Objective position information supplying method in navigation system, and navigation system

• US 5,602,740 A
• Filed: 05/04/1995
• Issued: 02/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishiyama, Sumio
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US08/434,684
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 364/443, 364/444, 364/447, 364/449, 364/450, 364/453, 364/456, 364/458, 364/460, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 340/438, 340/384.1, 73/178 R
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments

Abstract

An objective position information supplying method in a navigation system for detecting a present position of a self vehicle, includes the steps of: judging whether or not a distance between the detected present position and an objective position is within a predetermined distance set for each of objective positions, which include a position scheduled to pass therethrough and a position scheduled to arrive thereat; judging whether or not a direction to the detected present position from the objective position is within a first angle range, which is set for each of the objective positions on a standard of a direction of the self vehicle to enter each of the objective positions; judging whether or not a direction to the objective position from the detected present position is within a second angle range, which is set with respect to an advance direction of the self vehicle at the detected present position; and supplying a predetermined kind of information as for the objective position to a driver if the judged distance is within the predetermined distance, if the judged direction to the detected present position is within the first angle range, and if the judged direction to the objective position is within the second angle range.

Claims

1. An objective position information supplying method in a navigation system of detecting a present position of a self vehicle, comprising the steps of:

judging whether or not a distance between the detected present position and an objective position is within a predetermined distance set for each of objections positions, which include a position scheduled to pass therethrough and a position scheduled to arrived thereat;

judging whether or not a direction to the detected present position from the objective position is within a first angle range, which is selected in advance for each of the objective positions, said first angle range being relative to a direction of the self vehicle entering each of the objective positions, said selected first angle range being stored in a memory device as first angle range data for each of the objective positions;

judging whether or not a direction to the objective position from the detected present position is within a second angle range, which is set with respect to an advance direction of the self vehicle at the detected present position; and

supplying a predetermined kind of information as for the objective position to a driver if the judged distance is within the predetermined distance, if the judged direction to the detected present position is within the first angle range, and if the judged direction to the objective position is within the second angle range.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the distance is determined in accordance with a speed of the self vehicle when said self vehicle approaches to the objective position.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first angle range is selected in accordance with a geographical characteristic of the objective position.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second angle range is determined such that the second angle range is symmetrical with respect to the advance direction of the self vehicle.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second angle range is determined such that the second angle range is asymmetrical with respect to the advance direction of the self vehicle.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second angle range is determined in accordance with a characteristic of the self vehicle.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the direction of the self vehicle to enter each of the objective positions is determined in accordance with a route to the position scheduled to arrive thereat, which is set in advance.

8. An objective position information supplying method according to claim 1, wherein said supplying step supplies said predetermined kind of information by a synthetic voice outputted by a voice outputting means.

9. A navigation system comprising:

a detection means for detecting a present position of a self vehicle;

a judgment means for judging whether or not a distance between the detected present position and an objective position is within a predetermined distance set for each of objective positions, which include a position scheduled to pass therethrough and a position scheduled to arrive thereat, judging whether or not a direction to the detected present position from the objective position is within a first angle range, which is selected in advance for each of the objective positions, said first angle range being relative to a direction of the self vehicle entering each of the objective positions, and judging whether or not a direction to the objective position from the detected present position is within a second angle range, which is set with respect to an advance direction of the self vehicle at the detected present position;

a memory means for storing the selected first angle range as first angle range data for each of the objective positions; and

an information supply means for supplying a predetermined kind of information as for the objective position to a driver if the judged distance is within the predetermined distance, if the judged direction to the detected present position is within the first angle range, and if the judged direction to the objective position is within the second angle range according to a judgment result of said judgment means.

10. A navigation system according to claim 9 wherein said memory means also stores the predetermined distance for each of the objective positions, and the second angle range.

11. A navigation system according to claim 9, wherein said detection means comprises at least one of a geomagnetic sensor, an angular speed sensor, a travel distance sensor and a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver.

12. A navigation system according to claim 9, further comprising a setting means for setting a route to the position scheduled to arrive thereat.

13. A navigation system according to claim 9, wherein said information supply means comprises a display means for displaying the information.

14. A navigation system according to claim 9, wherein said information supply means comprises a voice outputting means for outputting the information by a synthetic voice.