On-vehicle navigation apparatus

• US 5,262,774 A
• Filed: 03/15/1993
• Issued: 11/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuwahara, Shingo, Araki, Morio
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US08/032,209
• Time in Patent Office: 246 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 364/443, 364/444, 364/449, 364/424.02
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

An on-vehicle navigation apparatus has enhanced efficiency of the use of a memory for storing the locus data, without losing the details and accuracy of a locus pattern drawn on the basis of collected locus data. The on-vehicle navigation apparatus acquires vehicle location information C and time information T, and stores the vehicle location information C as locus data Si and the associated time information T as collecting time data Ti in response to a collection command. The apparatus then computes a travel distance D from the previous locus data collecting position on the basis of the vehicle location information C and the locus data Si, computes elapsed time ΔT from the previous locus data collecting time on the basis of the time information T and the collecting time data Ti, and generates the collection command when the elapsed time ΔT reaches a predetermined time after a predetermined travel distance D is reached.

Claims

1. An on-vehicle navigation apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

vehicle location information generating means for generating information of location of said vehicle;

time information generating means for generating time information;

travel distance computing means for computing a travel distance from a previous locus data collecting position on the basis of said information of location of said vehicle and said travel locus data;

elapsed time computing means for computing an elapsed time from previous locus data collecting time on the basis of the time information and the collecting time data;

collection instructing means for generating a collection command when the elapsed time reaches a predetermined time after the travel distance has reached a predetermined distance; and

storage means for storing said information of location of said vehicle as locus data and said time information as collecting time data in response to the collection command.

2. An on-vehicle navigation apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

vehicle location information generating means for generating information of location of said vehicle;

time information generating means for generating time information;

travel distance computing means for computing a travel distance from a previous locus data collecting position on the basis of the vehicle location information and the locus data;

elapsed time computing means for computing an elapsed time from previous locus data collecting time on the basis of the time information and the collecting time data;

collection instructing means for generating a collection command when the travel distance reaches a predetermined distance after the elapsed time has reaches a predetermined time; and

storage means for storing said information of location of said vehicle as locus data and the time information as collecting time data in response to the collection command.

3. An on-vehicle navigation apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

vehicle location information generating means for generating information of location of said vehicle;

time information generating means for generating time information;

travel distance computing means for computing a travel distance from a previous locus data collecting position on the basis of the vehicle location information and the locus data;

elapsed time computing means for computing an elapsed time from previous locus data collecting time on the basis of the time information and the collecting time data;

collection instructing means for generating a collection command when the elapsed time reaches a predetermined time after the travel distance has reached a predetermined distance; and

storage means for storing the vehicle location information as locus data and said time information as collecting time data in response to the collection command, wherein said storage means stores said collecting time data or said elapsed time as a time the collection command has been generated, in association with the locus data.

4. An on-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a traveling time on a locus of the vehicle is computed on the basis of the collecting time data, or the elapsed time or the traffic jam index.

5. An on-vehicle navigation apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

vehicle location information generating means for generating information of location of said vehicle;

time information generating means for generating time information;

travel distance computing means for computing a travel distance from a previous locus data collecting position on the basis of the vehicle location information and the locus data;

elapsed time computing means for computing an elapsed time from previous locus data collecting time on the basis of the time information and the collecting time data;

collection instructing means for generating a collection command when the travel distance reaches a predetermined distance after the elapsed time has reached a predetermined time;

storage means for storing the vehicle location information as locus data and the time information as collecting time data in response to the collection command; and

means for increasing a traffic jam index when the travel distance does not reach the predetermined distance after the elapsed time has reached the predetermined time, wherein said storage means stores said collecitng time data said traffic jam index in association with the locus data, wherein the traffic jam index is time information from a point of time when the predetermined time has elapsed after generation of the collection command for one piece of locus data until a point of time when the collection command is generated for next locus data.

6. An on-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a traveling time on a locus of the vehicle is computed on the basis of the collecting time data, or the elapsed time or the traffic jam index.