Vehicle-mounted apparatus and guidance system

• US 7,096,100 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2004
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Arata, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/797,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20040181324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/23, 701/207, 701/213, 701/205, 701/200, 701/211, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/3.02, 455/414, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.6, 455/41, 455/422, 455/33, 455/34, 455/56, 340/905, 340/928, 340/995.25, 340/995.27, 340/995.19
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

A guidance system includes a vehicle-mounted apparatus. A sensor-signal input unit inputs a vehicle-sensor signal for acquiring a vehicle status. A determining unit determines a movement of the vehicle on the basis of the vehicle-sensor signal inputted from the sensor-signal input unit. A guidance-information acquiring unit acquires guidance information from an external apparatus through a communication apparatus mounted on the vehicle. An information selecting unit selects guidance information acquired by the guidance-information acquiring unit depending upon a vehicle movement determined by the determining unit. An output unit outputs guidance information selected by the information selecting unit.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted apparatus comprising:

sensor-signal input means for inputting a vehicle-sensor signal for acquiring a vehicle status;

determining means for determining a movement of the vehicle on the basis of the vehicle-sensor signal inputted from the sensor-signal input means;

guidance-information acquiring means for acquiring guidance information from an external apparatus through a communication apparatus mounted on the vehicle;

information selecting means for selecting guidance information acquired by the guidance-information acquiring means, depending upon a vehicle movement determined by the determining means; and

an output means for outputting guidance information selected by the information selecting means.

2. A vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining means determines a vehicle movement expected to enter or expected to leave, in a case of recognition of at least one of a traveling at a predetermined speed or lower, a change in traveling direction to a predetermined direction and an exhibition of a turn-signal in a predetermined direction.

3. A vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, in a case the determining means determines a vehicle movement expected to enter or expected to leave, guidance information outputted by the output means is guidance information adapted to enter or leave.

4. A vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 3, wherein whether the guidance information is guidance information adapted for entering or information adapted for leaving is determined based on an area in which the external apparatus is allowed to communicate with the communication apparatus or the transmission apparatus.

5. A vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, in a case the determining means does not determine a vehicle movement expected to enter or expected to leave, guidance information outputted by the output means is guidance information adapted not to enter or not to leave.

6. A vehicle-mounted apparatus comprising:

sensor-signal input means for inputting a vehicle-sensor signal for acquiring a vehicle status;

determining means for determining a movement of the vehicle on the basis of the vehicle-sensor signal inputted from the sensor-signal input means;

movement presenting means for presenting to the external apparatus a vehicle movement determined by the determining means through a transmission apparatus mounted on the vehicle;

guidance-information acquiring means for acquiring guidance information sent by the external apparatus on the basis of a vehicle movement presented by the movement presenting means through a receiving apparatus mounted on the vehicle; and

an output means for outputting guidance information acquired by the guidance-information acquiring means.

7. A vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the determining means determines a vehicle movement expected to enter or expected to leave, in a case of recognition of at least one of a traveling at a predetermined speed or lower, a change in traveling direction to a predetermined direction and an exhibition of a turn-signal in a predetermined direction.

8. A vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, in a case the determining means determines a vehicle movement expected to enter or expected to leave, guidance information outputted by the output means is guidance information adapted to enter or leave.

9. A vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 8, wherein whether the guidance information is guidance information adapted for entering or information adapted for leaving is determined based on an area in which the external apparatus is allowed to communicate with the communication apparatus or the transmission apparatus.

10. A vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, in a case the determining means does not determine a vehicle movement expected to enter or expected to leave, guidance information outputted by the output means is guidance information adapted not to enter or not to leave.

11. A guidance system including at least a vehicle-mounted apparatus and an external apparatus for carrying out communications with the vehicle-mounted apparatus, the guidance system wherein

the vehicle-mounted apparatus comprises:

sensor-signal input means for inputting a vehicle-sensor signal for acquiring a vehicle status;

determining means for determining a movement of the vehicle on the basis of the vehicle-sensor signal inputted from the sensor-signal input means;

guidance-information acquiring means for acquiring guidance information from an external apparatus through a communication apparatus mounted on the vehicle;

information selecting means for selecting guidance information acquired by the guidance-information acquiring means, depending upon a vehicle movement determined by the determining means; and

an output means for outputting guidance information selected by the information selecting means;

the external apparatus having transmitting means for sending the guidance information to the vehicle-mounted apparatus and control means for controlling the transmitting means.

12. A guidance system including at least a vehicle-mounted apparatus and an external apparatus for communications with the vehicle-mounted apparatus, the guidance system wherein

the vehicle-mounted apparatus comprises:

sensor-signal input means for inputting a vehicle-sensor signal for acquiring a vehicle status;

determining means for determining a movement of the vehicle on the basis of the vehicle-sensor signal inputted from the sensor-signal input means;

movement presenting means for presenting to the external apparatus a vehicle movement determined by the determining means through a transmission apparatus mounted on the vehicle;

guidance-information acquiring means for acquiring guidance information sent by the external apparatus on the basis of a vehicle movement presented by the movement presenting means through a receiving apparatus mounted on the vehicle; and

an output means for outputting guidance information acquired by the guidance-information acquiring means;

the external apparatus having receiving means for receiving the vehicle movement presented by the movement presenting means, information selecting means for selecting guidance information depending upon a vehicle movement received by the receiving means and transmitting means for sending guidance information the information selecting means has selected.