Navigation device for displaying an approaching intersection

• US 6,473,693 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2000
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Kusama, Toshiki
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US09/485,132
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 701/202, 701/207-209, 701/211, 340/990, 340/995, 340/439, 342/357.13, 345/427
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps

Abstract

The present invention is adapted for use with a navigation device which performs 3 dimensional display on approaching an intersection. The navigation device of the present invention comprises a direction-of -travel detection means which detects a direction in which a vehicle is travelling, a direction-to-intersection detection means which calculates the difference between the direction in which a vehicle is travelling and a direction to an intersection position, a viewpoint direction calculation means which calculates a direction to a viewpoint in order to perform 3 dimensional display based on a difference between a detected direction in which a vehicle is travelling and a calculated direction, and a display means which performs display based on a calculated viewpoint direction. In this way, even when there is a large difference between direction in which the vehicle is travelling and the direction to the position of the intersection, it is possible to display the intersection.

Claims

1. A navigation device which performs a three dimensional display on approaching an intersection comprising:

a direction-of-travel detection means which detects the direction in which the vehicle is traveling,

a direction-to-intersection calculation means which calculates the direction to the position of the intersection,

a viewpoint direction calculation means which calculates the direction of the viewpoint in order to perform the three dimensional display based on a weighted average of the direction of travel of a vehicle detected by the direction-of-travel detection means and the direction calculated by the direction-to-intersection calculation means,

a display means which performs display based on the viewpoint direction calculated by the viewpoint direction calculation means.

2. A navigation device according to claim 1 comprising:

a traffic signal disposition means which disposes a traffic signal at a position which is close to an actual position on an intersection when an intersection is determined to exist in a direction of vehicle travel, and wherein said navigation device is adapted to display said traffic signal at a position disposed by said traffic signal disposition means.

3. A navigation device according to claim 2 comprising:

a road existence determination means which determines whether a road exists on a left side at an intersection from the direction in which the vehicle is travelling and

a signal mechanism disposal means which places a signal mechanism at a position facing a right turning direction of a road in the vicinity of an intersection when a road is determined to exist by the road existence determination means, and which places a signal mechanism at a position facing a left turning direction of a road in the direction in which a vehicle is travelling in the vicinity of an intersection, when a road is determined not to exist by the road existence determination means and wherein

said navigation device performs display of a signal mechanism which is placed at a position by the signal mechanism disposition means.

4. A navigation device according to claim 2 comprising:

a road existence determination means which determines whether a road exists on a left side at an intersection from the direction in which the vehicle is travelling,

a signal mechanism disposal means which places a signal mechanism at a position facing a right turning direction of a road in the vicinity of an intersection when a road is determined to exist by the road existence determination means, and which places a signal mechanism at a position facing a left turning direction of a road in the direction in which a vehicle is travelling in the vicinity of an intersection, when a road is determined not to exist by the road existence determination means and wherein

said navigation device performs display of a signal mechanism which is placed at a position by the signal mechanism disposition means.

5. A navigation device according to claim 1, comprising:

a sign generating means which generates a left or right turn signal at an intersection when a vehicle approaches a right turning or left turning intersection, and

a road width correction means which corrects a road width so that a width of a road crossing an intersection other than a target intersection is less than that of a road width of a target intersection and wherein

a signal generated by the signal generating means is displayed on an intersection and an intersection other than a target intersection is displayed with a corrected road width by the road width correction means.

6. A navigation device which performs a three dimensional display on approaching an intersection comprising:

a vehicle position detection means which detects a vehicle position,

intersection distance calculation means which calculates a distance from a vehicle position detection by the vehicle position detection means to an intersection,

viewpoint position calculation means which calculates the height of a viewpoint so that the height of a viewpoint in order to perform three dimensional display decreases as the distance from a vehicle position to an intersection detected by the intersection distance detection means decreases,

a display mean s which carries out display based on a viewpoint height calculated by the viewpoint position detection means,

a signal generating means which generates a left or right turn signal at an intersection when a vehicle approaches a right turning or left turning intersection, and

a road width correction means which corrects a road width so that a width of a road crossing an intersection other than a target intersection is less than that of a road width of a target intersection and

wherein a signal generated by the signal generating means is displayed on an intersection and an intersection other than a target intersection is displayed with a corrected road width by the road width correction means.