Navigation System

• US 20140100772A1
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Published: 04/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: Sumizawa, Akio
• Granted Patent: US 9,239,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/410
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096888 where input information is obtained using learning systems, e.g. history databases

Abstract

A navigation system includes: a storage unit having stored therein roadmap data, first statistical traffic information data pertaining to a first area which are created based upon a first standard related to a time applicable to the first area, and second statistical traffic information data pertaining to a second area which are created based upon a second standard related to a time applicable to the second area; a search unit that searches for a recommended route; and an estimated time of arrival calculation unit that calculates an estimated time of arrival based upon the roadmap data, the first statistical traffic information data and the second statistical traffic information data. The estimated time of arrival calculation unit executes calculation processing of the estimated time of arrival in compliance with the first standard and the second standard.

Claims

1. A navigation system, comprising:

a storage unit having stored therein roadmap data expressing a road map between a start point, from which a mobile body departs, and a destination for the mobile body, first statistical traffic information data pertaining to a first area where the start point is located, which are created based upon a first standard related to a time applicable to the first area, and second statistical traffic information data pertaining to a second area where the destination is located, which are created based upon a second standard related to a time applicable to the second area;

a search unit that searches, based upon the roadmap data, for a recommended route for the mobile body traveling from the start point to the destination; and

an estimated time of arrival calculation unit that calculates an estimated time of arrival at which the mobile body, traveling through the recommended route, is expected to arrive at the destination, based upon the roadmap data, the first statistical traffic information data and the second statistical traffic information data, wherein;

the estimated time of arrival calculation unit executes calculation processing of the estimated time of arrival based upon the first statistical traffic information data in compliance with the first standard and calculates the estimated time of arrival based upon results of the calculation processing having been executed and the second statistical traffic information data in compliance with the second standard.

2. A navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a clocking unit that clocks in a departure time point at which the mobile body departs the start point in reference to a start point local standard time in a time zone where the start point is located;

an estimated passing time point calculation unit that calculates, in reference to the start point local standard time, a first estimated passing time point, indicating an estimated time point at which the mobile body is expected to pass through a waypoint on the recommended route through calculation of a traveling time length executed by referencing the first statistical traffic information data based upon the departure time point; and

an acquisition unit that references the second statistical traffic information data in conjunction with a second estimated passing time point obtained by converting the first estimated passing time point to a time point in compliance with destination local standard time in a time zone where the destination is located when calculating a traveling time length and obtains the estimated time of arrival in the destination local standard time, wherein;

the first standard is the start point local standard time;

the second standard is the destination local standard time; and

the estimated time of arrival calculation unit includes the estimated passing time point calculation unit and the acquisition unit.

3. A navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a clocking unit that clocks in a departure time point at which the mobile body departs the start point in reference to a start point local standard time in a time zone where the start point is located, wherein;

the first standard is the start point local standard time; and

the second standard is a destination local standard time in the time zone where the destination is located; and

the search unit searches for the traveling route by searching for a route segment extending from the start point to a waypoint on the recommended route through which the mobile body is to pass, based upon the departure time point, the first statistical traffic information data, and the start point local standard time, calculating a first estimated passing time point at which the mobile body is expected to pass through the waypoint and searching for a route segment extending from the waypoint to the destination based upon a second estimated passing time point obtained through conversion of the first estimated passing time point to a time point in compliance with the destination local standard time, the second statistical traffic information data and the destination local standard time.

4. A navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a clocking unit that clocks in a first departure time point at which the mobile body departs the start point in reference to a start point local standard time in a time zone where the start point is located;

a first time point calculation unit that calculates a traveling time length by referencing the first statistical traffic information data and the second statistical traffic information data in conjunction with a second departure time point obtained through conversion of the first departure time point to a time point in compliance with a global standard time so as to calculate a first expected arrival time point indicating a time point at which the mobile body is expected to arrive at the destination in the global standard time; and

a second time point acquisition unit that obtains a second expected arrival time point calculated by converting the first expected arrival time point to a time point in compliance with destination local standard time in a time zone where the destination is located, wherein;

both the first standard and the second standard are the global standard time;

the estimated time of arrival calculation unit includes the first time point calculation unit and the second time point acquisition unit; and

the estimated time of arrival is the second expected arrival time point.

5. A navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a clocking unit that clocks in a first departure time point at which the mobile body departs the start point in reference to a start point local standard time in a time zone where the start point is located, wherein;

both the first standard and the second standard are global standard time; and

the search unit searches for the traveling route based upon a second departure time point obtained by converting the first departure time point to a time point in global standard time, the first statistical traffic information data and the second statistical traffic information data, and the global standard time.

6. A navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detection unit that detects a position of the mobile body;

a selection unit that selects first calendar data corresponding to the first area and second calendar data corresponding to the second area among sets of calendar data for a plurality of regions;

a determining unit that determines a first day category corresponding to a traveling date on which the mobile body travels through a first road segment present in the first area along the recommended route and a second day category corresponding to a traveling date on which the mobile body travels through a second road segment present in the second area along the recommended route by referencing the first calendar data and the second calendar data having been selected by the selection unit; and

an arithmetic operation unit that calculates an estimated time of arrival at which the mobile body is expected to arrive at the destination based upon the first day category and the second day category determined by the determining unit, time points at which the mobile body is to travel through the first road segment and the second road segment, and the first statistical traffic information data and the second statistical traffic information data, wherein;

the start point is the position of the mobile body detected by the detection unit;

the first calendar data related to a calendar observed in the first area and the first day category and the second calendar data related to a calendar observed in the second area and the second day category are stored in the storage unit;

the first standard is the first day category;

the second standard is the second day category; and

the estimated time of arrival calculation unit includes the arithmetic operation unit.

7. A navigation system according to claim 6, wherein:

the selection unit identifies a region through which the recommended route extends based upon the roadmap data.

8. A navigation system according to claim 6, further comprising:

an interface unit that accepts an instruction entered by a user to specify the first area and the second area.

9. A navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detection unit that detects a position of the mobile body;

a selection unit that selects first calendar data corresponding to the first area and second calendar data corresponding to the second area among sets of calendar data for a plurality of regions; and

a determining unit that determines a first day category corresponding to a traveling date on which the mobile body travels through a first road segment present in the first area along the recommended route and a second day category corresponding to a traveling date on which the mobile body travels through a second road segment present in the second area along the recommended route by referencing the first calendar data and the second calendar data having been selected by the selection unit, wherein;

the start point is the position of the mobile body detected by the detection unit;

the first calendar data related to a calendar observed in the first area and the first day category and the second calendar data related to a calendar observed in the second area and the second day category are stored in the storage unit;

the first standard is the first day category;

the second standard is the second day category; and

the search unit searches for the recommended route based upon the first day category and the second day category having been determined by the determining unit, time points at which the mobile body is to travel through the first road segment and the second road segment, and the first statistical traffic information data and the second statistical traffic information data.