Navigation system, in-vehicle navigation apparatus and center apparatus

• US 20090182497A1
• Filed: 11/29/2007
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Hagiwara, Kazuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,352,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

In a communication type navigation system, a center apparatus receives a present position and destination from an in-vehicle navigation apparatus and thereby calculates a route by searching map data, which is constantly updated. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus receives the calculated route with course information from the center apparatus. When approaching a passing point included in the route, the navigation apparatus displays the course information in the travel direction in superimposition on a forward image around the passing point. The route guide can be thus appropriately performed to follow an actual road state. The above configuration of the system helps prevent problems in costs and workloads resulting from an in-vehicle navigation apparatus holding map data therein.

Claims

1. A navigation system including a center apparatus and an in-vehicle navigation apparatus in a vehicle, the center apparatus being communicable with the in-vehicle navigation apparatus via a communication network,

the center apparatus comprising:

a center communication device configured to communicate with the in-vehicle navigation apparatus for receiving a present position and a destination from the in-vehicle navigation apparatus;

a route calculation device configured to calculate a route from the present position to the destination by searching map data; and

a center control device configured to extract a passing point in the route, calculate course information indicating a course at the passing point the vehicle is to take, and cause the center communication device to send the course information along with the passing point to the in-vehicle navigation apparatus,

the in-vehicle navigation apparatus comprising;

a present position designation unit configured to designate a present position;

a destination designation unit configured to designate a destination;

an in-vehicle communication device configured to communicate with the center apparatus for sending the present position and the destination and receiving the course information along with the passing point;

a forward image capture unit configured to capture a forward image including the received passing point in a travel direction of the vehicle; and

an in-vehicle control device configured to display (i) the captured forward image and (ii) the received course information, which is superimposed on the displayed forward image, when a present position designated by the present position designation unit approaches the received passing point,

wherein in the center apparatus, when the route calculation device calculates multiple routes from the present position to the destination by searching the map data,

the center control device

extracts a passing point included in one of the multiple routes, the one of the multiple routes being selected in the in-vehicle navigation apparatus,

calculates course information indicating a course at the extracted passing point included in the one of the multiple routes, and

causes the center communication device to send the calculated course information along with the passing point included in the one of the multiple routes to the in-vehicle navigation apparatus.

2. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein

in the in-vehicle navigation apparatus, the in-vehicle control device is further configured to perform an image processing to make a mobile object nondisplayed in the captured forward image in the travel direction to thereby cause the display device to display a forward image obtained after performing the image processing.

3. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein

in the in-vehicle navigation apparatus, the in-vehicle control device is further configured to extract a characteristic point of a road from the captured forward image to thereby cause the display device to display a shape of the road.

4. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein:

in the center apparatus, the center control device is further configured to search facility data and extract information on a facility around the passing point, and cause the center communication device to further send the extracted information on the facility to the in-vehicle navigation apparatus; and

in the navigation apparatus, the in-vehicle control device is further configured to cause the display device to superimpose the information on the facility received from the center apparatus via the in-vehicle communication device on the forward image in the travel direction.

5. A navigation system including a center apparatus and an in-vehicle navigation apparatus in a vehicle, the center apparatus being communicable with the in-vehicle navigation apparatus via a communication network,

the center apparatus comprising:

a communication device configured to communicate with the in-vehicle navigation apparatus for receiving a present position and a destination from the in-vehicle navigation apparatus;

a route calculation device configured to calculate a route from the present position to the destination by searching map data; and

a center control device configured to extract a passing point in the route, calculate vector information indicating a vector from the present position to the passing point and a vector from the present position to the destination, and cause the center communication device to send the vector information along with the passing point to the in-vehicle navigation apparatus,

the in-vehicle navigation apparatus comprising;

a present position designation unit configured to designate a present position;

a destination designation unit configured to designate a destination;

an in-vehicle communication device configured to receive the vector information along with the passing point;

a forward image capture unit configured to capture a forward image including the received passing point in a travel direction of the vehicle; and

an in-vehicle control device configured to display (i) the captured forward image and (ii) course information, which is based on the received vector information and is superimposed on the displayed forward image, when a present position designated by the present position designation unit approaches the received passing point.

6. The navigation system of claim 5, wherein

in the in-vehicle navigation apparatus, the in-vehicle control device is further configured to perform an image processing to make a mobile object nondisplayed in the captured forward image in the travel direction to thereby cause the display device to display a forward image obtained after performing the image processing.

7. The navigation system of claim 5, wherein

in the in-vehicle navigation apparatus, the in-vehicle control device is further configured to extract a characteristic point of a road from the captured forward image to thereby cause the display device to display a shape of the road.

8. The navigation system of claim 5, wherein:

in the center apparatus, the center control device is further configured to search facility data and extract information on a facility around the passing point, and cause the center communication device to further send the extracted information on the facility to the in-vehicle navigation apparatus; and

in the navigation apparatus, the in-vehicle control device is further configured to cause the display device to superimpose the information on the facility received from the center apparatus via the in-vehicle communication device on the forward image in the travel direction.

9. The navigation system of claim 5, wherein:

in the center apparatus, the center control device is further configured to search a facility data and extract information on a facility around the passing point, and cause the center communication device to further send the extracted information on the facility to the in-vehicle navigation apparatus; and

in the navigation apparatus, the in-vehicle control device is further configured to cause the display device to superimpose the information on the facility received from the center apparatus via the in-vehicle communication device on the captured forward image in the travel direction.

10. A navigation apparatus provided in a vehicle and communicable with a center apparatus via a communication network,

the center apparatus calculating a route from a present position to a destination by searching map data, extracting a passing point in the calculated route, calculating vector information indicating vectors from the present position to the passing point and from the present position to the destination, and sending the passing point and the vector information to the navigation apparatus,

the navigation apparatus comprising:

a present position designation unit configured to designate a present position;

a destination designation unit configured to designate a destination;

an in-vehicle communication device configured to send the designated present position and the designated destination to the center apparatus and receive the passing point and the course information from the center apparatus;

a forward image capture unit configured to capture a forward image in a travel direction of the vehicle; and

an in-vehicle control device configured to cause a display device to display (i) the captured forward image including the received passing point in the travel direction and (ii) course information based on the received vector information such that the course information is superimposed on the displayed forward image when a present position designated by the present position designation unit approaches the received passing point.

11. A center apparatus communicable with a navigation apparatus in a vehicle via a communication network,

the navigation apparatus displaying a forward image in a travel direction and course information based on vector information received from the center apparatus, the course information being superimposed on the displayed forward image, when a present position of the vehicle approaches a passing point received from the center apparatus,

the center apparatus comprising:

a center communication device configured to communicate with the navigation apparatus for receiving the present position and the destination;

a map data storage unit configured to store map data;

a route calculation device configured to calculate a route from the received present position to the received destination by searching the stored map data; and

a center control device configured to extract a passing point in the calculated route, calculate vector information indicating vectors from the present position to the passing point and from the present position to the destination, and cause the center communication device to send the vector information along with the passing point included in the route to the navigation apparatus.