Navigation system for guiding a driver

• US 6,104,315 A
• Filed: 01/06/1998
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Volkel, Andreas, Hermans, Hans G. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US09/003,280
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 701/210, 701/201, 701/202, 701/205
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents

Abstract

A navigation system (100) includes a vehicle position determining module (110) for determining the current position of the vehicle and a planning module (114) for planning a route between the current position and a desired destination. The navigation system (100) further includes a guidance module (118) for presenting guidance information to guide the driver along the planned route. The navigation system (100) is arranged to detect when the vehicle has left the planned route and to deactivate the guidance module (118) when the vehicle has left the planned route.

Claims

1. A navigation system for guiding a driver of a vehicle along a first route, the system comprising:

a vehicle position determining module for determining a current position of the vehicle,

a planning module for planning the first route between the current position and a destination,

a guidance module for presenting the driver guidance information along the first route, and being arranged to detect when the vehicle has left the first route, characterized in that the navigation system is arranged to deactivate the guidance module when it detects that the vehicle has left the first route;

and wherein the navigation system is arranged to activate, when it detects that the vehicle has left the first route, the planning module to plan a second route between the current position and the destination, and reactivates the guidance module the guidance module to present the driver guidance information along the second route after a predetermined time interval following the deactivation.

2. A navigation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the navigation system is arranged to reactivate the guidance module after the vehicle has traveled predetermined distance following the deactivation.

3. A navigation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the navigation system is arranged to reactivate the guidance module after receipt of a reactive command from the driver.

4. A navigation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the navigation system is arranged to present a notification to the driver when the guidance model is deactivated.

5. A navigation system for guiding a driver of a vehicle along a first route, the system comprising:

a vehicle position determining module for determining a current position of the vehicle,

a planning module for planning the first route between the current position and a destination,

a guidance module for presenting the driver guidance information along the first route, and being arranged to detect when the vehicle has left the first route, characterized in that the navigation system is arranged to deactivate the guidance module when it detects that the vehicle has left the first route;

and wherein the navigation system is arranged to activate, when it detects that the vehicle has left the first route, the planning module to plan a second route between the current position and the destination, and to reactivate the guidance module to present the driver guidance information along the second route after the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance following the deactivation.

6. A navigation system according to claim 5, characterized in that the navigation system is arranged to reactivate the guidance module after receipt of a reactive command from the driver.

7. A navigation system according to claim 5, characterized in that the navigation system is arranged to present a notification to the driver when the guidance module is deactivated.

8. A navigation system for guiding a driver of a vehicle along a first route, the system comprising:

a vehicle position determining module;

a planning module which plans routes between the current position and a destination, the planning module planning the first route between the current position and a destination,

a guidance module which presents the driver guidance information along the planned route,

a control module coupled to the vehicle position module, planning module and guidance module, the control module detecting when the vehicle has left the first route, and deactivating the guidance module when it detects that the vehicle has left the first route, activating planning module to plan a second route between the current position and the destination, when it detects that the vehicle has left the first route, and reactivating the guidance module to present the driver guidance information along the second route after a predetermined time interval following the deactivation.