Vehicle navigation system with pixel transmission to display

• US 6,243,646 B1
• Filed: 04/28/1999
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Morimoto, Kyomi, Hiyokawa, Toyoji, Ozaki, Naokazu, Matsuba, Junzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/301,044
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 701/211, 701/209, 701/201, 340/995, 345/509
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A vehicle navigation system is made to generate bitmap image data necessary for navigation, including map data, road data, font data, etc., and then to transmit a pattern (font) image and an enlarged intersection image to a display.

Claims

1. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

storage means for storing data for route guidance, inclusive of map data, road data, and font data;

input means for inputting a destination and information necessary for searching a route;

information control means for generating pixel data of an intersection and an arrow indicating a direction for the vehicle to turn in the intersection on the basis of the inputted information and data stored in said storage means and for transmitting the pixel data; and

display means for receiving the pixel data transmitted from the information control means and for displaying an image including the intersection and the arrow based on the received pixel data.

2. A vehicle navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the pixel data is binary data.

3. A vehicle navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said information control means transmits only pixel data for a portion of the displayed image, less than the whole displayed image, to be changed.

4. A vehicle navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission line for transmitting the pixel data from said information control means to said display means.

5. The vehicle navigation system according to claim 4 wherein the transmission line is a serial transmission line for transmitting binary serial data or a parallel transmission line for transmitting binary parallel data.

6. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

a navigation processing unit including a storage media containing data including map data, road data, and font data for route guidance;

input means for inputting a destination and information necessary for searching a route;

processing means for generating pixel data of an intersection and an arrow indicating a direction for the vehicle to turn in the intersection based upon the inputted information and the data stored in the storage media;

a first memory for storing the pixel data from the processing means; and

means for transmitting pixel data from the first memory; and

a display unit including means for receiving the transmitted pixel data from the first memory;

a second memory for storing the received pixel data;

a display device for displaying an image including the intersection and the arrow; and

driving means for operating the display device based on the pixel data in the second memory.

7. A vehicle navigation system according to claim 6 wherein said transmitting means transmits only pixel data which is changed in the first memory.

8. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

storage means for storing data for route guidance, inclusive of map data, road data, and font data;

input means for inputting a destination and information necessary for searching a route;

information control means for generating pixel data for route guidance information on the basis of the inputted information and the data stored in said storage means, and for transmitting the pixel data; and

display means for displaying the route guidance information, and

wherein said information control means transmits only pixel data for a portion of the displayed image, less than the whole displayed image, to be changed.

9. The vehicle navigation system according to claim 8 further comprising a transmission line for transmitting the pixel data from said information control means to said display means, said transmission line being a serial transmission line for transmitting binary serial data or a parallel transmission line for transmitting binary parallel data.