ON-BOARD VEHICLE NAVIGATION DEVICE AND PROGRAM

• US 20100063722A1
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: YOSHIKAWA, Kazutaka
• Granted Patent: US 8,515,665 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: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

Signal data stored in an information storage unit of an on-board vehicle navigation device includes signal numbers, position information for each signal, signal indication information for determining the indication, and information for a relationship between the indications and times for each signal. Based on a determination that the target signal has been set by selecting a signal intersection on a map screen (S10), a route from a current position to the target signal is searched (S31). Signals on the set route are read from map data (S60). Travel time between the current position and the closest signal on the route and the travel times required between adjacent signals on the route are calculated (S70). The indication information for each signal is predicted from the travel times required and the signal indication information in the signal data (S80). And then, the indication of the target signal at the time of arrival is determined and announced (S90).

Claims

1. An on-board vehicle navigation device comprising:

a current position information acquisition unit that acquires current position information relating to a current position of a host vehicle;

a signal information acquisition unit that acquires signal position information relating to positions where signals are installed and signal indication information for determining indication of each signal;

a target signal setting unit that sets a specific signal as a target signal based on the signal position information;

a route search unit that searches for a route from the current position to the target signal based on the current position information and the signal position information;

a signal indication determination unit that determines the indication of the target signal at the time the vehicle will arrive at the target signal based on the route and the signal indication information; and

an announcement unit that notifies a driver of the host vehicle of the indication of the target signal determined by the signal indication determination unit.

2. The on-board vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the signal indication information is information that indicates a relationship between the indications of the signal and times, and wherein the signal indication determination unit calculates a travel time of the route based on the route and the signal position information and determines the indication of the target signal according to the time of arrival of the vehicle at the target signal, based on the travel time of the route and the signal indication information.

3. The on-board vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the signal indication information is information that indicates a relationship between the indications of a plurality of signals, and the signal indication determination unit identifies signals existing on the route based on the route and the signal position information and determines the indication of the target signal for when the vehicle will arrive at the target signal, based on the signals identified as existing on the route and the signal indication information.

4. The on-board vehicle navigation device according to claim 3, wherein the relationship is associated with a plurality of travel times, and the signal indication determination unit calculates a travel time for each distance between adjacent signals existing on the route based on the route, and the signals identified as existing on the route, and determines the indication of the target signal of when the vehicle arrives at the target signal based on the travel time for each distance between the adjacent signals and the signal indication information.

5. The on-board vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the announcement unit displays the route and the indication of the target signal on a map.

6. The on-board vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, wherein:

the route search unit searches for a plurality of routes from the current position to the target signal,

the signal indication determination unit determines the indication of the target signal at the time when the vehicle will arrive at the target signal for each of the plurality of routes, and

the announcement unit displays one route from among the plurality of routes and the indication of the target signal corresponding to the one route on a map.

7. A computer-readable medium encoded with a program, the program comprising:

a current position information acquisition step that acquires current position information relating to a current position of a host vehicle;

a signal information acquisition step that acquires signal position information relating to an installation position of a signal and signal indication information for determining indication of each signal;

a target signal setting step that sets a specific signal as a target signal based on the signal position information;

a route search step that searches for a route from the current position to the target signal based on the current position information and the signal position information;

a signal indication determination step that determines the indication of the target signal at the time of arrival of the vehicle at the target signal, based on the route and the signal indication information; and

an announcement step that notifies a driver of the host vehicle of the indication of the target signal that was determined by the signal indication determination step.