Navigation apparatus and intersection guidance method

• US 6,693,564 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2002
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Niitsuma, Eiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US10/303,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20030122688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995.2, 340/995.15, 340/995.17, 340/995.19, 340/990, 701/211, 701/212, 701/208
• US Class Current: 340/995.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• 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

Monitoring is performed to determine whether or not the vehicle approaches a first point in a road where the vehicle turns right before a no-left-turn intersection for effectively entering and turning left at the no-left-turn intersection. When it is determined that the vehicle is close to the first point in the road, the direction in which the vehicle should travel from the first point in the road to a second point beyond the no-left-turn intersection is continuously indicated by an arrow in one enlarged view of the intersection.

Claims

1. An intersection-guidance method using a navigation apparatus that displays a guidance route on a map and displays an enlarged view a branch intersection and a no-left-turn intersection of on the guidance route when a vehicle approaches the intersections, for indicating the direction in which the vehicle should travel at the intersections, the method comprising:

monitoring the vehicle to determine whether or not the vehicle is close to a first point in a road where the vehicle should turn right at the branch intersection before the no-left-turn intersection for effectively entering and turning left at the no-left-turn intersection; and

continuously indicating the direction in which the vehicle should travel from the first point in the road to a second point in the guidance route beyond the no-left-turn intersection by an arrow in one enlarged view of the intersections when the vehicle approaches the first point in the road.

2. An intersection-guidance method according to claim 1, wherein when the vehicle approaches the first point in the road where the vehicle should turn right before the no-left-turn intersection, a voice-guidance message instructs a right turn in order to allow the vehicle to effectively turn left at the no-left-turn intersection.

3. An intersection-guidance method according to claim 1, wherein the first point in the road is a start-point node of two or more exit links, and an endpoint node of at least one of the exit links not forming the guidance route exists on the guidance route.

4. An intersection-guidance method according to claim 1, wherein the first point in the road is a start-point node of two or more exit links, two of the exit links have the same end-point node, and one of the two exit links forms the guidance route.

5. An intersection-guidance method according to claim 1, wherein the first point in the road is a start-point node of two or more exit links, an end-point node of at least one of exit links not forming the guidance route exists on the guidance route, and the guidance route passes through the end-point node in a straight line.

6. An intersection-guidance method according to claim 5, wherein the length of a route for turning right between the start-point node and the end-point node on the guidance route is less than a predetermined multiple of the length of a route between the start point node and the end point node that does not form the guidance route.

7. An intersection-guidance method according to claim 1, wherein the first point in the road is a branch intersection of a Michigan left-turn.

8. A navigation apparatus that displays a guidance route on a map and that displays an enlarged view of a branch intersection and a no-left-turn intersection on the guidance route when a vehicle is close to the branch intersection, for indicating the direction in which the vehicle should travel at the no-left-turn intersection, comprising:

a vehicle-position detection unit for detecting the position of the vehicle;

a monitor for monitoring the vehicle to determine whether or not the vehicle is close to a first point in a road where the vehicle should turn right at the branch intersection before the no-left-turn intersection for effectively entering and turning left at the no-left-turn intersection;

drawing means for drawing the enlarged view of the intersections for continuously indicating the direction in which the vehicle should travel from the first point in the road to a second point beyond the no-left-turn intersection when the vehicle is close to the first point in the road; and

a display for displaying the enlarged view of the intersections.

9. A navigation apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a voice-guidance unit for generating a message that instructs a right turn when the vehicle is close to the first point in the road in order to allow the vehicle to effectively enter and turn left at the no-left-turn intersection.

10. A navigation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first point in the road is a branch intersection of a Michigan left-turn.

11. A navigation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first point in the road is a start-point node of two or more exit links, and an end-point node of at least one of the exit links not forming the guidance route exists on the guidance route.

12. A navigation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first point in the road is a start-point node of two or more exit links, two of the exit links have the same end-point node, and one of the two exit links forms the guidance route.

13. A navigation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first point in the road is a start-point node of two or more exit links, an end-point node of at least one of the exit links not forming the guidance route exists on the guidance route, and the guidance route passes through the end-point node in a straight line.

14. A navigation apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the length of a route for turning right between the start-point node and the end-point node on the guidance route is less than a predetermined multiple of the length of a route between the start point node and the end point node that does not form the guidance route.