Vehicle navigation device

• US 6,282,493 B1
• Filed: 02/05/1999
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Kitagawa, Takakiyo, Ohki, Hidehiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US09/242,025
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/204, 701/207, 701/208, 701/211, 701/212, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence

Abstract

Using a stored data in a map information storage section which is a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or the like, a vehicle navigation device comprises a schematic map calculation section which performs calculations of a schematic map of roads, a distance calculation section which calculates a distance from an arbitrary geographical point to a facility, a display selection section which selects a facility within a fixed distance from an arbitrary geographical point based on a calculation result in a distance calculation section, and a display control section which displays facilities selected from the display selection section and a schematic map obtained from the schematic map calculation section on a schematic map on a display section.

Claims

1. A vehicle navigation device comprising a map information storage section which stores each category of information relating to a map, a schematic map calculation section which schematizes roads based on data stored in said map information storage section and which generates a schematic map, a distance calculation section which calculates a distance from an arbitrary or freely selectable geographical point to a facility, a display selection section which selects a facility shown on said schematic map based on a distance obtained from said distance calculation section, a display section which performs a display of a map and said schematic map and a display control section which displays said facility on said schematic map displayed on said display section.

2. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said display selection section selects an object within a fixed distance in the distance from said arbitrary or freely selectable geographical point, obtained by said distance calculation section, and a facility, and said display control section displays said facility selected by said display selection section on a schematic map displayed on said display section.

3. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said display control section displays a distance obtained from said distance calculation section at a position adjacent to said facility on said schematic map as information relating to said facility displayed on said display section.

4. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising a bearing calculation section which calculates a bearing from said arbitrary or freely selectable geographical point to said facility on the basis of data stored in said map information storage section and, on the basis of a calculation result obtained from said bearing calculation section, said display control section displays a bearing to said facility from an arbitrary or freely selectable geographical point on said schematic map as information about said facility displayed on said display section.

5. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising a trip calculation section which calculates, on the basis of stored data in said map information storage section, a running distance which must be traveled on an actual road map to said facility from arbitrary or freely selectable geographical point, said running distance from said arbitrary or freely selectable geographical point to said facility on said schematic map being set as a trip distance from an arbitrary geographical point on said schematic map to said facility.

6. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 5, wherein said display selection section selects an object whereby a trip from an arbitrary or freely selectable geographical point, obtained from said trip calculation section, to a facility is within a fixed distance and said display control section displays a value for said running distance selected by said display selection section on the side of said facility on said schematic map displayed on said display section.

7. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising a vehicle position detection section which detects a present position of said vehicle, said distance calculation section calculates a distance to a facility by setting a present position of a vehicle obtained from said vehicle position detection section as said arbitrary or freely selectable geographical point on said schematic map.

8. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising an arrival time calculation section which calculates the arrival time from said arbitrary or freely selectable geographical point to a facility, said display control section displays said arrival time from said arbitrary or freely selectable geographical point obtained from said arrival time calculation section to said facility as information about said facility on said schematic map on said display section.

9. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising an operational section by which an operator performs operations and a route calculation section which calculates a route to said selected facility by said operator using said operational section, said display control section displays a route obtained from said route calculation section on a schematic map displayed on said display section.

10. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising an operational section which selects a category of facility displayed on a schematic map displayed on a display section, an operator selects with said operational section a category of desired facility displayed on said display section of said schematic map, said route calculation section calculates a route from said arbitrary or freely selectable geographical point with respect to a facility obtained from said operational section and said display control section displays said route obtained from said route calculation section on said schematic map displayed on said display section.

11. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising a road attribute determination section which determines an attribute of a road based on data stored in said map information storage section and when said attribute of said road obtained from said road attribute determination section is an automobile-only road, said schematic map calculation section calculates a schematic map of said automobile-only road based on data stored in said map information storage section and selects a facility not placed on said automobile-only road and said display control section displays said automobile-only road and said facility selected by said schematic map calculation section on said schematic map displayed on said display section.

12. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 11, wherein said display selection device selects an object from within a fixed distance in a distance from said arbitrary or freely selectable geographical point obtained from said schematic map calculation section to said facility and said display control section displays said facility selected by said display selection section on a schematic map displayed on said display section.

13. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said schematic map calculation section calculates said schematic map to said facility by setting interchanges, junctions, ramps, service areas, parking areas as said arbitrary or freely selectable geographical point.

14. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said display control section displays a plurality of facilities in fixed positions corresponding respectively to said interchanges, junctions, ramps, service areas, parking areas on said schematic map so that an operator can accurately understand whether said plurality of facilities, on a schematic map displayed on a display section, are facilities in the proximity of an interchange, junction, ramp, service area and parking area from among any one of an interchange, junction, ramp, service area or parking area.

15. A vehicle navigation device provided with a map information storage section which stores each category of information relating to facilities and a road map, a control unit which stores and executes a program which reads information regarding said facilities and said roads stored in said map information storage section, schematizes said roads and generates a schematic map based on obtained information and selects said facility displayed on said schematic map corresponding to a distance from an arbitrary or freely selectable geographical point to a facility, and a display section which displays said facility and said schematic map which relates to said roads obtained from said control unit.