Navigation apparatus and method

• US 6,928,364 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshio Tsuyuki
• Original Assignee: Toshio Tsuyuki
• Inventors: Tsuyuki, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US10/292,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20030069687A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23- 25, 701/201, 701/212, 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/210, 701/211, 340/995.1, 340/995.14, 340/995.19, 340/995.21, 340/995.18, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 731/78.R
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance

Abstract

A navigation apparatus, and method, comprised of an input unit, central processing unit, output unit, locator, processing devices, computing and retrieving devices, and storage unit. The navigation apparatus and method computes or retrieves and outputs or displays a unit area not suitable for travel, that is, a “cell”, from a destination, based on, for example, a type of moving object or data of a navigated area. The navigation apparatus and method thereby presents cells as realistic, useful, basic information based on various travel factors and enables such cells to be avoided and the destination to be reached.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus for mounting in a moving object, the navigation apparatus comprising:

an input unit, a central processing unit, a storage unit, and an output unit, wherein said storage unit has a means for storing data relating to a navigated area, said input unit having means for inputting different information relating to travel according to a type of said moving object, when said moving object is traveling, said central processing unit having computing and retrieving means for finding from data stored in said storage unit, a unit area not suitable for travel as a cell when said information relating to travel is inputted, the cell is computed and retrieved corresponding to the type of said moving object and said output unit having means for outputting or displaying said cell, wherein the cells, including units which are not suitable for travel are regarded as significant and displayed so as to create an area which is suitable for travel according to the type of moving object.

2. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said central processing unit further includes means for finding a cell located in a certain range of the navigated area when information relating to said range is input from said input unit and said output unit has a means for outputting or displaying said range and a cell located in said range.

3. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said central processing unit further includes means for finding a cell around a destination when information relating to said destination is input from said input unit and said output unit has a means for outputting or displaying said cell around said destination.

4. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said central processing unit further includes means for finding a cell in which a destination falls when information relating to said destination is input from said input unit and said output unit has a means for outputting or displaying said cell in which said destination falls.

5. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said central processing unit further includes means for finding a cell near a destination when information relating to said destination is input from said input unit and said output unit has a means for outputting or displaying said cell near said destination.

6. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said central processing unit further includes means for finding a cell around a current position when information relating to said current position is input from said input unit and said output unit has a means for outputting or displaying said cell around said current position.

7. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said central processing unit further includes means for finding a cell in which a current position falls when information relating to said current position is input from said input unit and said output unit has a means for outputting or displaying said cell in which a current position falls.

8. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein a cell contiguous with a blank closest to a destination is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when outputting or displaying an expandable blank and a cell surrounded by said expandable blank.

9. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the cell positioned in a side area is the same as a cell in which a destination falls in the cells contiguous with the blank closest to the destination is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed.

10. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein a cell contiguous with a blank closest to a current position is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when outputting or displaying a blank including an expandable blank and a cell surrounded by said blank together.

11. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said central processing unit further includes means for finding a cell near a current position when information relating to said current position is input from said input unit and said output unit has a means for outputting or displaying said cell near a current position.

12. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein a cell contiguous with a blank in which a current position is located is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when outputting or displaying a blank including an expandable blank and a cell surrounded by said blank together.

13. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein, when travel is restricted to one of a right side and a left side of the cell contiguous with the blank, the cell contiguous with a right side of the blank is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when it is restricted to the right side and similarly the cell contiguous with the left side of the blank is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when it is restricted to the left side.

14. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a cell around a destination and a cell in which a destination falls are computed or retrieved together, and said cell in which a destination falls is highlighted when outputted or displayed.

15. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a cell around a destination and a cell near a destination are computed or retrieved together, and said cell near a destination falls is highlighted when outputted or displayed.

16. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a cell around a current position and a cell in which a current position falls are computed or retrieved together, and said cell in which a current position falls is highlighted when outputted or displayed.

17. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a cell around a current position and a cell near a current position are computed or retrieved together, and said cell near a current position is highlighted when outputted or displayed.

18. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the area having suitability for the travel of the moving object is defined as a blank and said blank is outputted or displayed along with the output or display of a cell surrounded by said blank.

19. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a cell contiguous with a blank is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when outputting or displaying a blank and a cell surrounded by said blank.

20. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein an expandable blank having expandability is outputted or displayed along with the output or display of a cell surrounded by the expandable blank when the blank is an expandable blank.

21. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a cell contiguous with an expandable blank is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when outputting or displaying an expandable blank and a cell surrounded by said expandable blank.

22. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a cell contiguous with a blank in which a destination is located is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when outputting or displaying a blank including an expandable blank and a cell surrounded by said blank together.

23. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a line segment connecting a destination and a current position is found and the cell overlaying the line is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when information relating to a destination and information relating to a current position are input by said input unit.

24. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein when the cell overlaying the line segment and the cell relating to the current position match, the matching cells are highlighted as a common cell when outputted or displayed.

25. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a course from a current position to a destination is found and a cell contiguous with a blank having said course is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when information relating to the destination and information relating to the current position are input by said input unit.

26. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein, when travel, is restricted to one of a right side and a left side of the cell contiguous with the blank, the cell contiguous with the right side of the blank having said course is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when it is restricted to the right side and similarly the cell contiguous with the left side of the blank is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when it is restricted to the left side.

27. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein when the cell contiguous with the blank includes a course and the cell relating to the current position match, the matching cells are highlighted as a common cell when outputted or displayed.

28. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a cell around a destination, a cell in which a destination falls, a cell near a destination, a cell contiguous with a blank surrounding these cells, are defined as cells relating to a destination;

a cell around a current position, a cell in which a current position falls, a cell near a current position, a cell contiguous with a blank surrounding these cells, are defined as cells relating to a current position; and

matching cells are computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed as a common cell when a cell relating a destination and a cell relating to a current position match.

29. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 28, wherein the common cells are highlighted when there are two or more common cells when outputted or displayed.

30. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 29, wherein when there are two or more common cells and the common cells are contiguous with the blank in common, the blank is defined as a common blank and the common cells sharing the common blank are highlighted when outputted or displayed.

31. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 30, wherein when there are two or more common blanks, the common cells sharing the common blanks are highlighted when outputted or displayed.

32. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a speed and direction of movement of the moving object are outputted or displayed by a vector along with the display of the cell.

33. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein an ideal vector having of a speed and vector of the moving object enabling said cell to be avoided is computed and outputted or displayed along with the display of the cell.

34. A navigation method comprising:

inputting different information relating to travel according to a type of moving object;

generating the formation relating to a state of movement of the moving object and according to the type of the moving object; and

,

outputting or displaying said information, wherein said method computes or retrieves a unit area not suitable for travel as a cell and outputs or displays the same and the cell is computed and retrieved corresponding to the type of the moving object, wherein the cells, including units which are not suitable for travel are regarded as significant and displayed so as to create an area which is suitable for travel according to the type of moving object.

35. A navigation method as set forth in claim 34, further comprising highlighting a common cell a cell relating to a destination when outputted or displayed, a cell overlaying a line segment connecting a current position and destination, and a cell contiguous with a blank having a course from the current position to a destination when they match with the cell relating to the current position.

36. A navigation apparatus for mounting in a moving object, the navigation apparatus comprising:

an input unit, a central processing unit, a storage unit, and an output unit, wherein said storage unit has a means for storing data relating to a navigated area, said input unit having means for inputting different information relating to travel, when said moving object is traveling, said central processing unit having computing and retrieving means for finding from data stored in said storage unit, a unit area not suitable for travel as a cell when said information relating to travel is inputted, and said output unit having means for outputting or displaying said cell, wherein the cells, including units which are not suitable for travel are regarded as significant and displayed so as to create an area which is suitable for travel of the moving object.

37. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein said central processing unit further includes means for finding a cell located in a certain range of the navigated area when information relating to said range is input from said input unit and said output unit has a means for outputting or displaying said range and a cell located in said range.

38. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein said central processing unit further includes means for finding a cell around a destination when information relating to said destination is input from said input unit and said output unit has a means for outputting or displaying said cell around said destination.

39. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein said central processing unit further includes means for finding a cell in which a destination falls when information relating to said destination is input from said input unit and said output unit has a means for outputting or displaying said cell in which said destination falls.

40. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein said central processing unit further includes means for finding a cell near a destination when information relating to said destination is input from said input unit and said output unit has a means for outputting or displaying said cell near said destination.

41. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein said central processing unit further includes means for finding a cell around a current position when information relating to said current position is input from said input unit and said output unit has a means for outputting or displaying said cell around said current position.

42. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein said central processing unit further includes means for finding a cell in which a current position falls when information relating to said current position is input from said input unit and said output unit has a means for outputting or displaying said cell in which a current position falls.

43. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 42, wherein a cell contiguous with a blank closest to a destination is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when outputting or displaying an expandable blank and a cell surrounded by said expandable blank.

44. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 43, wherein the cell positioned in a side area is the same as a cell in which a destination falls in the cells contiguous with the blank closest to the destination is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed.

45. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 42, wherein a cell contiguous with a blank closest to a current position is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when outputting or displaying a blank including an expandable blank and a cell surrounded by said blank together.

46. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein said central processing unit further includes means for finding a cell near a current position when information relating to said current position is input from said input unit and said output unit has a means for outputting or displaying said cell near a current position.

47. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 46, wherein a cell contiguous with a blank in which a current position is located is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when outputting or displaying a blank including an expandable blank and a cell surrounded by said blank together.

48. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 47, wherein, when travel is restricted to one of a right side and a left side of the cell contiguous with the blank, the cell contiguous with a right side of the blank is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when it is restricted to the right side and similarly the cell contiguous with the left side of the blank is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when it is restricted to the left side.

49. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein a cell around a destination and a cell in which a destination falls are computed or retrieved together, and said cell in which a destination falls is highlighted when outputted or displayed.

50. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein a cell around a destination and a cell near a destination are computed or retrieved together, and said cell near a destination falls is highlighted when outputted or displayed.

51. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein a cell around a current position and a cell in which a current position falls are computed or retrieved together, and said cell in which a current position falls is highlighted when outputted or displayed.

52. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein a cell around a current position and a cell near a current position are computed or retrieved together, and said cell near a current position is highlighted when outputted or displayed.

53. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein the area having suitability for the travel of the moving object is defined as a blank and said blank is outputted or displayed along with the output or display of a cell surrounded by said blank.

54. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein a cell contiguous with a blank is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when outputting or displaying a blank and a cell surrounded by said blank.

55. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein an expandable blank having expandability is outputted or displayed along with the output or display of a cell surrounded by the expandable blank when the blank is an expandable blank.

56. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein a cell contiguous with an expandable blank is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when outputting or displaying an expandable blank and a cell surrounded by said expandable blank.

57. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein a cell contiguous with a blank in which a destination is located is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when outputting or displaying a blank including an expandable blank and a cell surrounded by said blank together.

58. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein a line segment connecting a destination and a current position is found and the cell overlaying the line is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when information relating to a destination and information relating to a current position are input by said input unit.

59. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 58, wherein when the cell overlaying the line segment and the cell relating to the current position match, the matching cells are highlighted as a common cell when outputted or displayed.

60. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein a course from a current position to a destination is found and a cell contiguous with a blank having said course is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when information relating to the destination and information relating to the current position are input by said input unit.

61. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 60, wherein, when travel, is restricted to one of a right side and a left side of the cell contiguous with the blank, the cell contiguous with the right side of the blank having said course is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when it is restricted to the right side and similarly the cell contiguous with the left side of the blank is computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed when it is restricted to the left side.

62. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 60, wherein when the cell contiguous with the blank includes a course and the cell relating to the current position match, the matching cells are highlighted as a common cell when outputted or displayed.

63. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein a cell around a destination, a cell in which a destination falls, a cell near a destination, a cell contiguous with a blank surrounding these cells, are defined as cells relating to a destination;

a cell around a current position, a cell in which a current position falls, a cell near a current position, a cell contiguous with a blank surrounding these cells, are defined as cells relating to a current position; and

matching cells are computed or retrieved and outputted or displayed as a common cell when a cell relating a destination and a cell relating to a current position match.

64. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 63, wherein the common cells are highlighted when there are two or more common cells when outputted or displayed.

65. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 64, wherein when there are two or more common cells and the common cells are contiguous with the blank in common, the blank is defined as a common blank and the common cells sharing the common blank are highlighted when outputted or displayed.

66. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 65, wherein when there are two or more common blanks, the common cells sharing the common blanks are highlighted when outputted or displayed.

67. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein a speed and direction of movement of the moving object are outputted or displayed by a vector along with the display of the cell.

68. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein an ideal vector having of a speed and vector of the moving object enabling said cell to be avoided is computed and outputted or displayed along with the display of the cell.