Navigation apparatus and method that performs route guiding to a provider location

• US 6,654,684 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shinada, Akira, Ito, Masayasu, Tanaka, Eiichi, Sasaki, Makoto, Tanaka, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US09/871,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20020016671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/202, 701/211, 701/213, 701/23, 701/24, 701/25, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/357.12, 342/357.13, 340/988
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3605 Destination input or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence

Abstract

A navigation apparatus measures the position of a vehicle based on position information and performing route guiding based on map information. The navigation apparatus includes an inputting unit for inputting specific information on a product or the like and selection conditions for the product or the like, a transmitting unit for transmitting the input specific information to an external storage unit in which characteristic information on the product or the like is stored, a receiving unit for receiving the characteristic information which is transmitted from the external storage unit, a retrieving unit for retrieving optimal characteristic information matching the selection conditions from the received characteristic information, a displaying unit for displaying the retrieved characteristic information, and a guiding unit for automatically setting the position of a provider for the product or the like based on the retrieved characteristic information and performing route guiding to the position of the provider.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus for detecting the present position of a vehicle based on position information and performing route guiding from the present position to a destination based on map information, the navigation apparatus comprising:

inputting means for inputting request information to obtain specific information concerning a product and selection conditions for said product;

transmitting means for transmitting the input request information to external storage means in which a plurality of characteristic information related to said product is stored;

receiving means for receiving from said external storage means the characteristic information which are selected from the plurality of characteristic information in accordance with the inputted selecting conditions;

displaying means for displaying the characteristic information on a navigation map; and

guiding means for automatically setting the position of a provider for said product conforming to said characteristic information and performing route guiding from the present position to the position of said provider.

11. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said guiding means further selects one of the characteristic information in accordance with at least one selection condition further inputted from the inputting means if there is no conformance to the characteristic information;

said display means further displays the selected characteristic information; and

said guiding means performs guidance to a position of a selected provider for said product.

12. A navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing the received characteristic information.

2. A navigation apparatus for detecting the present position of a vehicle based on position information and performing route guiding from the present position to a destination based on map information, the navigation apparatus comprising:

inputting means for inputting specific information concerning a product for purchase and selection conditions for said product for purchase;

first storage means for storing the selection conditions for said product for purchase;

transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting, to a fixed station, at least the specific information concerning said product which is input by said inputting means;

receiving means for receiving, from said fixed station, characteristic information of said product for purchase selected by said fixed station;

second storage means for storing the received characteristic information of said product for purchase;

retrieving means for retrieving the characteristic information which is received by said receiving means; and

displaying means for displaying the characteristic information retrieved by said retrieving means;

wherein characteristic information that matches said selection conditions for said product for purchase is retrieved from the characteristic information of said product for purchase which is received by said receiving means, and the position of a provider of said product for purchase is retrieved based on the retrieved characteristic information of said product, whereby route guiding from the present position to the provider position is performed.

3. The navigation apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the selection conditions for said product include at least the type and price of the product for purchase.

4. The navigation apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said transmitting means transmits the inputted selection conditions for said product for purchase to said fixed station.

5. The navigation apparatus according to claim 2 wherein route guiding to the position of said provider of said product for purchase is performed using route display and/or speech.

6. The navigation apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said inputting means includes means for displaying a shopping menu, whereby the user can select a desired product for purchase from the shopping menu, and the user'"'"'s selection is transmitted to said fixed station as said specific information.

7. A method for use in a navigation apparatus for detecting the present position of a vehicle based on position information and performing route guiding from the present position to a destination based on map information, the method comprising the steps of:

inputting specific information concerning a product for purchase and selection conditions for said product for purchase;

wirelessly transmitting, to a fixed station, at least said input specific information concerning the product for purchase;

receiving, from said fixed station, characteristic information of said product for purchase selected by said fixed station;

retrieving the received characteristic information; and

displaying the characteristic information retrieved;

wherein characteristic information that matches said selection conditions for said product is retrieved from the received characteristic information, and the position of a provider of said product for purchase is retrieved based on the retrieved characteristic information of said product for purchase, whereby route guiding from the present position to the provider position is performed.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the inputted selection conditions are transmitted to said fixed station.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein the selection conditions for said product for purchase include at least the type and price of the product for purchase.

10. The method according to claim 7 wherein said inputting includes displaying a shopping menu, whereby the user can select a desired product for purchase from the shopping menu, and the user'"'"'s selection is transmitted to said fixed station as said specific information.