Apparatus for visually indicating the travel route of an automotive vehicle

• US 4,535,334 A
• Filed: 06/04/1982
• Issued: 08/13/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Akira, Takahashi, Tsuneo, Tagami, Katsutoshi, Yasui, Shinichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Application Number:
  US06/384,919
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 340/23, 340/24, 340/309.15, 340/995, 340/988, 315/83, 315/82, 315/360, 364/707, 364/460, 364/443, 307/10 R
• US Class Current: 340/995.15
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A travel route indicating apparatus for use in an automotive vehicle, wherein a current travel route of the automotive vehicle in terms of two-dimensional coordinates may be obtained arithmetically by means of signal processing on the basis of the outputs from a travel distance detecting unit adapted to detect a current travel distance of the vehicle, and from a bearing detecting unit adapted to detect a resultant azimuth taken by the vehicle after travelling to a current point of travel, so that the thus obtained locational data on the location of the vehicle varying from time to time may be stored in sequence, and so that the travel path of the vehicle may be continuously visually indicated, as the vehicle travels, on the screen of a display from the thus-obtained travel data leading to the resulting current location of the vehicle. The apparatus comprises, in operative combination, a power supply control circuit adapted to detect the opening status of an ignition key switch and then output a power conducting command for a predetermined period of time and a power supply circuit adapted to self-hold the power conducting status to the signal processing unit upon the receipt of the command when the ignition key switch is opened, while holding the thus-stored data in the signal processing unit for a predetermined period of time even after the ignition key switch is opened.

Claims

1. A travel route indicating apparatus for use in an automotive vehicle, wherein a current travel route of the automotive vehicle in terms of two-dimensional coordinates may be obtained arithmetically by means of signal processing means on the basis of the outputs from a travel distance detecting unit adapted to detect a current travel distance of the vehicle, and from a bearing detecting unit adapted to detect a resultant azimuth taken by the vehicle after the travel of the vehicle up to a current point of travel, so that the thus obtained locational data on the location of the vehicle varying from time to time may be stored in sequence, and so that the travel path of the vehicle may be continuously indicated, as the vehicle travels, on the screen of a display from the thus-obtained travel data leading to the resulting current location of the vehicle, which comprises, in operative combination:

power supply control circuit means for detecting the opening status of an ignition key switch and outputting a power conducting command for a predetermined period of time;

power supply circuit means for self-holding the power conducting status to said signal processing unit upon the receipt of said command when the ignition key switch is opened, while holding the thus-stored data in said signal processing unit for a predetermined period of time of from 5 to 10 minutes even after the ignition key switch is opened; and

a power switch (SW) operatively cooperating with said power supply circuit means, said power switch being adapted to selectively forcibly release said power supply circuit means from the self-holding status thereof.

2. A travel route indicating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there is further provided annunciator means for producing a warning upon the receipt of a short term warning signal from said supply power control circuit means when said ignition key switch is opened.