Navigation system for leading to a destination and recording medium used for the navigation system

• US 5,845,226 A
• Filed: 05/16/1996
• Issued: 12/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ajima, Takumi
• Primary Examiner(s): ZANELLI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US08/648,794
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 340/995, 341/51, 341/79, 395/101, 707/101
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

Electronic information such as pieces of map information, pieces of index information, pieces of route searching information, pieces of local facility information, pieces of audio information, pieces of dynamic image information and pieces of static image information are recorded in a CD-ROM. A part of electronic information are compressed, and any pieces of information in the remaining part of electronic information is not compressed. When an operator input a current position, a pieces of particular electronic information corresponding to a peripheral area of the current position is read from the CD-ROM to a navigation apparatus, it is judged by a compression mode judging unit whether or not the particular electronic information is compressed. In cases where the particular electronic information is compressed, the particular electronic information is expanded in an expanding unit, and a map image of the peripheral area is prepared in an navigation control unit and is displayed on a display. Therefore, because a part of electronic information are compressed, a large volume of electronic information can be recorded in the CD-ROM, and a navigating operation can be performed at various functions and high performance in a navigation system.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

a recording medium for recording pieces of electronic information, a part of the electronic information being compressed;

inputting means for inputting at least one of a current position and a desired type of information;

information reading means for reading a piece of particular electronic information corresponding to said at least one of the current position and the desired type of information input to the inputting means from the recording medium;

information expanding means for expanding the particular electronic information read by the information reading means;

control means for controlling the information reading means to read the particular electronic information according to said at least one of the current position and the desired type of information input to the inputting means, and preparing at least one of a map image of a peripheral area of the current position and a piece of desired information according to the particular electronic information expanded by the information expanding means;

displaying means for displaying at least one of the map image of the peripheral area and the desired information prepared by the control means; and

compression judging means for judging whether or not the particular electronic information read by the information reading means is compressed, transmitting the particular electronic information to the expanding means in cases where the particular electronic information is compressed, and transmitting the particular electronic information to the control means without expanding the particular electronic information in the expanding means.

2. A navigation system according to claim 1 in which the recording medium has an compression identifying area for recording a compression code to judge whether or not a group of electronic information recorded in the recording medium is compressed according to an information compressing method and a compressing method information area for recording a piece of compressing method information to identify the information compressing method, the judgement of the compression judging means being performed according to the compression code, and an expanding operation of the information expanding means being performed according to the compressing method information.

3. A navigation system according to claim 1 in which a group of the electronic information recorded in the recording medium is composed of a group of pieces of first data respectively compressed according to a value range of each piece of first data and another group of pieces of non-compressed data.

4. A navigation system, comprising:

a recording medium for recording pieces of electronic information in a hierarchically arranged tree structure, a part of the electronic information being compressed;

inputting means for inputting at least one of a current position and a desired type of information;

information reading means for reading a piece of particular electronic information corresponding to said at least one of the current position and the desired type of information input to the inputting means from the recording medium;

information expanding means for expanding the particular electronic information read by the information reading means;

control means for controlling the information reading means to read the particular electronic information according to said at least one of the current position and the desired type of information input to the inputting means, and preparing at least one of a map image of a peripheral area of the current position and a piece of desired information according to the particular electronic information expanded by the information expanding means; and

displaying means for displaying at least one of the map image of the peripheral area and the desired information prepared by the control means.

5. A navigation system according to claim 4 in which the recording medium has a first memory area for storing a small volume of electronic information belonging to an upper ranking class defined by classifying the electronic information hierarchically recorded and a second memory area for storing pieces of compressed electronic information obtained by compressing a large volume of electronic information which belong to a lower ranking class defined by classifying the electronic information hierarchically recorded.

6. A navigation system, comprising:

a recording medium, having a compressing method information area, for recording pieces of electronic information and recording a piece of compressing method information in the compressing method information area to identify an information compressing method, a part of the electronic information being comnpressed, and the compressing method information being composed of a piece of division and compression indicating information for indicating how the electronic information recorded in the recording medium is divided and compressed, a mathematical expression of the information compressing method, a mathematical expression of an information expanding method corresponding to the information compressing method, an expansion program expressed by a high-level language and a version number for the information expanding method;

inputting means for inputting at least one of a current position and a desired type of information;

information reading means for reading a piece of particular electronic information corresponding to said at least one of the current position and the desired type of information input to the inputting means from the recording medium;

information expanding means for expanding the particular electronic information read by the information reading means, an expanding operation of the information expanding means being performed according to the compressing method information recorded in the compressing method information area of the recording medium;

control means for controlling the information reading means to read the particular electronic information according to said at least one of the current position and the desired type of information input to the inputting means, and preparing at least one of a map image of a peripheral area of the current position and a piece of desired information according to the particular electronic information expanded by the information expanding means; and

displaying means for displaying at least one of the map image of the peripheral area and the desired information prepared by the control means.

7. A navigation system according to claim 6 in which the electronic information recorded in the recording medium is divided into a plurality of groups of electronic information.

8. A navigation system, comprising:

a recording medium for recording pieces of electronic information, a part of each of the pieces of electronic information being compressed according to a value range of the corresponding piece of electronic information;

inputting means for inputting at least one of a current position and a desired type of information;

information reading means for reading a piece of particular electronic information corresponding to said at least one of the current position and the desired type of information input to the inputting means from the recording medium;

information expanding means for expanding the particular electronic information read by the information reading means;

control means for controlling the information reading means to read the particular electronic information according to said at least one of the current position and the desired type of information input to the inputting means, and preparing at least one of a map image of a peripheral area of the current position and a piece of desired information according to the particular electronic information expanded by the information expanding means; and

displaying means for displaying at least one of the map image of the peripheral area and the desired information prepared by the control means.

9. A navigation system, comprising:

a recording medium for recording pieces of electronic information, a piece of specific electronic information being expressed by arranging pieces of non-compressed data respectively having a limited value range, the specific electronic information being recorded in the recording medium by changing the non-compressed data to pieces of compressed data according to the limited value range of the corresponding piece of non-compressed data;

inputting means for inputting at least one of a current position and a desired type of information;

information reading means for reading a piece of particular electronic information corresponding to said at least one of the current position and the desired type of information input to the inputting means from the recording medium;

information expanding means for expanding the particular electronic information read by the information reading means;

control means for controlling the information reading means to read the particular electronic information according to said at least one of the current position and the desired type of information input to the inputting means, and preparing at least one of a map image of a peripheral area of the current position and a piece of desired information according to the particular electronic information expanded by the information expanding means; and

displaying means for displaying at least one of the map image of the peripheral area and the desired information prepared by the control means.

10. A navigation system, comprising:

a recording medium for recording pieces of electronic information, a piece of specific electronic information being expressed by arranging pieces of first non-compressed data each having an unlimited value range and pieces of second non-compressed data each having a limited value range in an original orders and the specific electronic information being recorded in the recording medium by gathering the second non-compressed data in a group, compressing a group of the second non-compressed data to a group of third compressed data and arranging the group of third compressed data and the first non-compressed data in series;

inputting means for inputting at least one of a current position and a desired type of information;

information reading means for reading a piece of particular electronic information corresponding to said at least one of the current position and the desired type of information input to the inputting means from the recording medium;

information expanding means for expanding the particular electronic information read by the information reading means;

control means for controlling the information reading means to read the particular electronic information according to said at least one of the current position and the desired type of information input to the inputting means, and preparing at least one of a map image of a peripheral area of the current position and a piece of desired information according to the particular electronic information expanded by the information expanding means; and

displaying means for displaying at least one of the map image of the peripheral area and the desired information prepared by the control means.

11. A recording medium used for a navigation system in which a current position and a map image of a peripheral area of the current position are displayed and a piece of desired information is displayed, the recording medium comprising:

a first memory area for hierarchically recording pieces of electronic information classified into pieces of map information. pieces of route searching information, pieces of index information, pieces of local facility information, pieces of address information and pieces of telephone number information, a part of the electronic information being compressed;

a second memory area for recording a small volume of electronic information belonging to an upper ranking class defined by classifying the electronic information hierarchically recorded in the first memory area; and

a third memory area for recording pieces of compressed electronic information obtained by compressing a large volume of electronic information which belong to a lower ranking class defined by classifying the electronic information hierarchically recorded in the first memory area.

12. A recording medium used for a navigation system in which a current position and a map image of a peripheral area of the current position are displayed and a piece of desired information is displayed, the recording medium comprising:

an electronic information memory area for recording pieces of electronic information classified into pieces of map information, pieces of route searching information, pieces of index information, pieces of local facility information, pieces of address information and pieces of telephone number information, a part of the electronic information being compressed; and

a compressing method information area for recording a piece of compressing method information to identify an information compressing method, the compressing method information being composed of a piece of division and compression indicating information for indicating how the electronic information is divided and compressed, a mathematical expression of the information compressing method, a mathematical expression of an information expanding method corresponding to the information compressing method, an expansion program expressed by a high-level language and a version number for the information expanding method, and an expanding operation for a piece of particular electronic information corresponding to the current position being performed according to the compressing method information.

13. A recording medium used for a navigation system in which a current position and a map image of a peripheral area of the current position are displayed and a piece of desired information is displayed, the recording medium comprising:

an electronic information memory area for recording pieces of electronic information classified into pieces of map information, pieces of route searching information, pieces of index information, pieces of local facility information, pieces of address information and pieces of telephone number information, a part of the electronic information being compressed, each piece of the electronic information being compressed according to a value range of the corresponding piece of electronic information.

14. A recording medium used for a navigation system in which a current position and a map image of a peripheral area of the current position are displayed and a piece of desired information is displayed, the recording medium comprising:

an electronic information memory area for recording pieces of electronic information classified into pieces of map information, pieces of route searching information, pieces of index information, pieces of local facility information, pieces of address information and pieces of telephone number information, a part of the electronic information being compressed, a group of the pieces of electronic information being composed of a group of pieces of first data respectively compressed according to a value range of the corresponding piece of first data and another group of pieces of non-compressed data.

15. A recording medium used for a navigation system in which a current position and a map image of a peripheral area of the current position are displayed and a piece of desired information is displayed, the recording medium comprising:

an electronic information memory area for recording pieces of electronic information classified into pieces of map information, pieces of route searching information, pieces of index information, pieces of local facility information, pieces of address information and pieces of telephone number information, a part of the electronic information being compressed, a piece of specific electronic information recorded in the electronic information memory area being expressed by arranging pieces of non-compressed data respectively having a limited value range, and the specific electronic information being recorded by changing the pieces of non-compressed data to pieces of compressed data according to the limited value range of the corresponding piece of non-compressed data.

16. A recording medium used for a navigation system in which a current position and a map image of a peripheral area of the current position are displayed and a piece of desired information is displayed, the recording medium comprising:

an electronic information memory area for recording pieces of electronic information classified into pieces of map information, pieces of route searching information, pieces of index information, pieces of local facility information, pieces of address information and pieces of telephone number information, a part of the electronic information being compressed, a piece of specific electronic information being expressed by arranging pieces of first non-compressed data each having an unlimited value range and pieces of second non-compressed data each having a limited value range in an original order, and the specific electronic information being recorded by gathering the second non-compressed data in a group, compressing a group of the second non-compressed data to a group of third compressed data and arranging the group of third compressed data and the first non-compressed data in series.

17. A navigation system, comprising:

a recording medium for recording pieces of electronic information, a piece of specific electronic information being expressed by arranging pieces of first non-compressed data each having an unlimited value range and pieces of second non-compressed data each having a limited value range in an original order, and the specific electronic information being recorded in the recording medium by gathering the second non-compressed data in a group, compressing a group of the second non-compressed data to a group of third compressed data and arranging the group of third compressed data and the first non-compressed data in series;

inputting means for inputting at least one of a current position and a desired type of information;

information reading means for reading a piece of particular electronic information corresponding to said at least one of the current position and the desired type of information input to the inputting means from the recording medium;

information expanding means for expanding the particular electronic information read by the information reading means;

control means for controlling the information reading means to read the particular electronic information according to said at least one of the current position and the desired type of information input to the inputting means, and preparing at least one of a map image of a peripheral area of the current position and a piece of desired information according to the particular electronic information expanded by the information expanding means; and

displaying means for displaying at least one of the map image of the peripheral area and the desired information prepared by the control means.