Navigation device

• US 6,088,652 A
• Filed: 03/27/1997
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Tottori Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Tottori Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Abe, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US08/824,942
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 701/207, 701/208, 701/210, 701/211, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

In a navigation device, the map information read by a map information reproduction device is displayed on the display device, and an intersection which the vehicle approaches is enlarged. The enlarged display of an intersection is continued if the speed of the vehicle is not more than a predetermined value even when the disk is moving away from the intersection. A place at which the classification of road changes may be treated like an intersection. An exclusion key may be provided for designating, during simulation, an intersection to be excluded from the enlarged display. During simulation, the vehicle may be slowed, or stopped when it is near an intersection to permit full examination. A multi-disk reproduction device may be used to selectively reproduce map information from a first disk for storing map information of a first area, and a second disk for storing map information of a second area. If, in the state in which the first disk is selected, the vehicle moves to the second area, the disk storing map information of the second area is automatically selected.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising:

a current position detector for detecting a current position of a vehicle;

a map information reproduction device for reading map information from a medium which stores the map information;

a display device; and

a control circuit for causing the map information read by the map information reproduction device to be displayed on the display device, initiating enlarged display of an intersection of which the vehicle approaches to within a predetermined distance, and terminating the enlarged display when a predetermined condition has been satisfied;

wherein the control circuit continues the enlarged display of the intersection if the speed of the vehicle is not more than a predetermined value, even though the predetermined condition has been satisfied.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined condition is

that the vehicle moves away from the intersection farther than a predetermined distance;

that the vehicle moves at a speed greater than a predetermined speed, after passing the intersection;

or

that a predetermine time has passed after the vehicle has passed the intersection.

3. A navigation device comprising:

a current position detector for detecting a current position of a vehicle;

a map information reproduction device for reading map information from a medium storing the map information;

a display device;

a control circuit for directing display of the map information read from the map information reproduction device and the current position detected by the current position detector on the display device; and

a scroll key for scrolling a display screen in a designated direction;

wherein the control circuit directs scrolling of the screen based on an operation of the scroll key, and directs enlarged display of an intersection when the intersection is brought by scrolling, to within a predetermined area of the screen.

4. A navigation device comprising:

a current position detector for detecting a current position of a vehicle;

a map information reproduction device for reading map information from a medium storing the map information including information about road classifications;

a display device; and

a control circuit for directing display of the map information read from the map information reproduction device and the current position detected by the current position detector on the display device;

wherein when a boundary with a road of a different classification, than the classification of the road traveled on lies ahead in a moving direction of the vehicle, the control circuit directs enlarged display of the boundary when the vehicle comes within a predetermined distance of the boundary.

5. A navigation device comprising:

a current position detector for detecting a current position of a vehicle;

a map information reproduction device for reading map information from a medium storing the map information;

storage means for storing a planned route;

a display device;

a control circuit for directing a route guidance display operation of displaying the map information read from the map information reproduction device, the planned route stored in the storage means, and the current position detected by the current position detector on the display device, a simulated travel display operation of displaying the planned route to be stored in the storage means and a virtual current position on the planned route on the display device with a predetermined procedure and a predetermined speed, and enlarged display of an intersection in a position of the vehicle near the intersection during the route guidance display operation and the simulated travel display operation; and

an exclusion key for designating, during the simulated travel display operation, an intersection to be excluded from the enlarged display;

wherein, during the route guidance display operation, the control circuit does not direct enlarged display of the intersection designated by the exclusion key at the time of the simulated travel display operation.

6. A navigation device comprising:

storage means for storing a planned route;

a display device; and

a control circuit for directing a simulated travel display operation of displaying the planned route to be stored in the storage means and a virtual current position on the planned route on the display device with a predetermined procedure and a predetermined speed, and enlarged display of an intersection at the time when the vehicle is near the intersection during the simulated travel display operation, wherein

during the enlarged display of the intersection the control circuit directs lowering of the moving speed of or temporary stopping of the vehicle during the simulated travel display operation.