Navigation system and a memory medium

• US 6,415,225 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Masaya, Hiyokawa, Toyoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US09/632,794
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200-215, 342/357.03, 342/357.01, 342/357.09, 342/357.13, 340/988, 340/989, 340/990, 340/994, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3446 Details of route searching algorithms, e.g. Dijkstra, A*, arc-flags, using precalculated routes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096894 where input is assisted by the navigation device, i.e. the user does not type the complete name of the destination, e.g. using zip codes, telephone numbers, progressively selecting from initial letters

Abstract

A system for executing guidance to a destination properly even if the destination is connected to a non-guidance target road, such as a small street. The system has a judgment device for determining whether a road connecting to a destination on the searched route is a non-guidance target road, a controller for determining a guidance terminating point on the basis of the determinative result of the judgment device, wherein if a road connecting to a destination is a non-guidance target road as determined by the judgment device, then the last intersection point of the guidance target road to the non-guidance target road or a road end closest to the departure side of the non-guidance target road is determined as a guidance terminating point.

Claims

1. A navigation system, comprising:

a present position detecting means for detecting a vehicle'"'"'s present position;

an input means for inputting information necessary for searching a destination or a route;

an output means for outputting route guidance information, wherein the vehicle'"'"'s present position is traced as route guidance is executed;

an information memory means for storing data on guidance target roads and non-guidance target roads as necessary for a route search;

a route searching means for searching a route to a destination on the basis of information input by said input means and data stored in said information memory means;

a judgment means for determining whether non-guidance target roads are included in the searched route; and

a control means for executing route guidance as the present position of the vehicle is traced and detected by the present position detecting means and for setting a guidance terminating point, wherein route guidance is not executed beyond the guidance terminating point when non-guidance target roads are determined to exist on the searched route by the judgment means.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein an intersection of a guidance target road connecting to a non-guidance target road is determined as a guidance terminating point when a road connecting to a destination is the non-guidance target road as determined by the judgment means.

3. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein a road end of the non-guidance target road closest to a path originating side is determined as a guidance terminating point when a road connecting to the destination is the non-guidance target road as a result of a determination by the judgment means.

4. The navigation system according to claim 1, further comprises a means for identifying roads on a route within a predetermined distance from the destination, wherein said judgment means determines whether the roads identified include non-guidance target roads.

5. The navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising guidance information identifying the locale around the destination that is reported when at least one of the vehicle'"'"'s present position or the destination approaches a predetermined distance from the guidance terminating point.

6. The navigation system according to claim 2, further comprising guidance information identifying the locale around the destination that is reported when at least one of the vehicle'"'"'s present position or the destination approaches a predetermined distance from the guidance terminating point.

7. The navigation system according to claim 3, further comprising guidance information identifying the locale around the destination that is reported when at least one of the vehicle'"'"'s present position or the destination approaches a predetermined distance from the guidance terminating point.

8. The navigation system according to claim 4, further comprising guidance information identifying the locale around the destination that is reported when at least one of the vehicle'"'"'s present position or the destination approaches a predetermined distance from the guidance terminating point.

9. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the non-guidance target road is a small street with traffic restrictions.

10. The navigation system according to claim 2, wherein the non-guidance target road is a small street with traffic restrictions.

11. The navigation system according to claim 3, wherein the non-guidance target road is a small street with traffic restrictions.

12. The navigation system according to claim 4, wherein the non-guidance target rad is a small street with traffic restrictions.

14. The navigation system according to claim 5, wherein the guidance information are registered data points controlled by category and represented as flags for indicating the presence or absence of the vehicle'"'"'s position or distance from the destination or guidance terminating point.

15. The navigation system according to claim 6, wherein the guidance information are registered data points controlled by category and represented as flags for indicating the presence or absence of the vehicle'"'"'s position or distance from the destination or guidance terminating point.

16. The navigation system according to claim 7, wherein the guidance information are registered data points controlled by category and represented as flags for indicating the presence or absence of the vehicle'"'"'s position or distance from the destination or guidance terminating point.

17. The navigation system according to claim 8, wherein the guidance information are registered data points controlled by category and represented as flags for indicating the presence or absence of the vehicle'"'"'s position or distance from the destination or guidance terminating point.

13. A memory medium program for use in a navigation system, the navigation system having a present position detecting means for detecting a vehicle'"'"'s present position;

an input means for inputting information necessary for searching a destination or a route;

an output means for outputting route guidance information, wherein the vehicle'"'"'s present position is traced as route guidance is executed;

an information memory means for storing data on guidance target roads and non-guidance target roads as necessary for a route search; and

a control means for executing route guidance as the present position of the vehicle is traced and detected by the present position detecting means, the memory medium comprising;

a program for searching a route on the basis of information input by said input means and data stored in said information memory means;

a program for determining whether non-guidance target roads are included in the searched route; and

a program for judging whether non-guidance target roads are included in a searched route and for setting a guidance terminating point such that route guidance is not executed beyond the guidance terminating point when non-guidance target roads are determined to exist on the searched route by the judgment means.