ROUTE GUIDANCE APPARATUS, ROUTE GUIDANCE METHOD, AND PROGRAM

• US 20130041584A1
• Filed: 08/10/2012
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Original Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Inventors: TABATA, Kiyofumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,706,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/431
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

A communication controller transmits current location information of a subject apparatus to another pre-registered apparatus, and receives current location information of the another pre-registered apparatus. A location relationship determiner determines whether the subject apparatus precedes the another apparatus in a heading direction. An operation mode determiner operates the subject apparatus as a main device when it is determined that the subject apparatus precedes the another apparatus in the heading direction, and operates the subject apparatus as a sub device when it is determined that the subject apparatus does not precede the another apparatus in the heading direction. A function selector activates a function of transmitting heading direction information to the another apparatus when the subject apparatus is determined to be a main device, and activates a function of receiving the heading direction information from a main device when the subject apparatus is determined to be a sub device.

Claims

1. A route guidance apparatus comprising:

a location information obtainer which obtains current location information of a subject apparatus;

a communication controller which transmits the current location information of the subject apparatus obtained by the location information obtainer to another pre-registered apparatus, and receives current location information of the another pre-registered apparatus;

a location relationship determiner which determines whether the subject apparatus precedes the another pre-registered apparatus in a heading direction, based on a location relationship of the subject apparatus and the another pre-registered apparatus with respect to the heading direction of the subject apparatus, wherein the location relationship is determined according to the current location information of the subject apparatus obtained by the location information obtainer and the current location information of the another pre-registered apparatus obtained by the communication controller;

an operation mode determiner which operates the subject apparatus as a main device when the location relationship determiner determines that the subject apparatus precedes the another pre-registered apparatus in the heading direction, and operates the subject apparatus as a sub device when the location relationship determiner determines that the subject apparatus does not precede the another pre-registered apparatus in the heading direction; and

a function selector which enables the communication controller to transmit to the another pre-registered apparatus heading direction information indicating the heading direction when the operation mode determiner determines that the subject apparatus is a main device, and enables the communication controller to receive the heading direction information from the another pre-registered apparatus determined to be a main device when the operation mode determiner determines that the subject apparatus is a sub device.

2. The route guidance apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display controller which displays the heading direction information received from the another pre-registered apparatus according to the operation of the function selector, when the operation mode determiner determines that the subject apparatus is a sub device.

3. The route guidance apparatus of claim 2, wherein the display controller displays the heading direction information received from the another pre-registered apparatus according to the operation of the function selector, based on the current location information of the another pre-registered apparatus determined to be a main device at a point of time when the heading direction is transmitted, wherein the current location information is received by the communication controller.

4. The route guidance apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the operation mode determiner determines that the subject apparatus is a sub device, the function selector enables the communication controller to transmit heading direction check information with respect to the received heading direction information.

5. A route guidance method comprising:

a current location information obtaining process which obtains current location information of a subject apparatus;

a location information transmitting-receiving process which mutually performs transmitting the current location information of the subject apparatus obtained in the current location information obtaining process and obtaining current location information of another apparatus, as pre-registered apparatuses communicate with each other;

a location relation determination process which determines a location relationship of the subject apparatus and the another apparatus with respect to a heading direction of the subject apparatus, based on the current location information of the subject apparatus obtained in the current location information obtaining process and the current location information of the another apparatus obtained in the location information transmitting-receiving process;

a operation mode determination process which operates subject apparatus as a main device when it is determined that the subject apparatus precedes the another apparatus in the heading direction, and operates the subject apparatus as a sub device when it is determined that the subject apparatus does not precede the another apparatus in the heading direction, in the location relation determination process; and

a function selection process which enables the communication controller to transmit heading direction information indicating the heading direction to the another apparatus when the subject apparatus is determined to be a main device, and enables the communication controller to receive the heading direction information from the another apparatus determined to be a main device when the subject apparatus is determined to be a sub device, in the operation mode determination process.

6. A computer executable program recorded in a recording medium for operating a computer included in a route guidance apparatus, the program comprising:

a current location information obtaining process which obtains current location information of a subject apparatus;

a location information transmitting-receiving process which mutually performs transmitting the current location information of the subject apparatus obtained in the current location information obtaining process and obtaining current location information of another apparatus, as pre-registered apparatuses communicate with each other;

a location relation determination process which determines a location relationship of the subject apparatus and the another apparatus with respect to a heading direction of the subject apparatus, based on the current location information of the subject apparatus obtained in the current location information obtaining process and the current location information of the another apparatus obtained in the location information transmitting-receiving process;

a operation mode determination process which operates the subject apparatus as a main device when it is determined that the subject apparatus precedes the another apparatus in the heading direction, and operates the subject apparatus as a sub device when it is determined that the subject apparatus does not precede the another apparatus in the heading direction, in the location relation determination process; and

a function selection process which enables the communication controller to transmit heading direction information indicating the heading direction to the another apparatus when the subject apparatus is determined to operate as a main device, and enables the communication controller to receive the heading direction information from the another apparatus determined to be a main device when the subject apparatus is determined to operate as a sub device, in the operation mode determination process.