ROUTE RELATED INFORMATION PROVIDING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR PROVIDING ROUTE RELATED INFORMATION, A COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM, AND ROUTE GUIDANCE SYSTEM

• US 20120089327A1
• Filed: 08/15/2011
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: MIURA, Naoki, NONOMURA, Junichi
• Application Number:
  US13/209,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20120089327A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/411
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods, programs, and systems obtain fuel efficiency information indicative of a zone associated with a fuel efficiency if a vehicle were to travel the zone, for each of a plurality of zones. The apparatuses, methods, programs, and systems provide information related to a first route searched according to a first route search method. The first route search method has a greater tendency to use a zone with a smaller deviation of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information as a configuration zone of the first route. The apparatuses, methods, programs, and systems provide information related to a second route searched according to a second route search method. The second route search method has a greater tendency to use a zone with a larger deviation of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information as a configuration zone of the second route.

Claims

1. A route related information providing apparatus comprising:

a fuel efficiency information obtaining unit that obtains a plurality of fuel efficiency information indicative of a zone associated with a fuel efficiency if a vehicle were to travel the zone, for each of a plurality of zones;

a first route related information providing unit that provides information related to a first route searched for according to a first route search method, wherein the first route search method is a method according to which a zone with a smaller deviation of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information has a greater tendency to be used as a configuration zone of the first route; and

a second route related information providing unit that provides information related to a second route searched for according to a second route search method, wherein the second route search method is a method according to which a zone with a larger deviation of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information has a greater tendency to be used as a configuration zone of the second route.

2. The route related information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second route search method is a method according to which a zone with a better best value of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information and a larger deviation of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information has a greater tendency to be used as the configuration zone of the second route.

3. The route related information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first route search method is a method according to which, for a zone in which the deviation of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information is greater than a predetermined value, a zone with a better worst value of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information and a smaller deviation of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information has a greater tendency to be used as the configuration zone of the first route, and for a zone in which the deviation of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information is equal to or less than the predetermined value, a zone with a better average value of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information and a smaller deviation of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information has a greater tendency to be used as the configuration zone of the first route.

6. A route guidance system comprising:

the route related information providing apparatus according to claim 1; and

a navigation device configured to communicate with the route related information providing apparatus,

wherein the navigation device includes a route information obtaining unit that obtains information related to the first route and the second route from the route related information providing apparatus, a accepting unit that provides information related to the first route and the second route and accepts a selection of one of the first route and the second route, and a route guidance unit that performs route guidance for the selected first route or the second route.

4. A method for providing route related information, comprising:

obtaining a plurality of fuel efficiency information indicative of a zone associated with a fuel efficiency if a vehicle were to travel the zone, for each of a plurality of zones; and

providing at least one of information related to a first route searched for according to a first route search method, and information related to a second route searched for according to a second route search method, wherein the first route search method is a method according to which a zone with a smaller deviation of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information has a greater tendency to be used as a configuration zone of the first route, and the second route search method is a method according to which a zone with a larger deviation of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information has a greater tendency to be used as a configuration zone of the second route.

5. A computer-readable storage medium that stores computer-executable instructions for performing a route related information providing function comprising:

obtaining a plurality of fuel efficiency information indicative of a zone associated with a fuel efficiency if a vehicle were to travel the zone, for each of a plurality of zones;

providing information related to a first route searched for according to a first route search method, wherein the first route search method is a method according to which a zone with a smaller deviation of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information has a greater tendency to be used as a configuration zone of the first route; and

providing information related to a second route searched for according to a second route search method, wherein the second route search method is a method according to which a zone with a larger deviation of the fuel efficiency indicated in the fuel efficiency information has greater tendency to be used as a configuration zone of the second route.