Apparatus and system for providing route guidance information and a communication terminal thereof

• US 6,594,580 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2000
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugimoto, Hironobu, Yurimoto, Masayuki, Tada, Akihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIBSON, ERIC M
• Application Number:
  US09/708,484
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/208, 701/209, 701/210, 701/211, 342/357.09, 342/357.13, 340/989, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096822 where the segments of the route are transmitted to the vehicle at different locations and times
• 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

Abstract

A generation section for root guide information 25 retrieves a plurality of information elements from an information data storage section 23 and creates root guide information. Then, a generation part for guide information data blocks 26 reorganizes the root information into a plurality of guide information data blocks including at least one information element from the root guide information. The guide information data blocks generated through reorganizing are sequentially transmitted from a radio communication unit 27 to an in-vehicle device 30. When it becomes impossible to execute route guidance using one type of guide information because of a breakdown in communication or the like, route guidance can still be executed by using guide information already received.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing route guidance information to a communication terminal, said apparatus comprising:

means for extracting and reading out, from an information data storage unit, a plurality of information elements for use in route guidance, each of said information elements having an information class specified for classifying said elements;

means for correlating each of said information classes to a guide level used as an indicator for sending said route guidance information;

means for generating guide information data blocks using said plurality of information elements that were read out, each of said blocks including information elements correlated to one guide level; and

communication means for transmitting, in a sequence according to said guide levels, said guide information data blocks as route guidance information.

2. An apparatus for providing route guidance information according to claim 1, wherein

said means for generating guide information data blocks creates a block of guide information including information elements for visual guidance and a block of guide information including information elements for voice guidance, and

said communication means transmits said block of guide information including information elements for voice guidance prior to transmitting said block of guide information including information elements for visual guidance.

3. An apparatus for providing route guidance information according to claim 1, wherein

said information elements are classified by category, and

said means for generating guide information data blocks creates a plurality of guide information data blocks such that each block consists of information elements of a same category.

4. An apparatus for providing route guidance information according to claim 1, wherein

said means for generating guide information data blocks creates a plurality of guide information data blocks of different sizes, and

said communication means assigns a higher transmission priority to the smaller size guide information data blocks.

5. An apparatus for providing route guidance information according to claim 1, wherein said means for generating guide information data blocks creates said guide information data blocks based on a history of deviation from the route directed by the route guidance information transmitted to the communication terminal.

6. An apparatus for providing route guidance information according to claim 1, wherein said means for generating guide information data blocks creates the guide information data blocks on the basis of communication conditions at said communication means.

7. An apparatus for providing route guidance information according to claim 1, wherein said means for generating guide information data blocks creates the guide information data blocks on the basis of a utilization history in said communication means.

8. An apparatus for providing route guidance information according to claim 1, wherein said means for generating guide information data blocks estimates the amount of time a vehicle will remain in a communication area and creates the guide information data blocks on the basis of the estimated amount of time.

9. An apparatus for providing route guidance information according to claim 1, wherein said means for generating guide information data blocks creates a plurality of guide information data blocks such that the information elements comprising each block contain the same information in different data formats.

10. An apparatus for providing route guidance information according to claim 1, wherein the means for generating includes a transmission terminal that is capable of controlling creation of the guide information data blocks in said means for generating at least one of guide information data blocks and a transmission sequence of the guide information data blocks.

11. An apparatus for providing route guidance information to a communication terminal, said apparatus comprising:

a means for generating route guidance information which selects an information element type and creates route guidance information including information elements of the selected type, and

a communication means for transmitting said route guidance information to a communication terminal, wherein said means for generating route guidance information selects an information element type based on a travel speed of the communication terminal.

12. An apparatus for providing route guidance information to a communication terminal, said apparatus comprising:

a means for generating route guidance information which selects an information element type and creates route guidance information including information elements of the selected type, and

a communication means for transmitting said route guidance information to a communication terminal, wherein said means for generating route guidance information selects an information element type based on a history of deviation from the route directed by the route guidance information transmitted to the communication terminal.

13. An apparatus for providing route guidance information to a communication terminal, said apparatus comprising:

a means for generating route guidance information which selects an information element type and creates route guidance information including information elements of the selected type, and

a communication means for transmitting said route guidance information to a communication terminal, wherein said means for generating route guidance information selects an information element type based on a storage capacity within the communication terminal.

14. An apparatus for providing route guidance information to a communication terminal, said apparatus comprising:

a means for generating route guidance information which selects an information element type and creates route guidance information including information elements of the selected type, and

a communication means for transmitting said route guidance information to a communication terminal, wherein said means for generating route guidance information detects the occurrence of telephone communication in said communication means and selects an information element type according to the detected occurrence.

15. An apparatus for providing route guidance information to a communication terminal, said apparatus comprising:

a means for generating route guidance information which selects an information element type and creates route guidance information including information elements of the selected type, and

a communication means for transmitting said route guidance information to a communication terminal, wherein said means for generating route guidance information selects an information type on the basis of a utilization history in said communication means.

16. An apparatus for providing route guidance information to a communication terminal, said apparatus comprising:

a means for generating route guidance information which selects an information element type and creates route guidance information including information elements of the selected type, and

a communication means for transmitting said route guidance information to a communication terminal, wherein said means for generating route guidance information estimates the amount of time a vehicle will remain in a communication area and selects an information element type on the basis of the estimated time.

17. An apparatus for providing route guidance information to a communication terminal, said apparatus comprising:

a means for generating route guidance information which selects an information element type and creates route guidance information including information elements of the selected type, and

a communication means for transmitting said route guidance information to a communication terminal, wherein said means for generating route guidance information selects an information element type according to an input limit for transmission expenses.

18. An apparatus for providing route guidance information to a communication terminal, said apparatus comprising:

a means for generating route guidance information which selects an information element type and creates route guidance information including information elements of the selected type, and

a communication means for transmitting said route guidance information to a communication terminal, wherein said means for generating route guidance information selects an information element type on the basis of a travel history.

19. An apparatus for providing route guidance information to a communication terminal, said apparatus comprising:

a means for generating route guidance information which selects an information element type and creates route guidance information including information elements of the selected type, and

a communication means for transmitting said route guidance information to a communication terminal, wherein said means for generating route guidance information selects an information type based on information of the degree of unfamiliarity of a position.

20. An apparatus for providing route guidance information to a communication terminal, said apparatus comprising:

a means for generating route guidance information which selects a guidance position at which route guidance is to be executed from among potential guidance positions where route guidance for that position is executable, and generates route guidance information including information about the selected guidance position, and

a communication means for transmitting said route guidance information to a communication terminal, wherein said means for generating route guidance information selects said guidance position according to an established guidance frequency.

21. An apparatus for providing route guidance information to a communication terminal, said apparatus comprising:

a means for generating route guidance information which adjusts an effective segment length for route guidance information according to a determined condition and generates route guidance information corresponding to the adjusted effective segment length, and a communication means for transmitting said route guidance information to a communication terminal.

22. An apparatus for providing route guidance information according to claim 21, wherein said means for generating route guidance information adjusts the effective segment length based on a road type.

23. An apparatus for providing route guidance information according to claim 21, wherein said means for generating route guidance information adjusts the effective segment length based on a history of deviation from the route directed by the route guidance information transmitted to the communication terminal.

24. An apparatus for providing route guidance information according to claim 21, wherein said means for generating route guidance information adjusts the effective segment length based on a storage capacity within the communication terminal.

25. An apparatus for providing route guidance information according to claim 21, wherein said means for generating route guidance information estimates the amount of time the vehicle will remain in a communication area and adjusts said effective segment length on the basis of the estimated time.

26. An apparatus for providing route guidance information according to claim 21, wherein the means for generating includes a transmission terminal that is capable of adjusting the effective segment length in said means for generating route guidance information.

27. An apparatus for providing route guidance information to a communication terminal, said apparatus comprising:

a means for generating route guidance information which selects a data format for information elements stored in a plurality of data formats and generates route guidance information including information elements in the selected data format, and

a communication means for transmitting said route guidance information to a communication terminal, wherein said means for generating route guidance information selects a data format in which the data size of information will be smaller.

28. A system for providing route guidance information, comprising:

an apparatus for providing route guidance information, said apparatus including

means for extracting and reading out, from an information data storage unit, a plurality of information elements for use in route guidance, each of said information elements having an information class specified for classifying said elements;

means for correlating each of said information classes to a guide level used as an indicator for sending said route guidance information;

means for generating guide information data blocks using said plurality of information elements that were read out, each of said blocks including information elements correlated to one guide level;

communication means for transmitting, in a sequence according to said guide levels, said guide information data blocks as route guide information; and

a communication terminal which receives route guidance information from said apparatus for providing route guidance information and executes route guidance according to said route guidance information.

29. A communication terminal which receives route guidance information generated in an apparatus for providing route guidance information and which executes route guidance according to said route guidance information, said communication terminal comprising:

communication means for receiving, as said route guidance information, guide information data blocks sequentially transmitted from said apparatus for providing route guidance information, said apparatus including

means for extracting and reading out, from an information data storage unit, a plurality of information elements for use in route guidance, each of said information elements having an information class specified for classifying said elements;

means for correlating each of said information classes to a guide level used as an indicator for sending said route guidance information;

means for generating guide information data blocks using said plurality of information elements that were read out, each of said blocks including information elements correlated to one guide level;

communication means for transmitting, in a sequence according to said guide levels, said guide information data blocks as route guidance information; and

control means for executing route guidance based on said received route guidance information.

30. A communication terminal which receives route guidance information generated in an apparatus for providing route guidance information and which executes route guidance according to said route guidance information, said communication terminal comprising:

a communication means wherein a plurality of guide information data blocks sequentially transmitted from said apparatus for providing route guidance information are received as route guidance information, said data blocks having been created in said apparatus for providing route guidance information from root guide information including a plurality of information elements so that each data block comprises at least information element from said root guide information, and

a control means wherein route guidance is executed using alternative route guidance information when said received route guidance information contains route guidance information which is not applicable for executing route guidance.

31. A communication terminal which receives route guidance information generated in an apparatus for providing route guidance information and which executes route guide according to said route guidance information, said communication terminal comprising:

a communication means for receiving route guidance information generated as information corresponding to an effective segment length adjusted according to an established condition, and

a control means for executing route guidance based on said received route guidance information.

32. A method for providing route guidance information to a communication terminal, said method comprising:

extracting and reading out, from an information data storage unit, a plurality of information elements for use in route guidance, each of said elements having an information class specified for classifying said elements;

correlating each of said information classes to a guide level used as an indicator for sending said route guidance information;

generating guide information data blocks using said plurality of information elements that were read out, each of said blocks including information elements correlated to one guide level; and

transmitting, in a sequence according to said guide levels, said guide information data blocks as route guidance information.

33. A method for providing route guidance information to a communication terminal, said method comprising:

adjusting an effective segment length for said route guidance information according to an established condition to generate route guidance information corresponding to the adjusted length, and

sending said route guidance information to said communication terminal.