Navigation system, method thereof, program thereof and recording medium storing the program

• US 7,136,744 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GeoTechnologies, Inc. (Pioneer Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Increment P Corporation (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Maeda, Hidenori
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/736,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20040172189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-202, 701/205, 701207-211, 701/213, 701 24- 26, 342/357.01, 342/357.13, 340/988, 340/995.21, 340/995.1
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

Provided is a navigation system that can realize preferable navigation. A server unit (400) recognizes current position information and destination information sent from a terminal unit (300) over a network (200) and searches for a travel route utilizing matching data in map information. The server unit (400) sends matching mesh information and a travel route to the terminal unit (300), the matching mesh information including nodes and links that represent a road corresponding to the travel route. The terminal unit (300) navigates a vehicle on the basis of the current position information, the matching mesh information, and information on the travel route. When the current position is off the travel route, the terminal unit (300) performs rerouting on the basis of the matching mesh information that has been acquired. If the terminal unit (300) can not perform rerouting, the server unit (400) performs rerouting. Thus, prompt and smooth navigation based on a new travel route can be achieved.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

a terminal unit; and

a server unit that stores map information, the server unit searching for a travel route for the terminal unit and sending the searched travel route to the terminal unit over a network so that the terminal unit acquires the sent travel route to navigate a movable body on the basis of the travel route,

wherein the map information includes matching data that has a plurality of matching mesh information divided into a predetermined area, the matching mesh information containing a plurality of point information each of which has coordinates information and unique point information and represents a predetermined point, and segment information which has unique segment information and connects a pair of the point information, the point information and the segment information representing a road;

the server unit includes a storage section for storing the map information, an information acquisition section for acquiring current position information on a current position of the movable body and destination information on a destination of the movable body, a search section for searching for a travel route for the movable body by using the matching data on the basis of the current position information and the destination information, and a distributing section for distributing information on the searched travel route along with the matching mesh information containing the point information and the segment information to the terminal unit, the matching mesh information representing a road corresponding to the searched travel route; and

the terminal unit includes a current position information generator for generating the current position information, a destination information generator for generating the destination information, a receiving section for acquiring the matching mesh information and the information on the searched travel route, a navigation section for navigating the movable body on the basis of the current position information, the acquired matching mesh information and the acquired information on the travel route, and a search-restart section for re-searching for a travel route to the destination by using the matching mesh information when the current position is off the travel route.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein

the map information further includes element data on elements constituting a map for a predetermined area corresponding to the matching data, and display-oriented data having a plurality of display-oriented mesh information divided into a predetermined area;

the distributing section of the server unit sends the display-oriented data along with the matching mesh data; and

the terminal unit further includes a display controller for displaying a road of the map on the basis of the point information and the segment information in the matching mesh information on a display section and displaying elements on the basis of the display-oriented data except for the road displayed on the basis of the matching mesh information on the display section.

3. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein

the search-restart section of the terminal unit sends a signal for requesting the server unit to re-search for a travel route when it is determined that that a travel route other than the travel route that has been acquired from the server unit can not be searched.

4. The navigation system according to claim 2, wherein

the search-restart section of the terminal unit sends a signal for requesting the server unit to re-search for a travel route when it is determined that that a travel route other than the travel route that has been acquired from the server unit can not be searched.

5. The navigation system according to claim 3, wherein

the search-restart section determines that a travel route other than the travel route that has been acquired from the server unit can not be searched when the search-restart section determines that an area represented by the matching mesh information acquired from the server unit does not include a travel route other than the acquired travel route.

6. The navigation system according to claim 4, wherein

the search-restart section determines that a travel route other than the travel route that has been acquired from the server unit can not be searched when the search-restart section determines that an area represented by the matching mesh information acquired from the server unit does not include a travel route other than the acquired travel route.

7. A navigation method comprising:

a terminal unit; and

a server unit that stores map information, the server unit having a computing section that searches for a travel route for the terminal unit and sends the searched travel route to the terminal unit over a network so that the terminal unit acquires the sent travel route to navigate a movable body on the basis of the travel route,

wherein the map information includes matching data that has a plurality of matching mesh information divided into a predetermined area, the matching mesh information containing a plurality of point information each of which has coordinates information and unique point information and represents a predetermined point, and segment information which has unique segment information and connects a pair of the point information, the point information and the segment information representing a road;

the navigation method comprising the steps of;

(a) generating current position information on a current position of the movable body and destination information on a destination of the movable body at the terminal unit to acquire the current position information and the destination information over the network;

(b) searching for a travel route for the movable body on the basis of the acquired current position information and the destination information at the terminal unit by using the matching data;

(c) acquiring the searched travel route and the matching mesh information that includes the point information and the segment information representing a road that corresponds to the travel route at the terminal unit; and

(d) navigating the movable body while re-searching a travel route to the destination by the terminal unit on the basis of the current position information, the acquired matching mesh information and information on the acquired travel route with the use of the matching mesh information when the current position is off the travel route.

8. A navigation program stored in a computer-readable recording medium, the program executing a navigation method by a computing section, wherein the navigation method comprises:

a terminal unit; and

a server unit that stores map information, the server unit having a computing section that searches for a travel route for the terminal unit and sends the searched travel route to the terminal unit over a network so that the terminal unit acquires the sent travel route to navigate a movable body on the basis of the travel route,

wherein the map information includes matching data that has a plurality of matching mesh information divided into a predetermined area, the matching mesh information containing a plurality of point information each of which has coordinates information and unique point information and represents a predetermined point, and segment information which has unique segment information and connects a pair of the point information, the point information and the segment information representing a road;

the navigation method comprising the steps of;

(a) generating current position information on a current position of the movable body and destination information on a destination of the movable body at the terminal unit to acquire the current position information and the destination information over the network;

(b) searching for a travel route for the movable body on the basis of the acquired current position information and the destination information at the terminal unit by using the matching data;

(c) acquiring the searched travel route and the matching mesh information that includes the point information and the segment information representing a road that corresponds to the travel route at the terminal unit; and

(d) navigating the movable body while re-searching a travel route to the destination by the terminal unit on the basis of the current position information, the acquired matching mesh information and information on the acquired travel route with the use of the matching mesh information when the current position is off the travel route.

9. A recording medium storing a navigation program in a manner readable by a computing section, wherein the navigation program executes a navigation method by a computing section, the navigation method comprising:

a terminal unit; and

a server unit that stores map information, the server unit having a computing section that searches for a travel route for the terminal unit and sends the searched travel route to the terminal unit over a network so that the terminal unit acquires the sent travel route to navigate a movable body on the basis of the travel route,

wherein the map information includes matching data that has a plurality of matching mesh information divided into a predetermined area, the matching mesh information containing a plurality of point information each of which has coordinates information and unique point information and represents a predetermined point, and segment information which has unique segment information and connects a pair of the point information, the point information and the segment information representing a road;

the navigation method comprising the steps of;

(a) generating current position information on a current position of the movable body and destination information on a destination of the movable body at the terminal unit to acquire the current position information and the destination information over the network;

(b) searching for a travel route for the movable body on the basis of the acquired current position information and the destination information at the terminal unit by using the matching data;

(c) acquiring the searched travel route and the matching mesh information that includes the point information and the segment information representing a road that corresponds to the travel route at the terminal unit; and

(d) navigating the movable body while re-searching a travel route to the destination by the terminal unit on the basis of the current position information, the acquired matching mesh information and information on the acquired travel route with the use of the matching mesh information when the current position is off the travel route.