Navigation system and navigation data processing method

• US 6,256,578 B1
• Filed: 01/25/1999
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US09/236,104
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/202, 701/208, 701/209, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 731/78.R, 707/100, 707/104, 717/5, 709/219, 382/276
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• 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 basic navigation operating part implements basic navigating function, such as current position and route computation. Meanwhile, an extended program for extended navigating operation, typically used to present multimedia information, is described in a general-purpose language such as Java. A virtual machine interprets and executes this extended program. If a navigation control code related to the basic navigating function is generated during the execution of the extended program, the service module 64 translates it into a format interpretable by the basic navigation operating part. Thus, several Java-compatible multimedia facilities can be linked with the basic navigating function. Navigation system platforms can execute a chain of basic and extended navigating operations without being provided with a platform-specific program for extended navigating operation.

Claims

1. A navigation system that generates and outputs the navigating information for guiding a moving body comprising:

a basic navigation operating means for implementing basic navigating operation;

an extended program interpreting and executing means for interpreting and executing an extended program for extended navigating operation described in a given general-purpose language; and

a translating service means for translating said general-purpose language into a format interpretable by said basic navigation operating means,

wherein, when navigation control data related to said basic navigating operating is generated during the execution of said extended program, a service unit which is included in said translating service means and is appropriate to said navigation control data translates said navigation control data into said format and delivers the translated navigation control data to said basic navigation operating means; and

further including an addition and modification control means which adds a second service unit to said translating service means or modifies the service unit included in said translating service means in accordance with the addition or modification which has been made to said basic navigation operating means.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said translating service means includes a navigation class library, a navigation Application Programming Interface (API) which interfaces the basic navigation operating means with said navigation class library, and an extended API which interfaces the extended program with said navigation class library.

3. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said basic navigation operating means has a rapid processing capability for, at least, current position computation, route computation, map retrieval, map display, and route instructions, while said extended program implements navigation-related services other than executed by said basic navigation operating means.

4. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said system includes navigation hardware, a device driver, and a navigation operating system (OS), and said basic navigation operating means and said extended program interpreting and executing means are positioned in a layer above said navigation OS.

5. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said general-purpose language is Java and said extended program interpreting and executing means is undertaken by a Java virtual machine.

6. The navigation system according to claim 5, wherein said extended program is a car-oriented multimedia program described in Java.

7. The navigation system according to claim 6, wherein said navigation control data is an extended navigation API code generated during the execution of said car-oriented multimedia program running on the Java virtual machine and said code is manipulated by said translating service means and then delivered to said basic navigation operating means.

8. The navigation system according to claim 7, wherein said extended navigation API code is intended for current position display.

9. The navigation system according to claim 7, wherein said extended navigation API code is intended for map display targeting a specific point.

10. The navigation system according to claim 7, wherein said extended navigation API code is one with a destination specified.

11. The navigation system according to claim 1, including a communication device for receiving said extended program from an external source.

12. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said basic navigation operating means executes said basic navigating operation in accordance with the navigation control code supplied from said translating service means and the result of said basic navigating operation is returned to said extended program via said translating service means.

13. A navigation data processing method for generating and outputting the navigating information for guiding a moving body comprising:

a step of performing basic navigating operation through the use of a basic navigation operating means;

a step of interpreting and executing an extended program for extended navigating operation described in a given general-purpose language;

a step of translating navigation control data by a translating service means into a format interpretable by the basic navigation operating means provided said data is related to said basic navigating operation and generated during the execution of said extended program; and

a step of providing an addition and modification control means which adds a second service unit to said translating service means or modifies the service unit included in said translating service means in accordance with the addition or modification which has been made to said basic navigation operating means.