Route guidance apparatus and method

• US 6,820,005 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Mobile Communications Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kubota, Hiroaki, Matsuda, Mieko, Hasegawa, Tamotsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/704,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20040098192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 701/211, 701/201, 701/208, 701/209, 701/213, 340/995.11, 340/990
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635

Abstract

A database stores map data including road network data and landmark data. A route search unit searches for a route from a departure point to a destination point from the road network data stored in said database. A road pattern analysis unit analyzes a road pattern of the route by referring to the road network data, and obtains road pattern data as the analysis result. A route guidance information generation unit generates route guidance information of the route using the road pattern data and the landmark data along the route. A presentation unit presents the route guidance information.

Claims

1. A pedestrian route guidance apparatus, comprising:

a database configured to store map data including road network data and landmark data;

a route search unit configured to search for a route from a departure point to a destination point from the road network data stored in said database, and to divide the route into a departure area, a destination area, and an intermediate area, wherein the departure area is a route area from the departure point to a first target point, the destination area is a route area from a last target point to the destination point, and the intermediate area is a junction area excluding the departure area and the destination area from the route;

a road pattern analysis unit configured to set a mask having a size several times a road width of advance direction of the junction area, to extract the road network data corresponding to the mask from said database as a route network extraction area, to analyze a road pattern of the route by referring to the road network data, and to obtain road pattern data as the analysis result;

a route guidance information generation unit configured to generate route guidance information of the route using the road pattern data and the landmark data along the route; and

a presentation unit configured to present the route guidance information by speech.

2. A pedestrian route guidance method, comprising:

storing map data including road network data and landmark data in a database;

searching for a route from a departure point to a destination point from the road network data stored in said database;

dividing the route into a departure area, a destination area, and an intermediate area, wherein the departure area is a route area from the departure point to a first target point, the destination area is a route area from a last target point to the destination point, and the intermediate area is a junction area excluding the departure area and the destination area from the route;

setting a mask having a size several times a road width of advance direction of the junction area;

extracting the road network data corresponding to the mask from said database as a route network extraction area;

analyzing a road pattern of the route by referring to the road network data;

obtaining road pattern data as the analysis result;

generating route guidance information of the route using the road pattern data and the landmark data along the route; and

presenting the route guidance information by speech.

3. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable program code embodied in said product for causing a computer to execute pedestrian route guidance, said computer-readable program code having;

a first program code to store map data including road network data and landmark data in a database;

a second program code to search for a route from a departure point to a destination point from the road network data stored in said database;

a third program code to divide the route into a departure area, a destination area, and an intermediate area, wherein the departure area is a route area from the departure point to a first target point, the destination area is a route area from a last target point to the destination point, and the intermediate area is a junction area excluding the departure area and the destination area from the route;

a fourth program code to set a mask having a size several times a road width of advance direction of the junction area;

a fifth program code to extract the road network data corresponding to the mask from said database as a route network extraction area;

a sixth program code to analyze a road pattern of the route by referring to the road network data;

a seventh program code to obtain road pattern data as the analysis result;

an eighth program code to generate route guidance information of the route using the road pattern data and the landmark data along the route; and

a ninth program code to present the route guidance information by speech.