Apparatus for guiding a vehicle allowing a route sweep

• US 6,445,397 B1
• Filed: 01/27/1999
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Corp. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Boyer, Jean Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): SHANKAR, VIJAY
• Application Number:
  US09/237,395
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/160, 345/168, 345/169, 345/173, 345/682, 345/684, 345/660, 345/667, 340/990, 340/995, 340/998, 701/211
• US Class Current: 345/667
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

An apparatus for guiding a vehicle allowing a route sweep is disclosed. The apparatus includes a display which shows a portion of a map. The user may move the map on the display from a start point to a finish point. This movement is termed a route sweep. To carry out a route sweep allowing a user to take cognizance of a route proposed by the apparatus, the maximum rate of sweep of the map on a display screen, the so-called cruising rate (L), desirable to obtain a short sweep time, is first calculated. Then starting from a specified scale (R.S.), the map is moved at an increasing rate in such a way as to arrive at the cruising rate (L) after a predetermined time. Simultaneously, the scale (chain-dotted curve) is reduced so as to arrive after the same time at a scale which is compatible with the cruising rate. The central part of the sweep is then carried out at the cruising rate with compatible scale, and the sweep is terminated while reducing the rate and while enlarging the scale again so as to return to the initial scale.

Claims

1. An apparatus for guiding a vehicle comprising:

a display screen on which can be displayed a specified portion of a map;

an input and control unit for choosing a display scale and for requesting a route sweep;

a processor provided with software, so as to manage the display and define the map portion displayed, the software including instructions for moving the map portion displayed from a start point to a finish point defining a route; and

wherein the software furthermore includes instructions for adjusting the rate of sweep of the map portion displayed as a function of the display scale requested at the start and of the total distance of the route between the start point and the finish point to be swept, and instructions for varying the scale continuously during the sweep as a function of the instantaneous rate of sweep, and periodically updating the display with a new map portion at the varied scale between the start point and the finish point of the route.

2. The apparatus for guiding a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the software further includes instructions for calculating the maximum so-called cruising rate desirable to obtain a short sweep time, instructions for, starting from a specified scale, moving the map portion at an increasing rate in such a way as to arrive at the cruising rate after a predetermined time, instructions for carrying out the central part of the sweep at the cruising rate, and instructions for terminating the sweep of the map portion while reducing the rate.

3. The apparatus for guiding a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the software further includes instructions for calculating the maximum so-called cruising rate desirable to obtain a short sweep time, instructions for, starting from a specified scale, moving the map portion at an increasing rate in such a way as to arrive at the cruising rate after a predetermined time, whilst modifying the scale so as to arrive after the same time at a scale which is compatible with the cruising rate, instructions for carrying out the central part of the sweep at the cruising rate with said compatible scale, and instructions for terminating the sweep of the map portion while modifying the rate and the scale again so as to return to the initial scale.

4. The apparatus for guiding a vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the software further includes instructions for modifying the scale in the tiers, and for enlarging it each time that the rate undershoots a predetermined threshold.

5. The apparatus for guiding a vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the software further includes instructions for modifying the scale progressively as a function of the rate.

6. A process for carrying out a route sweep in the course of guiding a vehicle, the process comprising the steps of:

displaying a specified portion of a map on a screen,

choosing a display scale;

performing a route sweep by moving the map portion displayed on a route from a start point to a finish point, wherein the map portion displayed is moved, independently of the position of the vehicle on the route, at a rate which depends on the display scale requested at the start and on the distance between the start point and the finish point; and

continuously slaving the scale to the sweep rate; and

periodically and automatically displaying a new map portion at the scale during the entire route sweep on the route.

7. The process for guiding a vehicle as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

calculating the maximum cruising rate desirable to obtain a short sweep time is firstly calculated;

moving the map portion is moved at an increasing rate in such a way as to arrive at the cruising rate after a predetermined time and starting from a specified scale;

carrying out the central part of the sweep at the cruising rate; and

terminating the sweep of the map portion while reducing the rate.

8. The process for guiding a vehicle as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

calculating the maximum cruising rate desirable to obtain a short sweep time;

moving the map portion at an increasing rate in such a way as to arrive at the cruising rate after a predetermined time;

modifying the scale so as to arrive after the same time at a scale which is compatible with the cruising rate;

carrying out the central part of the sweep at the cruising rate with said compatible scale; and

terminating the sweep of the map portion while modifying the rate and the scale again so as to return to the initial scale.

9. The process for guiding a vehicle as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the step of modifying the scale in tiers, and enlarging it each time that the rate undershoots a predetermined threshold.

10. The process for guiding a vehicle as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the step of modifying the scale progressively as a function of the rate.