Navigation device having a platform-dependent part and a user-interface-dependent part for supplying navigation services

• US 6,487,493 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Koji, Sugimoto, Akira, Utsui, Yoshihiko, Uekawa, Akio, Ideno, Hiroaki, Kusama, Toshiki
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US09/725,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20010002455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 707/1, 707/2, 707/100, 707/102, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 709/200, 709/201, 709/310, 709/311, 709/319, 709/328, 709/329
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

A navigation device includes a platform having hardware including at least a user operation unit and a map database, and basic functions to control the hardware. The navigation device also includes an application processing unit for providing navigation services using the basic functions of the platform, and a platform-dependent unit for, when transferring information from the platform to the application processing unit, transferring the information in a constant format, and for, when transferring information from the application processing unit to the platform, transferring it in a certain format which depends on the platform. The map database holds map data in a predetermined recording format. The navigation device can further include a map-database-dependent unit for receiving map data, which is read from the map database by the platform-dependent unit, and for supplying the received map data to the application processing unit in the constant format. The navigation device can also include a user-interface-dependent unit for receiving data corresponding to a user'"'"'s operation, which is read from the user operation unit by the platform-dependent unit, and for supplying the received data to the application processing unit in the constant format.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising:

a platform having hardware including at least user operation means and a map database, and an operating system to control the hardware;

application processing means for providing navigation services using the operating system;

platform-dependent means for, when transferring information from the platform to the application processing means, transferring the information in a platform-independent format, and for, when transferring information from the application processing means to the platform, transferring the information in a platform-dependent format which depends on the platform; and

user-interface-dependent means for receiving platform-dependent data corresponding to a user'"'"'s operation read from the user operation means by said platform-dependent means, and for supplying the data received to the application processing means in the platform-independent format, wherein the platform-dependent means isolates the application processing means from the platform so the application processing means runs independently of the platform.

2. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said map database holds map data in a fixed recording format, and said device further comprises map-database-dependent means for receiving platform-dependent map data read from said map database by the platform-dependent means, and for supplying the map data received to the application processing means in the platform-independent format.

3. A navigation device comprising:

a platform having hardware including at least user operation means and a map database, and an operating system to control the hardware;

application processing means for providing navigation services using the operating system; and

user-interface-dependent means for receiving platform-dependent data corresponding to a user'"'"'s operation read from the user operation means, and for supplying the data received to the application processing means in a platform-independent format.

4. A navigation device comprising:

a platform having hardware comprising at least a microprocessor, user operation means, and a storage device; and

a navigation operating system including instructions for controlling the hardware;

a navigation application module isolated from the platform, and including a plurality of navigation applications; and

a platform-dependent module including

a graphics display module for supplying platform-dependent image display instructions to the navigation operating system,

a map file access module for supplying platform-dependent storage device access instructions to the navigation operating system, and

a sensor data receiving module for supplying platform-dependent sensor data request instructions to the navigation operating system, wherein the navigation applications, using the platform-dependent module, control the hardware by translating platform-independent instructions received from the navigation applications to platform-dependent instructions supplied to the navigation operating system.