Navigation system for indicating of optimum route
First Claim
1. A navigation apparatus for guiding a vehicle to a destination along a guide route, comprising:
- (a) an off-route detection means for detecting an off-route condition when the vehicle is on a road displaced from the guide route;
(b) a guide route searching means for searching when the off-route detection means detects an off-route condition, a route from a present position of the vehicle to the destination or a return point on the guide route;
said guide route searching means including;
(i) weight factor determining means for determining a weighting value to modify a road parameter used in searching for the guide route;
(ii) modifying means for modifying the road parameter of a road on which the vehicle is traveling based on the weighting value; and
(iii) calculating means for calculating a route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination or the return point on the guide route, as a function of the modified parameter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A navigation method and apparatus and a navigation program are provided for guiding a vehicle to a destination along a guide route. An off-route detection unit detects an off-route condition when the vehicle is displaced from the guide route and a guide route searching unit searches or determines, when the off-route detection unit detects an off-route condition, a route from a present position of the vehicle to the destination or return point on the guide route. The guide route determining or searching unit includes a weight factor determining unit for determining a weighting value to modify or scale a road parameter used in determining the guide route, a modifying unit for modifying the parameter based on the weighting value, and a calculating unit for calculating a route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination or the return point on the guide route, as a function of the modified parameter. A display is provided for displaying the guide route to the operator of the vehicle.
76 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A navigation apparatus for guiding a vehicle to a destination along a guide route, comprising:
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(a) an off-route detection means for detecting an off-route condition when the vehicle is on a road displaced from the guide route; (b) a guide route searching means for searching when the off-route detection means detects an off-route condition, a route from a present position of the vehicle to the destination or a return point on the guide route;
said guide route searching means including;(i) weight factor determining means for determining a weighting value to modify a road parameter used in searching for the guide route; (ii) modifying means for modifying the road parameter of a road on which the vehicle is traveling based on the weighting value; and (iii) calculating means for calculating a route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination or the return point on the guide route, as a function of the modified parameter. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13)
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2. A navigation apparatus for guiding a vehicle to a destination comprising:
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a guide route searching means for searching for a route from the present position of the vehicle to a destination; weight factor determining means for determining a weighting value for modifying a road parameter used for searching a guide route; modifying means for modifying the road parameter, of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, based on the weighting value; and calculating means for calculating a guide route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination, in accordance with the modified parameter.
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11. A method of guiding a vehicle to a destination along a guide route, or to a return point on the guide route when the vehicle is in an off-route condition, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting an off-route condition of the vehicle when the vehicle is displaced from the guide route; and (b) determining upon detecting an off-route condition of the vehicle, a route from the present position of the vehicle to the return point on the guide route or the destination, wherein determining a route includes determining a weighting value, modifying a road parameter of a road on which the vehicle is traveling as a function of the weighting value, and calculating the route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination or the return point of the guide route, as a function of the modified parameter. - View Dependent Claims (12, 14)
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15. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for guiding a vehicle to a destination along a guide route, or to a return point on the guide route when the vehicle is in an off-route condition comprising determining upon detecting an off-route condition of the vehicle, a route from the present position of the vehicle to the return point on the guide route or the destination, wherein determining a route includes
(i) determining a weighting value, (ii) modifying a road parameter of a road on which the vehicle is traveling as a function of the weighting value, and (iii) calculating the route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination or the return point of the guide route, as a function of the modified parameter.
Specification