Navigation device

• US 6,411,894 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2001
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Takeyoshi, Hata, Masahito
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US09/788,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20010007967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701/209, 701/210, 701/51, 701/54, 701/55, 701/216, 701/93, 701/36, 701/361, 701/200, 701/213, 701/97, 701/96, 701/53, 340/995, 340/936, 340/903
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00771 the input being a vehicle position or surrounding, e.g. GPS-based position or tunnel
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence

Abstract

A navigation device includes a determination means which determines whether or not to activate tunnel mode function based on characteristic data of the tunnel read from the database, a vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed detection means and a vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection means, and a control means which displays characteristics of the tunnel to be travelled through on a display means based on a command signal from the determination means to activate the tunnel mode function and which activates various on-vehicle devices in the tunnel mode function.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising:

a vehicle position detection means for detecting a vehicle position;

a vehicle speed detection means for detecting a vehicle speed;

a determination means having a database which stores characteristic data relating to tunnels on a route network and data on a currently traveled route network and the surroundings thereof, said determination means determining whether or not to activate a tunnel mode function based on said characteristic data relating to the tunnel read from said database, the vehicle speed detected by said vehicle speed detection means and the vehicle position detected by said vehicle position detection means; and

a control means adapted to inform a driver of characteristics of the tunnel to be travelled through on the basis of a command signal from said determination means indicative of activation of the tunnel mode function, said control means operating various on-vehicle devices in the tunnel mode function or suggesting activation of the tunnel mode function.

2. The navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display displaying a tunnel map when the tunnel mode function is activated.

3. The navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display displaying information on the characteristics of the tunnel.

4. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said determination means determines whether or not a tunnel mode function should be activated based on a tunnel length and an average vehicle speed before entering the tunnel.

6. The navigation device according to claim 4, wherein said device determines whether or not a tunnel mode function should be activated based on a tunnel length and an average vehicle speed before entering the tunnel.

5. A navigation device adapted to calculate proximity of a vehicle relative to a tunnel based on vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed detection means when the vehicle lies within a link area in map data on which the tunnel exists, and to display information on characteristics of the tunnel, through which the vehicle will travel, on a display section of a navigation means when the proximity is within a fixed value.

7. A method for navigating a vehicle comprising:

detecting a vehicle position;

detecting a vehicle speed;

storing characteristic data related to one or more tunnels on a route network and data on a currently traveled route network and a surrounding area thereto;

determining whether a tunnel mode function associated with a vehicle should be activated based on the stored characteristic data, the detected vehicle position, and the detected vehicle speed; and

outputting the characteristics of an impending tunnel when said determining step determines that said tunnel mode function should be activated and automatically operating one or more on-vehicle devices in accordance with said tunnel mode function or outputting a suggestion to activate the tunnel mode function.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of displaying a tunnel map on the navigation device when the tunnel mode function is activated.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of displaying information on one or more characteristics of the impending tunnel when the tunnel mode function is activated.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of outputting the characteristics of the impending tunnel is selectively performed based on a length of the impending tunnel and an average vehicle speed before entering the impending tunnel.

11. A method for navigating a vehicle comprising:

detecting that the vehicle lies within a link area of map data containing information associated with an impending tunnel;

calculating proximity of the vehicle relative to the impending tunnel based on detected vehicle speed; and

outputting information associated with one or more characteristics of the impending tunnel when the calculated proximity is less than or equal to a determined value.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of outputting information is performed based on the length of the impending tunnel and an average vehicle speed before entering the impending tunnel.