Vehicle navigation system and method
First Claim
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1. A navigation system for a vehicle, comprising:
- a controller;
a positioning device which specifies a present position of said vehicle and inputs the present position into said controller;
an input device through which a vehicle operator inputs a destination into said controller;
map data including road information which is read by said controller; and
an indicator which indicates information for said vehicle operator and which is controlled by said controller;
wherein said controller determines a route between the present position specified by said positioning device and the destination inputted by said vehicle operator through said input device according to said map data, identifies a next intersection to be turned at in said map data, counts a number of guiding intersections to be passed between the present position specified by said positioning device and the next intersection to be turned at according to said map data and said determined route, controls said indicator to indicate a number relating to the counted number, updates said present position during travel of said vehicle, counts an updated number of guiding intersections remaining until said intersection to be turned at, and controls said indicator to indicate said updated number.
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Abstract
A vehicle navigation system and method indicates highly recognizable information relating to the next intersection to be turned at for a vehicle operator. The system and method determine a route between the present position and the destination, identify a next intersection to be turned at in the map data, counts a number of intersections to be passed between the present position specified by the positioning device and the next intersection to be turned at, and indicates a number relating to the counted number.
32 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A navigation system for a vehicle, comprising:
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a controller;
a positioning device which specifies a present position of said vehicle and inputs the present position into said controller;
an input device through which a vehicle operator inputs a destination into said controller;
map data including road information which is read by said controller; and an indicator which indicates information for said vehicle operator and which is controlled by said controller;
wherein said controller determines a route between the present position specified by said positioning device and the destination inputted by said vehicle operator through said input device according to said map data, identifies a next intersection to be turned at in said map data, counts a number of guiding intersections to be passed between the present position specified by said positioning device and the next intersection to be turned at according to said map data and said determined route, controls said indicator to indicate a number relating to the counted number, updates said present position during travel of said vehicle, counts an updated number of guiding intersections remaining until said intersection to be turned at, and controls said indicator to indicate said updated number.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A navigation system for a vehicle, comprising:
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positioning means for determining a present position of said vehicle;
input means for inputting a destination;
memory means for storing map data including road information;
indication means for indicating information for a vehicle operator; and
control means for determining a route between the present position specified by said positioning means and the destination inputted by said input means according to said map data stored in said memory means, identifying a next intersection to be turned at in said map data stored in said memory means, counting a number of guiding intersections to be passed between the present position specified by said positioning means and the next intersection to be turned at according to said map data and said determined route, controlling said indication means to indicate a number relating to the counted number, updating said present position during travel of said vehicle, counting an updated number of guiding intersections remaining until said next intersection to be turned at, and controlling said indication means to indicate said updated number. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A navigation method for a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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specifying a present position of said vehicle;
specifying a destination of said vehicle;
determining a route between the present position and the destination according to map data;
identifying a next turning intersection to be turned at in said map data;
counting a number of guiding intersections to be passed between the present position and the next turning intersection according to said map data;
indicating a number relating to the counted number for a vehicle operator;
updating said present position during travel of said vehicle;
counting an updated number of guiding intersections remaining until said next intersection to be turned at; and
indicating said updated number. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
identifying a turning direction at the next intersection to be turned; and
indicating the identified direction.
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16. A navigation method as claimed in claim 13 wherein, the number indicated by said indication step is the counted number plus one.
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17. A navigation method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the number indicated by said indication step is visual information.
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18. A navigation method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the number indicated by said indication step is aural information.
Specification