Vehicle travel-route guidance apparatus with internal intersection discount feature

• US 6,134,501 A
• Filed: 08/31/1998
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Oumi, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/144,331
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/201, 701/202, 701/204, 701/210, 701/211, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries

Abstract

A vehicle travel-route guidance apparatus. The apparatus includes a map-storing device having internal intersection information that is furnished for executing a right-hand turn or a left-hand turn to bypass an intersection. The guidance apparatus further includes a device that determines whether searched links or nodes have internal intersection information associated therewith, either during, or after, link/node cost evaluation during a destination route search by the control unit. The guidance apparatus also includes a device for relatively changing an evaluation value of the link/node to preferentially include the link/node in a destination route when the control unit searches for a destination route by evaluation-value calculation, thereby ensuring that the most desirable destination route is chosen.

Claims

1. A vehicle travel-route guidance apparatus, comprising:

a map storage medium for storing map-related data and internal intersection information;

a control unit that is operative to establish a destination route from a predetermined departure site to a predetermined destination based on said stored map-related data;

means for determining whether said internal intersection information is provided during a destination route search by said control unit; and

means for relatively changing an evaluation value of searched map-related data, if said internal intersection information is associated therewith, to preferentially include said searched map-related data in said destination route when said control unit searches for said destination route by an evaluation-value calculation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said map-related data comprises link information.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said map-related data comprises node information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said internal intersection information associated with said searched map-related data represents an intersection bypass turn.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control unit is operative to perform a travel guidance operation based on said destination route search.

6. A travel-route guidance apparatus for vehicle use, comprising:

storage means for storing map node, link and internal intersection information;

a control unit that is operative to establish a destination route from a predetermined departure site to a predetermined destination via a cost evaluation of associated route link and node information, and via a subsequent route cost calculation that utilizes said cost evaluation,

said control unit further being operative to determine whether any of said stored internal intersection information is associated with any of said route link or node information; and

changing means for changing an evaluation value of route link or node information, having internal intersection information associated therewith, to provide preferential status for said route link or node information in said route cost calculation to establish said destination route.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said control unit is operative to perform travel guidance subsequent to establishment of said destination route.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said map link information represents an internal intersection for executing an intersection bypass turn associated therewith.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said changing means changes said evaluation value of said route link or node information, having associated internal intersection information, during said cost evaluation of said route link or node information.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said changing means changes the evaluation value of said route link or node information, having associated internal intersection information, subsequent to said cost evaluation of said route link or node information and during said route cost calculation.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said value changing means relatively changes an evaluation value of an internal intersection turn when said identification information is associated with said link or node information.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said value changing means relatively changes an evaluation value of an internal intersection exit point for leaving said internal intersection when said determining means determines that said identification information is associated with said link or node information.

13. A method of guiding a vehicle from a departure site to a destination, comprising the steps of:

establishing said departure site and said destination;

searching for a destination route between said departure site and said destination based on stored map-related data including node and link information;

determining whether internal intersection information is provided with searched map-related data; and

changing an evaluation value of said searched map-related data, if said internal intersection information is associated therewith, to preferentially include said searched map-related data in said destination route.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of determining a destination route based on a route cost calculation that utilizes said evaluation value of said searched map-related data, and on evaluation values of other sets of searched map-related data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of changing comprises changing said evaluation value of said searched map-related data prior to said step of determining.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of changing comprises changing said evaluation value of said searched map-related data during said step of determining.