NAVIGATION SYSTEM

• US 20100153000A1
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kudoh, Takahiro, Akita, Takashi, Kindo, Tsuyoshi, Hirai, Takuya
• Granted Patent: US 8,036,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

A navigation system generating a display which enables an intuitive and instant grasp of a distance to a guide point (such as a guide target intersection) is provided. The navigation system displays an object on a route between the vicinity of a vehicle position and the guide point, and includes a object display control section (9) which calculates a distance from an arbitrary point on the route between the vehicle position and the guide point to the guide point, and sets a mode for displaying the object in accordance with the distance from the arbitrary position on the route to the guide point. The object display control section (9) sets, for example, a display color, a pattern, or a shape of the object in accordance with the distance from the arbitrary point on the route to the guide point.

Claims

1. A navigation system for displaying an object on a route between a vehicle position and a guide point, comprising

an object display control section for setting a mode for displaying the object at an arbitrary position on the route between the vehicle position and the guide point in accordance with a distance from the arbitrary point to the guide point.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the object display control section sets a display color of the object in accordance with the distance from the arbitrary position on the route to the guide point.

3. The navigation system according to claim 2, wherein the object display control section sets the display color of the object so as to be changed in a gradual manner in accordance with the distance from the arbitrary position on the route to the guide point.

4. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the object display control section sets a pattern on the object in accordance with the distance from the arbitrary position on the route to the guide point.

5. The navigation system according to claim 4, wherein the object display control section sets the pattern on the object such that a density of the pattern becomes higher at a portion of the object closer to the guide point.

6. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the object display control section sets a shape of the object in accordance with the distance from the arbitrary position on the route to the guide point.

7. The navigation system according to claim 6, wherein

the object display control section displays a plurality of the objects, and

displays such that the closer to the guide point an object, among the objects, is located, the smaller a size of the object becomes.

8. The navigation system according to claims 1, wherein the object display control section overlays the object on the photographed image.

9. The navigation system according to claim 8, wherein the object display control section displays the object semi-transparently.

10. The navigation system according to claim 2, wherein the object display control section overlays the object on the photographed image.

11. The navigation system according to claim 3, wherein the object display control section overlays the object on the photographed image.

12. The navigation system according to claim 4, wherein the object display control section overlays the object on the photographed image.

13. The navigation system according to claim 5, wherein the object display control section overlays the object on the photographed image.

14. The navigation system according to claim 6, wherein the object display control section overlays the object on the photographed image.

15. The navigation system according to claim 7, wherein the object display control section overlays the object on the photographed image.