ROUTE PLANNING APPARATUS AND ROUTE PLAN VERIFYING METHOD

• US 20130275046A1
• Filed: 04/11/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Furuno Electric Co, Ltd
• Original Assignee: Furuno Electric Co, Ltd
• Inventors: Okuda, Masato, Shimizutani, Ryu, Tagawa, Masami, Oda, Tomihiko, Morita, Takatoshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,612,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/533
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/203 Specially adapted for sailing ships

Abstract

A route planning apparatus is provided. The apparatus may include a display, a user interface, a caution information reader, and a route verifier. The display displays a user-scheduled route on a map. The user interface accepts an input of time and date to travel on the route. The caution information reader reads caution information having influence on the travel and associated with position, and time and date. The route verifier verifies whether the travel on the route is available based on one or more positions, and times and dates at which the caution information read by the caution information reader indicates, one or more positions on the route, and the inputted travel time and date.

Claims

1. A route planning apparatus, comprising:

a display for displaying a user-scheduled route on a map;

a user interface for accepting an input of time and date to travel on the route;

a caution information reader for reading caution information having influence on the travel and associated with position, and time and date; and

a route verifier for verifying whether the travel on the route is available based on one or more positions, and times and dates at which the caution information read by the caution information reader indicates, one or more positions on the route, and the inputted travel time and date.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the caution information reader reads the caution information having influence on the travel, based on the travel time and date inputted through the user interface, the caution information being associated with position, and time and date, and

wherein the verifier verifies whether the travel on the route is available on the travel time and date based on at least the caution information on or near the one or more positions on the route among the caution information read by the caution information reader.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the caution information contains information on at least one of a no-fishing zone and a travel prohibited area.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface accepts inputs of a travel starting time and date and a travel ending time and date on the route.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface accepts an input of a travel time and date for at least a partial range of the route formed by dividing the route.

7. The apparatus of claims 1, further comprising a memory for either one of storing the caution information and reading a memory medium that is stored with the caution information, wherein the caution information reader reads the caution information from the memory.

8. The apparatus of claims 1, wherein the caution information reader reads the caution information via interne.

9. The apparatus of claims 1, wherein the display displays a verification result on the route that is outputted from the route verifier.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the display displays the route by changing a displaying form of the route according to the verification result.

11. The apparatus of claims 1, wherein the route is formed by connecting a plurality of waypoints with each other that are specified by the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the user interface accepts the input of the travel time and date for each of the waypoints.

13. The apparatus of claims 1, being equipped in a ship.

6. The apparatus of 1, wherein the route verifier verifies that the travel along the route is not available when the caution information contains information on a travel prohibited area and the route includes a position at which the information on the travel prohibited area indicates.

14. A method of planning and verifying a route, comprising:

creating a route according to an instruction from a user;

setting time and date to travel on the route according to an instruction from the user;

reading caution information having influence on the travel and associated with position, and time and date; and

verifying whether the travel on the route is available based on one or more positions, and times and dates at which the caution information read in the reading the caution information indicates, one or more positions on the route, and the set travel time and date.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the reading caution information includes reading the caution information having influence on the travel, based on the set travel time and date, the caution information being associated with position, and time and date, and

wherein the verifying whether the travel on the route is available includes verifying whether the travel on the route is available on the travel time and date based on at least the caution information on or near the one or more positions on the route among the read caution information.