Navigation system

• US 6,853,904 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2003
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: HCX Corporation, Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Endo, Yoshinori, Matsuo, Shigeru, Machii, Kimiyoshi, Tanaka, Katsuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US10/367,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20030158651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/211, 701/1, 701/28, 701/36, 731/78.R, 340/990, 340/995.11, 340/995.14, 345/1.1, 345/716, 345/850, 345/156
• US Class Current: 701/200
• 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 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

In a navigation system, display screen handling PG 2032 prepares hierarchically a plurality of operation screens to receive the setting from the operator, and changes the operation screen displayed on display 208 according to the content of the operation to operation button group 207 by the operator, the operation screen under the display, and said layered structure. Further, communication control PG 2032 controls cellular phone 30 through cellular phone IF 204 when it is necessary to receive the information from the information service center 10 in order to process according to the setting given by the operator through each of a series of operation screens displayed on display 208, and establishes the communication line between information service center 10 and this system. And, after information is received, the communication line is cut off.

Claims

1. A car navigation system which receives information from an information service device by using a communication line, comprising a communication part which communicates through said communication line, a display part, a plurality of screen switch buttons, and a processing part which accepts setting from an operator and performs the processing, wherein said processing part has;

a screen change processing means for allowing the operation screen displayed in said display part to change according to the content of the operation on said plural screen switch buttons by the operator, the operation screen under the display, and the layered structure of said plural operation screens, the operation screens to receive the setting from the operator being provided hierarchically; and

a communication control processing means which establishes communication line between said information service device and said system by controlling said communication part when the information from said information service device is needed in order to process according to the setting given by the operator through each of a series of operation screens displayed in said display part, and cuts off said communication line after receiving said information.

2. The car navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said screen change processing means displays the confirmation screen in said display part to confirm whether said communication line is cut off before cutting off said communication line by said communication control processing means, and

when the confirmation of the operator'"'"'s intention by which said communication line is cut off is obtained through said confirmation screen, said communication control processing means cuts off said communication line.

3. The car navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said screen change processing means displays the state of establishment of said communication line by said communication control processing means in said display part.

4. The car navigation system according to claim 1, wherein when member information indicative of a qualification necessary to receive information concerned is not registered in said car navigation system even when it is necessary to receive information from said information service device, said screen change processing means does not perform the processing by which communication line is established between said information service device and this system.

5. The car navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said communication part communicates with said information service device by using a cellular phone.

6. The car navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said screen change processing means displays item information allocated to each of said plural screen switch button along with the operation screen concerned in said display part according to the layered structure of said plural operation screens and the operation screen under the display.

7. The car navigation system according to claim 6, wherein when the state that said plural screen switch buttons are not operated continues longer than the predetermined time, said screen change processing means does not display said item information until said car navigation system are operated by the operator afterwards.

8. A car navigation system which receives information from an information service device by using a communication line, comprising a communication part which communicates through said communication line, a display part, a plurality of screen switch buttons, and a processing part which accepts setting from an operator and performs;

wherein said processing part has;

a screen change processing means for allowing the operation screen displayed in said display part to change according to the content of the operation on said plural screen switch buttons by the operator, the operation screen under the display, and the layered structure of said plural operation screens, the operation screens to receive the setting from the operator being provided hierarchically;

a communication method judgment means judges whether the communication method in said communication part is a circuit switching method or a packet method,

a communication control processing means which establishes communication line between said information service device and said system by controlling said communication part when the information from said information service device is needed in order to process according to the setting given by the operator through each of a series of operation screens displayed in said display part, and cuts off said communication line when it is detected that said communication method is the circuit switching method after said information is received, the communication control processing means, or maintains the connection of said communication line when detected that it is the packet method.

9. The car navigation system according to claim 8, wherein when it is detected that said communication method is the circuit switching method, said screen change processing means displays the confirmation screen in said display part to confirm whether said communication line is cut off before cutting off said communication line by said communication control processing means, and when the confirmation of the operator'"'"'s intention by which said communication line is cut off is obtained through said confirmation screen, said communication control processing means cuts off said communication line.

10. The car navigation system according to claim 8, wherein said screen change processing means displays the state of establishment of said communication line by said communication control processing means in said display part.

11. The car navigation system according to claim 8, wherein when member information indicative of a qualification necessary to receive information concerned is not registered in said car navigation system even when it is necessary to receive information from said information service device, said screen change processing means does not perform the processing by which the communication line is established between said information service device and this system.

12. The car navigation system according to claim 8, wherein said communication part communicates with said information service device by using a cellular phone.

13. The car navigation system according to claim 8, wherein said screen change processing means displays item information allocated to each of said plural screen switch button along with the operation screen concerned in said display part according to the layered structure of said plural operation screens and the operation screen under the display.

14. The car navigation system according to claim 13, wherein when the state that said plural screen switch buttons are not operated continues longer than the predetermined time, said screen change processing means does not display said item information until said car navigation system are operated by the operator afterwards.