Navigation system using portable phone and navigation method using the same

• US 6,029,069 A
• Filed: 05/28/1997
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Takaki, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuan T.
• Application Number:
  US08/864,670
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412, 455/414, 455/456, 455/457, 342/357, 342/450, 342/457
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• 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: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096894 where input is assisted by the navigation device, i.e. the user does not type the complete name of the destination, e.g. using zip codes, telephone numbers, progressively selecting from initial letters

Abstract

A name and a location of a building within a control area are correlated with a registered phone number. A map covering the control area and its periphery is stored based on the building. The destination building is searched based on the destination and navigation request. A plurality of voice direction messages are stored for directing the navigation. A plurality of question messages are stored for demanding the user to respond according to a predetermined format so as to specify the present location. When the navigation route extends over a plurality of control areas each controlled by a different base station, such information containing the destination, navigation request, present location and route is shared by those different base stations.

Claims

1. A navigation system using a portable phone comprising:

a portable phone for transmitting destination information for a destination building, a navigation request for navigation to said destination building and present location information on a present location of a user of said portable phone;

a base station for controlling a call of said portable phone in its control area;

a building database file for storing information of each name and location of buildings existing in said control area;

a map database file for storing a map covering said control area and a map covering a periphery of said control area based on a building location;

a question message database file for storing question messages which demand said portable phone user to input a response according to a predetermined format to determine a present location of said portable phone user;

route search means for retrieving information for said destination building from said building database file based on a navigation request and destination information received through said base station, and searching said map database file for a navigation route starting from a present location to a destination based on present location information received through said base station and said retrieved destination building information, and for searching said question message database file for a question message used to determine the present location of said portable phone user; and

means for transmitting said question message and said navigation route to said portable phone through said base station.

2. The navigation system using a portable phone of claim 1, comprising a direction message database file for storing a plurality of voice direction messages for directing navigation, wherein said route search means further comprises means for searching said direction message database file for a direction message which uses a building as a navigation point along with a navigation route and directing a navigation route based on a searched direction message.

3. The navigation system using a portable phone of claim 1 comprising a plurality of base stations connected to said route search means, wherein information containing destination, navigation request, present location and navigation route is shared by said plurality of base stations when a navigation route extends over control areas of different base stations.

4. The navigation system using a portable phone of claim 1, wherein said building database file stores information of each name and location for buildings existing in a control area correlated with a registered phone number of a phone set in said building, said route search means comprises means for receiving a registered phone number of a phone set in a destination building as said destination information and retrieving a name and location of said destination building from said building database file based on said registered phone number.

5. A voice navigation system using a portable phone comprising:

a portable phone for transmitting a registered phone number of a phone set in a destination building, a navigation request for navigation to said destination building and present location information for a present location of a user;

a base station for controlling a call of said portable phone in its control area;

a building database file for storing information of each name and location of buildings existing in said control area correlated with a registered phone number of a phone set in said building;

a map database file for storing a map covering said control area and a map covering a periphery of said control area based on a building location;

a direction message database file for storing a plurality of voice direction messages for directing navigation;

a question message database file for storing question messages which demand said user to input a response according to a predetermined format in order to determine said user'"'"'s present location;

means for receiving a navigation request from said portable phone through said base station and a registered phone number of a phone set in said destination building and retrieving information for a name and location of said destination building from said building database file based on said registered phone number;

means for searching said question message database file to retrieve a question message used to determine a present location of said portable phone user and transmitting said question to said portable phone through said base station;

means for determining said user'"'"'s present location from said map database file based on a response to said question;

means for searching said map database file to determine a navigation route starting from a present location to a destination based on said user'"'"'s present location and said destination building location; and

means for searching said direction message database file for a direction message using a building as a navigation point along with said navigation route and transmitting said direction message to said portable phone through said base station.

6. The navigation system using a portable phone of claim 5 comprising a plurality of base stations, wherein information containing destination, navigation request, present location and navigation route is shared by said plurality of base stations when a navigation route extends over control areas of different base stations.

7. A navigation system using a portable phone that obtains information on a destination building, a navigation request for navigation to said building and location information of a Portable phone user'"'"'s present location from a base station controlling calls among a plurality of portable phones in its control area for navigating said portable phone comprising:

a building database file for storing information of each name and location of buildings existing in said control area;

a map database file for storing a map covering said control area and a map covering a periphery of said control area based on a building location; and

a question message database file for storing question messages which demand said portable phone user to input a response according to a predetermined format to determine a present location of said portable phone user; and

a route search device for searching a building database transposition file to determine a building corresponding to a destination and a navigation request and determining a navigation route based on location information and said destination within said map database file, and for searching said question message database file for a question message used to determine the present location of said portable phone user.

8. The navigation system using a portable phone of claim 7, further comprising a direction message database file for storing a plurality of voice direction messages for directing navigation, wherein said route search means searches said direction message database file for a direction message which uses a building as a navigation point along with a navigation route and directs a navigation route based on said direction message.

9. The navigation system using a portable phone of claim 7 comprising a plurality of base stations connected to said route search means, wherein information containing destination, navigation request, present location and navigation route is shared by said plurality of base stations when said navigation route extends over control areas of different base stations.

10. The navigation system using a portable phone of claim 7, wherein said building database file stores information of each name and location for buildings existing in a control area correlated with a registered phone number of a phone set in said building, said route search means comprises means for receiving a registered phone number of a phone set in a destination building as said destination information and retrieving a name and location of said destination building from said building database file based on said registered phone number.

11. A navigation method using a portable phone comprising the steps of:

transmitting destination information of a destination building, a navigation request for navigation to said building and a user'"'"'s present location information to a base station by said user through a portable phone thereof, said base station controls an area used by said user;

searching location information for said destination building from a building database file based on said transmitted destination information, said building database file storing each name and location for buildings existing in said control area;

searching a map database file for a navigation route starting from a present location to a destination, said map database file storing a map covering said control area and a map covering a periphery of said control area based on a building location by referring to said transmitted present location information and said destination building location information;

preparing a question message database file for storing question messages that demand said user to input a response according to a predetermined format in order to specify a present location, retrieving a question message used to specify a present location of said user from said question message database file; and

navigating said user by transmitting said retrieved question message to said portable phone to determine a present location of said user, and transmitting said navigation route information to said portable phone.

12. The navigation method using a portable phone of claim 11, wherein a direction message database file storing a plurality of voice direction messages for directing navigation is prepared, a direction message database is searched for a direction message for directing a building as a navigation point based on a navigation route, and a navigation route is provided through voice direction.

13. The navigation method using a portable phone of claim 11, wherein said building database file stores information of each name and location for buildings existing in said control area correlated with a registered phone number of a phone set in said building, a registered phone number of a phone set in a destination building is transmitted as said destination information so that a name and location of said destination building is retrieved from said building database file based on said registered phone number.

14. The navigation method using a portable phone of claim 11, wherein information containing destination, navigation request, present location and navigation route is shared by said plurality of base stations when said navigation route extends over control areas of different base stations.