Automobile route information display

• US 4,642,776 A
• Filed: 07/03/1984
• Issued: 02/10/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Muneaki, Numata, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US06/627,622
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424, 364/444, 364/449, 364/460, 340/988, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence

Abstract

A device for displaying information concerning the travel route of an automobile vehicle includes a calculation unit for continuously monitoring the changes in the travel direction of the vehicle on the basis of the direction detected by the direction detection unit, and successively storing change signals corresponding to the amount of change in the travel direction of the vehicle, when the amount of change in the vehicle direction exceeds a predetermined amount, and a distance signal corresponding to the change signal, on the outward travel route, and generating a travel direction signal approximately at a predetermined distance on the basis of the stored change signal and the stored distance signal, on the return travel route. The vehicle travel direction, the distance, and the direction toward the destination or the starting point, and the distance toward a vehicle travel direction change point are displayed on fluorescent indicator tubes.

Claims

1. A device for displaying information concerning a travel route of an automotive vehicle comprising:

direction detection means for generating a direction signal corresponding to a vehicle travel direction;

distance detection means for generating a distance signal corresponding to a distance travelled by the vehicle;

control means for;

(1) continuously monitoring changes in the travel direction of the vehicle on the basis of the direction signal detected by said direction detection means with reference to a reference compass bearing, (2) successively storing;

(a) direction change indication signals corresponding to an amount of change in the direction of travel of the vehicle with reference to said reference compass bearing when an amount of change in the travel direction of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined amount, and (b) distance signals, each of which corresponds to a distance from a distance reference, at a time of storing one of said direction change indication signals on the route from the starting point to the destination, and (3) generating a travel direction signal indicative of a travel direction substantially at every predetermined distance interval on the route from the destination to the starting point on the basis of said stored direction change indication signals and said stored distance signals,

displaying means for displaying the travel direction on the route from the destination to the starting point on the basis of said travel direction signal delivered from said control means; and

instruction means for supplying said control means with a mode signal for determining a mode of control thereof corresponding to one of the outward travel state and the return travel state.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the change in the vehicle travel direction is detected when the amount of change in the vehicle travel direction exceeds a predetermined amount per predetermined distance, and said monitoring of the change in the vehicle travel direction by said control means is carried out in such a manner that the distance interval at which the change of the vehicle travel direction is detected is changed in accordance with the vehicle running speed.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said direction detection means comprises a direction sensor, and a direction detection assembly coupled to said direction sensor, having series connections of a filter circuit, an amplification sample and hold circuit, analog-to-digital converter means for producing digital directional signals, and oscillation timing means for producing a signal for exciting the direction sensor and timing signals.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises:

a central processor unit;

a plurality of instruction switches;

a decoder means for receiving signals from said central processor unit and producing read signals; and

three state buffer means for receiving signals representing a state of said instruction switches and read signals from said decoder means and transmitting the received signals to a bus line connected to said central processor unit and said three state buffer means.