Route guidance apparatus and method

• US 6,952,647 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2004
• Issued: 10/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Mieko, Kubota, Hiroaki, Hasegawa, Tamotsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/922,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20050021230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/202, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 340/995.1
• US Class Current: 701/209
• 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 21/3644 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 the database. A road pattern analysis unit analyzes a route pattern of the route by referring to the road network data, and obtains road pattern data as the analysis result. A landmark selection area decision unit determines a landmark selection area for route guidance along the route based on the road network data and the road pattern data. A landmark selection unit selects landmark data included in the landmark selection area from said database. A route guidance information generation unit generates route guidance information of the route using the road pattern data and the landmark data selected by the landmark selection unit. A presentation unit presents the route guidance information.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating route guidance information based on route information supplied from outside, comprising:

a storage unit configured to store road network data including a plurality of nodes and a plurality of arcs each connecting two nodes, and a plurality of expressions of route guidance in correspondence with a junction pattern and an advance direction of the junction pattern;

a road pattern analysis unit configured to analyze an angle difference between two roads each connected to a junction of the route information and a pattern of the junction by referring to the road network data;

a route guidance information generation unit configured to generate the route guidance information based on the expression of route guidance corresponding to a result of the analysis; and

a presentation unit configured to present the route guidance information.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein node data of each node includes a node identifier, a node position, a node name, the number of arcs connecting the node, and an arrangement of arc identifiers connecting the node;

and

wherein arc data of each arc includes an arc identifier, positions of a starting point, and an end point of the art, an arc name, and an arc width.

3. A method for generating route guidance information based on route information supplied from the outside, comprising:

storing road network data including a plurality of nodes and a plurality of arcs each connecting two nodes, and a plurality of expressions of route guidance in correspondence with a junction pattern and an advance direction of the junction pattern;

analyzing an angle difference between two roads each connected to a junction of the route information and a pattern of the junction by referring to the road network data;

generating the route guidance information based on the expression of route guidance corresponding to the analysis result; and

presenting the route guidance information.

4. The method according to claim 3,

wherein node data of each node includes a node identifier, a node position, a node name, the number of arcs connecting the node, and an arrangement of arc identifiers connecting the node, and

wherein arc data of each are includes an arc identifier, position of a starting point and an end point of the arc, an arc name, and an arc width.