Navigation display device which indicates goal and route direction information

• US 5,842,147 A
• Filed: 03/06/1996
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ASIN AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Nimura, Mitsuhiro, Yamada, Kunihiro, Maekawa, Kazuteru
• Primary Examiner(s): ZANELLI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US08/611,884
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/207, 701/209, 701/211, 701/210, 701/205, 701/300, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3629 Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech text to speech systems per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

A goal direction mark and a distance to a goal are indicated when the car has approached the end point of route. When the car has deviated from the guide route to the goal or is running backwards on the guide route in a direction that is opposite to the direction of the goal, there is indicated a mark to inform the direction of progress to the goal on the guide route. When the car has deviated from the guide route and the guide route is not indicated on the map picture, there is indicated the direction to the goal or the direction to the guide route itself. When the start point of route is remote from the present position at the start of the guidance, a mark is indicated to inform the direction to the start point of route. The driver is enabled to easily determine relying upon the indicated mark in which direction he should proceed. When the map picture is scrolled, there is informed the goal direction, route direction or the direction of progress to the goal on the route. The user therefore is enabled to easily know the direction to the goal.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising:

present position detection means for detecting the present position of a moving object;

goal-setting means for setting a goal;

route-setting means for setting a route to the goal that is set by said goal-setting means;

route indication means for indicating, on a map picture, the route to the goal set by said route-setting means and the present position;

goal direction calculation means for obtaining a direction from the present position to the goal;

position discrimination means for discriminating whether the present position exists on the route or not; and

goal direction informing means for informing the direction of the goal obtained by said goal direction calculation means when it is discriminated by said position discrimination means that the present position does not exist on the route.

3. The navigation device according to claims 1 or 2, further comprising:

goal indication discrimination means for discriminating whether the goal is indicated within the map picture or not; and

information inhibiting means for inhibiting informing of the direction of the goal by said goal direction informing means when said goal indication discrimination means discriminates that the goal is indicated within the map picture.

4. The navigation device according to claims 1 or 2, further comprising:

distance discrimination means for discriminating whether a distance between the goal and the present position is shorter than a predetermined distance or not; and

information inhibiting means for inhibiting informing of the direction of the goal by said goal direction informing means when said distance discrimination means discriminates that the distance between the goal and the present position is shorter than the predetermined distance.

5. The navigation device according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said goal direction informing means informs direction of the goal by voice.

6. The navigation device according to claims 1 or 2, further comprising:

distance-to-the-goal calculation means for calculating a distance between the present position and the goal; and

distance-to-the-goal informing means for informing the distance calculated by said distance-to-the-goal calculation means when said goal direction informing means informs the direction of the goal.

2. A navigation device comprising:

present position detection means for detecting the present position of a moving object;

goal-setting means for setting a goal;

route-setting means for setting a route to the goal that is set by said goal-setting means;

route indication means for indicating, on a map picture, the route to the goal set by said route-setting means and the present position;

route indication discrimination means for discriminating whether the route is indicated within the map picture or not;

position discrimination means for discriminating whether the present position exists on the route or not;

goal direction calculation means for obtaining a direction from the present position to the goal; and

goal direction informing means for informing the direction of the goal obtained by said goal direction calculation means when it is discriminated by said route indication discrimination means that the route is not indicated within the map picture and when it is discriminated by said position discrimination means that the present position does not exist on the route.

7. The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein said goal direction informing means indicates the direction of the goal on the map picture, the navigation device further comprising:

information erasing means for erasing indication of the direction of the goal from the map picture when said route indication discrimination means discriminates that the route is indicated on the map picture;

direction-of-progress calculation means for obtaining a direction of progress to the goal on the route; and

direction-of-progress informing means for informing the direction of progress obtained by said direction-of-progress calculation means when the indication of the direction of the goal is erased by said information erasing means.

8. A navigation device comprising:

present position detection means for detecting the present position of a moving object;

goal-setting means for setting a goal;

route-setting means for setting a route to the goal that is set by said goal-setting means;

route indication means for indicating, on a map picture, the route to the goal set by said route-setting means and the present position;

direction-of-progress calculation means for obtaining a direction of progress to the goal along the route;

position discrimination means for discriminating whether the present position exists on the route or not; and

direction-of-progress informing means for informing the direction of progress obtained by said direction-of-progress calculation means when it is discriminated by said position discrimination means that the present position does not exist on the route.

9. The navigation device according to claim 8, further comprising:

distance-to-the-route discrimination means for discriminating whether the route is remote from the present position by more than a predetermined distance or not; and

information inhibiting means for inhibiting informing of the direction of progress by said direction-of-progress informing means when said distance-to-the-route discrimination means discriminates that the route is remote from the present position by more than a predetermined distance.

10. The navigation device according to claim 8, further comprising:

goal indication discrimination means for discriminating whether the goal is indicated within the map picture or not; and

information inhibiting means for inhibiting informing of the direction of progress by said direction-of-progress informing means when said goal indication discrimination means discriminates that the goal is indicated within the map picture.

11. The navigation device according to claim 8, further comprising:

distance discrimination means for discriminating whether a distance between the goal and the present position is shorter than a predetermined distance or not; and

information inhibiting means for inhibiting informing of the direction of progress by said direction-of-progress informing means when said distance discrimination means discriminates that the distance between the goal and the present position is shorter than the predetermined distance.

12. The navigation device according to claim 8, wherein said direction-of-progress informing means informs the direction of progress by voice.

13. A navigation device comprising:

present position detection means for detecting the present position of a moving object;

goal-setting means for setting a goal;

route-setting means for setting a route to the goal that is set by said goal-setting means;

route indication means for indicating, on a map picture, the route to the goal set by said route-setting means and the present position;

route indication discrimination means for discriminating whether the route is indicated within the map picture or not;

position discrimination means for discriminating whether the present position exists on the route or not;

route direction calculation means for obtaining a direction from the present position to the route; and

route direction informing means for informing the direction of the route obtained by said route direction calculation means when it is discriminated by said route indication discrimination means that the route is not indicated within the map picture and when it is discriminated by said position discrimination means that the present position does not exist on the route.

14. The navigation device according to claim 13, further comprising:

distance-to-the-route calculation means for calculating a distance between the present position and the route; and

distance-to-the-route informing means for informing the distance calculated by said distance-to-the-route calculation means when said route direction informing means informs the direction of the route.

15. The navigation device according to claim 13, further comprising:

goal indication discrimination means for discriminating whether the goal is indicated within the map picture or not; and

information inhibiting means for inhibiting informing of the direction of the route by said route direction informing means when said goal indication discrimination means discriminates that the goal is indicated within said map picture.

16. The navigation device according to claim 13, further comprising:

distance discrimination means for discriminating whether a distance between the goal and the present position is shorter than a predetermined distance or not; and

information inhibiting means for inhibiting informing of the direction of the route by said route direction informing means when said distance discrimination means discriminates that the distance between the goal and the present position is shorter than the predetermined distance.

17. The navigation device according to claim 13, wherein said route direction informing means informs the direction of the route by voice.

18. The navigation device according to claim 13, wherein said route direction informing means indicates the direction of the route on the map picture, the navigation device further comprising:

information erasing means for erasing the indication of the direction of the route from the map picture when said route indication discrimination means discriminates that the route is indicated on the map picture;

direction-of-progress calculation means for obtaining a direction of progress to the goal on the route; and

direction-of-progress informing means for informing the direction of progress obtained by said direction-of-progress calculation means when the indication of the direction of the route is erased by said information erasing means.

19. A method of displaying navigational information of a moving object comprising the steps of:

a) determining a present position of the object;

b) setting a route to a desired goal;

c) displaying a map picture of the route to the goal;

d) determining a direction of the goal from the present position;

e) discriminating whether the present position is located on the route; and

f) displaying information indicative of the direction of the goal upon determination in said step e) that the present position is not located on the route.

20. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 19, comprising the further steps of:

g) discriminating whether the goal is displayed on the map picture; and

h) inhibiting display of the information indicative of the direction of the goal upon discrimination in said step g) that the goal is displayed on the map picture.

21. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 19, comprising the further steps of:

g) determining if a distance between the goal and the present position is shorter than a predetermined distance; and

h) inhibiting display of the information indicative of the direction of the goal upon determination in said step g) that the distance is shorter than the predetermined distance.

22. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 19, wherein said step f) further comprises providing audio information indicative of the direction of the goal.

23. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 19, comprising the further steps of:

g) determining a distance between the present position and the goal; and

h) displaying the distance determined in said step g).

24. A method of displaying navigational information of a moving object comprising the steps of:

a) determining a present position of the object;

b) setting a route to a desired goal;

c) displaying a map picture of the route to the goal;

d) determining a direction of progress of the object to the goal along the route;

e) discriminating whether the present position is located on the route; and

f) displaying information indicative of the direction of progress upon discrimination in said step e) that the present position is not located on the route.

25. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 24, comprising the further steps of:

g) discriminating whether the route is remote from the present position by more than a predetermined distance; and

h) inhibiting display of the information indicative of the direction of progress upon discrimination in said step g) that the route is remote from the present position by more than the predetermined distance.

26. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 24, comprising the further steps of:

g) discriminating whether the goal is displayed on the map picture; and

h) inhibiting display of information indicative of the direction of progress upon discrimination in said step g) that the goal is displayed on the map picture.

27. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 24, comprising the further steps of:

g) discriminating whether a distance between the goal and the present position is shorter than a predetermined distance; and

h) inhibiting display of the information indicative of the direction of progress upon discrimination that the distance is shorter than the predetermined distance.

28. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 24, wherein said step f) further comprises providing audio information indicative of the direction of progress.

29. A method of displaying navigational information of a moving object comprising the steps of:

a) determining a present position of the object;

b) setting a route to a desired goal;

c) displaying a map picture of the route to the goal;

d) discriminating whether the route is displayed within the map picture;

e) discriminating whether the present position is located on the route;

f) determining a direction from the present position to the goal; and

g) displaying information indicative of the direction of the goal upon discrimination in said step d) that the route is not displayed within the map picture and discrimination in said step e) that the present position is not located on the route.

30. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 29, comprising the further steps of:

h) discriminating whether the goal is displayed on the map picture; and

i) inhibiting display of the information indicative of the direction of the goal upon discrimination in said step h) that the goal is displayed on the map picture.

31. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 29, comprising the further steps of:

h) determining if a distance between the goal and the present position is shorter than a predetermined distance; and

i) inhibiting display of the information indicative of the direction of the goal upon determination in said step h) that the distance is shorter than the predetermined distance.

32. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 29, wherein said step g) further comprises providing audio information indicative of the direction of the goal.

33. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 29, comprising the further steps of:

h) determining a distance between the present position and the goal; and

i) displaying the distance determined in said step h).

34. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 29, comprising the further steps of:

h) erasing the information indicative of the direction of the goal upon discrimination in said step d) that the route is displayed within the map picture;

i) determining a direction of progress to the goal on the route; and

j) displaying information indicative of the direction of progress upon erasing of the information indicative of the direction of the goal in said step h).

35. A method of displaying navigational information of a moving object comprising the steps of:

a) determining a present position of the object;

b) setting a route to a desired goal;

c) displaying a map picture of the route to the goal;

d) discriminating whether the route is displayed within the map picture;

e) discriminating whether the present position is located on the route;

f) determining a direction from the present position to the route; and

g) displaying information indicative of the direction of the route upon discrimination in said step d) that the route is not displayed within the map picture and discrimination in said step e) that the present position is not located on the route.

36. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 35, comprising the further steps of:

h) determining a distance between the present position and the route; and

i) displaying information indicative of the distance.

37. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 35, comprising the further steps of:

h) discriminating whether the goal is displayed within the map picture; and

i) inhibiting display of the information indicative of the direction of the route upon discrimination in said step h) that the goal is displayed within the map picture.

38. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 35, comprising the further steps of:

h) discriminating whether a distance between the goal and the present position is shorter than a predetermined distance; and

i) inhibiting display of the information indicative of the direction of the route upon discrimination in said step h) that the distance is shorter than the predetermined distance.

39. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 35, wherein said step g) further comprises providing audio information indicative of the direction of the route.

40. The method of displaying navigational information of claim 35, comprising the further steps of:

h) erasing the information indicative of the direction of the route upon discrimination in said step d) that the route is displayed within the map picture;

i) determining a direction of progress to the goal on the route; and

j) displaying information indicative of the direction of progress upon erasing of the information indicative of the direction of the route in said step h).