NAVIGATION SYSTEM, NAVIGATION METHOD, AND NAVIGATION PROGRAM

• US 20130006518A1
• Filed: 06/05/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: KURAUCHI, Naoyuki, OZAKI, Naokazu
• Granted Patent: US 9,074,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/411
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects

Abstract

Systems, methods, and programs detect a current position of a movable body, identify a destination for the moveable body, and search for a going route from a departure point to the destination. The systems, methods, and programs search for a returning route from the destination to the departure point and select a landmark for a branch point along the returning route. While the current position is moving along the going route, the systems, methods, and programs provide returning-route guidance regarding the branch point using the selected landmark.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

a current position detecting unit that detects a current position of a movable body; and

a controller that;

identifies a destination for the moveable body;

searches for a going route from a departure point to the destination;

searches for a returning route from the destination to the departure point;

selects a landmark for a branch point along the returning route; and

while the current position is moving along the going route, provides returning-route guidance regarding the branch point using the selected landmark.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

while the current position is moving along the going route, provides the returning-route guidance notifying that the selected landmark is a landmark on the returning route at a timing before or after the current position passes the branch point on the going route.

3. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

selects, as the landmark for the branch point on the returning route, a landmark along a road on which the movable body moves after passing the branch point on the going route.

4. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

after the movable body passes the branch point on the going route, provides the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route using the selected landmark.

5. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

before the movable body passes the branch point on the going route, provides the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route using the selected landmark.

6. The navigation system according to claim 5, wherein the controller:

before the movable body passes the branch point on the going route, provides the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point a plurality of times while the movable body approaches the branch point; and

provides guidance regarding the branch point a plurality of times and provides the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route by using the selected landmark only when providing the guidance regarding the branch point a last time among the plurality of times of providing guidance regarding the branch point.

7. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

when the movable body is moving along the returning route, provides the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route based on a guidance standard different from a guidance standard for the branch point used when the movable body is moving along the going route.

8. The navigation system according to claim 7, wherein the controller:

when the movable body moves on the returning route, partially or totally skips the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route.

9. The navigation system according to claim 7, wherein the controller:

when the movable body moves on the returning route, provides the returning-route guidance only with the landmark for the branch point on the returning route.

10. The navigation system according to claim 7, wherein the controller:

sets a first distance or a first time from a guidance point at which the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point is provided when the movable body is moving along the returning route to the branch point shorter than a respective second distance or a second time from a guidance point at which the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point is provided when the movable body is moving along the going route to the branch point.

11. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

after the movable body passes the branch point on the returning route, provides returning-route guidance notifying whether a road on which the movable body is moving after passing the branch point is a road on the returning route.

12. A navigation method comprising:

detecting a current position of a movable body;

identifying a destination for the moveable body;

searching for a going route from a departure point to the destination;

searching for a returning route from the destination to the departure point;

selecting a landmark for a branch point along the returning route; and

while the current position is moving along the going route, providing returning-route guidance regarding the branch point using the selected landmark.

13. The navigation method according to claim 12, further comprising:

while the current position is moving along the going route, providing the returning-route guidance notifying that the selected landmark is a landmark on the returning route at a timing before or after the current position passes the branch point on the going route.

14. The navigation method according to claim 12, further comprising:

selecting, as the landmark for the branch point on the returning route, a landmark along a road on which the movable body moves after passing the branch point on the going route.

15. The navigation method according to claim 12, further comprising:

after the movable body passes the branch point on the going route, providing the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route using the selected landmark.

16. The navigation method according to claim 12, further comprising:

before the movable body passes the branch point on the going route, providing the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route using the selected landmark.

17. The navigation method according to claim 16, further comprising:

before the movable body passes the branch point on the going route, providing the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point a plurality of times while the movable body approaches the branch point; and

providing guidance regarding the branch point a plurality of times and providing the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route by using the selected landmark only when providing the guidance regarding the branch point a last time among the plurality of times of providing guidance regarding the branch point.

18. The navigation method according to claim 12, further comprising:

when the movable body is moving along the returning route, providing the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route based on a guidance standard different from a guidance standard for the branch point used when the movable body is moving along the going route.

19. The navigation method according to claim 18, further comprising:

when the movable body moves on the returning route, partially or totally skipping the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route.

20. The navigation method according to claim 18, further comprising:

when the movable body moves on the returning route, providing the returning-route guidance only with the landmark for the branch point on the returning route.

21. The navigation method according to claim 18, further comprising:

setting a first distance or a first time from a guidance point at which the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point is provided when the movable body is moving along the returning route to the branch point shorter than a respective second distance or a second time from a guidance point at which the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point is provided when the movable body is moving along the going route to the branch point.

22. The navigation method according to claim 12, further comprising:

after the movable body passes the branch point on the returning route, providing returning-route guidance notifying whether a road on which the movable body is moving after passing the branch point is a road on the returning route.

23. A computer-readable medium storing a computer-executable navigation program, the program comprising:

instructions for detecting a current position of a movable body;

instructions for identifying a destination for the moveable body;

instructions for searching for a going route from a departure point to the destination;

instructions for searching for a returning route from the destination to the departure point;

instructions for selecting a landmark for a branch point along the returning route; and

instructions for, while the current position is moving along the going route, providing returning-route guidance regarding the branch point using the selected landmark.