respective display areas according to a set of formulas comprising:

$H_1=\frac{l_1}{\underset{m=1}{\overset{n}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>l_m}\times <br><br>H$ $H_2=\frac{l_2}{\underset{m=1}{\overset{n}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>l_m}\times <br><br>H$ $M$ $H_n=\frac{l_n}{\underset{m=1}{\overset{n}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>l_m}\times <br><br>H$

where, H denotes a available maximum height of the TBT list, n denotes a number of the display areas configuring the TBT list, Hn denotes a height of the display area displayed in an n-th position, and I_n denotes distance information on a TBT included in an n-th display area.

16. A method for providing, in a navigation apparatus, (turn-by-turn position) TBT information on a driving route, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying TBT information on two or more TBTs on the driving route in the form of a TBT list, including determining a display size of entries in the TBT list depending on distances from a current position of the navigation apparatus to the TBTs included in the TBT list.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, the step of displaying TBT information comprising:

displaying the TBT information vertically on a display screen, the step of determining a display size including determining heights of respective TBT display areas depending on the distances from the current position of the navigation apparatus to the TBTs included in the TBT list.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the step of determining heights of respective TBT display areas comprises:

determining the heights in proportion to distances to the TBTs.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the step of displaying TBT information comprises:

displaying the TBT list in a predetermined number of the display areas.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the step of displaying TBT information comprises:

displaying the TBT list in a predetermined number of the display areas included corresponding to a predetermined distance ahead of the navigation apparatus.

21. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

receiving traffic information, wherein

the step of displaying TBT information includes varying a display form of the TBT list depending on the received traffic information.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the step of varying a display form comprises:

varying a color of the display form depending on the traffic information.

23. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

displaying a first icon for an upcoming driving road and a second icon for an upcoming non-driving road.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the step of displaying a first and second icon comprises one of popping up and enlarging a corresponding one of the first and second icon.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, further comprising:

updating the TBT list if the current position is changed.

26. The method as claimed in claim 24, the step of displaying TBT information comprising:

scrolling the TBT list according to a moving speed of the navigation apparatus.

27. The method as claimed in claim 24, the step of determining heights of respective TBT display areas comprising:

recalculating heights of all or some of the display areas depending on a change in position of the navigation apparatus.

28. The method as claimed in claim 17, the step of determining heights of respective TBT display areas comprising:

determining the heights of the respective display areas according to steps within a lookup table, the lookup table comprising;

Step Distance range List height 1  

 

<sub> 

 </sub>

0~500 m $H\times <br><br>\frac{1}{6}$ 2 500 m~1 Km 

$H\times <br><br>\left(\frac{1}{6}+\frac{1}{10}\right)$ 3  

1 Km~10 Km $H\times <br><br>\left(\frac{1}{6}+\frac{2}{10}\right)$ 4 10 Km~30 Km $H\times <br><br>\left(\frac{1}{6}+\frac{3}{10}\right)$ 5 30 Km~50 Km $H\times <br><br>\left(\frac{1}{6}+\frac{4}{10}\right)$ 6 More then 50 Km $H\times <br><br>\left(\frac{1}{6}+\frac{5}{10}\right)$

29. The method as claimed in claim 17, the step of determining heights of respective TBT display areas comprising:

determining the heights of the respective display areas according to a set of formulas comprising;

$H_1=\frac{l_1}{\underset{m=1}{\overset{n}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>l_m}\times <br><br>H$ $H_2=\frac{l_2}{\underset{m=1}{\overset{n}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>l_m}\times <br><br>H$ $M$ $H_n=\frac{l_n}{\underset{m=1}{\overset{n}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>l_m}\times <br><br>H$

where H denotes a available maximum height of the TBT list, n denotes a number of the display areas configuring the TBT list, Hn denotes a height of the display area displayed in an n-th position, and I_n denotes distance information on a TBT included in an n-th display area.