Mobile terminal and navigation system

• US 6,978,209 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2003
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Umehara, Yoshiaki, Yoshida, Junichi, Tsuji, Naoki, Hasegawa, Osamu, Nakahara, Fumiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US10/383,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20040048620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/343.2, 455/342.4, 455/457, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 455/572, 455/574, 455/575.9, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/343.1, 345211-212, 345851-855, 345/162, 701200-201, 701207-213, 340988-993, 340/995.1, 340/995.12, 340/995.14, 340/995.19, 340/995.21, 340/995.17, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 342/357.17, 342/458, 715848-851, 715853-855, 715/864
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A navigation system for route guidance is provided. The navigation system comprises a navigation server storing map information and the mobile terminal displaying map information. The mobile terminal has access to the navigation server through a communication network and is controlled to turn on and off the display of map information.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

a mobile terminal including a position detector to acquire position information of a current position of the mobile terminal, an input interface for receiving position information of a desired destination, and a display for displaying the map information;

a navigation server connected to the mobile terminal through a communication network, the navigation server including an information database for storing the map information and a map information provider which reads map information from the information database according to the position information, the map information including a route calculated according to the current position, the destination, a relay point; and

a controller coupled to the server and the display to turn on and off the display of map information based upon distance between at least one of the current position and the destination, and the current position and the relay point

wherein the controller controls the storage and the display so as to display at least a portion of the map information when a distance “

r”

from one of the current position to the destination or the current position to the relay point is no greater than a preset distance “

R”

, and not to display the map information when the distance “

r”

is larger than the preset distance “

R”

, and wherein the controller controls the position detector to acquire position information of the current position after a lapse of a calculated time “

t”

to reach the destination or the relay point from the current position less a preset time “

Δ

t”

, to compare after the lapse the distance “

r”

from one of the current position to the destination or the current position to the relay point with the preset distance “

R.”

2. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said controller controls said display and said storage so as to display said map information and position information of said current position of said mobile terminal when said current position of said mobile terminal is off the route contained in said map information.

3. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said map information provider provides the mobile terminal with map information used for route guidance as a single unit, and said storage stores said map information used for route guidance provided as a single unit.

4. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said controller controls said display and said storage so as to selectively display all the map information or a portion of the map information used for route guidance.

5. A mobile terminal which retrieves map information through a communication network, to which map information used for route guidance is provided by a navigation server, and displays such information, comprising:

a position detector acquiring position information of a current position of the mobile terminal;

an input interface for receiving position information of a destination and a relay point;

a storage for storing the map information provided by the navigation server;

a display for displaying the map information;

a controller coupled to the storage and the display for controlling them;

wherein the controller controls the display and the storage to turn on and off the display of the map information depending on a calculated time for reaching the destination from the current position; and

wherein the controller controls the position detector to acquire position information of the current position of the mobile terminal after a lapse of a calculated time “

t”

to reach one of the destination or the relay point from the current position minus a preset time “

Δ

t”

to compare after the lapse a distance “

r”

from one of the current position to the destination or the current position to the relay point, with a preset distance “

R,” and

to display map information when “

r”

is no greater than the preset distance “

R”

, and not to display the map information used for route guidance when “

r”

is larger then “

R.”

6. A mobile terminal according to claim 5, wherein said controller controls said display and said storage so as to display said map information and position information of said current position of said mobile terminal when said current position of said mobile terminal is off said route.

7. A mobile terminal according to claim 5, wherein said controller controls said display and said storage so as to display said map information and position information of said current position of said mobile terminal when said current position of said mobile terminal is off said route.

8. A mobile tenninal according to claim 5, wherein said controller controls said display and said storage so as to selectively display all the map information or a portion of the map information.

9. A mobile terminal according to claim 5, wherein said controller controls said display and said storage so as to selectively display all the map information or a portion of the map information.

10. A mobile terminal according to claim 5 wherein the controller controls the position detector to acquire position information of the current position after a lapse of a calculated time “

t”

to reach the destination or the relay point from the current position of the mobile terminal minus a first preset time “

Δ

t”

to compare a second preset time “

T”

with the calculated time “

t”

, to display map information used for route guidance when the calculated time “

t”

is not greater than the second preset time “

T”

, and not to display the map information used for route guidance when the calculated time “

t”

is larger than said second preset time “

T.”