Navigation system for motor vehicles
First Claim
1. A vehicle navigation system including display means for displaying a road map, map data storage means for storing map data to provide the road map and a predetermined route to be taken on the road map, position detecting means for detecting a current position of a vehicle, and display control means for controlling said display means to display the road map according to the map data and for indicating the predetermined route and the current position of the vehicle on the road map displayed, wherein said vehicle navigation system further includes:
- zoning means for determining, according to the predetermined route and the current position of vehicle, a next intersection on the route to be taken, and for determining, according to a course of the vehicle as the vehicle approaches the next intersection, an indication trigger sector zone defined by a sector of a circle having the next intersection as its center and having a predetermined distance to the next intersection as the sector'"'"'s radius, with the approach course of the vehicle, as the vehicle approaches the next intersection, dividing the sector into two substantially equal portions; and
route intersection guidance means for determining whether the current position of the vehicle is within the indication trigger sector zone, and for indicating, on the displayed road map of said display means, if the route intersection guidance means determines that the current vehicle position is within the indication trigger sector zone, the next intersection on the route to be taken.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A navigation system for motor vehicles determines a pie-shaped sector zone for triggering an indication of a route intersection on a displayed road map. The zone is defined by a pie-shaped sector of a circle having the intersection at its center, and provided with a radius determined with respect to the velocity of the vehicle. When the vehicle enters the zone corresponding to the vehicle'"'"'s velocity, it is determined that the vehicle is approaching the intersection, and a next intersection to be passed by the vehicle is indicated on the road map. The driver can thus be guided along a predetermined route.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A vehicle navigation system including display means for displaying a road map, map data storage means for storing map data to provide the road map and a predetermined route to be taken on the road map, position detecting means for detecting a current position of a vehicle, and display control means for controlling said display means to display the road map according to the map data and for indicating the predetermined route and the current position of the vehicle on the road map displayed, wherein said vehicle navigation system further includes:
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zoning means for determining, according to the predetermined route and the current position of vehicle, a next intersection on the route to be taken, and for determining, according to a course of the vehicle as the vehicle approaches the next intersection, an indication trigger sector zone defined by a sector of a circle having the next intersection as its center and having a predetermined distance to the next intersection as the sector'"'"'s radius, with the approach course of the vehicle, as the vehicle approaches the next intersection, dividing the sector into two substantially equal portions; and route intersection guidance means for determining whether the current position of the vehicle is within the indication trigger sector zone, and for indicating, on the displayed road map of said display means, if the route intersection guidance means determines that the current vehicle position is within the indication trigger sector zone, the next intersection on the route to be taken. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of navigating a vehicle with a system including display means for displaying a road map, map data storage means for storing map data to provide the road map and a predetermined route to be taken on the road map, position detecting means for detecting a current position of a vehicle, and display control means for controlling said display means to display the road map according to the map data and for indicating the predetermined route and the current position of the vehicle on the road map displayed, said method comprising the steps of:
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determining, with zoning means according to the predetermined route and the current position of vehicle, a next intersection on the route to be taken, determining, according to a course of the vehicle as the vehicle approached the next intersection, an indication trigger sector zone defined by a sector of a circle having the next intersection at its center and having a predetermined distance to the next intersection as the sector'"'"'s radius, with the approach course of the vehicle, as the vehicle approaches the next intersection, dividing the sector into two substantially equal portions, determining, with route intersection guidance means, whether the current position of vehicle is within the indication trigger sector zone, and indicating on the displayed road map of said display means, if the route intersection guidance means determines that the current vehicle position is within the indication trigger sector zone, the next intersection on the route to be taken.
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Specification