Tour schedule processor for moving bodies

• US 5,819,227 A
• Filed: 08/01/1996
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Obuchi, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Jagdish
• Application Number:
  US08/691,140
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/6, 364/436, 370/95.1
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968

Abstract

A tour schedule processor stores a tour schedule, in which a variety of transportation means are used, in a vehicle-installed data terminal and a personal digital assistant (PDA) such as a palm top computer, and enable the tour schedule to be carried out. A center console of a vehicle has a recess for receiving the PDA which retains the tour schedule. A data processor in the PDA transmits the tour schedule to a data processor in the vehicle-installed data terminal, which extracts and retains data related to the vehicle from the tour schedule. When a current position denotes transportation by the vehicle, a navigation unit of the vehicle-installed data terminal guides the vehicle. At the end of the guidance, the data processor of the vehicle-installed data terminal starts the PDA. The PDA then performs guidance. The PDA is removed from the recess, and guides the driver who is carrying the PDA.

Claims

1. A tour schedule processor for processing tour schedules of moving bodies including a vehicle and a pedestrian, comprising:

(a) a portable data terminal and a vehicle-installed data terminal;

(b) communication means for communicating data between the portable data terminal and the vehicle-installed data terminal;

(c) data selecting means for selecting, from the tour schedule, tour schedule related to the vehicle having the data terminal and tour schedule related to moving bodies other than the vehicle; and

(d) storage means disposed in the portable data terminal and in the vehicle-installed data terminal, and both the storage means storing the tour schedule;

wherein the tour schedule related to the vehicle is stored in the storage means of the vehicle-installed data terminal, and the tour schedule related to the moving bodies other than the vehicle is stored in the storage means of the portable data terminal.

2. The tour schedule processor according to claim 1, wherein the portable data terminal includes receiving means for receiving a tour schedule prepared by an information center, and transmitting the received tour schedule to the vehicle-installed data terminal via the communication means.

3. The tour schedule processor according to claim 2, wherein the data selecting means of the vehicle-installed data terminal selects the tour schedule related to the vehicle from the tour schedule transmitted from the portable data terminal, and stores the selected data in the storage means of the vehicle-installed data terminal.

4. The tour schedule processor according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle-installed data terminal includes receiving means for receiving the tour schedule prepared by an information center, and the selecting means of the vehicle-installed data terminal selects the tour schedule related to the vehicle from the received tour schedule, and stores the selected data in the storage means of the vehicle-installed data terminal.

5. The tour schedule processor according to claim 4, wherein the tour schedule related to the moving bodies other than the vehicle is transmitted to the portable data terminal via the communication means, and is stored in the storage means of the portable data terminal.

6. The tour schedule processor according to claim 1, further comprising:

(e) first navigating means for guiding the vehicle in accordance with the tour schedule related to the vehicle; and

(f) second navigating means for guiding the moving bodies other than the vehicle in accordance with the tour schedule related to the moving bodies other than the vehicle,

wherein both the first and second navigating means execute the overall tour schedule.

7. The tour schedule processor according to claim 6, further comprising:

(g) first informing means disposed in the vehicle-installed data terminal and informing the portable data terminal of the completion of navigation guidance by the first navigating means via the communication means; and

(h) second informing means disposed in the portable data terminal and informing the vehicle-installed data terminal of the completion of the guidance by the second navigating means,

wherein the second navigating means is activated in response to the information from the first informing means, and the first navigating means is activated in response to the information from the second informing means.

8. The tour schedule processor according to claim 1, wherein the portable data terminal has a connector terminal for electrical connection with the vehicle-installed data terminal, and the electrical connection between the portable data terminal and the vehicle-installed data terminal is established via the connector terminal when the portable data terminal is fitted into a predetermined position in the vehicle.

9. The tour schedule processor according to claim 8, wherein the portable data terminal has information displaying means for displaying information, and the information displaying means functions as a display for the vehicle-installed data terminal when the portable data terminal and the vehicle-installed data terminal are electrically connected.