Vehicle navigation system adapted to improved system upgrade procedure

• US 6,999,871 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2003
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ohno, Tsuneo, Yuasa, Go, Kameoka, Yuuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gibson, Eric M.
• Application Number:
  US10/679,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20040083053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/208, 701/210, 340/995.18, 342/357.13, 717/11
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

A vehicle navigation system includes a hard disk drive, which stores an old navigation software set; an optical disk drive which is accessible to an optical disk which stores a new navigation software set; a first executing section which drives the hard disk drive; and a second executing section which drives the optical disk drive. An install section responds to a navigation instruction to control the first executing section to drive the hard disk drive such that a vehicle navigation is carried out based on the old navigation software set, when the optical disk is not available. Also, the install section controls the second executing section to drive the optical disk drive such that the vehicle navigation is carried out based on the new navigation software set and the first and second executing sections to drive the hard disk drive and the optical disk drive such that the new navigation software set is installed from the optical disk into the hard disk drive, when the optical disk is available.

Claims

1. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

a hard disk drive, in which an old navigation software set is stored;

an optical disk drive which is accessible to an optical disk which stores a new navigation software set;

a first executing section which drives said hard disk drive;

a second executing section which drives said optical disk drive; and

an install section responsive to a navigation instruction to control said first executing section to drive said hard disk drive such that a vehicle navigation is carried out based on said old navigation software set, when said optical disk is not available, and to control said second executing section to drive said optical disk drive such that the vehicle navigation is carried out based on said new navigation software set and said first and second executing sections to drive said hard disk drive and said optical disk drive such that said new navigation software set is installed from said optical disk into said hard disk drive, when said optical disk is available,

wherein said install section controls said first and second executing sections to stop the installation of said new navigation software set, when a predetermined vehicle state is detected.

2. The vehicle navigation system according to claim 1, wherein on completion of the installation, said install section automatically controls said second executing section to stop the operation and said first executing section to drive said hard disk drive such that the vehicle navigation is carried out based on said new navigation software set stored in said hard disk drive.

3. The vehicle navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an output unit; and

an output control unit which controls said output unit,

wherein said install section calculates a data size transferred from said optical disk drive to said hard disk drive, and controls said output control unit such that said output unit outputs the data size.

4. The vehicle navigation system according to claim 3, wherein said install section calculates a remaining time for the installation in addition to the data size, and controls said output control unit such that said output unit outputs the remaining time in addition to the data size.

5. The vehicle navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of sensors which sense states of said vehicle; and

a state analyzing section which analyzes the sensed states of said vehicle and determines whether said vehicle is in the predetermined vehicle state.

6. The vehicle navigation system according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of sensors are sensors for at least two of a speed and acceleration of said vehicle, a temperature in said vehicle, a battery voltage of said vehicle and a tachometer.

7. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

a hard disk drive, in which an old navigation software set is stored;

an optical disk drive which is accessible to an optical disk which stores a new navigation software set;

a first executing section which drives said hard disk drive;

a second executing section which drives said optical disk drive; and

an install section responsive to a navigation instruction to control said first executing section to drive said hard disk drive such that a vehicle navigation is carried out based on said old navigation software set, when said optical disk is not available, and to control said second executing section to drive said optical disk drive such that the vehicle navigation is carried out based on said new navigation software set and said first and second executing sections to drive said hard disk drive and said optical disk drive such that said new navigation software set is installed from said optical disk into said hard disk drive, when said optical disk is available,

wherein said new navigation software set contains navigation programs and data, and each of said navigation programs is designated to be specific or not, and

said install section controls said first and second executing sections to stop the installation of each of said navigation programs and data, when one of said navigation program to be executed is specific, and to carry out the installation of each of said navigation programs and data, when said one navigation program is not specific.

8. The vehicle navigation system according to claim 7, wherein on completion of the installation, said install section automatically controls said second executing section to stop the operation and said first executing section to drive said hard disk drive such that the vehicle navigation is carried out based on said new navigation software set stored in said hard disk drive.

9. The vehicle navigation system according to claim 7, further comprising:

an output unit; and

an output control unit which controls said output unit,

wherein said install section calculates a data size transferred from said optical disk drive to said hard disk drive, and controls said output control unit such that said output unit outputs the data size.

10. The vehicle navigation system according to claim 9, wherein said install section calculates a remaining time for the installation in addition to the data size, and controls said output control unit such that said output unit outputs the remaining time in addition to the data size.

11. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

a hard disk drive, in which an old navigation software set is stored;

an optical disk drive which is accessible to an optical disk which stores a new navigation software set;

a first executing section which drives said hard disk drive;

a second executing section which drives said optical disk drive; and

an install section responsive to a navigation instruction to control said first executing section to drive said hard disk drive such that a vehicle navigation is carried out based on said old navigation software set, when said optical disk is not available, and to control said second executing section to drive said optical disk drive such that the vehicle navigation is carried out based on said new navigation software set and said first and second executing sections to drive said hard disk drive and said optical disk drive such that said new navigation software set is installed from said optical disk into said hard disk drive, when said optical disk is available,

wherein said new navigation software set contains navigation programs and data, and each of said navigation programs is designated to be restricted or not, and

said install section controls said first and second executing sections to carry out the installation of each of said navigation programs and data without executing a restricted one of the navigation programs when the restricted navigation program is to be executed during the vehicle navigation.

12. The vehicle navigation system according to claim 11, further comprising:

an input analyzing section which designates whether each of said navigation programs is restricted, based on an input from a user.

13. The vehicle navigation system according to claim 11, wherein on completion of the installation, said install section automatically controls said second executing section to stop the operation and said first executing section to drive said hard disk drive such that the vehicle navigation is carried out based on said new navigation software set stored in said hard disk drive.

14. The vehicle navigation system according to claim 11, further comprising:

an output unit; and

an output control unit which controls said output unit,

wherein said install section calculates a data size transferred from said optical disk to said hard disk drive, and controls said output control unit such that said output unit outputs the data size.

15. The vehicle navigation system according to claim 14, wherein said install section calculates a remaining time for the installation in addition to the data size, and controls said output control unit such that said output unit outputs the remaining time in addition to the data size.

16. A method for upgrading a vehicle navigation system including an optical disk drive which stores a new navigation software set and a hard disk drive which stores an old navigation software set, said method comprising:

(a) determining whether an optical disk is available in response to an installation instruction;

(b) carrying out a vehicle navigation based on said old navigation software set, when said optical disk drive is not available; and

(c) installing said new navigation software set from said optical disk drive into said hard disk drive while carrying out said vehicle navigation based on said new navigation software set, when said optical disk drive is available,

wherein said method further comprises;

determining whether a vehicle is in a predetermined vehicle state; and

stopping said installation of said new navigation software set, when said vehicle is determined to be in the predetermined vehicle state.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

automatically switching such that said vehicle navigation is carried out based on said installed new navigation software set on completion of said installation.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

calculating a data size transferred from said optical disk drive to said hard disk drive; and

displaying said data size.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

calculating a remaining time for said installation in addition to the data size; and

displaying said remaining time in addition to said data size.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

sensing states of said vehicle; and

determining whether said vehicle is in the predetermined vehicle state, based on the sensed results.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein at least two of a speed and acceleration of said vehicle, a temperature in said vehicle, a battery voltage of said vehicle and a tachometer are sensed.

22. A method for upgrading a vehicle navigation system including an optical disk drive which stores a new navigation software set and a hard disk drive which stores an old navigation software set, said method comprising:

(a) determining whether an optical disk is available in response to an installation instruction;

(b) carrying out a vehicle navigation based on said old navigation software set, when said optical disk drive is not available; and

(c) installing said new navigation software set from said optical disk drive into said hard disk drive while carrying out said vehicle navigation based on said new navigation software set, when said optical disk drive is available,

wherein said new navigation software set contains navigation programs and data, and each of said navigation programs is designated to be specific or not, and

said method further comprises;

stopping the installation of each of said navigation programs and data, when one of said navigation programs to be executed is specific; and

carrying out the installation of each of said navigation programs and data, when said one navigation program is not specific.

23. A method for upgrading a vehicle navigation system including an optical disk drive which stores a new navigation software set and a hard disk drive which stores an old navigation software set, said method comprising:

(a) determining whether an optical disk is available in response to an installation instruction;

(b) carrying out a vehicle navigation based on said old navigation software set, when said optical disk drive is not available; and

(c) installing said new navigation software set from said optical disk drive into said hard disk drive while carrying out said vehicle navigation based on said new navigation software set, when said optical disk drive is available,

wherein said new navigation software set contains navigation programs and data, and each of said navigation programs is designated to be restricted or not, and

said method further comprises;

carrying out the installation of each of said navigation programs and data without executing a restricted one of the navigation programs when the restricted navigation program is to be executed during the vehicle navigation.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:

designating whether each of said navigation programs is restricted, based on an input from a user.

25. A computer-readable software product for a method for upgrading a vehicle navigation system including an optical disk drive which stores a new navigation software set and a hard disk drive which stores an old navigation software set, said method comprising:

(a) determining whether an optical disk is available in response to an installation instruction;

(b) carrying out a vehicle navigation based on said old navigation software set, when said optical disk drive is not available;

(c) installing said new navigation software set from said optical disk drive into said hard disk drive while carrying out said vehicle navigation based on said new navigation software set, when said optical disk drive is available,

wherein said method further comprises;

determining whether a vehicle is in a predetermined vehicle state; and

stopping said installation of said new navigation software set, when said vehicle is determined to be in the predetermined vehicle state.

26. The computer-readable software product according to claim 25, wherein said method further comprises:

automatically switching such that said vehicle navigation is carried out based on said installed new navigation software set on completion of said installation.

27. The computer-readable software product according to claim 25, wherein said method further comprises:

calculating a data size transferred from said optical disk drive to said hard disk drive; and

displaying said data size.

28. The computer-readable software product according to claim 27, wherein said method further comprises:

calculating a remaining time for said installation in addition to the data size; and

displaying said remaining time in addition to said data size.

29. The computer-readable software product according to claim 25, wherein said method further comprises:

sensing states of said vehicle; and

determining said vehicle is in the predetermined vehicle state, based on the sensed results.

30. The computer-readable software product according to claim 29, wherein at least two of a speed and acceleration of said vehicle, a temperature in said vehicle, a battery voltage of said vehicle and a tachometer are sensed.

31. A computer-readable software product for a method for upgrading a vehicle navigation system including an optical disk drive which stores a new navigation software set and a hard disk drive which stores an old navigation software set, said method comprising:

(a) determining whether an optical disk is available in response to an installation instruction;

(b) carrying out a vehicle navigation based on said old navigation software set, when said optical disk drive is not available;

(c) installing said new navigation software set from said optical disk drive into said hard disk drive while carrying out said vehicle navigation based on said new navigation software set, when said optical disk drive is available,

wherein said new navigation software set contains navigation programs and data, and each of said navigation programs is designated to be specific or not, and

said method further comprises;

stopping the installation of each of said navigation programs and data, when one of said navigation programs to be executed is specific; and

carrying out the installation of each of said navigation programs and data, when said one navigation program is not specific.

32. A computer-readable software product for a method for upgrading a vehicle navigation system including an optical disk drive which stores a new navigation software set and a hard disk drive which stores an old navigation software set, said method comprising:

(a) determining whether an optical disk is available in response to an installation instruction;

(b) carrying out a vehicle navigation based on said old navigation software set, when said optical disk drive is not available;

(c) installing said new navigation software set from said optical disk drive into said hard disk drive while carrying out said vehicle navigation based on said new navigation software set, when said optical disk drive is available,

wherein said new navigation software set contains navigation programs and data, and each of said navigation programs is designated to be restricted or not, and

said method further comprises;

stopping said installation of each of said navigation programs and data of said new navigation software set based on a specification when said vehicle navigation is carried out; and

carrying out the installation of each of said navigation programs and data without executing a restricted one of the navigation programs when the restricted navigation program is to be executed during the vehicle navigation.

33. The computer-readable software product according to claim 32, wherein said method further comprises:

designating whether each of said navigation programs is restricted, based on an input from a user.