Navigation system and a memory medium

• US 6,807,480 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Kato, Koji, Ito, Shogo, Takeda, Yasuyuki, Ikeda, Kazuhiro, Iwasaki, Hironari
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Broadhead, Brian J.
• Application Number:
  US09/632,793
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/208, 701/207, 701/300, 701/212
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096894 where input is assisted by the navigation device, i.e. the user does not type the complete name of the destination, e.g. using zip codes, telephone numbers, progressively selecting from initial letters

Abstract

A vicinity search using register point data in a designated area reduces search time. The vicinity search data include at least category information, names of register points and country information. The search device conducts the vicinity search by specifying any one of category information to which the register points belong, names of the register points and country information, or a combination, by option and display. The search device further uses category information with flags representing the presence and absence of the register point data, whereby the register point data are searched by referring to the flags.

Claims

1. A navigation system, comprising:

an input means for inputting a reference position for searching register points;

an information storage means for storing register points, wherein said register points are divided into an area or block, and said register points in each area or block are divided into at least one category, and flags representing the presence or absence of said register points are given to each category of each area or block;

a search means for searching each category of said register points existing within a predetermined limit on the basis of said reference position input by said input means by referring to said flags representing the presence or absence of said register points in said information storage means; and

a display means for displaying each category with flags representing the presence of the register points searched by said searching means.

2. A navigation system, comprising:

an input means for inputting information for searching register points;

an information storage means for storing register points, wherein said register points are divided into an area or block and said register points in each area or block are divided into at least one category and flags representing the presence or absence of said register points are given to each category of each area or block;

a search means for searching each category of said register points belonging to each area or block input by said input means by referring to said flags representing the presence or absence of said register points in said information storage means; and

a display means for displaying each category with flags representing the presence of the register points searched by said searching means.

3. A navigation system, comprising:

an input means for inputting information for searching register points;

an information storage means for storing register points, wherein said register points are divided into at least one category and said register points in each category are assigned to an area or block and flags representing the presence or absence of said register points are given to each area or block of each category;

a search means for searching an area of said register points belonging to the category input by said input means by referring to said flags representing the presence or absence of said register points in said information storage means; and

a display means for displaying an area with flags representing the presence of the register points searched by said searching means.