Destination specifying method and system

• US 6,687,605 B1
• Filed: 03/09/2000
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wako, Hikaru
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/522,131
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/207, 701/208, 701/210, 709/10, 709/100, 704/218, 455/456, 455/455, 340/995.1, 340/995.16, 340/995.23
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233

Abstract

The destination specifying method comprises: (1) configuring a database by associating a telephone number with a name, address, and position of a facility, and when a plurality of facilities share one telephone number, configuring a database by associating the one telephone number with a plurality of the facility names, (2) displaying a telephone number list on a display screen, when a destination is set by a telephone number, and (3) when a specific telephone number is selected from the list, if the telephone number is associated with a plurality of facilities, displaying a facility name list of a plurality of the facilities, and when a facility is selected from the facility name list, displaying detailed information regarding the selected facility. A system for carrying out this method is also described.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

input means to input a telephone number,

storage means to store a name, address, and coordinates of a facility corresponding to the telephone number,

name data judging means to judge whether or not the telephone number inputted by the input means corresponds to a plurality of facilities, and

display means to display recognition information on the telephone number corresponding to a plurality of facilities, when the name data judging means judges that the telephone number corresponds to a plurality of the facilities.

2. A navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a specific icon is displayed near the telephone number corresponding to a plurality of facilities.

3. A navigation system for a vehicle that receives a telephone number to thereby select a facility, comprising:

storage means to store a name and coordinates of a facility corresponding to the telephone number,

display means to display a telephone number that is input by a telephone number input mode,

and display control means that executes an input processing of the telephone number from the input means, and displays a facility name list of a plurality of facilities if the telephone number is associated with a plurality of facilities, when reading a facility name corresponding to the input telephone number from the storage means and displaying it on the display means.

4. A navigation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein, when a facility is selected from the facility name list, detailed information regarding the selected facility is displayed.

5. A navigation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein, in the telephone number input mode, a telephone number list is displayed on the display means, and a specific icon is displayed near the telephone number associated with a plurality of facilities.

6. A navigation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the telephone number associated with a plurality of facilities is shared by a plurality of facilities in the same building.

7. A navigation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the telephone number associated with a plurality of facilities is shared by a plurality of facilities having different addresses.

8. A navigation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein, when setting a desired facility name as a destination from the facility name list of a plurality of facilities, a guide route to the set destination from a present vehicle position is searched, and route guidance is executed.

9. A navigation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the input means have a cancel key to cancel an input by the ten key.

10. A navigation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the storage means store the coordinates by longitude and latitude.

11. A destination specifying method for a navigation system that sets a destination by receiving a telephone number, the method comprising:

configuring a database that associates a telephone number with a name, address, and location f a facility, and when a plurality of facilities share one telephone number, configuring a telephone number database that associates the one telephone number with a plurality of facility names,

displaying a telephone number list on a display screen, when a destination is set by a telephone number,

when a specific telephone number is selected from the list, or when a telephone number is directly input, if the telephone number is associated with a plurality of facilities, displaying a facility name list of a plurality of facilities,

and when a facility is selected from the name list of facilities, displaying detailed information regarding the selected facility.

12. A destination specifying method as claimed in claim 11, wherein, in the telephone number list displayed on the display screen, a specific icon is displayed near a telephone number associated with a plurality of facilities.

13. A destination specifying method as claimed in claim 11, wherein, when a telephone number associated with a plurality of facilities is selected, or when a telephone number is directly input, one of a plurality of the facilities is displayed, and then in accordance with a display request for a facility name list, a facility name list of a plurality of facilities is displayed.

14. A destination specifying method for a navigation system that sets a destination by receiving a telephone number, which makes a database that associates a telephone number with a name, address, and location of a facility, and when a plurality of facilities share one telephone number, retains a telephone number database that associates the one telephone number with a plurality of facility names, the method wherein, when a destination is set by a telephone number, if a leading part of a telephone number of a facility as a destination is input, the navigation system searches the telephone number database and displays recognition information for a telephone number associated with a plurality of facilities, when displaying a list of the telephone numbers having the leading part.

15. A destination specifying method for a navigation system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the recognition information includes a mark pattern, and the mark pattern is displayed near the telephone number.

16. A destination specifying method for a navigation system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the recognition information includes a specific icon, and the icon is displayed near the telephone number.

17. A destination specifying method as claimed in claim 14, wherein, when a telephone number associated with a plurality of facilities is selected, the navigation system displays the name and address of the leading facility corresponding to the selected telephone number.

18. A destination specifying method as claimed in claim 14, wherein, when a telephone number associated with a plurality of facilities is selected, the navigation system displays a facility name list of a plurality of facilities corresponding to the selected telephone number.

19. A destination specifying method as claimed in claim 14, wherein, when a desired facility name is selected from a facility name list of a plurality of facilities, the navigation system displays the address and category of the selected facility name.

20. A destination specifying method as claimed in claim 14, wherein, when a desired facility name is set as a destination from a facility name list of a plurality of facilities, the navigation system searches a guide route to the set destination from the present vehicle position and executes route guidance.