Navigation terminal, navigation system, navigation program and drive guide method

• US 6,988,036 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2003
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Kawakami, Takashi, Sakai, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US10/659,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/200, 701/201, 701/23, 701/1, 340/995.19, 340/995.23, 731/78.R
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096894 where input is assisted by the navigation device, i.e. the user does not type the complete name of the destination, e.g. using zip codes, telephone numbers, progressively selecting from initial letters

Abstract

When the drive guide is performed by acquiring the drive route information from the information center, a control unit of the navigation terminal receives the information of a partial drive route in the total drive route connecting the place of departure and the place of destination and starts the drive guide on the basis of the received information of partial drive route, even if the information of the total drive route connecting the place of departure and a place of destination is not received.

Claims

1. A navigation terminal comprising:

a positioning unit for positioning a current location of a mobile unit;

a setting unit for setting up a place of departure and a place of destination;

a communication unit for transmitting and receiving information to and from an information center;

a temporary storage unit for storing the drive route information received by the communication unit; and

a drive guide unit for guiding the driving on the basis of the current location positioned by the positioning unit and the drive route information stored in the temporary storage unit, wherein

when the communication unit attempts to receive information of a drive route connecting the place of destination and the place of departure that are set up by the setting unit, but can not receive all of the information of the drive route, and the communication unit receives part of the information of the drive route which meets a predetermined requirement, the drive guide unit starts guiding on the basis of the received information.

2. The navigation terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the communication unit transmits a request to acquire information of a drive route connecting from an end of a drive route indicated by the received information to the place of destination from the information center, while the drive guide unit is guiding on the basis of the received information.

7. The navigation terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the part of the information of the drive route which is meets the predetermined requirement is information of a drive route near the set place of departure.

8. The navigation terminal according to claim 7, wherein

the part of the information of the drive route which meets the predetermined requirement is information of a drive route including at least one branch point near the place of departure.

9. The navigation terminal according to claim 2, wherein

the communication unit transmits the request information when the mobile unit nears the end of the drive route indicated by the received information.

3. A navigation system comprising:

a navigation terminal including a positioning unit for positioning a current location of a mobile unit, a setting unit for setting up a place of departure and a place of destination, a communication unit for transmitting and receiving information to and from an information center, a temporary storage unit for storing the drive route information received by the communication unit, and a drive guide unit for guiding the driving on the basis of the current location positioned by the positioning unit and the drive route information stored in the temporary storage unit;

an information center having a center communication unit for receiving the information indicating the place of departure and the place of destination transmitted by the communication unit; and

a drive route calculation part for calculating the drive route on the basis of the information indicating the place of departure and the place of destination received by the center communication unit, wherein

when the communication unit attempts to receive information of a drive route connecting the place of destination and the place of departure that are set up by the setting unit, but can not receive all of the information of the drive route, and the communication unit receives part of the information of the drive route which meets a predetermined requirement, the drive guide unit starts guiding on the basis of the received information.

4. A computer program making a computer function as a navigation terminal comprising:

a positioning unit for positioning a current location of a mobile unit;

a setting unit for setting up a place of departure and a place of destination;

a communication unit for transmitting and receiving information to and from an information center;

a temporary storage unit for storing the drive route information received by the communication unit; and

a

drive guide unit for guiding the driving on the basis of the current location positioned by the positioning unit and the drive route information stored in the temporary storage unit, wherein

when the communication unit attempts to receive information of a drive route connecting the place of destination and the place of departure that are set up by the setting unit, but can not receive all of the information of the drive route, and the communication unit receives part of the information of the drive route which meets a predetermined requirement, the drive guide unit starts guiding on the basis of the received information.

5. A computer program making a computer function as a navigation system comprising:

a navigation terminal including a positioning unit for positioning a current location of a mobile unit, a setting unit for setting up a place of departure and a place of destination, a communication unit for transmitting and receiving information to and from an information center, a temporary storage unit for storing the drive route information received by the communication unit, and a drive guide unit for guiding the driving on the basis of the current location positioned by the positioning unit and the drive route information stored in the temporary storage unit;

an information center having a center communication unit for receiving the information indicating the place of departure and the place of destination transmitted by the communication unit; and

a drive route calculation part for calculating the drive route on the basis of the information indicating the place of departure and the place of destination received by the center communication unit, wherein

when the communication unit attempts to receive information of a drive route connecting the place of destination and the place of departure that are set up by the setting unit, but can not receive all of the information of the drive route, and the communication unit receives part of the information of the drive route which meets a predetermined requirement, the drive guide unit starts guiding on the basis of the received information.

6. A drive guide method for use at a navigation terminal, the navigation terminal including a positioning unit for positioning a current location of a mobile unit, a setting unit for setting up a place of departure and a place of destination, a communication unit for transmitting and receiving information to and from an information center, a temporary storage unit for storing the drive route information received by the communication unit;

and a drive guide unit for guiding the driving on the basis of the current location positioned by the positioning unit and the drive route information stored in the temporary storage unit, the method comprising;

receiving information from the information center by the communication unit; and

when the communication unit attempt to receive information of a drive route connecting the place of destination and the place of departure that are set up by the setting unit, but can not receive all of the information of the drive route, and the communication unit receives part of the information of the drive route which meets a predetermined requirement, starting to guide driving by the drive guide unit on the basis of the received information the part of the total drive-route.