NAVIGATION SERVER, NAVIGATION DEVICE, AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM

• US 20130238243A1
• Filed: 10/27/2011
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sengoku, Koji, Nogawa, Tadafumi
• Granted Patent: US 9,243,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/537
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

Provided is a navigation system and the like capable of improving the utility value of the navigation route in response to a current request in consideration of a user position. In the navigation system of the present invention, when a current request Req(i)(i>1) including a current destination position p₂(i) that is the same as a previous destination position p₂(i−1), is made from a navigation device 200, a current support route R(i) is searched which has a location point p₁(i) that is on a previous support route R(i−1) and distant from the user position p₀(i) by a designated distance or more included in the request Req(i), as a starting point.

Claims

1. A navigation server for supporting a guidance of a user by a navigation device based on communication with the navigation device, comprising:

a first support arithmetic processing unit configured to search for a support route for guiding the user to a destination position based on communication with the navigation device, on a condition that a request including a position of the user and the destination position is recognized; and

a second support arithmetic processing unit configured to make the navigation device recognize a location point or a link included in the support route searched by the first support arithmetic processing unit based on communication with the navigation device,

wherein the first support arithmetic processing unit is configured to search for a current support route having a location point which is on a previous support route and which is a designated distance or more distant from the position of the user included in a current request as a starting point, on a condition that the current request including the destination position that is the same as the previous support route is recognized.

2. The navigation server according to claim 1, wherein the first support arithmetic processing unit is configured to recognize a factor which affects a traveling form of the user, and to set the designated distance or the starting point of the current support route according to the factor.

3. A navigation device for guiding a user based on communication with the navigation server of claim 1, comprising:

a first arithmetic processing unit configured so that the navigation device recognizes a position of the user and a destination position, and to make the navigation server recognize a request including the position of the user and the destination position; and

a second arithmetic processing unit configured to recognize a location point or a link included in a support route searched by the navigation server according to the request, and to search and output a navigation route for guiding the user to the destination position based on the recognition result.

4. The navigation device according to claim 3, wherein the first arithmetic processing unit is configured to search for a navigation route connecting the user and the destination position independent of the support route, and to make the navigation server recognize the request further including an intermediate position included in the navigation route.

5. A navigation system comprising a navigation device and a navigation server for supporting a guidance of a user by the navigation device based on communication with the navigation device,

the navigation server comprising:

a first support arithmetic processing unit configured to search thr a support route for guiding the user to a destination position based on communication with the navigation device, on a condition that a request including a position of the user and the destination position is recognized; and

a second support arithmetic processing unit configured to make the navigation device recognize a location point or a link included in the support route searched by the first support arithmetic processing unit based on communication with the navigation device,

wherein the first support arithmetic processing

unit is configured to search for a current support route having a location point which is on a previous support route and which is a designated distance or more distant from the position of the user included in a current request as a starting point, on a condition that the current request including the destination position that is the same as the previous support route is recognized,

the navigation device comprising;

a first arithmetic processing unit configured to

recognize the position of the user and the destination position, and to make the navigation server recognize the request including the position of the user and the destination position; and

a second arithmetic processing unit configured to

recognize a location point or a link included in the support route searched by the navigation server according to the request, and to search and output a navigation route for guiding the user to the destination position based on the recognition result.