Vehicle system for travel guidance of intersections

• US 6,278,943 B1
• Filed: 03/09/2000
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Yamauchi, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US09/522,079
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/202, 701/207, 701/209, 701/210, 701/211, 701/23, 701/25, 701/26, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 731/78.R
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3629 Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech text to speech systems per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3655 Timing of guidance instructions

Abstract

A vehicle navigation system performs regular travel guidance with respect to a guidance target intersection at a specific distance short of the intersection. When a distance between first and second guidance target intersections is shorter than the specific distance, regular travel guidance with respect to the second guidance target intersection is not performed. In this case, the vehicle navigation system performs supplementary travel guidance with respect to the second guidance target intersection immediately after passing through the first guidance target intersection. Accordingly, travel guidance can always be performed with respect to an immediate guidance target intersection.

Claims

1. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

first means for determining whether a first distance between first and second guidance target intersections is shorter than a specific distance for generating a regular guidance timing at which regular travel guidance is performed with respect to the second guidance target intersection when a vehicle travels between the first and second guidance target intersections; and

second means for performing supplementary travel guidance at a supplementary guidance timing with respect to the second guidance target intersection after the vehicle passes through the first guidance target intersection and before the vehicle passes through the second guidance target intersection when the first distance is shorter than the specific distance.

2. The vehicle navigation system of claim 1, wherein:

the first means determines whether a second distance between the second guidance target intersection and a third guidance target intersection is shorter than the specific distance; and

the second means performs the supplementary travel guidance with respect to the second and third guidance target intersections before the vehicle passes through the second guidance target intersection when the second distance is shorter than the specific distance.

3. The vehicle navigation system of claim 2, wherein the second means performs the supplementary travel guidance with respect to a plurality of guidance target intersections which follows the first guidance target intersection, before the vehicle passes through the second guidance target intersection, when each distance between two of the plurality of guidance target intersections is shorter than the specific distance.

4. The vehicle navigation system of claim 1, wherein the supplementary travel guidance is performed at the supplementary guidance timing immediately after the vehicle passes through the first guidance target intersection.

5. The vehicle navigation system of claim 1, wherein the regular guidance timing is set in accordance with a type of road on which the vehicle travels.

6. The vehicle navigation system of claim 1, wherein the travel guidance is performed in vocal sounds.

7. The vehicle navigation system of claim 1, further comprising a display device which displays information for performing the travel guidance in cooperation with the second means.

8. The vehicle navigation system of claim 1, further comprising third means for determining a determination route from a present position of the vehicle to a destination, wherein:

the first and second guide target intersections exists on the determination route.

9. The vehicle navigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

traveling route determining means for determining a traveling route which the vehicle uses in order to reach a destination;

wherein the first and second guidance target intersections are transit points of the vehicle on the traveling route, and are the intersections where the vehicle turns.

10. The vehicle navigation system of claim 1 wherein the specific distance is a minimum distance for generating the regular travel guidance.

11. The vehicle navigation system of claim 1, wherein the first and second guidance target intersections are transit points of the vehicle on a traveling route determined by the vehicle navigation system.

12. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

traveling route determining means for determining a traveling route which a vehicle uses in order to reach a destination;

judging means for judging whether a first distance between first and second guidance target intersections is shorter than a specific distance for generating regular travel guidance when a vehicle travels toward the destination; and

guidance means for performing a travel guidance based on the traveling route;

wherein, when the first distance is shorter than the specific distance, the guidance means performs a first guidance for the first guidance target intersection and a second guidance for the second guidance target intersection simultaneously before the vehicle reaches to the first guidance target intersection, and performs supplementary guidance for the second guidance target intersection after the vehicle passes through the first guidance target intersection.

13. The vehicle navigation system of claim 12, wherein:

the judging means judges whether a second distance between the second guidance target intersection and a third guidance target intersection is shorter than the specific distance; and

the guidance means performs the supplementary guidance for the second and third guidance target intersections before the vehicle passes through the second guide target intersection when the second distance is shorter than the specific distance.

14. The vehicle navigation system of claim 12, wherein the guidance means performs the supplementary guidance for a plurality of guidance target intersections which follow the first guidance target intersection before the vehicle passes through the second guidance target intersection when each distance between two of the plurality of guidance target intersections is shorter than the specific distance.

15. The vehicle navigation system of claim 12, wherein the specific distance is a minimum distance to generate the regular travel guidance.

16. The vehicle navigation system of claim 12, wherein the first and second guidance target intersections are transit points of the vehicle on the traveling route, and are the intersections where the vehicle turns.

17. A vehicle navigation system electronic control unit for determining a vehicle travel route to a desired destination, for determining whether a first distance between first and second guidance target nodes is shorter than a specific distance to provide regular vehicle travel guidance toward the destination, and for generating travel guidance instructions based on the vehicle travel route,

the electronic control unit for simultaneously generating first guidance instructions for the first guidance target node and second guidance instructions for the second guidance target node before the vehicle reaches the first guidance target node when the first distance is shorter than the specific distance, and for performing supplementary guidance for the second guidance target node after the vehicle passes through the first guidance target node.

18. The vehicle navigation system electronic control unit of claim 17, wherein said supplementary guidance is given for a plurality of nodes which follow said first node before the vehicle passes through said second node when each distance between two of the plurality of nodes is shorter than said specific distance.

19. The navigation system of claim 18, wherein said nodes are particular intersections on the vehicle travel route, and said travel route is an optimal travel route calculated using Dijakstra'"'"'s algorithm.

20. The navigation system of claim 17 further comprising a remote controller sensor that receives signals from a remote controller having various switches through which a user inputs various instructions to the navigation system.