Navigation system and method and storage medium in which navigation programs are stored

• US 6,269,304 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2000
• Issued: 07/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Masuda, Hiroyoshi, Kaji, Takanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/516,764
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/207, 701/208, 701/211, 701/223, 342/70
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3658 Lane guidance

Abstract

The invention provides a driver with notice of a certain traffic lane change on a road having many traffic lanes even if passing intersections exists within a predetermined distance before a guide intersection. Specifically, the invention concerns a vehicle navigation system for performing a route search on the basis of the input of a point, such as a destination and further performing route guidance along the searched route, which includes an information memory device for storing traffic lane information at intersections, a display for displaying the traffic lane information and a display controller for displaying traffic lane information at intersections on the display on the basis of the traffic lane data stored on the display. The display controller determines whether a passing intersection exists within a predetermined distance before the guidance intersection and controls so as to display lane information of the passing intersections and guidance intersection when the passing intersections exists.

Claims

1. A navigation system that searches a route according to an input of a point such as a destination and performs route guidance along the searched route, the navigation system comprising:

an information memory device that stores lane information data of intersections;

a display that displays the lane information; and

a display controller that controls the display of lane information of intersections on the basis of lane information data stored in the information memory device,

wherein the display controller determines whether passing intersections exist within a predetermined distance before a guidance intersection, and controls the display of lane information of the guidance intersection and the passing intersections if the passing intersections exist.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein if guidance display sections for a plurality of guidance intersections fall into the same section, the display controller determines that lane information is displayed on the basis of a priority given to the plurality of guidance intersections.

3. The navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising a drawing unit for drawing a bird'"'"'s eye view by changing a viewpoint, wherein the display controller changes the bird'"'"'s eye viewpoint every time the vehicle passes a passing intersection if the passing intersections exists from the vehicle present position to the guidance intersection.

4. The navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising a present position detector that detects information regarding a vehicle'"'"'s present position, wherein the display controller determines whether the passing intersections exist from the vehicle'"'"'s present position to the guidance intersection when the vehicle'"'"'s present position approaches the predetermined distance to the guidance intersection.

5. The navigation system according to claim 4, wherein the display controller deletes the lane information of the passing intersection when the vehicle present position passes the passing intersection.

6. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the lane information includes a number of access lanes to the intersection, a number of departure lanes from the intersection and travel lane information of each lane.

7. The navigation system according to claim 6, wherein the display controller controls the display such that that travel direction arrows are displayed only on lanes in which the vehicle is permitted to travel.

8. A storage medium for storing programs of a navigation system that performs route guidance according to an input of a point, such as a destination, comprising:

a program for storing lane information data of intersections in an information memory device;

a program for displaying the lane information; and

a program for controlling the display of lane information of intersections on the basis of lane information data stored in the information memory device,

wherein the program for controlling determines whether passing intersections exist within a predetermined distance before a guidance intersection, and controls the display of lane information of the guidance intersection and the passing intersections if the passing intersections exist.

9. The storage medium according to claim 8, further comprising a program for drawing a bird'"'"'s eye view by changing a viewpoint, wherein the program for controlling changes the bird'"'"'s eye viewpoint every time the vehicle passes a passing intersection if the passing intersections exists from the vehicle present position to the guidance intersection.

10. The storage medium according to claim 8, wherein if guidance display sections for a plurality of guidance intersections fall into the same section, the program for controlling determines that lane information is displayed on the basis of a priority given to the plurality of guidance intersections.

11. The storage medium according to claim 8, further comprising a program for detecting a vehicle'"'"'s present position, wherein the program for controlling determines whether the passing intersections exist from the vehicle'"'"'s present position to the guidance intersection when the vehicle'"'"'s present position approaches the predetermined distance to the guidance intersection.

12. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the program for controlling deletes the lane information of the passing intersection when the vehicle present position passes the passing intersection.

13. The storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the lane information includes a number of access lanes to the intersection, a number of departure lanes from the intersection and travel lane information of each lane.

14. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the program for controlling controls the display such that that travel direction arrows are displayed only on lanes in which the vehicle is permitted to travel.

15. A method for performing route guidance for a navigation system that according to an input of a point, such as a destination, comprising:

storing lane information data of intersections in an information memory device;

displaying the lane information; and

controlling the display of lane information of intersections on the basis of lane information data stored in the information memory device,

wherein the controlling step determines whether passing intersections exist within a predetermined distance before a guidance intersection, and controls the display of lane information of the guidance intersection and the passing intersections if the passing intersections exist.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein if guidance display sections for a plurality of guidance intersections fall into the same section, the controlling step determines that lane information is displayed on the basis of a priority given to the plurality of guidance intersections.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising drawing a bird'"'"'s eye view by changing a viewpoint, wherein the controlling step changes the bird'"'"'s eye viewpoint every time the vehicle passes a passing intersection if the passing intersections exists from the vehicle present position to the guidance intersection.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising detecting a vehicle'"'"'s present position, wherein the controlling step determines whether the passing intersections exist from the vehicle'"'"'s present position to the guidance intersection when the vehicle'"'"'s present position approaches the predetermined distance to the guidance intersection.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the controlling step deletes the lane information of the passing intersection when the vehicle present position passes the passing intersection.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the lane information includes a number of access lanes to the intersection, a number of departure lanes from the intersection and travel lane information of each lane.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the controlling step controls the display such that that travel direction arrows are displayed only on lanes in which the vehicle is permitted to travel.