Method of navigating using position-information-codes which include information regarding the latitude and longitude of a desired location

• US 6,138,073 A
• Filed: 10/16/1997
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Uchigaki, Yuichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US08/951,452
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/202, 701/207, 701/211, 701/240, 701/208, 701/35, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3623 using a camera or code reader, e.g. for optical or magnetic codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice

Abstract

A method of navigating including decoding a position-information code represented by a string of codes including the latitude and the longitude of a position entered via an input means into original information on the position including the latitude and the longitude of the position. Information created from the recovered original information resulting from the decoding of the position-information code and map data read out from a map-information storage unit are presented to the user by using a display means and a sound outputting means.

Claims

1. A method of navigating including:

storing map data within a navigation device;

detecting a present position of a moving body relative to said map data;

inputting into said navigation device a position-information code associated by a predetermined algorithm with encoded original position information of a desired location including but not limited to a latitude and a longitude of said desired location, the algorithm being dependent on a type of the original position information;

decoding said position-information code to obtain said original position information; and

presenting a user with said original position information relative to said map data and said present position.

2. The method of navigating according to claim 1, further comprising:

setting a route between said present position and said desired location on said map data; and

quantizing said route into a simplified figure revealing characteristics of said route on the basis of a relation between said present position and a point of intersection closest to said present position as an object of guidance on said route.

3. The method of navigating according to claim 1, further comprising:

including a code for detecting an error within said position-information code.

4. The method of navigating according to claim 1, further comprising:

setting a route between two points on said map data; and

including condition data of a route search within said position information code.

5. The method of navigation according to claim 1, further comprising:

including facility information within said position information code.

6. The method of navigating according to claim 1, further comprising:

setting a route between two points on said map data; and

including within said position information code a latitude and longitude of a location of a parking place related to said desired location or a parking place in close proximity to said facility.

7. The method of navigating according to claim 1, further comprising:

including within said position information code latitudes and longitudes of a plurality of locations.

8. The method of navigating according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing a position-information decoding program in advance in an external storage device for decoding said position-information code into said original position information; and

decoding said position-information code into said original position information using said position-information decoding program.

9. A method for creating position-information codes for a method of navigating comprising:

encoding original position information of a desired location including but not limited to a latitude and a longitude of said desired location into a string of codes representing position-information codes associated by a predetermined algorithm with the original position information, the algorithm being dependent on a type of the original position information.

10. The method for creating position-information codes for a method of navigating as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

storing a position-information coding program for performing said encoding in advance in an external storage device;

loading said position-information coding program from said external storage device into a position-information-code creating apparatus; and

processing said encoding by executing said position-information coding program within said position-information-code creating apparatus.

11. A method for presenting navigation information comprising:

reading out a position-information code from printing media on which said position-information code was printed, wherein said position-information code is associated by a predetermined algorithm with encoded original position information of a desired location including but not limited to a latitude and a longitude of said desired location, the algorithm being dependent on a type of the original position information.

12. The method for presenting navigation information as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

displaying said information created from said original position information.

13. A method for printing a string of characters or a bar code representing a position-information code, comprising:

generating a position-information code associated by a predetermined algorithm with encoded original position information of a desired location including but not limited to a latitude and a longitude of said desired location, the algorithm being dependent on a type of the original position information;

representing said position-information code as a string of characters or a bar code; and

printing said string of characters or said bar code.