Route guiding device for vehicle

• US 6,163,750 A
• Filed: 11/04/1998
• Issued: 12/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nojima, Akihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Donnelly, Arthur D.
• Application Number:
  US09/185,576
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 701/96, 701/116, 701/209, 701/210, 701/211, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/209
• 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: G01C 21/3655 Timing of guidance instructions
• 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

When a car is traveling ahead of the car on which a route guidance device of this invention is carried, the route guidance device determines the distance D to the preceding vehicle and judges whether or not an intersection where the driver is to be guided is within the distance D from the preset location of the device-loaded vehicle. Namely, the device finds the timing at which the preceding vehicle enters the intersection. At that timing, the device gives a guidance based on the behavior of the preceding vehicle by announcing such a message that "Turn left at the intersection the preceding vehicle is now at", "Turn left at the intersection where the preceding vehicle is turning", "Turn left at the intersection the preceding vehicle is now passing straight through.", etc. Therefore, easily understandable guidance can be given at an intersection where the driver is to be guided.

Claims

1. A route guidance device for a vehicle for guiding a driver in an appropriate direction to be taken by the vehicle, the route guidance device comprising:

preceding vehicle direction detecting means for detecting the direction of travel of a preceding vehicle located ahead of the vehicle; and

guiding means for guiding the direction of travel of the vehicle on the basis of the detected direction of travel of the preceding vehicle.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said preceding vehicle direction detecting means captures images of an advance vehicle, which is directly in front of the vehicle, and detects the direction of travel of the preceding vehicle.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said preceding vehicle direction detecting means receives direction of travel information of the preceding vehicle and determines the direction of travel of the preceding vehicle.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said guiding means outputs a guide voice which includes an expression about the detected direction of travel of the preceding vehicle.

4. A route guidance device for vehicle for guiding the driver in an appropriate direction to be taken by the vehicle, the route guidance device comprising:

preceding vehicle positioning means for detecting a position of the preceding vehicle located in front of the vehicle; and

guidance means for guiding the direction of travel of the vehicle on the basis of the position of said preceding vehicle.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein said preceding vehicle positioning means includes a vehicle-to-vehicle sensor for detecting a vehicle-to-vehicle distance to the vehicle and detects the position of a vehicle directly in front.

7. A device according to claim 4, wherein the guiding means outputs a guide voice which includes an expression about the detected position of the preceding vehicle.