Navigation apparatus

• US 6,321,160 B1
• Filed: 03/20/2000
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US09/528,999
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208-213, 701/200, 701/201, 364/449, 364/440, 340/991, 340/988, 340/996, 340/990, 342/451, 342/358, 342/457, 342/458
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A car navigation apparatus includes a route setting unit for setting a route; an own car position detection unit for measuring an own car position and detecting the own car position; and an advance direction detection unit for detecting an advance direction of the own car. The car navigation apparatus further includes a turning intersection detection unit for detecting an intersection where the own car should turn next time, on the route located within a predetermined distance in the advance direction from the own car position; and a turning intersection display unit responsive to detection of a turning intersection to display the shape of the turning intersection and a direction to which the own car should turn, acquired from map information stored in a map information storage unit, on the display screen using figures, and to display the distance to the turning intersection and the name of the turning intersection on the display screen using characters.

Claims

1. A car navigation apparatus, comprising:

a display screen for displaying information;

a map information storage unit for storing map information;

route setting means for setting a route from a departure point to a destination point based on said map information;

car position detection means for measuring a position of a car and for detecting said car position;

advance direction detection means for detecting an advance direction of the car from a temporal change of said car position;

turning intersection detection means for detecting an intersection where the car should turn next time, on said route located within a predetermined distance in said advance direction from said car position, based on said map information;

turning intersection information acquisition means responsive to detection of said turning intersection to acquire a shape of said turning intersection from said map information;

turning intersection display means for displaying the shape of said turning intersection acquired by said turning intersection information acquisition means and a direction to which the car should turn, on said display screen using figures; and

distance calculation means responsive to the detection of said turning intersection to calculate a distance between said car position and said turning intersection, wherein;

said turning intersection information acquisition means acquires a shape and a name of said turning intersection from said map information when said turning intersection is detected; and

said turning intersection display means displays the distance to said turning intersection which is calculated by said distance calculation means, and the name of said turning intersection which is acquired by said turning intersection information acquisition means, on said display screen using characters.

2. A car navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

nearest intersection detection means for detecting a nearest intersection located nearest among intersections which are located within a predetermined distance in said advance direction from said car position, based on said map information;

nearest intersection information acquisition means responsive to detection of said nearest intersection to acquire a shape and a name of said nearest intersection from said map information; and

forward road shape display means responsive to non-detection of said nearest intersection to display a straight road on said display screen using figures, and responsive to detection of said nearest intersection to display the shape of said nearest intersection acquired by said nearest intersection information acquisition means on said display screen using figures and to display the name of said nearest intersection on said display screen using characters.

3. A car navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

landmark detection means for detecting a landmark on said route located within a predetermined distance in said advance direction from said car position based on said map information; and

landmark display means responsive to detection of said landmark by said landmark detection means to display a landmark symbol indicating said landmark on said display screen.

4. A car navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising advance direction display means for displaying said advance direction detected by said advance direction detection means on said display screen.

5. A car navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising map display means for displaying a map on said display screen based on said map information, and for displaying a symbol indicating said car position on said map based on said car position detected by said car position detection means, wherein:

said turning intersection display means conducts display in one of two areas obtained by dividing said display screen into two parts; and

said map display means conducts display in another of the two areas obtained by dividing said display screen into two parts.

6. A car navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

voice output means for outputting a voice; and

voice notice means responsive to arrival of the distance to said turning intersection calculated by said distance calculation means at a predetermined distance to utter using said voice output means to notify that said car has approached said turning intersection.

7. A car navigation apparatus, comprising:

a display screen for displaying information;

a map information storage unit for storing map information;

route setting means for setting a route from a departure point to a destination point based on said map information;

car position detection means for measuring a position of a car and for detecting said car position;

advance direction detection means for detecting an advance direction of the car from a temporal change of said car position;

turning intersection detection means for detecting an intersection where the car should turn next time, on said route located within a predetermined distance in said advance direction from said car position, based on said map information;

turning intersection information acquisition means responsive to detection of said turning intersection to acquire a shape of said turning intersection from said map information;

turning intersection display means for displaying the shape of said turning intersection acquired by said turning intersection information acquisition means and a direction to which the car should turn, on said display screen using figures; and

nearest intersection detection means for detecting a nearest intersection located nearest among intersections which are located within a predetermined distance in said advance direction from said car position, based on said map information;

nearest intersection information acquisition means responsive to detection of said nearest intersection to acquire a shape and a name of said nearest intersection from said map information; and

forward road shape display means responsive to non-detection of said nearest intersection to display a straight road on said display screen using figures, and responsive to detection of said nearest intersection to display the shape of said nearest intersection acquired by said nearest intersection information acquisition means on said display screen using figures and to display the name of said nearest intersection on said display screen using characters.

8. A guide display method for a car navigation apparatus including a display screen for displaying information and a map information storage unit for storing map information, said guide display method comprising:

a route setting step of setting a route from a departure point to a destination point based on said map information;

a car position detection step of measuring a position of a car and detecting said car position;

an advance direction detection step of detecting an advance direction of the car from a temporal change of said car position detected in said car position detection step;

a turning intersection detection step of detecting an intersection where the car should turn next time, on said route located within a predetermined distance in said advance direction from said car position, based on said map information;

a turning intersection information acquisition step responsive to detection of said turning intersection to acquire a shape of said turning intersection from said map information;

a turning intersection display step for displaying the shape of said turning intersection acquired in said turning intersection information acquisition step and a direction to which the car should turn on, said display screen, using figures;

a distance calculation step responsive to detection of said turning intersection to calculate a distance between said car position and said turning intersection, wherein;

in response to detection of said turning intersection, a shape and a name of said turning intersection are acquired from said map information in said turning intersection information acquisition step, and

in said turning intersection display step, the distance to said turning intersection calculated by said distance calculation step and the name of said turning intersection acquired by said turning intersection information acquisition step are displayed on said display screen using characters.

9. A guide display method for a car navigation apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a nearest intersection detection step responsive to detection of the advance direction of the car in said advance direction detection step to detect a nearest intersection located nearest among intersections which are located within a predetermined distance in said advance direction from said car position detected in said car position detection step, based on said map information;

a nearest intersection information acquisition step responsive to detection of said nearest intersection in said nearest intersection detection step to acquire a shape and a name of said nearest intersection from said map information; and

a forward road shape display step for displaying the shape of said nearest intersection acquired in said nearest intersection information acquisition step on said display screen using figures, and displaying the name of said nearest intersection on said display screen using characters.

10. A car navigation method for a car navigation apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a landmark detection step of detecting a landmark on said route located within a predetermined distance in said advance direction from said car position based on said map information; and

a landmark display step responsive to detection of said landmark in said landmark detection step to display a landmark symbol indicating said landmark on said display screen.

11. A car navigation method for a car navigation apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising an advance direction display step of displaying said advance direction detected in said advance direction detection step on said display screen.

12. A guide display method for a car navigation apparatus including a display screen for displaying information and a map information storage unit for storing map information, said guide display method comprising:

a route setting step of setting a route from a departure point to a destination point based on said map information;

a car position detection step of measuring a position of a car and detecting said car position;

an advance direction detection step of detecting an advance direction of the car from a temporal change of said car position detected in said car position detection step;

a turning intersection detection step of detecting an intersection where the car should turn next time, on said route located within a predetermined distance in said advance direction from said car position, based on said map information;

a turning intersection information acquisition step responsive to detection of said turning intersection to acquire a shape of said turning intersection from said map information;

a turning intersection display step for displaying the shape of said turning intersection acquired in said turning intersection information acquisition step and a direction to which the car should turn on, said display screen, using figures;

a nearest intersection detection step responsive to detection of the advance direction of the car in said advance direction detection step to detect a nearest intersection located nearest among intersections which are located within a predetermined distance in said advance direction from said car position detected in said car position detection step, based on said map information;

a nearest intersection information acquisition step responsive to detection of said nearest intersection in said nearest intersection detection step to acquire a shape and a name of said nearest intersection from said map information; and

a forward road shape display step for displaying the shape of said nearest intersection acquired in said nearest intersection information acquisition step on said display screen using figures, and displaying the name of said nearest intersection on said display screen using characters.