Navigation apparatus, navigation method, and information recording medium in which program for navigation is computer-readably recorded

• US 6,510,385 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2001
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Hijikata, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/012,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20020077747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/202, 701/205, 701/209, 701/210, 701/224, 701/26
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents

Abstract

A navigation apparatus which can improve convenience of navigation by starting assisting of the movement without delay by inferring a predetermined route. This navigation apparatus includes a system controlling unit for setting a predetermined route which a vehicle travels, for inferring whether or not the vehicle deviates from a predetermined route and continues during travel of the vehicle along a predetermined route, when it is inferred that the vehicle deviates from the predetermined route, which then begins to set an inferred predetermined route where the vehicle should travel after deviating from the predetermined route.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus comprising:

a predetermined route setting device for setting a predetermined route which a mobile unit travels;

an inferring device for inferring whether or not the mobile unit deviates from the predetermined route during traveling of the mobile unit along the predetermined route;

a setting start device for, when it is inferred that the mobile unit deviates from the predetermined route, starting to set the inferred predetermined route where the mobile unit travels after deviating from the predetermined route;

a determining device for determining whether or not the mobile unit is on the inferred predetermined route; and

an adoption device for adopting the inferred predetermined route as a new predetermined route, when the determining device determines the mobile unit is on the inferred predetermined route.

2. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the inferring device comprises:

a behaviors detecting device for detecting behaviors which the mobile unit is inferred to do during traveling;

a present position detecting device for detecting the present position of the mobile unit; and

a decision device for, on the basis of the detected behaviors and the detected present position, deciding whether or not the mobile unit deviates from the predeterminating route.

3. The navigation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the mobile unit is a vehicle;

and

the behaviors detecting device comprises;

a direction indicators'"'"' action detecting device for detecting which side of the direction indicators is in action; and

when the action of the direction indicators is confirmed, the behaviors detecting device starts detecting behaviors of the mobile unit.

4. The navigation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the mobile unit is a vehicle;

and

the behaviors detecting device comprises;

a direction indicators'"'"' action detecting device for detecting which side of the direction indicators is in action; and

a judging device for, on the basis of the detected behaviors of the direction indicators, judging that the mobile unit turns to the direction which the in-action direction indicators indicate.

5. The navigation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the mobile unit is a vehicle;

the present position detecting device detects which traffic lane of the road the mobile unit is traveling on; and

when it is detected that the mobile unit is traveling on the outer lane on the road and that it is slowing down in the position where the mobile unit must travel straight in the predetermined route, the decision device infers that the mobile unit deviates from the predetermined route, and that the mobile unit turns to the direction of the traffic lane where the mobile unit is traveling from the view of the center line of the road.

10. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the predetermined route setting device sets a new route, when the determining device determines the mobile unit is not on the inferred predetermined route.

11. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the inferring device infers the future action of the mobile unit during traveling of the mobile unit along the predetermined route.

12. The navigation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the mobile unit is a vehicle;

and

the behaviors detecting device comprises a steering angle detecting device for detecting the steering angle of the wheels; and

when it is detected that the change of the steering angle of the wheels, the behaviors detecting device starts detecting behaviors of the mobile unit.

6. A navigation method comprising:

a predetermined route setting process for setting a predetermined route which a mobile unit travels;

an inferring process for inferring whether or not the mobile unit deviates from the predetermined route during traveling of the mobile unit along the predetermined route;

a setting start process for, when it is inferred that the mobile unit deviates from the predetermined route, starting to set the inferred predetermined route where the mobile unit travels after deviating from the predetermined route;

a determining process for determining whether or not the mobile unit is on the inferred predetermined route; and

an adoption process for adopting the inferred predetermined route as a new predetermined route, when, in the determining process, it is determined that the mobile unit is on the inferred predetermined route.

7. The navigation method according to claim 6, wherein

the inferring process comprises:

a behaviors detecting process for detecting behaviors which the mobile unit is inferred to do during traveling;

a present position detecting process for detecting the present position of the mobile unit; and

a decision process for, on the basis of the detected behaviors and the detected present position, deciding whether or not the mobile unit deviates from it the predeterminating route.

8. An information recording medium in which a navigating program is recorded so as to be readable through a computer which functions as a navigation apparatus, the navigating program being characterized by allowing the computer to function as:

a predetermined route setting device for setting a predetermined route which a mobile unit travels;

an inferring device for inferring whether or not the mobile unit deviates from the predetermined route during traveling of the mobile unit along the predetermined route;

a setting start device for, when it is inferred that the mobile unit deviates from the predetermined route, starting to set the inferred predetermined route where the mobile unit travels after deviating from the predetermined route;

a determining device for determining whether or not the mobile unit being on the inferred predetermined route; and

an adoption device for adopting the inferred predetermined route as a new predetermined route, when the determining device determines the mobile unit being on the inferred predetermined route.

9. The information recording medium according to claim 8, wherein

the navigating program is recorded so as to be readable through the computer which functions as the inferring device, the navigating program being characterized by allowing the computer to function as:

a behaviors detecting device for detecting behaviors which the mobile unit is inferred to do during traveling;

a present position detecting device for detecting the present position of the mobile unit; and

a decision device for, on the basis of the detected behaviors and the detected present position, deciding whether or not the mobile unit deviates from the predeterminating route.