Navigation system displaying forthcoming turns

• US 5,654,892 A
• Filed: 11/09/1995
• Issued: 08/05/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zexel USA Corporation
• Inventors: Hamahata, Toshihiro, Fujii, Takao, Tamai, Haruhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US08/555,545
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 364/443, 364/444, 364/449, 364/436, 364/424.03, 364/424.02, 364/571.04, 364/450, 364/452, 364/460, 364/457, 340/995, 340/990, 340/988, 340/902, 340/438, 340/936, 340/917, 340/989, 340/991, 340/993, 340/905, 340/994, 318/581, 318/16, 318/587, 342/450, 342/357, 342/457, 342/47, 342/176, 73/178 R, 180/167, 180/169
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

A vehicle navigation system displays arrow icons to a driver indicating the directions he must follow from each of one or more turning points on his route to keep the driver from passing inadvertently an intersection in which he must change the vehicle'"'"'s direction of advance or from turning in an intersection prior to the intersection previously chosen for a turn. Road anomalies, such as sharp curves or U turns are also displayed. The arrow icons are alternatively created from computed directions of the vehicle'"'"'s advance or stored in an X-Y storage unit from which an arrow icon best fitting the required guidance is selected. The stored arrow icons include straight road, single turns, and multiple turns. The selected arrow is displayed to the driver. An embodiment calculates turns and curves with angles which match the actual angles of the turns, and radii and turning angles of curves.

Claims

1. A navigation system for a vehicle comprising:

means for continuously computing a plurality of directions of advance until said vehicle reaches a destination point, said plurality of directions of advance immediately following an upcoming turning point from a current direction of advance;

means for creating an icon representing said current direction of advance and said plurality of directions of advance; and

means for displaying said icon before said vehicle reaches said upcoming turning point.

2. A navigation system as in claim 1, in which said means for continuously computing computes said plurality of directions of advance a predetermined travel distance ahead of a present position of said vehicle.

3. A navigation system as in claim 1, wherein said means for continuously computing computes said plurality of directions of advance a predetermined travel time ahead of a present position of said vehicle.

4. A navigation system for a vehicle comprising:

means for continuously computing a plurality of successive directions of advance until said vehicle reaches a destination point, said plurality of successive directions of advance immediately following an upcoming turning point from a current direction of advance;

means for storing a plurality of arrow icons, each representing a particular combination of said plurality of successive directions of advance of said vehicle;

said plurality of arrow icons including at least some icons representing at least two successive turning points;

said means for storing includes means for storing an X-Y array of said plurality of arrow icons,

a position of each one of said plurality of arrow icons in said X-Y array being dependent on characteristics of said particular combination of said plurality of successive directions of advance; and

means for displaying one of said at least some icons that most closely represents said current direction of advance and said plurality of successive directions of advance before said vehicle reaches said upcoming turning point.

5. A navigation system as in claim 4, in which said means for continuously computing computes said plurality of successive directions of advance a predetermined travel distance ahead of a present position of said vehicle.

6. A navigation system as in claim 4, wherein said means for continuously computing computes said plurality of successive directions of advance a predetermined travel time ahead of a present position of said vehicle.

7. A navigation system as in claim 4, wherein said means for displaying includes means for identifying a desired one of said plurality of arrow icons by its X and Y positions in said X-Y array.

8. A method for assisting the navigation of a vehicle comprising the steps of:

continuously computing a plurality of successive directions of advance until said vehicle reaches a destination point, said computing being initiated at one of a predetermined time or a predetermined distance before said vehicle reaches an upcoming turning point from a current direction of advance;

creating an arrow icon that represents said current direction of advance and at least a first and a second directions of advance of said vehicle to be followed beginning at said upcoming turning point; and

displaying said arrow icon before said vehicle reaches said upcoming turning point.

9. A method for assisting the navigation of a vehicle comprising the steps of:

continuously computing a plurality of successive directions of advance until said vehicle reaches a destination point, said computing being initiated at one of a predetermined time or a predetermined distance before said vehicle reaches an upcoming turning point from a current direction of advance;

storing a plurality of arrow icons;

selecting from said plurality of arrow icons one thereof most representative of said current direction of advance and said plurality of successive directions of advance;

identifying each of said plurality of arrow icons by a signal; and

displaying said one of said plurality of arrow icons responsive to said signal.

10. A navigation system for a vehicle comprising:

a computer;

said computer including means for continuously computing a plurality of successive directions of advance until said vehicle leaches a destination point, said plurality of successive directions of advance immediately following an upcoming turning point from a current direction of advance;

means for creating an icon that represents said current direction of advance and said plurality of successive directions of advance; and

means for displaying said icon before said vehicle reaches said upcoming turning point.

11. A navigation system for a vehicle comprising:

a computer;

said computer including means for continuously computing a plurality of successive directions of advance until said vehicle reaches a destination point, said plurality of successive directions immediately following a turning point from a current direction of advance;

means for storing a plurality of arrow icons, each representing a particular combination of successive directions of advance of said vehicle;

means for choosing one of said plurality of arrow icons best representative of said current direction of advance and at least one of said plurality of successive directions of advance;

said means for storing includes means for storing an X-Y array of said plurality of arrow icons;

means for identifying a desired one of said plurality of arrow icons by its X and Y positions in said X-Y array; and

means for displaying said one of said plurality of arrow icons.

12. A navigation system comprising:

means for storing a matrix of arrow icons;

means for determining at least one turn, having first and second characteristics, at one of a predetermined distance or a predetermined travel time ahead of a current position of said vehicle;

said matrix being organized into columns that correspond to possible values for said first characteristic and rows that correspond to possible values for said second characteristic;

means for selecting from said means for storing an arrow icon in a column corresponding to a value of said first characteristic and in a row corresponding to said second characteristic that most closely represents said at least one turn; and

means for displaying said arrow icon.

13. A navigation system according to claim 12, wherein said one of a predetermined distance or a predetermined travel time is a predetermined distance.

14. A navigation system according to claim 12, wherein said one of a predetermined distance or a predetermined travel time is a predetermined travel time.

15. A navigation system according to claim 12, wherein:

said means for determining determines up to two turns; and

said matrix of arrow icons includes arrow icons for a plurality of single turns and arrow icons for a plurality of sequences of two turns.

16. A navigation system for a vehicle controlled by an operator, comprising:

means for determining a road shape along a route of travel of said vehicle,

said road shape including at least one of a turn and a curve,

said turn having an angle,

said curve having a radius and a turning angle;

means for displaying to said operator a first-occurring one of said turn or said curve, including said angle when said first-occurring one is a turn, and said radius and said turning angle when said first-occurring one is a curve;

means for displaying to said operator a second-occurring one of said turn or said curve, including said angle when said second-occurring one is a turn, and said radius and said turning angle when said second occurring one is a curve; and

means for displaying said first-occurring one and said second-occurring one simultaneously to said operator.

17. A navigation system for a vehicle comprising:

means for continuously computing a plurality of directions of advance, and respective turning points of said plurality of directions of advance, before said vehicle reaches a first of said turning points;

means for creating an icon representing a current direction of advance and a first of said plurality of directions of advance;

means for displaying said icon when said respective turning points of two of said plurality of directions are beyond one of a first predetermined time interval or a first predetermined distance interval;

means for displaying said icon when said respective turning points of said two of said plurality of directions are within one of a second predetermined time interval or a second predetermined distance interval;

said first predetermined time interval being larger than said second predetermined time interval; and

said first predetermined distance interval being larger than said second predetermined distance interval.