Charging area display apparatus for vehicle and charging area display method for vehicle

• US 6,684,156 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kawamoto, Yuichiro, Fujimoto, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US10/201,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20030023376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 701/212, 701/211, 701/207, 701/208, 340/988, 340/995.1, 340/995.14, 340/995.15
• US Class Current: 701/212
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence

Abstract

A charging area display apparatus for vehicle comprises a storage device that stores in memory roadmap data and charging area data, a current position detection device that detects a current position of a vehicle, a display device that displays a roadmap, an approach judging device that judges whether or not the vehicle is approaching a charging area based upon the current vehicle position and the charging area data and a scaling factor change device that changes the scaling factor of the roadmap displayed on the display device so as to contain both the current vehicle position and the entirety of the charging area which the vehicle is approaching within the display screen when the vehicle is judged to be approaching the charging area. In this vehicle charging area display apparatus, the display device displays the current vehicle position and the charging area which the vehicle is approaching on the roadmap, the scaling factor of which has been changed as the vehicle approaches the charging area.

Claims

1. A charging area display apparatus for vehicle comprising:

a storage device that stores in memory roadmap data and charging area data;

a current position detection device that detects a current position of a vehicle;

a display device that displays a roadmap;

an approach judging device that judges whether or not the vehicle is approaching a charging area based upon the current vehicle position detected by the current position detection device and the charging area data; and

a scaling factor change device that changes a scaling factor of the roadmap displayed on the display device so as to contain both the current vehicle position and the entirety of the charging area which the vehicle is approaching within a display screen when the vehicle is judged to be approaching the charging area, wherein;

the display device displays the current vehicle position and the charging area which the vehicle is approaching on the roadmap, the scaling factor of which has been changed by the scaling factor change device.

2. A charging area display apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a warning device that issues a voice warning that the vehicle is approaching the charging area when the vehicle is judged to be approaching the charging area.

3. A charging area display apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the display device returns to the original scaling factor set prior to changing the scaling factor after displaying the roadmap at the scaling factor selected by the scaling factor change device over a predetermined length of time.

4. A charging area display apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a facility search device that searches a preselected type of facility located near the current vehicle position and outside the charging area which the vehicle is approaching based upon the roadmap data and the charging area data, wherein;

the display device displays facilities searched by the facility search device on the roadmap on display at the scaling factor set by the scaling factor change device.

5. A charging area display apparatus for vehicle according to claim 4, wherein:

the preselected type of facility is parking lots.

6. A charging area display apparatus for vehicle according to claim 4, wherein:

a plurality of types of facilities can be preselected and the display device displays a type of facility indicated by an operator.

7. A charging area display apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detour route search device that searches a route to be taken to detour around a charging area which the vehicle is approaching when the vehicle is judged to be approaching the charging area, wherein;

the display device displays the detour route having been searched by the detour route search device on the roadmap on display at the scaling factor set at the scaling factor change device.

8. A charging area display apparatus for vehicle according to claim 7, wherein:

the detour route search device searches a detour route that maintains a distance equal to or larger than a predetermined distance from the charging area which the vehicle is approaching.

9. A charging area display apparatus for vehicle according to claim 7, wherein:

the detour route search device searches detour routes to the right and to the left of the charging area which the vehicle is approaching; and

a selection device is provided to select detour route guidance for a right run or a left turn.

10. A charging area display apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the scaling factor change device does not change the scaling factor of the map on display if toll charges are not currently in effect in the charging area.

11. A charging area display apparatus for vehicle according to claim 2, wherein:

the warning device does not issue an approach warning if toll charges are not currently in effect in the charging area.

12. A charging area display apparatus for vehicle according to claim 4, wherein:

the facility search device does not engaged in a facility search if toll charges are not currently in effect in the charging area.

13. A charging area display apparatus for vehicle according to claim 7, wherein:

the detour route search device does not engage in a detour route search if toll charges are not currently in effect in the charging area.

14. A charging area display apparatus for vehicle, comprising:

a storage means for storing in memory roadmap data and charging area data;

a current position detection means for detecting a current position of a vehicle;

a display means for displaying a roadmap;

an approach judging means for judges whether or not the vehicle is approaching a charging area based upon the current vehicle position detected by the current position detection means and the charging area data; and

a scaling factor change means for changing a scaling factor of the roadmap displayed on the display means so as to contain both the current vehicle position and the entirety of the charging area which the vehicle is approaching within a display screen when the vehicle is judged to be approaching the charging area, wherein;

the display means displays the current vehicle position and the charging area which the vehicle is approaching on the roadmap, the scaling factor of which has been changed by the scaling factor change means.

15. A charging area display method for vehicle, comprising:

detecting a current position of a vehicle;

judging whether or not the vehicle is approaching a charging area based upon the current vehicle position having been detected and charging area data; and

changing a scaling factor of a roadmap on display at a display device so as to contain the current vehicle position and the entirety of the charging area which the vehicle is approaching within a display screen of the display device if the vehicle is judged to be approaching the charging area, wherein;

the current vehicle position and the charging area which the vehicle is approaching are displayed at the display device on the roadmap at the scaling factor set as the vehicle approaches the charging area.