Vehicle-use data processing system, on-vehicle terminal device constituting such system, and navigation device

• US 6,202,022 B1
• Filed: 08/05/1998
• Issued: 03/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ando, Kouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/128,941
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/210, 701/208
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096894 where input is assisted by the navigation device, i.e. the user does not type the complete name of the destination, e.g. using zip codes, telephone numbers, progressively selecting from initial letters

Abstract

A user inputs a position of a registration point by using an input device of an on-vehicle navigation device. A navigation ECU transmits the position of the registration point as a maintenance request to an information center. A center control section reads from a facility information memory section facility information of a facility existing at the position of the registration point and returns the facility information as maintenance data to the device. In the vehicle, new registration point data including the position of the registration point and the facility information is stored in a customizing information memory section. The user need only perform a simple operation, e.g., inputting of the position in order to obtain rich and detailed information. Furthermore, the registration point data in the memory section is appropriately updated with the updated information of the information center by using data communication with the information center.

Claims

1. A vehicle-use data processing system which comprises an information center and an on-vehicle terminal device connected to the information center via a communication means, and in which data presented by the information center is used in a vehicle, wherein

the on-vehicle terminal device comprises:

a registration point information memory for storing registration point information including a position of a registration point and facility information concerning a facility at the registration point, and

a request means for generating a request for maintenance of the registration point information, wherein

the on-vehicle terminal device transmits the maintenance request to the information center, and wherein

the information center comprises;

a facility information memory for storing the facility information together with the position of the facility, and

a maintenance data preparation means in response to the maintenance request for preparing maintenance data to fill and/or update the registration point information of the vehicle based on the facility information stored in the facility information memory, wherein

the information center returns the maintenance data to the on-vehicle terminal device.

2. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 1 wherein the registration point information stored in the vehicle at the time the maintenance request is generated is indicated in the maintenance request, and

the maintenance data includes the updated information for updating the registration point information indicated in the maintenance request.

3. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 2 wherein the maintenance request includes data of the position of the registration point, a facility name, a facility classification and facility introducing information, and

the maintenance data preparation means searches for any discrepancy between the registration point information of the vehicle and the facility information of the information center and updates the data for any detected discrepancy to prepare said maintenance data.

4. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 1 wherein the position of the registration point and a facility classification are indicated in said maintenance request, and

the maintenance data includes the facility information of a facility which exists in the position of the registration point indicated in the maintenance request and belonging to said facility classification.

5. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 4 wherein the maintenance data preparation means uses the facility information of the facility which is nearest to the position of the registration point indicated in said maintenance request and which belongs to said facility classification to prepare the maintenance data.

6. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 4 wherein the maintenance data includes a facility name and facility introducing information.

7. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 1 wherein, at the time of transmission of the maintenance request, the on-vehicle terminal device transmits all the registration point information contained in the vehicle to said information center to request a batch maintenance processing.

8. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 7 wherein the maintenance data preparation means of said information center

checks all the registration point information transmitted from the vehicle,

updates filled registration point information, and

fills any blank portions of unfilled registration point information to prepare filled registration point information.

9. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 8 wherein the maintenance data preparation means,

when said unfilled registration point information has the position of the registration point, uses a name, a classification, and introducing information of a facility which exists in the position of the registration point to prepare filled registration point information, and

when said unfilled registration point information comprises the position of the registration point and a facility classification, uses a name and introducing information of a facility which exists at the position of the registration point and belongs to said facility classification to prepare filled registration point information.

10. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 1 wherein, at the time of transmission of the maintenance request, the on-vehicle terminal device transmits the registration point information requesting maintenance to said information center to request an individual maintenance processing.

11. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 10 wherein the maintenance data preparation means of said information center

checks the registration point information transmitted from the vehicle,

updates the registration point information when the registration point information is not blank, and

prepares filled registration point information, when the registration point information is in an unfilled condition having a blank portion.

12. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 11 wherein the maintenance data preparation means of said information center,

when said unfilled registration point information has the position of the registration point, uses a name, a classification, and introducing information of a facility which exists in the position of the registration point to prepare filled registration point information, and

when said unfilled registration point information has the position of the registration point and a facility classification, uses a name and introducing information of a facility which exists in the position of the registration point and belongs to said facility classification to prepare filled registration point information.

13. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 1 wherein the position of the registration point is indicated in said maintenance request, and

said maintenance data includes the facility information of the facility which exists at the position of the registration point indicated in said maintenance request.

14. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 13 wherein the maintenance data preparation means uses the facility information of a facility nearest to the position of the registration point indicated in said maintenance request to prepare the maintenance data.

15. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 13 wherein the maintenance data preparation means prepares plural pieces of facility information in the vicinity of the position of the registration point indicated in said maintenance request and transmits the information to the vehicle, and

the on-vehicle terminal device writes the facility information selected from said plural pieces of facility information by a user into the registration point information memory.

16. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 13 wherein the maintenance data includes a facility name, a facility classification, and facility introducing information.

17. The vehicle-use data processing system according to claim 16 wherein the facility introducing information includes a facility photo.

18. A navigation device having a point registration function of registering registration point information including a position of a registration point and facility information concerning a facility located at the registration point, said navigation device comprising:

an input means for inputting the position of a point which a user desires to register;

a registration point information memory for storing the registration point information; and

a communication means for performing data communication with an information center, wherein

said navigation device transmits the position of the registration point entered by the user to the information center and stores facility information of a facility existing in the position of the registration point supplied by the information center together with the position of the registration point in the registration point information memory.

19. The navigation device according to claim 18 wherein the user can further input a facility classification of the facility to be registered, and the facility classification is transmitted together with the position of the registration point to the information center.

20. An on-vehicle terminal device which is connected via a communication means to an information center and which uses data transmitted from the information center, comprising:

a registration point information memory for storing registration point information which includes a position of a registration point and facility information concerning a facility at the registration point; and

a request means for generating a request for maintenance of the registration point information, wherein

said on-vehicle terminal device uses maintenance data prepared and supplied by the information center on the basis of the facility information stored therein in response to the maintenance request to maintain the registration point information in a filled and latest condition.