NAVIGATION APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A navigation apparatus having:
- a base unit that is fastenable to a vehicle and is equipped with at least a microcomputer; and
a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit and is equipped with at least a display displaying map data and a microcomputer performing a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data,characterized in that;
there are provided with at least three detectors including a receiver that receives a GPS signal, a wheel speed sensor that detects rotational speed of a wheel of the vehicle and a gyrosensor that detects angular velocity about a vertical axis of the vehicle; and
the microcomputer of the front panel unit determines the detector or detectors to be used for determining the location of the vehicle in accordance with output condition of the detector or detectors and inputs outputs of the three detectors into the microcomputer of the base unit such that the microcomputer of the base unit sorts them into time-coincident data and sends to the microcomputer of the front panel unit.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a navigation apparatus having a base unit that is fastenable to a vehicle and a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit, it is configured such that there are provided with at least three detectors including a GPS signal receiver, wheel speed sensor and gyrosensor; and the microcomputer of the front panel unit determines the detector or detectors to be used for determining the location of the vehicle in accordance with output condition of the detector or detectors. Since the determination is made based on the output condition of the detector or detectors, the detector(s) used for location determination can be optimally selected to enhance the accuracy of vehicle location determination, while the flexibility of detector use in location determination can be improved in the point that the location determination is not necessarily restricted to use of the three detectors.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A navigation apparatus having:
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a base unit that is fastenable to a vehicle and is equipped with at least a microcomputer; and a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit and is equipped with at least a display displaying map data and a microcomputer performing a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data, characterized in that; there are provided with at least three detectors including a receiver that receives a GPS signal, a wheel speed sensor that detects rotational speed of a wheel of the vehicle and a gyrosensor that detects angular velocity about a vertical axis of the vehicle; and the microcomputer of the front panel unit determines the detector or detectors to be used for determining the location of the vehicle in accordance with output condition of the detector or detectors and inputs outputs of the three detectors into the microcomputer of the base unit such that the microcomputer of the base unit sorts them into time-coincident data and sends to the microcomputer of the front panel unit. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A navigation apparatus having:
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a base unit that is fastenable to a vehicle and is equipped with at least a microcomputer; and a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit and is equipped with at least a display displaying map data and a microcomputer performing a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data, characterized in that; there are provided with at least three detectors including a receiver that receives a GPS signal, a wheel speed sensor that detects rotational speed of a wheel of the vehicle and a gyrosensor that detects angular velocity about a vertical axis of the vehicle; and the microcomputer of the front panel unit determines the detector or detectors to be used for determining the location of the vehicle in accordance with attached/detached condition of the front panel unit and inputs outputs of the three detectors into the microcomputer of the base unit such that the microcomputer of the base unit sorts them into time-coincident data and sends to the microcomputer of the front panel unit. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. (canceled)
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6. A navigation apparatus having:
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a base unit that is fastenable to a vehicle and is equipped with at least a microcomputer; and a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit and is equipped with at least a display displaying map data and a microcomputer performing a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data, characterized in that; there are provided with at least three detectors including a receiver that receives a GPS signal, a wheel speed sensor that detects rotational speed of a wheel of the vehicle and a gyrosensor that detects angular velocity about a vertical axis of the vehicle; outputs of the three detectors are inputted into the microcomputer of the base unit such that the microcomputer of the base unit sorts them into time-coincident data and sends to the microcomputer of the front panel unit; and the microcomputer of the base unit retains the location of the vehicle even after the front panel unit is detached from the base unit.
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7. A navigation apparatus having:
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a base unit that is fastenable to a vehicle and is equipped with at least a microcomputer; and a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit and is equipped with at least a display displaying map data and a microcomputer performing a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data, characterized in that; there are provided with at least three detectors including a receiver that receives a GPS signal, a wheel speed sensor that detects rotational speed of a wheel of the vehicle and a gyrosensor that detects angular velocity about a vertical axis of the vehicle; a control program of the microcomputer of the front panel unit is configured to include a graphical user interface function that is provided with a display displaying a menu and a touch panel overlaid thereon on the display to be pressed by a user to execute a specified function, an application function that executes the operation selected through the graphical user interface function, and a platform function that defines at least processing times for the functions; an undeletable button is displayed on the touch panel; and the microcomputer of the front panel unit reads and ID number of the base unit when attached to the base unit and switches to a skin file corresponding to the read ID number. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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8. A navigation apparatus having:
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a base unit that is fastenable to a vehicle and is equipped with at least a microcomputer; and a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit and is equipped with at least a display panel displaying map data and a microcomputer performing a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data, characterized in that; there are provided with at least three detectors including a receiver that receives a GPS signal, a wheel speed sensor that detects rotational speed of a wheel of the vehicle and a gyrosensor that detects angular velocity about a vertical axis of the vehicle; a tuner that receives a TV image is provided in the base unit such that an output of the tuner is transferred from the microcomputer of the base unit to the front panel unit; and outputs of the three detectors are inputted into the microcomputer of the base unit such that the microcomputer of the base unit sorts them into time-coincident data and sends to the microcomputer of the front panel unit.
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9. (canceled)
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10. (canceled)
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11. A navigation apparatus having:
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a base unit that is fastenable to a vehicle and is equipped with at least a microcomputer; and a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit and is equipped with at least a display displaying map data and a microcomputer performing a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data, characterized in that; there are provided with at least three detectors including a receiver that receives a GPS signal, a wheel speed sensor that detects rotational speed of a wheel of the vehicle and a gyrosensor that detects angular velocity about a vertical axis of the vehicle; and the microcomputer of the front panel unit determines the detector or detectors to be used for determining the location of the vehicle in accordance with output condition of the detector or detectors, and inputs an output of the receiver that receives the GPS signal into the microcomputer of the front panel unit and sends outputs of the wheel speed sensor and the gyrosensor to the microcomputer of the front panel unit through the microcomputer of the base unit, such that the outputs of the three detectors are synchronized in the microcomputer of the front panel unit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A navigation apparatus having:
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a base unit that is fastenable to a vehicle and is equipped with at least a microcomputer; and a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit and is equipped with at least a display displaying map data and a microcomputer performing a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data, characterized in that; there are provided with at least three detectors including a receiver that receives a GPS signal, a wheel speed sensor that detects rotational speed of a wheel of the vehicle and a gyrosensor that detects angular velocity about a vertical axis of the vehicle; and the microcomputer of the front panel unit determines the detector or detectors to be used for determining the location of the vehicle in accordance with attached/detached condition of the front panel unit, and inputs an output of the receiver that receives the GPS signal into the microcomputer of the front panel unit and sends outputs of the wheel speed sensor and the gyrosensor to the microcomputer of the front panel unit through the microcomputer of the base unit, such that the outputs of the three detectors are synchronized in the microcomputer of the front panel unit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A navigation apparatus having:
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a base unit that is fastenable to a vehicle and is equipped with at least a microcomputer; and a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit and is equipped with at least a display displaying map data and a microcomputer performing a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data, characterized in that; there are provided with at least three detectors including a receiver that receives a GPS signal, a wheel speed sensor that detects rotational speed of a wheel of the vehicle and a gyrosensor that detects angular velocity about a vertical axis of the vehicle; a short-range transceiver module including an antenna, and a dedicated image data receiving module are installed on the front panel unit; and functions of the short-range transceiver module and the dedicated image data receiving module are made on/off in accordance with a predetermined priority.
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20. A navigation apparatus having:
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a base unit that is fastenable to a vehicle and is equipped with at least a microcomputer; and a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit and is equipped with at least a display displaying map data and a microcomputer performing a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data, characterized in that; there are provided with at least three detectors including a receiver that receives a GPS signal, a wheel speed sensor that detects rotational speed of a wheel of the vehicle and a gyrosensor that detects angular velocity about a vertical axis of the vehicle; an output of the receiver that receives the GPS signal is inputted into the microcomputer of the front panel unit and outputs of the wheel speed sensor and the gyrosensor are sent to the microcomputer of the front panel unit through the microcomputer of the base unit, such that the outputs of the three detectors are synchronized in the microcomputer of the front panel unit; and the microcomputer of the base unit retains the location of the vehicle even after the front panel unit is detached from the base unit.
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21. A navigation apparatus having:
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a base unit that is fastenable to a vehicle and is equipped with at least a microcomputer; and a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit and is equipped with at least a display displaying map data and a microcomputer performing a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data, characterized in that; there are provided with at least three detectors including a receiver that receives a GPS signal, a wheel speed sensor that detects rotational speed of a wheel of the vehicle and a gyrosensor that detects angular velocity about a vertical axis of the vehicle; a tuner that receives a TV image is provided in the base unit such that an output of the tuner is transferred from the microcomputer of the base unit to the front panel unit; and an output of the receiver that receives the GPS signal is inputted into the microcomputer of the front panel unit and outputs of the wheel speed sensor and the gyrosensor are sent to the microcomputer of the front panel unit through the microcomputer of the base unit, such that the outputs of the three detectors are synchronized in the microcomputer of the front panel unit.
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Specification